Error: Unable to GPT format the disk "da0"

[Redcoat]

Well, you seem to be headed in the right direction. I don't know that specific HBA but it seems to be a unit to be used with 8 external drives. It's not mentioned if it's flashed to IT mode, something that would be needed for FreeNAS.

To make the best use of the expertise available here, I suggest that you follow the forum rules https://www.ixsystems.com/community/threads/forum-rules.45124/ and give a full description of your hardware with which you want to use the 12 drives with FreeNAS, motherboard, cpu, memory amount and type, chassis, expanders, etc, etc.

From that information it should be possible to get you specific details for one or more options to achieve your objective.

 

[ayyEve]

current system:
mobo - asrock b250m-hdv
cpu - celeron g3930
ram - 1x16gb
drives, controllers and nic are listed below (will be used in both systems)

will be upgrading to this once my new server comes in (hopefully tomorrow)
mobo - hp z800 workstation
cpu - dual x5650s
ram- probably 16gb (2x8gb, one dimm per cpu, can double up if needed, the rest will be going into the new server)

=======================
- drives:
12x 900gb hitatchi HCBRE0900GBAS10K (see pic), want them in raid z3 since they're older and 2nd hand
WDC WD40EFRX-68N32N0 + ST4000DM004-2CV104 currently working properly in mirrored zfs (you can ignore this, i know its bad to mix drives)
FUJITSU MHZ2250BH G2, os drive (some laptop drive i had laying around)

- controllers: p822 with an M6710 das
- nic: NC552SFP

let me know if theres any other info you need!

 

[ayyEve]

wanted to update you on what im currently trying, these drives are have their sector size to 520, so they need to be reformatted to 512

i tried following the guide here http://www.sysop.ca/?p=208 , but it didnt seem to apply the setting to the one drive i tested

 

[Redcoat]

wanted to update you on what im currently trying, these drives are have their sector size to 520, so they need to be reformatted to 512
View attachment 37837

i tried following the guide here http://www.sysop.ca/?p=208 , but it didnt seem to apply the setting to the one drive i tested

This is the guide that I have referenced in my bookmarks for this topic. Used it successfully "a few years ago".

 

[Redcoat]

current system:
mobo - asrock b250m-hdv
cpu - celeron g3930
ram - 1x16gb
drives, controllers and nic are listed below (will be used in both systems)

will be upgrading to this once my new server comes in (hopefully tomorrow)
mobo - hp z800 workstation
cpu - dual x5650s
ram- probably 16gb (2x8gb, one dimm per cpu, can double up if needed, the rest will be going into the new server)

=======================
- drives:
12x 900gb hitatchi HCBRE0900GBAS10K (see pic), want them in raid z3 since they're older and 2nd hand
WDC WD40EFRX-68N32N0 + ST4000DM004-2CV104 currently working properly in mirrored zfs (you can ignore this, i know its bad to mix drives)
FUJITSU MHZ2250BH G2, os drive (some laptop drive i had laying around)

- controllers: p822 with an M6710 das
- nic: NC552SFP

let me know if theres any other info you need!
View attachment 37836

Unclear to me from above what machine is running FreeNAS that requires an HBA to replace P822 to connect to M6710.

 

[ayyEve]

Unclear to me from above what machine is running FreeNAS that requires an HBA to replace P822 to connect to M6710.

the z800 will be the new nas, so it will need the hba

This is the guide that I have referenced in my bookmarks for this topic. Used it successfully "a few years ago".

Hm, i wonder why it didnt work then. its entirely possible i didnt do the command properly, since i dont know what the params in quotes are for

after running that command i did geom disk list again

according to this the sector size did not change, where there any extra steps i missed?

 

[Redcoat]

the z800 will be the new nas, so it will need the hba

OK. New question - since I don't know anything about the M6710 - does it have an integral SAS expander?

Shoot - looks like I failed to provide you with my reference guide - https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/how-to-reformat-hdd-ssd-to-512b-sector-size.4968/

 

[ayyEve]

OK. New question - since I don't know anything about the M6710 - does it have an integral SAS expander?

it should but im not 100% sure, im new to this stuff haha

Shoot - looks like I failed to provide you with my reference guide - https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/how-to-reformat-hdd-ssd-to-512b-sector-size.4968/

all good, i'll try this now and report back when da0 is done

 

[Redcoat]

it should but im not 100% sure, im new to this stuff haha

Well, if you don't know, that's one question to be asked of the community here.

 

[ayyEve]

OH! i went to install centos and one of the scsi drives showed up!

it looks like geom list disk just wasnt sending the updated information (maybe it was cached?)
either way looks like the first way worked, or possibly needed a reboot. ill follow those steps so i dont need to install a new os

Will report back if that solved the issue.

 

[ayyEve]

looks like that did the trick! i was able to create a pool with the drives!

Thank you so much for the help, and sorry to bother you with all this.

Have a good one!

 

[Redcoat]

So now the issue of confirming what you need to connect your 12 drive das to your server.

I think that the card you picked out with the two external ports is probably suitable as long as the das is/has a SAS expander but I suggest you should get this addressed by opening a new thread here.

Right now I'm guessing you have the drives plugged directly into mobo SATA ports?

 

[ayyEve]

nope they are plugged in via mini sas through the das i mentioned into the p822, everything is working correctly.

 

[Redcoat]

Well, that's interesting, given the earlier reporting on that card...

Have you enabled and tested SMART functionality?

 

[ayyEve]

not sure how to do that, when i tried smart testing it said the drives didnt support it, so i left it at that since i had other stuff to do

 

[Redcoat]

Yes, thay indeed may not support it, and SAS reporting when it happens is not so comprehensive and useful as that from SATA anyay.

 

[ayyEve]

is there anything else i should do? i have my pool setup and it works properly, just setup iscsi and installed windows server in a 150gb file, runs fine