Adaptec 1430SA - How To Set Up Two Cards

[dashahz]

I just purchased two Adaptec 1430SA cards to add into a new unRAID server I am building.  However, when booting up, the server just stalls after identifying the two cards.  But, if I remove one of the Adaptec 1430SA cards, then the boot process successfully proceeds and unRAID begins.  What do I need to change to have both of the Adaptec cards work successfully? 

 

I tried the following with no success:

1. disabled the Adaptec BIOS on both cards

2. disabled BBS support on both cards

 

To confirm that both the cards and PCIe slots are operational I successfully booted with:

1. card 1 in slot 1 (with card 2 ejected)

2. card 2 in slot 2 (with card 1 ejected)

So, it appears that both the cards and PCIe slots are operational.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

[BryantD]

I just purchased two Adaptec 1430SA cards to add into a new unRAID server I am building.  However, when booting up, the server just stalls after identifying the two cards.  But, if I remove one of the Adaptec 1430SA cards, then the boot process successfully proceeds and unRAID begins.  What do I need to change to have both of the Adaptec cards work successfully? 

 

I tried the following with no success:

1. disabled the Adaptec BIOS on both cards

2. disabled BBS support on both cards

 

To confirm that both the cards and PCIe slots are operational I successfully booted with:

1. card 1 in slot 1 (with card 2 ejected)

2. card 2 in slot 2 (with card 1 ejected)

So, it appears that both the cards and PCIe slots are operational.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

What MB are you using? Which slots are you trying to use?

 

I have 2 of these working in my unRAID server.

[dashahz]

Thanks for responding Bryant!  Unfortunately, I'm not sure what motherboard this server uses - I am upgrading an older Dell PowerEdge 1800 server.  I do know that it has an Intel Xeon 2.8 processor.  I uploaded a syslog from this server with a different RAID card a few weeks ago to http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3713.0;attach=1290 if that will help determine the MB.  If you need a more recent syslog, please let me know (note that I would only be able to obtain a syslog with one card attached since the server doesn't currently pass POST with two cards installed).

 

I am using the following slots: PCIe x4 and PCIe x8 slots.  Here is a diagram of the inside (I am using slots 2 and 3 on the diagram): http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/pe1800/en/it/r2053aa0.htm#wp1058988

 

Do you recall having to make any changes to get both the Adaptec cards to work, or was it just plug and play for you?

 

Thanks.

[BryantD]

Thanks for responding Bryant!  Unfortunately, I'm not sure what motherboard this server uses - I am upgrading an older Dell PowerEdge 1800 server.  I do know that it has an Intel Xeon 2.8 processor.  I uploaded a syslog from this server with a different RAID card a few weeks ago to http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=3713.0;attach=1290 if that will help determine the MB.  If you need a more recent syslog, please let me know (note that I would only be able to obtain a syslog with one card attached since the server doesn't currently pass POST with two cards installed).

 

I am using the following slots: PCIe x4 and PCIe x8 slots.  Here is a diagram of the inside (I am using slots 2 and 3 on the diagram): http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/pe1800/en/it/r2053aa0.htm#wp1058988

 

Do you recall having to make any changes to get both the Adaptec cards to work, or was it just plug and play for you?

 

Thanks.

 

On my MB I had to change the setting in my bios to dual video to get it to recognize the 1430SA in the 2nd PCI-ex16 slot. The PCI-ex4 slot worked fine. I disabled the bios on both cards (it would just hang with the bios enabled). Also it is common for me to have to reboot a few times to get both of the 1430SA to work.

 

When it boots with one 1430SA, does it work in either slot?

[dashahz]

I wasn't able to locate a dual video option in my BIOS.  Here is how my BIOS looks:

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/pe1800/en/ug/r2044c30.htm#wp1055648

 

Yes, as long as I boot with only one card, it will boot from either slot.

[BryantD]

I wasn't able to locate a dual video option in my BIOS.  Here is how my BIOS looks:

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/pe1800/en/ug/r2044c30.htm#wp1055648

 

Yes, as long as I boot with only one card, it will boot from either slot.

 

I cannot see anything in what you've linked that would cause you not to be able to use both. Have you tried to reboot several times in a row? As I've mentioned when I shut down the unRAID server to add a drive, when I reboot it frequently won't see the 2nd 1430SA (which I can see when the MB bios is loading), so I reboot before it tries to boot unRAID until it sees both 1430SA's in the MB bios (which sometimes takes upto 3 reboots). Once it sees both cards, it works great. Wish I could be of more help, maybe someone else will chime in.

[dashahz]

I tried to reboot about 5 to 6 times in a row, but the server doesn't proceed after identifying both the Adaptec cards.  Here is what it does:

***

First card identified

Drives connected to first card listed

Message: "BIOS is disabled"

 

Second card identified

Drives connected to second card listed

Message: "BIOS is disabled"

 

Message "BIOS not installed!"

 

Hang

***

 

If I use only one card, the server continues after the "BIOS not installed" message.

 

I appreciate your time Bryant!

 

If anyone else has any suggestions, please let me know.

 

Thanks.

[SSD]

I am using 2 of these cards on a P5B VM DO motherboard - having no problems.  I believe after the events you describe it displays a summary screen of all of the devices and then proceeds to try to boot.

 

Two things immediately come to mind ...

 

1.  Look for a BIOS update

2.  Try to disable anything in BIOS that you don't need (serial ports, audio, extra LAN, etc.).

[dashahz]

bjp999: Thanks for the information.  I checked and I have the latest BIOS update.  I attempted to disable unneeded items in the BIOS, but the server still did not boot correctly with both cards installed. 

 

In any case, this was just one of the several problems I was having attempting to upgrade an older Dell PE 1800 server for use with unRAID.  So, I took this as a sign and will be purchasing one of Tom's servers solutions in the next few days to avoid wasting any more of my time

 

BTW, I attempted to contact Adaptec for support but was disappointed with their lack of support.  I contacted Adaptec on 5/17 and followed up three times since and I have still not received a response from them.

 

[jimwhite]

let me know if the Adaptec cards go up for sale !!

 

 

[dashahz]

Sorry Jim, but I will be returning them to the retailer I purchased them from.  If they don't take them back for some reason, then I will put them up for sale 

 

let me know if the Adaptec cards go up for sale !!

 

 

[cwr]

how are these cards otherwise? can anyone speak from experience? i see they're used in the new unraid server builds and i have the same board (c2see) so that should be a good start.

 

i've pretty much given up on the supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 card as i need the space now. i've been watching the linux kernel mailing list among a few others and forums and nobody seems to be working on this card. given that supermicro aren't too helpful and the official driver gives terrible write speeds, the adaptec cards are probably the wtg, although that leaves me using 2 pci sata cards, ugh.

[SSD]

I have 2 of them.  They work great.  Make sure you disable BIOS in the config screen.

 

The connectors (for the SATA cables) are a little flimsy, but certainly acceptable.  Just don't be too rough on them.

[abq-pete]

I have 2 of them (3rd on the way).  They work well except that the locking Monoprice SATA cables I use are a very tight fit in the stacked ports.  They also do not support the locking/latching feature of the cables.  In any case, I will be one of the first to try running 3 cards in the same system...

 

Regards,  Peter

[BryantD]

I have 2 of them (3rd on the way).  They work well except that the locking Monoprice SATA cables I use are a very tight fit in the stacked ports.  They also do not support the locking/latching feature of the cables.  In any case, I will be one of the first to try running 3 cards in the same system...

 

Regards,  Peter

 

What MB are you using? I'm considering tryng a 3rd as well.

[abq-pete]

 

What MB are you using? I'm considering tryng a 3rd as well.

 

This system is using an Intel D975XBX2 board.  For more info:

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813121059

 

Regards,  Peter

[garycase]

Just curious if you ever installed the 3rd 1430SA -- and if so if all went well.

 

Also, does anyone know of anyone who has these cards available??  I've been looking for several weeks -- and although Adaptec assures me they're still a current card and more stock will be forthcoming, they can't give a projected date -- and nobody seems to have them.

 

[terrastrife]

theres a load of these cards on ebay and also some newegg specials and others, how can yu not find them? maybe theyre out of your price range of finding?

 

OP sounds like your boards just out of exended memory... ie no spac eleft to allocate for the 2nd card. this is an issue on some boards that youll find out once you get to it. on my board i have a similar problem that my raid card uses too much mem space that i cannot enable onboard intel raid

[garycase]

I've purchased two via "Buy-It-Now" on ebay and had both sellers have to submit cancellations because they didn't actually have the cards.

 

Newegg does NOT have them available -- haven't for over two months [http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816103058&cm_re=1430SA-_-16-103-058-_-Product ]

 

I've put "auto-notify" notes on several other sites, but none have them in stock.    Tried ProVantage, MWave, Directron, CDW, ZipZoomFly,  and several others.

 

You may think they're "all over the place" -- but even Adaptec doesn't have any available ... and all they'll say if you call them is that (a) it's still an active product;  (b) more will be available "in a matter of weeks" (but nothing specific);  and ©  that they're working to resolve their supply issues with the card.

 

LimeTech is having the same issue -- that's the whole reason for Release 4.53, which supports the 8-port SuperMicro card, but I'd prefer to use the 1430SA's IF I can find some.

[terrastrife]

theres heaps in australia in stock, mainly at bricks and mortar stores.