Which Motherboard?

[Kuro Houou]

So I am torn between two motherboards now,

The SUPERMICRO MBD-X10SLH-F-O - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813182822

or The ASRock E3C224D4I-14S - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157486

I already bought this case (yeah I know I am doing things backwards but I can return it) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811112265 It says it's only for mini-itx, but it has two expansion slots at the bottom so it should fit the extended-mini-itx ASRock mobo. But if I went with the SuperMicro I would need a different case, probably the Fractal Design Mini.

I have 3 4TB drives right now but will probably expand to 6 in the future. I also have a Intel G3420 processor too.

Just wanted to know if there were any benefits with going with one over the other, one is the c224 chipset the other 226. Would the LSI 2308 SAS controller (Which can support 8 SATA drives) be any better on the ASRock mobo, vs the one in the SuperMicro? Just curious if there are any pluses or minuses to either.

 

[Ericloewe]

If you can live with the lack of expandability and you are sure the board will fit, the Asrock should be fine.

C224 vs. C226 is irrelevant, since no mechanical HDD saturates SATA 3Gb/s.

The LSI SAS2308 has some advantages over SATA controllers, but they're not exactly important for the typical user. Just make sure it's in IT mode. Supermicro uses it in the X10SL7-F.

 

[Kuro Houou]

Just curious, why would you need to put the lsi 2308 into IT mode? Would it be a simple switch in the bios to enable?

 

[Ericloewe]

Just curious, why would you need to put the lsi 2308 into IT mode? Would it be a simple switch in the bios to enable?

Because you do not want RAID, which is what the IR firmware does. You have to flash the IT firmware (the version that matches FreeNAS' driver, which should be v16 if I'm not mistaken). IT also allows for more drives than IR.
The process has been thoroughly documented. The process is similar to flashing an IBM M1015 (or equivalent) to IT mode and identical to flashing an LSI 2308 on an X10SL7-F.

 

[Kuro Houou]

Ok cool, so its essentially like the X10SL7-F, just in a Extended-Mini-ITX form factor.. I don't think i'll ever need to add a expansion card on seeing how many SATA ports it can have, although I guess I could add at least one with the ASRock if really need.

 

[Ericloewe]

Ok cool, so its essentially like the X10SL7-F, just in a Extended-Mini-ITX form factor.. I don't think i'll ever need to add a expansion card on seeing how many SATA ports it can have, although I guess I could add at least one with the ASRock if really need.

Since it has an SAS controller, the only expansion card you'd need would be for networking (say, 10GbE), since you can just use an expander to connect additional drives.

In any case, I urge you to research whether the board will really fit, as it can be a nasty surprise.

 

[Kuro Houou]

Since it has an SAS controller, the only expansion card you'd need would be for networking (say, 10GbE), since you can just use an expander to connect additional drives.

In any case, I urge you to research whether the board will really fit, as it can be a nasty surprise.

Yeah I have been trying to find out if anyone tried to fit an extended m-itx in my case but haven't found anything yet. I also have been doing some measurements and it looks like I would need an extra 44 mm of length to make it fit. from what I measured at the highest point of the bottom of the case it should fit. Still I am thinking of just going with the X10SL7 and getting a Fractal Design Mini case instead. Its about 50 dollars cheaper going with that motherboard, just means ill have a bigger case for my NAS, but hopefully the trade off of the design mini and its sound insulation will be worth it :) The other thing is it seems a lot of people on the board use Supermicro boards so support from a FreeNAS side will probably be better with that motherboard. All things to consider this weekend, ill probably order one or the other tonight or tomorrow.

 

[Kuro Houou]

Well after researching everything all afternoon I have decided to go ahead and get the X10SL7 and the Fractal Design Mini. I'll return my lian-li case and the other mobo's I got. It's been a long process, should have researched a lot more before buying my original non-ecc mobo and ram as well, although it gave me some time to get familiar with FreeNas, worked great with those parts, but wanted ECC for sure. Luckily I can return it all and end up with the right parts.

So in the end ill have the follow,

Case - Fractal Design Mini
Motherboard - Supermicro X10SL7
CPU - Intel G3420
Memory - Crucial 16GB CT2KIT102472BD160B
PSU - SeaSonic SSR-450RM
HDD - 3 x 4TB Hitachi NAS Drives, yeah I know its only Raid Z1 but I also have an old QNAP NAS ill be doing backup's too as well :)

Should have everything up and running mid week!

 

[Ziferius]

Let me know about the memory; if it works and what not. It does not work for me. (1.35 volt) CT2CP102472BD160B.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Ericloewe]

Let me know about the memory; if it works and what not. It does not work for me. (1.35 volt) CT2CP102472BD160B.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Have you brought up the issue with Crucial? They guarantee that the modules are compatible.

 

[Kuro Houou]

I've read others saying it does work.. And crucial says it works too. If it doesn't I am sure crucial would replace them, they are a good company when it comes to that. It's listed as 100% compatible on their website.

 

[Ericloewe]

I've read others saying it does work.. And crucial says it works too. If it doesn't I am sure crucial would replace them, they are a good company when it comes to that. It's listed as 100% compatible on their website.

I was planning on getting their recommended 16GB 1,35V kit (same price as the 1,5V, so why not save a tiny bit of power, all else being equal?), so this piece of information is slightly unsettling. For some reason, they seem to have recently changed their model numbers for these kits, too.

 

[Kuro Houou]

Well I should find out in a few day's when my mobo and case arrive. I'll report back what happens.

 

[cyberjock]

Yeah.. save power... at the cost of compatibility. Many boards won't work with 1.35v and your power savings is literally <1w.

 

[Kuro Houou]

I didn't really buy it to save any power, just bought what they said would work... If it doesn't work ill return it, if it works then ill keep it.

 

[DrKK]

I knew Cyberjock was going to say that.

1.35V memory works fine in the SuperMicro X10 series, as long as compartible SKUs are used.

I know. I'm running it.

 

[Ericloewe]

Yeah.. save power... at the cost of compatibility. Many boards won't work with 1.35v and your power savings is literally <1w.

Yeah, I wouldn't have bothered with 1,35V if they weren't the exact same price as the 1,5V DIMMs. Supermicro lists 1,35V DIMMs as compatible and Crucial lists those specific DIMMs as compatible.

 

[cyberjock]

I would have gotten the 1.5v even if they were more expensive. The reason? I don't need to pull my RAM out of a system later and find it doesn't work in any of my other systems. 1.5v is the standard(1.35v is a standard, but not as well supported) and I prefer to stick to stuff I know I can repurpose someday. :P

 

[Ziferius]

Hmm - when first working with Supermicro - the support guy emphatically said they do not support Crucial.
I have not spoken with Crucial at all -- the plan is to return the non-working memory to the retailer this evening afterwork.

I got the 1.35v because that retailer had it and folks had mentioned it works.

 

[Z300M]

Well I should find out in a few day's when my mobo and case arrive. I'll report back what happens.

Any markings on the individual RAM chips on the Crucial modules to indicate the manufacturer and part number? I am thinking that a major reason Supermicro recommends only Hynix and Samsung is that those module manufacturers use their own chips that have passed their own quality control standards -- whereas Kingston certainly and Crucial perhaps use other manufacturer's chips over the quality of which they have no control.