AMD E-350 Thread (now in new forum?)

[Bohs Hansen]

I think I'm going to get the Kingston modules KVR1333D3N9K2/8G instead of my incompatible corsair ones. They are on the compatible list and are quite cheap. My box isn't going to run the heavy duties, so it should be more then fine

 

[headconnect]

Unless you've got some definitive reports other than the guide, perhaps wait with ordering til thursday when i can conclusively verify that the modules i ordered function as expected?

 

[Bohs Hansen]

I'm holding back until the 1st of next month, no more money right now. Need to wait with the final setup until I can afford the last 2 hdd anyway.

 

[Bohs Hansen]

Looks like you just have to be persistent enough. Partly got my memory to work now.

I went to ASUS homepage in the hope that they have a newer BIOS version then the initial one. I was happy to see that from the date there was a newer version then the one I had on the board already, however it was a smaller version number.

According to my BIOS, it shipped with version 1001, however ASUS techsupport has never heard of that version. They are contacting Taiwan headquarters now to hear what they say. Oh well, that aside, I flashed the board with the downloaded version 0902 and tried to get it running with both modules Corsair XMS3 (CMX8GX3M2A1333C9).

While one module was plugged in and it was working, I manually set the speed to 800 and volt to 1.5, cause I previously had it working with that briefly. Plugged in the 2nd module and started it up. It started with the same problems again. Red LED, no bootup. The AutoTune couldn't find a working setting, but everytime it stopped I just keept starting it over.
Suddenly after like 5-6 attempts it worked. The system booted up and told me "autotune failed, set manually and save etc.." ....

As I see it, it didn't fail but succeeded. It could boot, I could get to the BIOS. I entered and saved the current settings in the hope that it would be the right ones, saved the settings and rebooted.

But as the one time before where I had it start with both modules, same problem again. WTF? I had just saved a working setting. So I started over persistent pushing the autotune button each time it finished unsuccessfully. Again as before, suddenly it worked. But this time I didn't get the failed message. I entered BIOS and saved settings just to be on the safe side. Rebooted and it started again. - Hope it stays that way

Seems you just gotta be persistent enough, however it also seems there is some bug with either the BIOS or the board itself. Cause the setting it runs on now, is also the one I started the whole thing by entering. 800MHz and 1.5V ...

 

[headconnect]

Crazy stuff, but excellent news :). Just goes to show that everthing can be solved if you beat it long enough with a sledgehammer.

In unrelated news, my freenas is now up, running, and happily accepting my memory (also highly satisfied wih performance so far, but i know i can make it better ;))

 

[Bohs Hansen]

gratz on your new NAS then, as long as you post how you make it better :) 2 weeks till I can afford the last 2 hdd's, and set it up as 4+2 instead of 3+1 zfs. Maybe that will improve my speeds a bit.

 

[Bohs Hansen]

Little update on the E35M1-I Deluxe board: bios and corsair xms3 memory.

Been in contact with ASUS on all levels to solve this. Even though I previously said I thought i had solved it, the next day I had the same problem again. ASUS now has my entire specs and they'll try to reproduce the error and come up with a fix. If they do, they'll send me a beta to test and if it's successfully it will be released.
Also i got them to add the 1001 bios version (the one on the release) to the download section as well, should be up soon. In case you flashed your board with another version and want to go back to the release version. (newest on website right now is 0902)

Impressed with the support from ASUS on this issue, friendly and efficient.

Besides that, I still love my FreeNAS build with this board :)

 

[headconnect]

Great to hear! Honestly, if it wasn't for your first experience, I would most likely be on the same memory configuration as you are now - so glad to hear that Asus are so supportive in trying to resolve the issue, and you're doing -everyone- a service by taking the time to raise the issue and get it solved (this might affect other memory modules as well, so great to have an even more compatible and stable board!)

I'm thinking of updating the first post with some specs on our AMD E-350 configurations, just for quick reference for new users who might be interested in the platform, and it could also be useful to have some basic benchmarks to show how different configurations (raid-z1 5 disks, raid-z2, etc) might impact performance on this kind of platform under varying configurations. So what do we thing? Worthwhile?

 

[Bohs Hansen]

Corsair is usually a safe buy compatible wise, also why i keep updating about it. I'm sure others will get the same problems unless its fixed. :)

About updating first post, might be a good idea. Been going off to specifics in many posts about specific boards instead of the overall "compatible" question it all started with. About performance, that is still very unstable for me, mostly prolly cause it runs with 4gb ram (my dd's are in some other threads). If you want to mention my builds hardware, its in my blog's right upper corner (see sig.)

 

[headconnect]

And the first post is now updated :) I've added Bohs Hansen's rig as well while I was at it to see how long it would 'scale' (and ran into an issue with the forums restricting the amount of images, including smilies, to four per post... ) If anyone else wants their setups listed, please send me a

PM with their specs, preferably in the following format (and in (code) as you see it here, makes everything so much easier...). Will highlight what you need to enter in 'green', and adding URL's are optional, but highly appreciated (useful to look at detailed specs and chipsets and whatnot that may not be immediately obvious.. just saves time and all that.

COPY FROM HERE ---->

[IMG]http://www.freenas.org/images/buttons/menu/irc.png[/IMG][SIZE="4"] [URL="URL-To-Your-Profile"]User Name[/URL][/SIZE]
[B]Name:[/B] [URL="URL-To-Something-If-You-Want"]Description[/URL]
[B]FreeNAS Version:[/B] FreeNAS version number
[B]Case:[/B] [URL="URL-To-Manufacturer"]Description[/URL]
[B]PSU:[/B] [URL="URL-To-Manufacturer"]Description[/URL]
[B]Motherboard:[/B] [URL="URL-To-Manufacturer"]Description[/URL]
[B]Memory:[/B] [URL="URL-To-Manufacturer"]Description[/URL]
[B]Boot Device:[/B] [URL="URL-To-Manufacturer"]Description[/URL]
[B]Network Card(s):[/B] [URL="URL-To-Manufacturer"]Description[/URL]
[B]Expansion Card(s):[/B] [URL="URL-To-Manufacturer"]Description[/URL]
[B]Disk(s):[/B] [URL="URL-To-Manufacturer"]Description[/URL]
[B]Configuration:[/B] Your config (i.e. RAID-Z1, UFS, etc)

[B]Performance:[/B]
(this is to be decided and discussed seperately, we need to standardise these measurements as much as possible)

[B][COLOR="red"]Issues:[/COLOR][/B]
Any issues you might have/have had that may be of interest to the community
[B]________________________________________________________________________[/B]


<--- END COPY

Looking at how big this might end up, I think it could perhaps be useful to have a 'show us your rig' thread somewhere.. we'll see.

 

[Bohs Hansen]

E35M1-I Deluxe BIOS update: Got a test bios from ASUS today and applied it right away. (Amazing fast)

The test BIOS has version 0090 so doesn't follow the normal release numbers. It (or an improved version of it) should become public available soon. If anyone should need it for the same issues as mine, I'll pass it along. If your board works as it is, there is no point in it. There are no direct improvements besides compatibility in this version and beta firmwares on bios are dangerous. Keep in mind, they needed my exact serial etc to send me this version.

As already hinted, yes this bios update fixed the issues with the Corsair CMX8GX3M2A1333C9. Bios set to automatic detection of everything, and it finds and sets the right speed and volt (as on the label and recommended) for the modules.
Besides that, i can report that it now also shows my ASrock SATA3 Card's boot message, it didn't do that before, however the driver for this card don't seem to included (yet).

So, Corsair CMX8GX3M2A1333C9 compatible with Beta-BIOS v.0090, not with v.0301 or v.0902 or v.1001

Running at 1066MHz and 1.59v (auto detected)

[edit2]
Little update on the BIOS and RAM issues with Corsair memory. Mason (The friendly ASUS support guy that has been helping me) hasn't had luck contacting the HQ yet as peoples vacations interfere atm.. However I still got a little news.

Official BIOS version 1202 is a fix for some overclocking issues and doesn't contain the memory fixes. So there is no official BIOS yet to fix this. However you can contact Mason at ROG in case you have the same problem.
I can also inform that the Corsair 2x2G Corsair XMS3 DDR3 memory (TW3X4G1333C9A) has the same problem, but that can also be fixed with same test BIOS version 0090.

[edit]
Speed tests seem off, haven't done any config except creating the pools in the GUI...

raidz dd test:

Code:

freenas# zpool status
  pool: jcube1
 state: ONLINE
 scrub: scrub completed after 0h0m with 0 errors on Tue Jun 21 20:37:25 2011
config:

        NAME                                            STATE     READ WRITE CKSUM
        jcube1                                          ONLINE       0     0     0
          raidz1                                        ONLINE       0     0     0
            gptid/607b2ca1-9c35-11e0-a4e3-485d605e63b8  ONLINE       0     0     0
            gptid/60edda77-9c35-11e0-a4e3-485d605e63b8  ONLINE       0     0     0
            gptid/615e42e5-9c35-11e0-a4e3-485d605e63b8  ONLINE       0     0     0
            gptid/61d586ed-9c35-11e0-a4e3-485d605e63b8  ONLINE       0     0     0

errors: No known data errors
freenas# dd if=/dev/zero of=/mnt/jcube1/ddtest bs=1024k count=20000
20000+0 records in
20000+0 records out
20971520000 bytes transferred in 292.667245 secs (71656533 bytes/sec)
freenas# dd of=/dev/zero if=/mnt/jcube1/ddtest bs=1024k count=20000
20000+0 records in
20000+0 records out
20971520000 bytes transferred in 93.128951 secs (225187976 bytes/sec)

raidz2 dd test:

Code:

freenas# zpool status
  pool: jcube1
 state: ONLINE
 scrub: none requested
config:

        NAME                                            STATE     READ WRITE CKSUM
        jcube1                                          ONLINE       0     0     0
          raidz2                                        ONLINE       0     0     0
            gptid/d8a9ad20-9c36-11e0-a4e3-485d605e63b8  ONLINE       0     0     0
            gptid/d972188f-9c36-11e0-a4e3-485d605e63b8  ONLINE       0     0     0
            gptid/d9e7677d-9c36-11e0-a4e3-485d605e63b8  ONLINE       0     0     0
            gptid/da60298e-9c36-11e0-a4e3-485d605e63b8  ONLINE       0     0     0

errors: No known data errors
freenas# dd if=/dev/zero of=/mnt/jcube1/ddtest bs=1024k count=20000
20000+0 records in
20000+0 records out
20971520000 bytes transferred in 348.805016 secs (60123906 bytes/sec)
freenas# dd of=/dev/zero if=/mnt/jcube1/ddtest bs=1024k count=20000
20000+0 records in
20000+0 records out
20971520000 bytes transferred in 123.269816 secs (170126968 bytes/sec)


freenas# zpool set cachefile=/data/zfs/zpool.cache jcube1
freenas# zdb -U /data/zfs/zpool.cache | grep ashift
                ashift=12

 

[headconnect]

I'd be posting my stats here as well, but don't think it would make sense to do that during a resilver.. One of the Barracuda Greens have died :/ Luckily, I had a spare ready to go, and I'm now an experience richer in terms of 'how to deal' with the issue, but still.

Anyway, will run tests tomorrow (i hope).

Now with more test:

Code:

Erebus# zpool status
  pool: moirae
 state: DEGRADED
 scrub: resilver completed after 4h18m with 0 errors on Wed Jun 22 05:06:38 2011
config:

        NAME                                              STATE     READ WRITE CKSUM
        moirae                                            DEGRADED     0     0     0
          raidz1                                          DEGRADED     0     0     0
            gptid/a5de200b-9b7f-11e0-898d-001b21abc30b    ONLINE       0     0     0
            gptid/a740231d-9b7f-11e0-898d-001b21abc30b    ONLINE       0     0     0
            gptid/a82bc952-9b7f-11e0-898d-001b21abc30b    ONLINE       0     0     0
            gptid/a91c516e-9b7f-11e0-898d-001b21abc30b    ONLINE       0     0     0
            replacing                                     DEGRADED     0     0     0
              1499525683855361254                         UNAVAIL      0     0     0  was /dev/gptid/aa0ffd23-9b7f-11e0-898d-001b21abc30b
              gptid/b6bd887a-9c46-11e0-9ae3-001b21abc30b  ONLINE       0     0     0  668G resilvered

errors: No known data errors
Erebus# dd if=/dev/zero of=/mnt/moirae/ddtest bs=1024k count=20000
20000+0 records in
20000+0 records out
20971520000 bytes transferred in 86.778172 secs (241668147 bytes/sec)
Erebus# dd of=/dev/null if=/mnt/moirae/ddtest bs=1024k count=20000
20000+0 records in
20000+0 records out
20971520000 bytes transferred in 76.209276 secs (275183299 bytes/sec)



Erebus# dd if=/dev/zero of=/mnt/moirae/ddtest bs=1024k count=20000
20000+0 records in
20000+0 records out
20971520000 bytes transferred in 86.778172 secs (241668147 bytes/sec)
Erebus# dd of=/dev/null if=/mnt/moirae/ddtest bs=1024k count=20000
20000+0 records in
20000+0 records out
20971520000 bytes transferred in 76.209276 secs (275183299 bytes/sec)

(try to ignore the 'degraded' bit :))

 

[Bohs Hansen]

Just wondering, anyone with the ASUS boards tried/bothered getting the onboard bluetooth or wlan working yet? Don't need it myself, just curious.

 

[binarypower]

OS Version: FreeBSD 8.2-RELEASE-p2
Platform: AMD E-350 Processor
Memory: 3677MB

I'm loving my E-350. Four 2TB drives and two 1TB drives in separate volume groups. Samba runs fine, low power consumption, low heat, quiet... all is right with the world.

 

[headconnect]

Just wondering, anyone with the ASUS boards tried/bothered getting the onboard bluetooth or wlan working yet? Don't need it myself, just curious.

not tested at all in freenas, but i do get four network devices showing (with only 2 nics installed) so it seems probable that one could get it working over wifi at least.. what you intend to do with the bluetooth is beyond me though ;) Anyway bluetooth at least works fine in win7 (i have an identical machine except for disks running win7).

 

[Bohs Hansen]

not tested at all in freenas, but i do get four network devices showing (with only 2 nics installed) so it seems probable that one could get it working over wifi at least.. what you intend to do with the bluetooth is beyond me though ;) Anyway bluetooth at least works fine in win7 (i have an identical machine except for disks running win7).

It detects the wlan adapter (ath0), but as said I haven't tried setting it up as I don't need it. Wlan on a NAS is pointless IMO when you got Gbit LAN. Bluetooth was more a thought thinking forward to the coming plugin system with 8.1. There are some weather stations and similar household devices that have BT and can transfer the collected data that way to view when away from home.
Have no doubt it works in windows, as all the drivers are on the driver disk :)

 

[Bohs Hansen]

Anyone of you with the ASUS E35M1-I Deluxe mainboard run a PCIe x1 card on it? I think the slot is broken on my board, it doesn't recognize any of the cards i have (and it should afaik).

One time i had the bios startup msg from a card long time ago when i first set it up, but nothing since.

 

[suffah]

Here's the build I just ordered.

FreeNAS Version: 8.0.1 BETA
Case: LIAN LI Q08
PSU: Antec EarthWatts Green EA-380D Green 380W
Motherboard: ASUS E35M1-I Deluxe
Memory: Kingston 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1333 ECC Unbuffered KVR1333D3E9SK2/8G
Boot Device:
Network Card(s):
Expansion Card(s):
Disk(s): 5x 2TB 5900RPM Seagate ST2000DL003
Configuration: RAID-Z2, 4k blocks


After some internal debating, I went with ECC ram. The price was not *that* much more and anything to help me sleep better. :)

I went a bit paranoid and ordered the HDD's from 4 separate vendors. Was originally going to purchase them all from newegg, but the price actually came out to be about the same.

Just need to pick up a flash drive.

Also, is there a reason to install a standalone PCI-E NIC (bonding, redundancy, etc)? Or is something wrong with the onboard one?

 

[Bohs Hansen]

Motherboard: ASUS E35M1-I Deluxe
Memory: Kingston 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1333 ECC Unbuffered KVR1333D3E9SK2/8G
Disk(s): 5x 2TB 5900RPM Seagate ST2000DL003

After some internal debating, I went with ECC ram. The price was not *that* much more and anything to help me sleep better. :)

Quote from the same link you provided for the mainboard under the memory supported chapter: Non-ECC,Un-buffered Memory. You might want to edit that order a bit :)

 

[suffah]

Quote from the same link you provided for the mainboard under the memory supported chapter: Non-ECC,Un-buffered Memory. You might want to edit that order a bit :)

Whoa, nice catch! Thanks!