tried and tested sata 6gbs card for whs2011

[Cyborg_2012]

hi

I am looking at building a new server, i have now purchased my whs2011 and flexraid 2.0 update 7(still awaiting), i was intially looking at sata cards, but there is so much conflicting views on the site about various cards, i'm based  in uk so i need to purchase from uk.

Does anyone know which 8 port sata card to purchase that will definately work under Windows home Server 2011 without issues with the latest Flexraid software. As i want to make a iminent purchase i need someone to tell me 100% sure that such a card would work.

Any help would be very much apreciated.

thanks

[naeonline]

I have personally used both a Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 and an IBM ServRAID M1015 (rebranded LSI 9211).

You most likely will have to flash firmware regardless of which card you choose.  Both the cards I setup allow spin-down and smart data.

I would recommend the M1015 over the Supermicro card.

[b-earl]

I have two M1015 also flashed to IT mode. Works super and I got them rather cheap on ebay, recommend it.

[alexd_uk]

I'd also recommend the M1015 - have 3 of them running in my server and it is completely faultless, and I've tried about 4 or 5 different controllers over the last year or so until I settled on the M1015 (although I've not tried the Supermicro devices that people also recommend).

Good luck.

Alex

[Cyborg_2012]

I'd also recommend the M1015 - have 3 of them running in my server and it is completely faultless, and I've tried about 4 or 5 different controllers over the last year or so until I settled on the M1015 (although I've not tried the Supermicro devices that people also recommend).

Good luck.

Alex

if i go for a IBM ServRAID M1015, what firmware do i flash it with, and how easy is it to flash such a card, ie what steps do you take.

[b-earl]

Hi Cyborg_2012,
here is a nice guide on ServeTheHome Homepage
http://www.servethehome.com/lsi-sas-2008-raid-controller-hba-information/
If there any question left after reading, then ask here again.
Nice reading!

b-earl

[Cyborg_2012]

thanks for the help folks, looks like i will be getting the card, its just finding them cheap somewhere, ebay looks like £100+

[Cyborg_2012]

Hi Cyborg_2012,
here is a nice guide on ServeTheHome Homepage
http://www.servethehome.com/lsi-sas-2008-raid-controller-hba-information/
If there any question left after reading, then ask here again.
Nice reading!

b-earl

do you get smart readings once you flashed it to IT FW

[b-earl]

Hi,
the cheapest price I could find for  shop was 117,12 Euros at this onlineshop in Germany
http://www.technik-zubehoer.de/product_info.php?products_id=313
on ebay there are two being sold one as a auction the other direct buy.
the auction has number 110881167977 starting at 1 Euro and the directbuy weher he sells 5 cards at 75 Euros or you can make an offer
has nummber 221022816289 are sold from Austria.
 

[b-earl]

do you get smart readings once you flashed it to IT FW

Yes you do get the info when the Controller is flashed to IT.

[naeonline]

Be aware, that flashing the M1015 with a motherboard that has certain intel chipsets won't complete in DOS.  I found a guide on how to get around it and do it through an EFI shell if your motherboard also has UEFI instead of the 'old' style BIOS.  Of course if you have another motherboard to do it it's easier that way but I didn't.  Let us know how everything goes.

[alexd_uk]

Just so that it is here and in one place, and to save background reading for anyone with the M1015, wanting to flash the BIOS, here is the information taken from the great and informative servethehome.com site from the set of pages starting here: http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-m1015-part-1-started-lsi-92208i/

1.  Make a bootable USB stick, needs to be DOS bootable for the flasher etc to work, there are number ways to do it, ask Google
2.  Download the archive file that is needed from here: http://www.files.laptopvideo2go.com/hdd/sas2008.zip
3.  Extract the files somewhere, then place onto the USB stick
4.  Turn machine off grab the SAS address of the card, it’s on the back on a green sticker (ie 500605B0xxxxxxxx)
5.  Turn machine on (with card back in) choose USB stick at boot option, for all the below it is assumed you are booted to USB stick in the directory with the files from download.

     To Convert LSI9240(IBM M1015) to a LSI9211-IT mode (i.e. the ideal 'dumb controller' mode for FlexRAID):
     Type in the following exactly:

6.  megarec -writesbr 0 sbrempty.bin
7.  megarec -cleanflash 0
8.  <reboot, back to USB stick >

9a.sas2flsh -o -f 2118it.bin <Use this 9a if the Option ROM (BIOS) is NOT required (this is my personal recommendation for simplicity)>
<OR>
9b.sas2flsh -o -f 2118it.bin -b mptsas2.rom <Use this 9b if the Option ROM (BIOS) is required (9a without option ROM is my recommendation for simplicity)>

10.sas2flsh -o -sasadd 500605bxxxxxxxxx (x= numbers for SAS address)

<reboot>

Done!

[Cyborg_2012]

I've ordered 2 of the cards now, now the motherboard is a concern, having read the thread it looks like intel chipsets may cause a problem, any one have any good sure fire working boards which are deadly available in the uk

[b-earl]

Cyborg_2012,

Have you looked at http://skinflint.co.uk/ and there searched for the mainboard that are mentioned in the threads under Buying Recommendations?

[Cyborg_2012]

B-earl

Looks like i'll go with the ASUS Sabertooth 990FX  and AMD FX-Series FX-4100 cpu, what memory would you recommend for the board, i'm looking at 8 to 16 gb(budget memory). Also is this the motherboard you used to flash your M1015 sata cards.


Thanks