Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R: Suitable RAID?

[sbmocp]

The title says it all. I'm re-using old parts for a music server. The board has an Intel-ICH10R RAID on-board. I had ordered an LSI controller with the intent to use it; however, it requires a x8 PCIe slots and I only have x1 and x16 PCIe's and regular PCI slots.

Other than buying a new mobo, CPU, and memory I'm left with the on-board RAID. The machine BIOS doesn't give many options for configuring the controller so I have no way to place it into the IT mode I've read about here.

Am I missing something here, and do I still have some options with this setup for a software RAID?

Many thanks.

 

[Johnnie Black]

You don't want RAID with FreeNAS, you can use the onboard SATA ports, make sure they are set to AHCI, you can also use the LSI HBA in the x16 slot.

 

[sbmocp]

You don't want RAID with FreeNAS, you can use the onboard SATA ports, make sure they are set to AHCI, you can also use the LSI HBA in the x16 slot.

Thanks for the info. I'd thought about using the x16 slot but was concerned because I'd understood the voltage was different (3.3v vs. 5).

 

[Johnnie Black]

It's not, you can always use smaller cards on larger slots, and it even works the other way around, as long as the slot is open ended, though with limited bandwidth.

 

[PitKoz]

@sbmocp Hi did you finally set up this mobo? with what LSI controller, I have 9211-81 and can not pass LSI bios to the system windows with disks attached...

 

[PitKoz]

You don't want RAID with FreeNAS, you can use the onboard SATA ports, make sure they are set to AHCI, you can also use the LSI HBA in the x16 slot.

what about the second PCIex8x it says for LSI9211 that it needs x8 only.

 

[Johnnie Black]

what about the second PCIex8x

There's no x8 slot on this board.

 

[PitKoz]

GA-EP45T-DS3R: I have this board :) so the question is valid :) with some correction :) sorry my bad.

 

[Johnnie Black]

GA-EP45T-DS3R: I have this board

You can use the second slot for the HBA, note that if the 2nd slot is in use the first one will also be x8.

 

[PitKoz]

You can use the second slot for the HBA, note that if the 2nd slot is in use the first one will also be x8.

Yes, can you help me with This HBA working so far it does not work as it does not pass to boot system? It is on my other PC on the workbench. When it boots it sees disks, I can enter Ctrl-C manipulate all in LSI bios but when it passes further on top of the screen it shows line with number sequence 16 2 16 2 16 2 16 2 16 2 16 2 16 2 and freezes.

 

[Johnnie Black]

Yes, can you help me with This HBA working so far it does not work as it does not pass to boot system?

Never used that board but deleting the HBA bios might solve your problem, bios isn't needed unless you're booting from a device attached to the HBA.

 

[PitKoz]

Never used that board but deleting the HBA bios might solve your problem, bios isn't needed unless you're booting from a device attached to the HBA.

Have you ever heard about this 16 2 error?
The MoBo is still on my workbench without proper system so can not test it this way, wanted to check it with bios and boot options. Also, boot the system from it

 

[Johnnie Black]

Have you ever heard about this 16 2 error?

No.