1st SAS Card Install

T

tmsmith124

n00b
Joined
Jul 24, 2012
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26
Hi All,
I'm trying to get my first SAS card install in my standard desktop. I've managed to flash my new IBM BR10i to the LSI 1068e IT firmware but I can't figure out why it will not pick up my drives in Windows. I've tried looking in the LSI Configuration Utility but none of my drives are listed.

I can't for the life of me find any information on the web to start narrowing down the issue. I've tried several drives but still can't seem to get any to recognize. I'm using 2x 2TB drive that were previously in a mirror through Windows. Considering that I can't see the drives at all I can't see how this would affect anything.

If anyone has any ideas where to start I would appreciate the help.

Thanks!
 
If you are not seeing ANY of the drives, you could either have a bad board (or bad flash) or more often you bought the wrong SFF8087-4SATA breakout cable (buying a reverse breakout when you need a forward breakout, or vice versa(In this case, you need a forward breakout cable)). What is the brand and model of your cable?
 
This is the exact cable I purchased - Ebay.com

There are two spots for the cable to plug into the card; does it matter which one?
 
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tmsmith124 said:
This is the exact cable I purchased - Ebay.com
Click to expand...

That would be correct for a SAS card to SATA drives.

There are two spots for the cable to plug into the card; does it matter which one?
Click to expand...

Not really.

I've managed to flash my new IBM BR10i to the LSI 1068e IT firmware but I can't figure out why it will not pick up my drives in Windows. I've tried looking in the LSI Configuration Utility but none of my drives are listed.
Click to expand...

When you boot and the lsi card initializes does the card detect any drives.
 
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drescherjm said:
When you boot and the lsi card initializes does the card detect any drives.
Click to expand...

During boot up it displays the LSI Initializing... Then displays the device (the card itself) and no attached devices.

Since I installed the IT firmware is there anything I should be checking on the motherboard/SAS card?
 
All of my LSI based cards (I have several at work) display the drives at that stage. Also usually you can hit a key to go to a setup for the controller.
 
I've tried changing just about everything that I can think of. Considering it does see the card at boot up baffles me. Any one else chime in?
 
It probably will be easiest to run that from the windows command prompt using the windows version of sasflash.

Although booting the machine into a linux livecd like sysrescuecd and remote running the linux version of sasflash from a putty session on a second machine would work as well..
 
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Stanza33 said:
Post the output of

sasflsh - list

.
Click to expand...



The drives that I have connected to the SAS card do have data on them. Would that make a difference when trying to activate them? I'm assuming not since it doesn't even detect the drives.

By the way Stanza, excellent guide. Could not have gotten this far with out it.
 
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Everything looks ok. My first suggestion would be to try another cable.
 
You probably should try

sasflash -o -testlsall

This should provide you the status on all 8 ports. If not devices recognized it will display Link Down - so the possible reason is wrong cable (but the one you bough appears to be the "right" cable)
 
mwroobel said:
Everything looks ok. My first suggestion would be to try another cable.
Click to expand...

I went ahead and ordered another.

bcbgboy13 said:
You probably should try

sasflash -o -testlsall

This should provide you the status on all 8 ports. If not devices recognized it will display Link Down - so the possible reason is wrong cable (but the one you bough appears to be the "right" cable)
Click to expand...



All are showing Link Down. :( I doubled checked the bag the cable was in and it shows FWD BRK-OUT. Of course I have to go through a lengthy RMA process for just a cable.
 
I know that it may sounds silly but make sure you have plugged well the SFF8087 connector until you hear a click.
 
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