Confused about that LSI card? Join the crowd ...

[xnaron]

Thanks. I ordered a m1015 from a US seller. It was a 100% new pull.

Can anyone suggest a seller on ebay (or item #) for mini SAS SFF-8087 to Mini SAS SFF-8087. I would rather buy cables that someone can verify are know working rather than risk ordering crappy ones.

 

[jgreco]

Thanks. I ordered a m1015 from a US seller. It was a 100% new pull.

Can anyone suggest a seller on ebay (or item #) for mini SAS SFF-8087 to Mini SAS SFF-8087. I would rather buy cables that someone can verify are know working rather than risk ordering crappy ones.

Even Monoprice ones are likely to be fine. SFF8087 isn't exactly consumer grade so you don't have such quality issues as you do with SATA. The connectors are also lock-in-place...

 

[Z300M]

Even Monoprice ones are likely to be fine. SFF8087 isn't exactly consumer grade so you don't have such quality issues as you do with SATA. The connectors are also lock-in-place...

I was about to write that I originally bought Monoprice cables from Amazon but was getting various errors, so I replaced them by cables that I *think* might have come from SuperBiiz. I did disconnect and reconnect all the power connectors at the same time as I replaced the data cables, so I can't really be 100% certain that the Monoprice cables were the problem.

 

[marbus90]

Dunno if this was posted beforehand, but I like this list of SAS2008 based controllers across multiple OEMs:
http://www.servethehome.com/lsi-sas-2008-raid-controller-hba-information/

 

[jgreco]

Yeah, the main problem is that many of those cards have various caveats and I'm too lazy to research and document them on a per-model basis. We know the M1015 works and is cheaply available, and if you really can't find it, the LSI retail 9211-8i is only about $200 anyways.

 

[Borja Marcos]

Even Monoprice ones are likely to be fine. SFF8087 isn't exactly consumer grade so you don't have such quality issues as you do with SATA. The connectors are also lock-in-place...

Beware, I once purchased fake LSI cables from Amazon (sold and stocked by Amazon, no less), with atrocious SFF8087 connectors. After using them I had to literally destroy the locking levers in order to unplug them.

The fakes had a supposed LSI part number, even. Although I was really surprised at the troubles I had with them, I only learned they were really fake when I ordered different cables and the (now real) LSI ones I got had proper Molex branded connectors.

So, it's certainly possible to get crappy SFF8087 cables, even though it's not your typical consumer grade stuff. Anything of value is counterfeited nowadays.

 

[9C1 Newbee]

Very true! I was also stung when I attempted to buy a high capacity fuel pump for my Caprice. It too was also a fake. I ended up having to spend a few additional hours dropping the fuel tank to get it back out. Looks like there are assholes in everywhere you look.

 

[jgreco]

Beware, I once purchased fake LSI cables from Amazon (sold and stocked by Amazon, no less), with atrocious SFF8087 connectors. After using them I had to literally destroy the locking levers in order to unplug them.

That's not just limited to fakes. We had a lot of trouble with some genuine HP gear like that. The trick was to go in with a hook tool and pull up the metal shell of the SFF8087 socket a bit at the same time.

So, it's certainly possible to get crappy SFF8087 cables, even though it's not your typical consumer grade stuff. Anything of value is counterfeited nowadays.

Well, I certainly agree with that, but it's still a different world than plain consumer-grade SATA, where the legitimate stuff is crappy-by-design because it's been engineered to keep costs low.

 

[xnaron]

Beware, I once purchased fake LSI cables from Amazon (sold and stocked by Amazon, no less), with atrocious SFF8087 connectors. After using them I had to literally destroy the locking levers in order to unplug them.

The fakes had a supposed LSI part number, even. Although I was really surprised at the troubles I had with them, I only learned they were really fake when I ordered different cables and the (now real) LSI ones I got had proper Molex branded connectors.

So, it's certainly possible to get crappy SFF8087 cables, even though it's not your typical consumer grade stuff. Anything of value is counterfeited nowadays.

Did they look similar to this? http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10254&cs_id=1025410&p_id=8189&seq=1&format=2

 

[xnaron]

I've been reading up here http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-part-4/ in preparation for my m1015 flashing to IT mode. Can anyone tell me if this is still the most updated guide and version of the firmware for use with the current freenas (FreeNAS-9.3-STABLE-201412200530)?

 

[Ericloewe]

I've been reading up here http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-part-4/ in preparation for my m1015 flashing to IT mode. Can anyone tell me if this is still the most updated guide and version of the firmware for use with the current freenas (FreeNAS-9.3-STABLE-201412200530)?

The firmware you want is P16 IT mode.

Now, that guide is good if you stick to it as a guideline - it's outdated for UEFI systems, where flashing typically has to be done from the EFI shell. The steps are identical, but you have to clear the EEPROM with megarec in DOS and flash it with sas2flash.efi in the EFI shell.

 

[xnaron]

The firmware you want is P16 IT mode.

Now, that guide is good if you stick to it as a guideline - it's outdated for UEFI systems, where flashing typically has to be done from the EFI shell. The steps are identical, but you have to clear the EEPROM with megarec in DOS and flash it with sas2flash.efi in the EFI shell.

Ok thanks...sounds like it will be similar as to flashing the onboard LSI to IT on my x10sl7-f board. I basically followed this process http://blog.widodh.nl/2014/10/flash-lsi-2308-to-it-mode-on-a-supermicro-x10sl7-f-mainboard/ . I'll create the ISO and mount it and then flash as you say but first will boot to dos and clear the eprom with megarec.

 

[Ericloewe]

Ok thanks...sounds like it will be similar as to flashing the onboard LSI to IT on my x10sl7-f board. I basically followed this process http://blog.widodh.nl/2014/10/flash-lsi-2308-to-it-mode-on-a-supermicro-x10sl7-f-mainboard/ . I'll create the ISO and mount it and then flash as you say but first will boot to dos and clear the eprom with megarec.

Yeah, but it's better (not against the spec) to write down the SAS address (as per the servethehome guide) and enter it when requested. Especially if you have several SAS controllers (which seems to be the case).

 

[xnaron]

Yeah, but it's better (not against the spec) to write down the SAS address (as per the servethehome guide) and enter it when requested. Especially if you have several SAS controllers (which seems to be the case).

Yes that was the one thing I did do differently. I used the last 9 digits from the sticker on the board for sas.

 

[xnaron]

More updated guide here... http://digitalcardboard.com/blog/20...e-to-the-lsi-sas-9211-8i-hba-2014-efi-recipe/

 

[xnaron]

I've checked LSI's downloads for 9211-8i and I can't find the P16 firmware listed. http://www.lsi.com/products/host-bus-adapters/pages/lsi-sas-9211-8i.aspx#tab/tab4 Do they have an FTP site with older versions available? Anyone have a link?

thanks

 

[depasseg]

Use the search on this site. 9211 firmware.

It takes you to post #198 of this thread.

 

[xnaron]

Use the search on this site. 9211 firmware.

It takes you to post #198 of this thread.

Thank you. I was using different search terms and didn't come up with that post.

 

[9C1 Newbee]

You might also find this page of use:

https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...match-driver-version-16-for-dev.25925/page-3#

Maybe even:

http://digitalcardboard.com/blog/20...e-to-the-lsi-sas-9211-8i-hba-2014-efi-recipe/

 

[xnaron]

You might also find this page of use:

https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...match-driver-version-16-for-dev.25925/page-3#

Maybe even:

http://digitalcardboard.com/blog/20...e-to-the-lsi-sas-9211-8i-hba-2014-efi-recipe/

Thanks for the links. The first one I hadn't seen.