FreeNAS see 8 disks like 1

[C.Thomas]

Hello there,

I'm trying to make a network attached storage with FreeNAS. But, the operating system see all disk like one, never each disk.

If you have, maybe, the knowledge to explain what's going on. I give you some details :

Motherboard Model : GA-H61M-S2PV (Rev. 2.0)
Motherboard BIOS : FId 27/02/2014 H61MS2PV.Fid
Motherboard BIOS Configuration :

The motherboard doesn't have 8 slot SATA so I use a HBA to extend slot :
1 x PCI-Express HighPoint RocketRaid 2720SGL with 2 x Cable SFF-8087, each cable extends to 4 x SATA
The HBA is flashing with non-RAID firmware provides by the manufacturer.

HDD for Storage : 8 x Western Digital WD AV-GP WD30EURS SATA Memory Cache 64 Mo Size 3 TB
SSD for Operating System : 1 x InnoDisk InnoLite II SATA 16 GB
The partition table for SSD and each disk is GPT

Operating System : FreeNAS 11.2-U4.1

I test some command :
root@freenas:~#camcontrol devlist <InnoLite II 2.5 SATA SSD 120319> at scbus0 target 0 lun 0 (pass0,ada0) <HPT DISK 0_0 4.00> at scbus2 target 0 lun 0 (pass1,da0)

and on WebGUI :

Thanks,

C.Thomas

 

[sretalla]

1 x PCI-Express HighPoint RocketRaid 2720SGL

Your problem is going to be that...

FreeNAS doesn't have a built-in driver for that card.

You will need to get an LSI (or other supported card) instead or go through some difficult (and un-supported) steps to install and load the driver for the card you have.

If you post the output from dmesg, you will probably see that none of your disks are loaded at startup.

Although it doesn't really explain too well why you see any additional disks other than the boot pool... does your BIOS sequence offer you the possibility of going into the setup of the highpoint card? (it seems like it's set in JBOD mode)

 

[CraigD]

You don't have the correct hardware, link to hardware guide

None of your hardware is recommended, at the very least get an HBA with internal connectors , normally 8087 connectors (yes I need to mention internal connectors)

Have Fun

 

[danb35]

PCI-Express HighPoint RocketRaid 2720SGL

This is not a HBA. And despite your saying that you've put non-RAID firmware on it, it appears to have created a RAID array.

 

[C.Thomas]

Hello @sretalla, @danb35 and @CraigD,

Thank you for your fast answers,

You right @sretalla
@danb35 , what is a HBA for you ? Because PCI-Express Card is a HBA.
@CraigD Yes i see that.

C.Thomas

 

[danb35]

what is a HBA for you ? Because PCI-Express Card is a HBA.

A disk controller that doesn't also do RAID. A RAID controller is something different, and is in almost all cases strongly discouraged for use with FreeNAS.

In this case, from the fact that the OS sees a single disk that's pretty close to the combined capacity of all your disks, it's pretty easy to conclude that your controller has created an array (apparently a RAID 0 array) from your disks.

 

[C.Thomas]

A disk controller that doesn't also do RAID. A RAID controller is something different, and is in almost all cases strongly discouraged for use with FreeNAS.

In this case, from the fact that the OS sees a single disk that's pretty close to the combined capacity of all your disks, it's pretty easy to conclude that your controller has created an array (apparently a RAID 0 array) from your disks.

But this isn't a RAID Controller because the firmware is a NON-RAID.
Same answer for your pretty easy conclusion.

 

[danb35]

Same answer for your pretty easy conclusion.

So you clearly believe. What's the output of smartctl -a /dev/da0?

 

[sretalla]

You right @sretalla

does your BIOS sequence offer you the possibility of going into the setup of the highpoint card? (it seems like it's set in JBOD mode)

Is that the bit you mean...?

If you can enter the setup for the highpoint card, do you have the option to set it to "legacy mode" for the disks? (or basically anything else other than JBOD?)

 

[C.Thomas]

Is that the bit you mean...?

If you can enter the setup for the highpoint card, do you have the option to set it to "legacy mode" for the disks? (or basically anything else other than JBOD?)

No that, because the card isn't in RAID mode, so it's just to connect disks.

But about this

Your problem is going to be that...

FreeNAS doesn't have a built-in driver for that card.

You will need to get an LSI (or other supported card) instead or go through some difficult (and un-supported) steps to install and load the driver for the card you have.

 

[PhiloEpisteme]

I tried to look through HighPoint Tech's support docs on your card for the various bios versions etc and found that the manufacturer only has drivers for linux and various versions of windows. If FreeBSD doesn't have built-in drivers for your card and the manufacturer doesn't have drivers for FreeBSD you may be experiencing undefined/undocumented behavior due to lack of driver support etc. If this is the case it may be quite difficult to debug and at a certain point the roughly $75 for a similar replacement card known to work may be worth it.

Consider too that if the hardware is unsupported you're going to be putting your data at additional risk beyond other risks based on other hardware choices. At a certain point if you continually select sub optimal hardware I wonder if your data is actually made more vulnerable than if you went with a more consumer grade choice.

If you are committed to this card and want to explore what the issue might be perhaps posting the method you used to flash the card's bios as well as screen shots etc of the current version etc would be a good start.

I'd also double the request for the output of smartctl -a /dev/da0

 

[C.Thomas]

@PhiloEpisteme In that case you right, but I have found the Firmware for non-RAID. Drivers for operating system is an another thing.
Sure, on HighPoint's website there aren't driver for it.

 

[danb35]

I have found the Firmware for non-RAID.

So you keep saying (and I've found it too), but your system is still behaving as though you have a RAID set already created by the High-Point card on those disks. But despite a couple of requests, you still haven't answered the question that would determine whether this is the case.