New server build / Unraid starts boot, then shuts down the system


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Hi,

 

I just built a new server system based on the Supermicro X11SSH-CTF motherboard with 32GB of RAM. When I boot Unraid, it stops at initramfs for a while and the shuts down the entire system. No kernel panic, no error messages, the power just goes down. Any idea what might be the cause of this?

 

I'm using the latest Unraid build available on a Sandisk Cruzer Fit 16GB USB stick.

This happens reardless of the USB port in use, I tried the onboard USB port and the ports on the chassis and backplane.

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2 hours ago, itimpi said:

I would check the fans and the power supply.    Sounds as if the system is being shutdown by the BIOS rather than unRAID.

 

I've run the system a couple of hours idle and temps seems to be quite OK. The LSI3008 however does not seem to like the bootable USB stick, since it shows the error led when the UnRaid USB stick is in use. Does not seem to make a difference whether it's used onboard or on chassis USB ports.

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11 minutes ago, johnnie.black said:

Try booting with the GUI option, other users had strange boot issues with the X11 (and other boards) where normal boot wouldn't work but it would boot with the GUI option.

 

Done that also. Memtest ran also just fine.

 

Somebody seemed to have trouble with VT-d enabled, I'll poke around BIOS if bare minimum options will solve the issue.

 

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Now things are getting "interesting". I was unable to start even the installer for a Windows Server in this configuration.

 

If I'll pull out the SAS controller cables from the motherboard, UnRaid boots just fine and I can access the server site.So I guess something in the LSI3008 FW. I haven't flashed it yet to IT mode, so that's the next step. This was supposed to be an easy build of 16 available drive slots...

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Continuing my solo speech here: I think I got the hang of it. I flashed the LSI3008 to IT mode with the latest FW (v13) and now booting from a USB device does not result in system shutdowns. So the journey begins. Thanks for the comments.

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There's something fishy regarding the SAS controller startup since it doesn't come online on every boot but shows the error led. When it does come online, everything works just fine. I made a test array that had only a single disk without parity or cache, but no problems there. The disk was on a slot that was controlled by the LSI 3008. Maybe it's something regarding the startup voltage. Bios defaults & updates next then I guess.

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  • 2 months later...

A quick update on my server build.

 

I installed the Supermicro motherboard on an actual Supermicro chassis and all of my problems were solved. Apparently the power supply of the orginal OEM chassis didn't provide proper signals for the motherboard so that the SAS chip didn't boot up properly always.

 

The LSI3008 on the Supermicro X11SSH-CTF works just fine with UnRaid after flashing it to IT mode. I've got now 16 slots available for drives and tested both the motherboard SATA slots and the LSI3008 powered slots. All work just fine.

 

Time to fill up the slots, I've already got 5x8TB drives waiting to be installed.

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