Help Please Can't Boot After Adding LSI Controller

[Badboy]

Hi,

 

FYI: Asrock x370 Killer SLI board

 

I purchased a LSI 6Gbps SAS HBA LSI 9201-8i = 9211-8i IT Mode.  I installed it but the drives I added didn't show up, so I removed it and I was going to deal with it later.  Now the flash drive won't even boot to the motherboard so I can't even get into the bios settings.  It just boots to a blank screen, so I'm assuming it probably changed  the boot order on me when I added the controller.  Not sure how to access board now.  Even when I switch USB ports the light stays solid on the flash drive until I start the server up. Is that normal? Don't remember seeing that before.

 

I originally thought it was the flash drive,  just changed that a number of months ago.  I know they can still go again, thinking the LSI controller broke it.  Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!  Side note: I have an old ssd drive I no longer use that I have removed from the system, but can not get it to remove from the unassigned devices.  What unassigned devices app should I be using?  Standard or Plus?

Edited June 12, 2020 by Badboy

[DivideBy0]

To enter the BIOS menu of your motherboard, press [F2] to enter the BIOS setup utility during bootup, and check the boot order? 

[itimpi]

It is highly likely the boot order has been changed from your description.     Getting into the Bios depends on you pressing at System start whatever key your motherboard specifies for getting into the BIOS.   Common options are F2, DEL, ESC.   Which one it is should be specified in the motherboard manual.

[Badboy]

10 hours ago, itimpi said:

It is highly likely the boot order has been changed from your description.     Getting into the Bios depends on you pressing at System start whatever key your motherboard specifies for getting into the BIOS.   Common options are F2, DEL, ESC.   Which one it is should be specified in the motherboard manual.

I'm aware of that and have tried that. The problem is it won't load the motherboard screen at all.  Have checked the hdmi feed it works. I'm thinking that controller screwed the board up somehow. The lights on the board are active and the network adapter is active. Doesn't mean it's still not broke, seems very odd. 

[SirReal63]

If it were me, I would disconnect all drives and pull the USB flash drive and all peripheral cards except the display.  You may need to force a bios error to be able to get into it.  Other ways are pulling the memory, the battery or the keyboard or resetting the CMOS with the correct jumper found in motherboard manual. 

[Badboy]

22 minutes ago, SirReal63 said:

If it were me, I would disconnect all drives and pull the USB flash drive and all peripheral cards except the display.  You may need to force a bios error to be able to get into it.  Other ways are pulling the memory, the battery or the keyboard or resetting the CMOS with the correct jumper found in motherboard manual. 

 

Edited June 12, 2020 by Badboy

[Badboy]

22 minutes ago, SirReal63 said:

If it were me, I would disconnect all drives and pull the USB flash drive and all peripheral cards except the display.  You may need to force a bios error to be able to get into it.  Other ways are pulling the memory, the battery or the keyboard or resetting the CMOS with the correct jumper found in motherboard manual. 

Thank you,  I will have to try that appreciate it.

[SirReal63]

It is really unusual to not be able to see the boot screen and enter the bios, really unusual. 

[Badboy]

36 minutes ago, SirReal63 said:

If it were me, I would disconnect all drives and pull the USB flash drive and all peripheral cards except the display.  You may need to force a bios error to be able to get into it.  Other ways are pulling the memory, the battery or the keyboard or resetting the CMOS with the correct jumper found in motherboard manual. 

Just tried what you suggested. I pulled everything except the network card.  Still won't kick to the screen,  thinking the board must be gone. It should at least send something to the screen, screen is not detecting anything.

[SirReal63]

The board may be toast, but it is confusing.  The LSI board should boot prior to POST, and I can see if the LSI board had an issue it could prevent the PC Bios from posting, but with it removed and a forced bios error you should get something.  That was a pretty good board when it was new but it looks a good time for an upgrade.  Which processor are you using?

[Badboy]

22 minutes ago, SirReal63 said:

It is really unusual to not be able to see the boot screen and enter the bios, really unusual. 

Plugged the laptop in the same line going to the screen and it worked. You would think with nothing plugged in it would boot to an error screen.

I have never seen anything like this.  Maybe hdmi?  I have 2 of them one on the board and one one the network card. Tried both.

[SirReal63]

What processor are you using, and do you have a different one that will fit the AM4 socket?  A processor swap will also force a bios error.

[Badboy]

13 minutes ago, SirReal63 said:

The board may be toast, but it is confusing.  The LSI board should boot prior to POST, and I can see if the LSI board had an issue it could prevent the PC Bios from posting, but with it removed and a forced bios error you should get something.  That was a pretty good board when it was new but it looks a good time for an upgrade.  Which processor are you using?

Using a Ryzen 1700x  8 core cpu.  If I change this board I will probably have to change the cpu.  I was looking at going a little bigger anyway, not right now if I didn't have to. Not too many boards that will support this cpu and allow for upgrading. Little frustrating LOL.  I hate shopping for motherboards. Don't have another cpu.

Edited June 12, 2020 by Badboy

[SirReal63]

That was a good processor and still very usable for Unraid, B450 boards are starting to get back in stock or you can splurge and go X570 and a new processor or wait for what will be an overpriced B550 when it hits the street.  Have you ruled out the video card? 

[Badboy]

14 minutes ago, SirReal63 said:

That was a good processor and still very usable for Unraid, B450 boards are starting to get back in stock or you can splurge and go X570 and a new processor or wait for what will be an overpriced B550 when it hits the street.  Have you ruled out the video card? 

Stupid me, you are right could be the video card. This system is only about a year and a half old.

[SirReal63]

Hopefully it is something simple, like the video card not being seated well enough.

[Badboy]

19 minutes ago, SirReal63 said:

Hopefully it is something simple, like the video card not being seated well enough.

I hope so.  I didn't spend a lot on the card only using it for display. Thought about a better card for working with Plex, but they say trans coding with your cpu is better. I can't say I have never tried the other way. Thanks for going out of your way to help. I will let you know what happens. Probably just order a video card.  I'm seriously thinking that is what it is.  A slightly better card wouldn't hurt  Be safe!

Edited June 12, 2020 by Badboy

[SirReal63]

This what I use, it is cheap, simple and doesn't take up a valuable slot.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E9Z2D60/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Badboy]

25 minutes ago, SirReal63 said:

This what I use, it is cheap, simple and doesn't take up a valuable slot.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E9Z2D60/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yeah, didn't pay much for mine either $120.  GTX 1030? Good enough for display. Hardly ever got used and still might have broke. LOL

[Badboy]

On 6/12/2020 at 2:10 PM, SirReal63 said:

This what I use, it is cheap, simple and doesn't take up a valuable slot.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01E9Z2D60/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hi SirReal63,

 

Made some progress.  I cleared the Bios settings from the board, rearranged a couple slots, and was able to boot up.

Here's the other problem.  It's booting to a different ip then what's in my network config file.  Obviously I can't access unraid from the browser.

Tried deleting network file but it didn't do nothing.  If I go into Windows explorer and select my server,  all it shows me is the flash drive folder. Normally I would see all my server folders. Any ideas?

 

Thanks! 

 

 

[SirReal63]

I have no idea how it did that, I am a hardware person and am just now diving into the intricacies of Unraid.  Can you input the correct I.P. into the config file?

 

Hopefully @itimpi will see this and teach us both.

[Badboy]

Just now, SirReal63 said:

I have no idea how it did that, I am a hardware person and am just now diving into the intricacies of Unraid.  Can you input the correct I.P. into the config file?

 

Hopefully @itimpi will see this and teach us both.

Funny thing, tried logging in again and it worked.  LOL...Making progress.  Afraid to add my LSI controller now (Already in IT Mode) I need it to add some drives to Unassigned devices.

[SirReal63]

I understand the fear...but if the issue repeats you have identified the problem. 

[drdebian]

Don't know if this problem still persists, but I found this very helpful: https://yannickdekoeijer.blogspot.com/2012/04/modding-dell-perc-6-sas-raidcontroller.html

 

Basically you have to mask pins 5 and 6 to prevent the card from interrupting the boot process. Worked like a charm on my B360M-D2V.

[powderwt]

This is very interesting... I'm on much older hardware, an i7 3770 and a gigabyte ga-h77-ds3h mobo, I went to add a second lsi hba 9210-8i card and started experiencing similar issues. Constant boot looping.

 

Went so far as replacing my ram and psu (after loads of testing to lead me to believe these issues were plausible without any hba cards in) and now I'm to the point of, it instantly powers off without even making it to the bios screen..