Need help - weird hardware problem with HBA's and RAM

J

Joust

Supreme [H]ardness
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Nov 30, 2017
Messages
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Gents:

I've built a new (repurposed) rig for hosting my media server. Looks like this:

Z77a G45 MSI Mobo
3570k
2x8gb of ddr3 ripjaws

Two h310 RAID cards flashed to HBA's

Attempting FreeNAS 11.2

So, here's the bitch of it:

Using the vga port, minimum boot with both ram stick populated, it starts FreeNas just fine.

When I add HBA's is where the shit hit the fan.

If I add the HBA's in any configuration of the x16 slots, I get an message that there has been a CPU or RAM change and prompts me to enter bios config. Only half the ram will appear. Restart. Then no video output at all. Remove both HBA's, boots fine.

I am truly stumped here. Anyone have an idea what the problem could be?

I'm pretty much stuck.
 
I'd try taking the cpu out and cleaning the contacts on the bottom and remounting it.

I have seen odd issues like this when the contacts are a little iffy, and remember the PCIe ports (x16 slots, at least) and ram all go direct to the CPU socket.
 
extide said:
I'd try taking the cpu out and cleaning the contacts on the bottom and remounting it.

I have seen odd issues like this when the contacts are a little iffy, and remember the PCIe ports (x16 slots, at least) and ram all go direct to the CPU socket.
Click to expand...

It wouldn't hurt to try, but really it's completely repeatable and appears to work 100% correctly other than with the cards. Indication would be that the HBA's are messing with something. I don't know what. They should be stupid. Mere adapters and nothing more.
 
Yeah, for sure. Another thing to try would be to make sure the BIOS on the mobo is latest ver and also the firmware on the adapters is latest. Might need to flash them in another machine. Have you tried the HBA's in another machine? How about only one at a time? (Although those cards should have no problem at all with multiple installed)
 
extide said:
Yeah, for sure. Another thing to try would be to make sure the BIOS on the mobo is latest ver and also the firmware on the adapters is latest. Might need to flash them in another machine. Have you tried the HBA's in another machine? How about only one at a time? (Although those cards should have no problem at all with multiple installed)
Click to expand...

Well, I'm not going to soldier forth tonight, but I solved the RAM issue. It was not intuitive.

First to address your thoughts:

I flashed the lsi IT firmware to the H310s in another non uefi machine. They appeared to work fine, but I didn't test them further. I've flashed these before.

I did try them one at a time in different sockets, etc. Every configuration. Always the same result.

The answer:

I had to cover the 5th and 6th pins on one side to deny the cards communication with the SM bus. After that, RAM issue was solved. Now whether they are still fully functional is a test for tomorrow.
 
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