Xeon Motherboard Issues

alphakry

alphakry

Limp Gawd
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Jul 21, 2005
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So I've been attempting to run an Asus P6T7 Supercomputer motherboard but am running into an issue. Here is my setup:

MOBO- Asus P6T7 Supercomputer
CPU: Intel W3570 Xeon (LGA 1333)
RAM: 12GB Corsair Dominator TR3X6G1866C9DF (6x2GB DDR3 1866 (PC3 15000) 1.65V)
RAID: Area 1280ML PCI-E 8x
HDDs: (2) 450GB SAS; (6) 1TB SATAII; (24) 1TB SATAII
GPU: NVIDIA GTS 240 (dell oem)
OS: Windows Server 2008 R2
POWER: Corsair 1000W HX1000

The problem I'm having is anytime I define a raid set on the Areca card, my OS won't boot. I can install Server 2008 on either the SAS raid or the SATA raid, and this problem exists. If the card is physically in but no array is created and initialized, it will boot the OS. But once i create an array, I get a black screen in replacement of the OS booting.

I've even been able to interrupt the blackscreen freeze and get the "Safe Mode" options - which tells me it's seeing the OS partition but is just refusing to move any further... but I'm at a loss. I'm fairly sure this is some type of compatibility issue between the motherboard and the RAID card - as the ASUS bios is pretty primitive and doesn't give me confidence that it's properly handling the boot devices.

Any thoughts?
 
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However my real question, unless someone has some idea to the problem above, is for some motherboard recommendations based on my goals for this box. I'm having a heck of a time finding a motherboard that will run the desired setup without any issues.


- The hardware listed above
- Boot to a RAID 1 SAS Array
- Run a 24 drive raid 6 storage array on the Areca

- Bonus: Ideally, I'd also like to run a 2nd Raid6 array on the motherboard SATA ports. Hardware RAID is preferred but would settle with software as I believe it's an chipset limitation to be able to boot to an LSI SAS controller and also run the Intel RAID.

Areca has recommended Supermicro or Tyran - and my SM research thus far has led me to either the C7X58 or X8SAX - however it appears both of these have high memory sensitivity to anything above 1.5V - and that's a deal breaker for me.

Any suggestions?
 
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Everything should work with that board. I ran both a 1280ML and 1680ix-24 on my Asus P6T6 (close enough to what you have) at the same time and had no problems. I was running Windows 7 at the time however (not that it should make a difference). I'm not entirely sure what your problem is though, but there should be a way of getting it working.
 
Did you install Windows server first and then define the array or did you define an array first and then install with the proper driver? Your post did not indicate which order the RAID was configured.
 
sorry for the mixup, I meant to ask the OP, from the wording of his post I get the idea that he installed windows server first, then created the array, which may be the cause of the problem. If this is not the case, then I am stumped.
 
I have to ask, are you loading the driver for the Areca card during the Win7 OS install ?

Even if Win is installed on the SAS drives its going to hang on windows start up trying to figure out what that strange disk thing is on the Areca card if Win has no driver and an array is defined.


Edit:
This is likely (and certainly for this hardware configuration) - BAD ADVICE. Only the driver for the chip/card that is going to service the boot disk/array should be loaded during OS install.
 
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1. I have been installing windows server first, then creating the raid set. You believe that is the problem? I will try reversing the order and reporting back.

2. I have not been loading the driver for the Areca during the OS install. I can try this as a next step also.

Thank you both for your suggestions - I am really hoping one of them works, as I really do like this board and it's features... Asus support has thus far been USELESS.
 
Yes, you should definitely be creating the array first, then installing windows server and loading the driver for the card during the install.

Hope it works now!
 
that's crazy to me... what if you already have a windows installation in production and want to add a raid card after the fact?

adding the new hardware requires a reinstall of the OS? seems odd. but i'll be trying exactly that.
 
still can't get this to work. i've tried:

1. booting to 2003DVD and loading Areca drivers then SAS drivers
2. booting to 2003DVD and loading SAS drivers then Areca drivers
3. slipstreaming the Areaca drivers into a DVD then loading SAS during OS install
4. slipstreaming the SAS drivers into a DVD then loading Areca during OS install

still no luck. I'm debating on trying to install the OS to a USB drive at this point and using any on board SAS/SATA/Areca as storage only. But i haven't been reading many great things about this method.
 
Let me know if you want me to move to mass storage forum. Someone there might know answer off top of head ( I would still look into it this evening).


edit: I see your card model number now, doh!!!
 
Have you configured the card/array using the boot utility for arrays over 2 TB ?



http://www.areca.us/support/download/RaidCards/Documents/Manual_Spec/Over2TB_Manual.zip

Have you done that stuff ? LBA64 would be my best guess at what you want for I am guessing is a big honkin 24T array. And its just a guess. Block size etc. and this stuff may have all kinds of performance ramifications (there appears to be two ways to configure big arrays from what I quickly scanned of the document) so all I can do is offer a guess at what would be best.

Your in the big leagues now. Nothing is easy.
 
I don't believe that will make a difference since they aren't trying to boot of that card. You can't boot off large volumes like that without EFI anyway.
 
Bill - thank you very much for your response. Let me know what other details you'd like now that you've found a few of the answers above.

But summed up:

1. I want the OS on the SAS Array (2 x 450GB, driven by the Onboard Marvell 88SE6320)
2. I want the Storage array on the PCI-E Raid (24 x 1TB SATAII, driven by the Areca 1280ML)

3. Eventually, i'd also like to utilize the Onboard SATA ports (6) for a software-based raid array (since enabling RAID on the Marvel + Intel is not possible due to a chipset limitation)

I've spoken with both Areca and Asus. After tons of back and forth with Asus' poor email support, they claimed that the two are "likely not compatible" Areca has not provided too much detailed support, only that they "recommend Supermicro or Intel Server motherboards" - which poses a problem for me considering my selection of RAM. As i understand it, the Supermicro boards are ULTRA memory sensitive.
 
I must stress - i want ANYTHING BUT to boot from the Areca 24TB array.

That array is for storage only and i feel the motherboard doesn't agree with me, no matter what I try.
 
The RAID card definitely works with that board. Like I stated before, my Asus P6T6 is essentially identical to your P6T7 and I've tested 3 different Areca cards in it (one of being a 1280ML like yours) and they all worked just fine. I even used it over the weekend in that board. Have you tried different slots on the board (could be the NF200 chips possibly)?
 
1. I want the OS on the SAS Array (2 x 450GB, driven by the Onboard Marvell 88SE6320)

Ahhh ok well its geting over my head and Blue Fox has more hands on but just talking, if it where me, I would pull the raid card to reduce variable and just work on getting the OS on the 2 small drives.

I am going to go backtrack now I understand more (sorry I get dense sometimes or off on tangents) and look at those SAS drives and the Marvell chip capabilities of the specific chip used on that board. (on Marvell site if I can find the info). Ext Marvell 88SE6320 SAS controller - according to ASUS.

Must be some weird "you cant boot off of that" deal.

So thanks, At least looking at the right hardware now.




If you could, can I have the make and model of the SAS drives ?
 
Sounds like you need to disable init13 or the bootable flag on the controller that will not be bootable. I has this happen with my server when I installed it and it came down to the BIOS not being able to store all the boot info for both controllers and all the components.....just a thought.
 
First red flag is that Marvell does not offer the public drivers for the SAS controller chip and ASUS does not have a driver specifically for 2008 server. I assume you are using the win7 driver when you try and install the OS and feed it an optional hardware (or whatever they call it for the ole F6 deal these days) ?

If anyone can comment specifically to that as to if it is a show stopper I would appreciate it. Off to read the motherboard manual... oh joy :D

Sounds like you need to disable init13 or the bootable flag on the controller that will not be bootable. I has this happen with my server when I installed it and it came down to the BIOS not being able to store all the boot info for both controllers and all the components.....just a thought.
Click to expand...

and a good one at that.


anytime I define a raid set on the Areca card, my OS won't boot.
I can install Server 2008 on either the SAS raid or the SATA raid, and this problem exists.
If the card is physically in but no array is created and initialized, it will boot the OS.
But once i create an array, I get a black screen in replacement of the OS booting.
Click to expand...

Think Krazy has hit it. Makes sense based on above, looking for options on that raid card about int-13.
 
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disable init13
Click to expand...
i will research this and see how to accomplish this.

...I assume you are using the win7 driver when you try and install the OS...
Click to expand...

You assumed correct Bill - i have been using the Windows 7 64-bit driver, since a server 2008 64-bit driver is not offered. I've been assured by other manufactures that they should be compatible with each other in almost every instance.

Alpha - have you tired it that way, reducing variables by stripping system down
Click to expand...

yessir i have. The system boots just fine and allows me to install an OS on the SAS drives when
1. i pull the raid card
2. I leave the raid card in but do not build a raid set

The moment I build an array on the Areca card, the black screen problem occurs - no matter what I attempt.
 
OK I think I screwed up in an earlier post not understanding what you where doing or I was in a hurry but anyway I think I messed up, and post #8 is bad advice.

According to the manual found on the Areca site http://www.areca.com.tw/support/main.htm

I cannot find any menu setting to disable int13 support in the ROM boom menu for the card but I am not sure I had the correct manual. This and Krazys comment makes me think that the Areca card base driver is set up as a boot device by default and he is exactly right, once that OS has both the marvell and the areca preinstall drivers with arrays actually attached the OS goes insane trying to decied which one to boot from or the bios storage space issue.

Instructions I gave in earlier post said to install the Areca OS install time (F6) drivers with/during the OS install. Since the OS (need to boot drive/array/whatever) is NOT going to be on the Areca card but on the on board Marvell chip, I now think because there is no way I can find to turn off INT-13 in the Areca menus and from Krazy's excellent comment that the pre-install/F6 driver should NOT be installed with the OS during initial OS load.

Pull the Areca card out.
Install the os with the F6 Marvell driver ONLY onto the two drives.
check it out for expected operation.
shutdown and install the areca card and reboot.
let windows do its found new HW thing and feed it the "normal" driver.
shutdown and reboot and then go create your areca array
should show up might need to go into disk management administrative tool etc.
about the same thing with the Intel driver.
hire someone to hunt me down and kill me slowly as I fucked up badly on post #8.
 
(post above)
Make any sense or have you also tried this? ( I know you have likely tried everything but have to ask, )

Attempting to clarify,

During OS first install ONLY the Marvell F6/preinstall driver should be suppled/loaded/whatever.
 
Frankly if that does not fix it, I got nothing and will move you to mass storage this evening.
 
Thanks Bill. although I swear i really have tried every scenario (note how old this thread is, and i waited about 5 weeks of self-troubleshooting before even starting this thread!) - i will try your exact advice, step by step

and yea, you are correct - i went through the entire Areca Bios settings and could find no indication of a "init 13" or "bootable" option.

I am actually trying a HighPoint RAID card at the moment, just to confirm if it's an Areca specific issue with this mobo.


plainly put, i feel the Asus bios options are at large blame here and basically refuse to buy another one of their boards in the future.
 
kk. likely best to make a new post anyway. will let this one sit in case someone else has an idea.

i will try your exact advice, step by step
Click to expand...

To quote a movie cant remember which one " but is that not how we got in this mess in the first place ? "

Good luck. will stop back in occasionly. and please let us know if you crack it. but post #8 was bad for sure.
 
any settings in the motherboard BIOS that could cause it to try and boot off the RAID card? Sometimes labeled as SCSI
 
sadly, no go. see results:

BillParrish said:
1. Pull the Areca card out.
DONE

2. Install the os with the F6 Marvell driver ONLY onto the two drives
DONE. used the Marvel SAS Windows 7 64-bit drivers from ASUS's website

3. check it out for expected operation
DONE - windows 2008 R2 comes up as expected. ran all windows updates

4, shutdown and install the areca card and reboot.
DONE. Windows came back up with the card and no defined array

5. let windows do its found new HW thing and feed it the "normal" driver.
DONE. The new HW wizard didn't pop up but the Areca card did show as unknown under Windows Device Manger. Gave it latest Windows Server 2008 R2 64-bit storport driver from Areca website

6. shutdown and reboot and then go create your areca array
DONE. Created a Raid 5 array using 3 x 750GB drives. Took 19 hours (yikes!) but did complete 100% for a 1.4TB array

6a. reboot into windows
ERROR! The bios now lists 2 hard drives for potential boot. The SAS array & the Areca array. Now that the Areca array was created, the Bios automatically switched the hard drive in the Boot Priority list from the SAS to Areca - which caused a boot media error.

I went back into the bios, removed the Areca from the Boot Priority list and put the SAS array back in.

Now - same ol' problem:
1. Asus bios splash screen loads
2. Areca Controller & Array initialize
3. SAS controller & array initialize
4. FROZEN BLACK SCREEN
5. I must manually reboot the PC via reset switch
6. After manual reboot, Windows Recovery comes up, stating it recognized that Windows did not properly start

* to me, if step 6 IS happening - then it's obviously getting as far as the SAS array to load the OS. But the OS just won't load!


7. should show up might need to go into disk management administrative tool etc.
about the same thing with the Intel driver.
Never got back into Windows to check

8. hire someone to hunt me down and kill me slowly as I fucked up badly on post #8.
I'd rather hire someone to hunt down a bonehead at either ASUS or Areca
Click to expand...
 
If anything this sounds like an issue with your SAS controller or motherboard having to raid controllers hooked up to it. Do you still have problems even if you completely disable the areca controller as bootable device? I am kind of curious what a linux boot disk would show (if your able to access both arrays ok or not.

I couldn't view your videos as they are some weird .MOV format (not regular quicktime) and they wont play on a linux player =(.
 
I suspect your right - that it's a limitation of the motherboard.

The videos were recorded on an iphone 4, pulled directly off and uploaded. i'll get them converted, if it will help
 
Does that Asus board let you change the setting for "BBS" or "Bios Boot Spec"?
 
So it looks like the Areca card is going to have to go. It's inability to disable INT-13 seems to be the deal breaker.

Because I am not willing to compromise on the motherboard/memory/sas combo - i need a card that Asus's unintelligent bios won't automatically try to boot to. That means, it must be able to disable INT-13.

As a test, I did this on my Highpoint 2340 card (via their very cool hptflash.exe utility) and BLAMO, it works no problem. I can boot to my SAS OS Array and it recognizes the highpoint raid array.

As of now, i see no way to replicate this test on my Areca. I have reached out to Benjamin @ Areca to enlist his help and will keep you all posted if he is able to help me solve the issue.


I prefer the Areca card over the only other 24-port option I can afford - the HighPoint 2760 - which is not an IOP card.
 
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