Notes about Supermicro X11SCA-F


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I recently did the upgrade to 1.5 and can report basically the same things @dumurluk had with 1.5.  Lots of CMOS resets that afternoon :( 

 

Over the past few years I've ordered millions of dollars of SM server gear for our company's colos.  I think I'm just going to forward this thread to our rep and tell them to escalate till it's fixed.

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Yeah, I spent way too much time on way too many cmos resets. I finally got it to a state where it seems to be stable (after several power cycles). At least now I have ikvm access to bios and can see most of the unraid boot process; and hw transcode works. I guess I can live without console access over ikvm.

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I'm not an Unraid user (Use Arch) but with my X11SCA-F (Currently on Bios 1.5) the secret to getting IPMI graphics over VGA / web browser and being able to pass through the Intel IGPU to a VM is to enable "SG" (Split Graphics) in the bios settings. I then disable the Intel Graphics driver modules in the Linux host. I run all UEFI with this configuration, both IPMI and Intel display work in the bios and then the Intel display goes off early in the Linux boot. I'm able to pass through the Intel GPU and its display outputs to my KVM VM even  with GPT (Not Legacy mode) passthrough and the display outputs of the IGPU work within the VM.

 

Just thought this might help some of you.

Edited by Krobar
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1 hour ago, Krobar said:

I'm not an Unraid user (Use Arch) but with my X11SCA-F (Currently on Bios 1.5) the secret to getting IPMI graphics over VGA / web browser and being able to pass through the Intel IGPU to a VM is to enable "SG" (Split Graphics) in the bios settings. I then disable the Intel Graphics driver modules in the Linux host. I run all UEFI with this configuration, both IPMI and Intel display work in the bios and then the Intel display goes off early in the Linux boot. I'm able to pass through the Intel GPU and its display outputs to my KVM VM even  with GPT (Not Legacy mode) passthrough and the display outputs of the IGPU work within the VM.

 

Just thought this might help some of you.

Thankyou for info, 

 

So users would need to change this value from Auto to SG?

 

image.png.17f3641c82ba90c1a514c6de7a5993a4.png

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I'm on BIOS 1.5 and this still works to me (with ESXI):

 

I installed it and did following:

- Remove Quadro P2000 (plug out GPU)

- Reset BIOS to default

- Primary Display : PCI
- Internal Graphics: Enable

- Switch off

- Build in Quadro P2000 again (Plug in, into PCIe Slot)

- Start

- IPMI & Quadro P2000 works

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1 hour ago, SimonF said:

Thankyou for info, 

 

So users would need to change this value from Auto to SG?

 

image.png.17f3641c82ba90c1a514c6de7a5993a4.png

 

Yes, thats right. I also force all roms and options to UEFI in the bios and VT-d/IOMMU is enabled.

 

I'm using a Windows VM with GVT-d / UPT passthrough so within the VM the emulated video card is enabled as well as the Intel GPU, you just install the OS and then the Intel driver and then you can disable the emulated Standard VGA Controller in device manager afterwards if you want to (Leaving it enabled could also allow native VNC access whilst using the IGPU for transcode for example). To get HDMI or Analogue sound you can passthrough the Audio controller in the usual way. I think this config will work with new Linux kernels within a VM too. Arch tends to be running newer kernel and versions than Unraid so could be different but happy to try to help if people have questions.

Edited by Krobar
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18 hours ago, SimonF said:

@dumurluk Have you tried setting SG for Primary display?

No, I did not. At this point I don't have it in me to deal with more cmos resets. I've also been dealing with another issue that affects this board on unraid (kernel panics and lock ups every 12 hours or so).

 

This board and unraid have been a bad combo so far.

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  • 5 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...
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  • 3 weeks later...

I seem to have this working correctly, but I didn't see "Primary Display" setting anywhere. I saw "VGA Priority". Otherwise, settings are the same. Is this just due to different BIOS version? I have 1.1 on a X11-SCH-LN4F.

 

IPMI is blank after unRAID boots, so it seems I don't have it configured correctly all the way.

Edited by Iceman24
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  • 4 weeks later...

So I have been having random UnRAID crashes (most likely due to macvlan issues, I think) and I decided to take the time to upgrade the BIOS of this motherboard from 1.0c to 1.6a. Everything worked and I booted up UnRaid, but of course it reset my settings so the iGPU was missing, which I need working.

 

Today I decided to try to get the iGPU working again and also finally try to get the iKVM working. Well, as of right now I can't even boot into UnRAID at all, and this is after several resets...

 

I've tried every combination of every setting in this thread. Right now I don't even care if the iKVM never works again, I just need to get the server back up and running. Can someone list their current motherboard settings so I can get UnRAID working with the iGPU? Also, Legacy, Dual, or UEFI boot mode? I don't remember what I had set. @dumurluk @devros @Iceman24

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  • 1 month later...

So I'm trying to make this work on the newer X12SCA-5F and so far no luck. This board has a jumper where you can disable the ATEN Video and that's about the only way I can get the iGPU working, obivously losing console access in the process. I've reached out to Supermicro to see if there's some way of making it work like on the X11.

 

For those with iGPU enabled, have any of you tried the Intel AMT/vPro way of getting access to remote console?

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  • 2 weeks later...

I don't use Unraid, but I have been following this thread and thought I would share my experience of the X11SCA-F with ESXi 7.

After a lot of tinkering, I have managed concurrent use of iKVM and the passthrough of onboard iGPU and 2x graphics cards (RTX 4000 & T1000).

 

BIOS 1.2 (X11SCA9.C05):

Load Optimised Defaults

Primary Display = PCI
Primary PEG = Slot 4 (RTX 4000)
Primary PCI = Onboard
Internal Graphics = Enabled

>then last, set the following:
Option ROM, Video = UEFI

save & reset

server starts to POST and before completing, it reboots once, then boots fully into ESXi and is fine after

I needed to activate the passthrough of the 'Processor Gaussian Mixture Model' PCI device to allow the 2nd GPU to remain Active, which was odd, but not a problem. All persists on reboot. IPMI version 01.73.13.

 

I had this working a year ago with a Quadro P4000 and P620, but in an attempt to resolve an NVMe issue, I removed the GPUs, upgraded the BIOS to the current 1.6a and tried several other changes, but was not successful. I then installed my newer GPUs ...and entered the world blank screens and CMOS resets noted by others. With BIOS 1.6a, I had managed to get iKVM, iGPU and a single GPU to work using the settings above, but keeping the Video Option ROM = Legacy. For 2 GPUs I needed to revert to my last known working BIOS 1.2. I have a few BIOS files between 1.2 and 1.6a, so I could try these, but as it works now, I probably won't bother.

 

X11SCA-F PCI slots:

Slot 7: Broadcom 9400-16i (16x HDD) - Passthrough to OmniOS

Slot 6: AOC-SHG3-4M2P (3x M.2-NVMe & 1x M.2-PCIe) - Local

Slot 5: USB-C from motherboard header

Slot 4: Nvidia Quadro RTX 4000 - Passthrough to Win VM (disable before VM shutdown)

Slot 3: gap

Slot 2: Nvidia T1000 - Passthrough to Win VM (Parsec only, no Gamestream)

Slot 1: Intel X20-DA2 10Gbe NIC (PCIe cable to AOC-SHG3-4M2P) - Local

M.2-2: Intel Optane 900P - Local

AHCI: SSDs - Local

iGPU: UHD P630 - Passthrough to Win VM

Edited by ARNiTECT
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On 12/27/2021 at 10:00 AM, infernix said:

So I'm trying to make this work on the newer X12SCA-5F...

 

Happy to report that on the newer X12 series with ASPEED IPMI, you can also use the iGPU alongside the KVM when you set the following options:

 

- "Advanced -> Chipset Configuration -> System Agent (SA) Configuration -> Graphics -> Primary video to PCI (this selects the ASPEED iKVM GPU as primary)

- "Advanced -> Chipset Configuration -> System Agent (SA) Configuration -> Graphic -> Internal Graphics to Enabled (this force enables the iGPU on the Intel CPU)

"Advanced -> Chipset Configuration -> System Agent (SA) Configuration -> Memory Configuration -> Max TOLUD" to "1GB" (2GB can also work, 3GB does not as it will hang in POST code 19)

 

Booting with this config will have all output on the VGA port as well as the KVM console. The iGPU shows up  in the OS and can be used for HW acceleration even without any output connected. The TOLUD RAM setting does not seem to limit the usable video RAM for the i915 driver as I've seen it use well over 2GB with multiple vaapi encoding streams.

 

I'm using a fake EDID config in 1080p for a Xorg desktop session as well which i can live stream using HW acceleration.

 

Hope that helps someone :)

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  • 2 months later...
On 1/12/2022 at 1:35 PM, ufo56 said:

@infernix what memory modules you are using with X12SCA-5F ?

 

I'll chime in - using this same board with Unraid, have 4x of these (no ECC currently):

 

root@Preston:~# sudo dmidecode --type 17 | more
# dmidecode 3.3
Getting SMBIOS data from sysfs.
SMBIOS 3.3.0 present.

Handle 0x0028, DMI type 17, 92 bytes
Memory Device
        Array Handle: 0x0021
        Error Information Handle: Not Provided
        Total Width: 64 bits
        Data Width: 64 bits
        Size: 8 GB
        Form Factor: DIMM
        Set: None
        Locator: DIMMA1
        Bank Locator: P0_Node0_Channel0_Dimm0
        Type: DDR4
        Type Detail: Synchronous Unbuffered (Unregistered)
        Speed: 2667 MT/s
        Manufacturer: Corsair
        Serial Number: 00000000
        Asset Tag: 9876543210
        Part Number: CMK16GX4M2Z3200C16
        Rank: 1
        Configured Memory Speed: 2667 MT/s
        Minimum Voltage: 1.2 V
        Maximum Voltage: 1.2 V
        Configured Voltage: 1.2 V
        Memory Technology: DRAM
        Memory Operating Mode Capability: Volatile memory
        Firmware Version: Not Specified
        Module Manufacturer ID: Bank 3, Hex 0x9E
        Module Product ID: Unknown
        Memory Subsystem Controller Manufacturer ID: Unknown
        Memory Subsystem Controller Product ID: Unknown
        Non-Volatile Size: None
        Volatile Size: 8 GB
        Cache Size: None
        Logical Size: None

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  • 3 months later...

I’m about to pick up this board, a Xeon E-2226G, and a LSI 9300-8i HBA card. No dGPU.

Plan is to use the iGPU with Plex/Emby for Hardware Transcoding.

And since the my box is going to be headless, in a tech closet, it’s not going to be easy to access for maintenance, so needed a way to access BIOS settings and boot options (power on/off, etc.). So figure that’s IPMI.

 

I’m reasonably tech savy, but haven’t build a PC in probably 10 years, so must admit, got a little lost following the thread above.

 

Will I able to achieve what I want with this setup?

 

Note: I chose this board specifically because I wanted a C246 chipset, DDR4-2666 support, IPMI and 2 x M.2.

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1 hour ago, te5s3rakt said:

I’m about to pick up this board, a Xeon E-2226G, and a LSI 9300-8i HBA card. No dGPU.

Plan is to use the iGPU with Plex/Emby for Hardware Transcoding.

And since the my box is going to be headless, in a tech closet, it’s not going to be easy to access for maintenance, so needed a way to access BIOS settings and boot options (power on/off, etc.). So figure that’s IPMI.

 

I’m reasonably tech savy, but haven’t build a PC in probably 10 years, so must admit, got a little lost following the thread above.

 

Will I able to achieve what I want with this setup?

 

Note: I chose this board specifically because I wanted a C246 chipset, DDR4-2666 support, IPMI and 2 x M.2.

I know you can with the Supermicro X11SCH-(LN4)F models. I don't recall how they compared, but I use this one (LN4) with IPMI and the iGPU. It has your listed requirements as well.

Edited by Iceman24
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  • 3 months later...
  • 11 months later...
On 12/27/2021 at 10:00 AM, infernix said:

So I'm trying to make this work on the newer X12SCA-5F and so far no luck. This board has a jumper where you can disable the ATEN Video and that's about the only way I can get the iGPU working, obivously losing console access in the process. I've reached out to Supermicro to see if there's some way of making it work like on the X11.

 

For those with iGPU enabled, have any of you tried the Intel AMT/vPro way of getting access to remote console?

Did you ever get this working with your X12SCA-5F? I'm thinking of buying this board but I would like to be sure that it'll work with unraid and I can use the all the functions on the MB.

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  • 5 months later...

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