Question regarding PCIe Adapters


Recommended Posts

Hi guys,

 

I'm thinking about tinkering with my running main setup a bit.

I'm currently using this RAID controller adapter card for my 2 mSATA cache drives

https://www.startech.com/de/en/Cards-Adapters/HDD-Controllers/SATA-Cards/~PEXMSATA3422

 

What I didn't investigate properly, prior to buying it, is that it won't work with IOMMU enabled (something about the kernel and whatnot).

 

Then I found this card

http://sedna-shop.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=70

Which seems to do exactly what I'd need it to do (adding 2 mSATA slots and not screwing up my VMs :D)

Does anyone know if that card could be causing any issues with IOMMU?

 

Would you need additional info for that? If so: I'm happy to add any information necessary, I just didn't know what might be of use for that particular question.

 

Kind regards and thanks in advance!

Link to comment

 

On 9/16/2019 at 2:43 PM, ethronrion said:

Hi guys,

 

I'm thinking about tinkering with my running main setup a bit.

I'm currently using this RAID controller adapter card for my 2 mSATA cache drives

https://www.startech.com/de/en/Cards-Adapters/HDD-Controllers/SATA-Cards/~PEXMSATA3422

 

What I didn't investigate properly, prior to buying it, is that it won't work with IOMMU enabled (something about the kernel and whatnot).

 

Then I found this card

http://sedna-shop.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=70

Which seems to do exactly what I'd need it to do (adding 2 mSATA slots and not screwing up my VMs :D)

Does anyone know if that card could be causing any issues with IOMMU?

 

Would you need additional info for that? If so: I'm happy to add any information necessary, I just didn't know what might be of use for that particular question.

 

Kind regards and thanks in advance!

 

Those adapter should be same series of Marvell controler, likely be 9230, pls avoid it.

Edited by Benson
Link to comment
30 minutes ago, Benson said:

The card have 2 mSATA

Yep, I'd need a card that can take 2 mSATA cards.

I only have 1 PCIe expansion slot available on my MB and thought the Startech one would be the perfect fit...
Little did I know about the whole Marvell problem at that time :D

 

If anybody could point me towards a PCIe expansion card that can host 2 mSATA cards that would be greatly appreciated.

Link to comment
4 minutes ago, johnnie.black said:

You did.

 

Supports 6Gbps, 3Gbps SATA based M.2 NGFF 80mm, 60mm, 42mm, 30mm SSD

I don't want to sound ungrateful or anything, since you're already helping me, but from what I understand that won't fit my 2 mSATA cards.

My 2 mSATA drives are, as far as I understand, using an entirely different connector, or is there anything to hook them up to the card you posted?

 

Again: I'm sorry if I sound ungrateful, I'm just trying to wrap my head around this.

Link to comment

I'm starting to think (I've looked for that kind of card for days now) it would be easier to just swap the 2 mSATA cache drives against m.2 SSDs.

It seems to be way easier finding a 2 m2 to PCIe adapter than mSATA that would be compatible with unRAID.

 

Do you happen to know if there's anything I should be aware of prior to trying to swap them out?

Anything you would recommend hw wise?

Link to comment
48 minutes ago, Benson said:

You could found M2 (disk) to MSATA, but almost no rerverse, I believe this because MSATA wider then M2. BTW, even you found that, there are no recommend HBA have either interface.

 

MSATA (disk) direct attach to HBA must ?

 

Unfortunately yes. All SATA ports on my MB are in use and I only have 1 PCIe lane left for spare.
 

So I guess I'll really need to switch them out agains m2 SSDs and a suitable (not Marvell :D) PCIe adapter

 

 

Okay... whilst looking for a suitable m2 substite I found a mSATA adapter with the ASM1061 chipset

https://www.reichelt.de/pcie-controllerkarte-2x-msata-logilink-pc0078-p156807.html?&trstct=pol_2

Do you know if that chipset could cause issues with unRAID? Otherwise that would be the perfect card and I'm not really believing that at the moment :D Especially after the unnerving issues I have with my current card.

 

For more information about my setup: I'm using a GIGABYTE Z270N-WIFI-CF so I only have a PCIe x16 lane available. If I remember correctly there were some issues regarding that and Asmedia chipsets. Or am I remembering that wrong?

Edited by ethronrion
Link to comment

It looks like you are going in a very sub-optimal direction. You are putting 2 x 550 MB/sec SSDs (860 evo) onto a PCIe v2 x1 (ASM1061) interface (max 350-400 MB/sec total). Why not use 2 of these mSata-to-Sata adapters [

https://www.amazon.com/Sabrent-2-5-Inch-Aluminum-Enclosure-EC-MSSA/dp/B01MS6669V

or

https://www.amazon.com/ELUTENG-Enclosure-3050mm-Adapter-Compatible/dp/B07258BJJF

] for your mSata SSDs, connecting them to 2 of your Mobo's Sata ports (for full Sata3/6Gbps speed), and get any ASM1061/2-port card for the two "replaced" Mobo-port HDDs.

 

Surely, you can find a place to Velcro (or duct tape) the two adapter-ed mSata's, and deal with the added cables. (It's a computer, not jewelry--so Function >> Form ...kluges are cool.)

 

 

Link to comment

Well, that was a bust (thought I'd update you on what I did).
 

I bought the ASM1061 chipset PCIe adapter. It didn't really fit into the lane in regards to the backpanel so I had to improvise. After some tinkering everything seemed to fit and looked good, so I booted with IOMMU capabilities enabled and everything seemed to look fine... Until I took a look at the logs...

Massive ATA errors on boot and even crc errors after about 5 minutes... So everything's back to the way it was before I started the thread and I'm looking into m2 SSDs and a compatible PCIe adapter now...

And once I've got more money to spare I'm thinking about seriously upgrading my main unRAID box :D

 

Thanks again to everyone you were really extremely helpful! And thanks again johnnie.black for taking no offense to my dumb questions :)

Link to comment

I'm terribly sorry, but I don't think I can.

I actually do not know where I'd find the logs from about 2 reboots prior.

 

As far as I remember the logs mentioned ATA errors for one of the mSATAs and about a few minutes into being up and running I got a popup notification that mentioned the crc error count going to 4. That's when I decided to switch everything back. (I attached the S.M.A.R.T. info screenshot)

What bugged me is the tinkering that was necessary to even fit the PCI card into the socket.

 

Anyway - I will be going for a PCIe -> m2 Adapter with a higher PCI standard for additional performance and hopefully something different than the Marvell chipset to reenable IOMMU :)

2019-09-20_21h56_31.png

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.