Help with SATA Controller Passthrough (supermicro) from ESXi 7 to Truenas

[phier]

hello,
not sure if the freenas forum is active... i described the issue where also https://www.truenas.com/community/t...gh-from-esxi-6-5-to-freenas.61304/post-704333

the thing is i am running the latest esxi v7, supermicro x11ssl-f ;
sata mode in AHCI;
bios v2.7
vt-d enabled (within chipset configuration->System Agent configuration)
intel pentium g4400



But the sata controller is still grey out ... any idea why?

 

[elvisimprsntr]

SOLVED - Help with SATA Controller Passthrough from ESXi 6.5 to FreeNAS

Hello all, I’m new here and I’ve run into a roadblock. I’m having an issue passing through my onboard SATA controlled from ESXi 6.5 to a FreeNAS VM and was hoping I might get a little help. Before I go any further I would like to provide a little background on what I have and have done up to...

www.truenas.com

 

[phier]

@elvisimprsntr ? i cant see any solution there....

 

[sretalla]

If you want to share details of your hardware, maybe it will highlight that you're trying to passthrough a controller that's already in use or is just the motherboard controller not capable of passthrough.

 

[phier]

@sretalla was shared here, thanks!

the thing is i am running the latest esxi v7, supermicro x11ssl-f ;
sata mode in AHCI;
bios v2.7
vt-d enabled (within chipset configuration->System Agent configuration)
intel pentium g4400

 

[sretalla]

So if that's the case, you didn't miss sharing the HBA (since you don't have one) and you can't pass through that onboard SATA controller as it's not capable of it.

You'll need a separate HBA.

How are you connecting your boot drive?

 

[phier]

and you can't pass through that onboard SATA controller as it's not capable of it.

how do you know that its not capable of it?

here i was advised it will work > https://www.truenas.com/community/threads/hypervisor-virtualized-truenas.101167/post-703718

How are you connecting your boot drive?

i am booting from nvme drive inserted into the nvme->pcie reduction.


thanks

 

[sretalla]

how do you know that its not capable of it?

the sata controller is still grey out

Sometimes (and it's usually not the case with all controllers/motherboards no matter what, only a small list of exceptions), the onboard controller can be passed if it's not used by something already... in those cases, you can see it as an option to passthrough.
Since you don't, you can't.

If you want to go back to @HoneyBadger and ask what he was talking about, feel free. (but it seems he already has chosen not to respond further on the other thread)

Also, this is completely unrelated to TrueNAS...

 

[phier]

@sretalla
Okay, so basically it's not possible to see /read that from supermicro board manual/ or to get that confirmation from VMWARE esxi (once provided them the board model)

Basically - if i can't see it there / ie an option to enable passthrough it means it's not supported and there is no option to do that?

Well I am just surprised... as ppl on that link https://www.truenas.com/community/t...r-passthrough-from-esxi-6-5-to-freenas.61304/
mentioned they make it works... I know they use a different model of the board... but I thought as the old model supports that why should never don't? Maybe wrong assumption ...

 

[sretalla]

Maybe wrong assumption ...

I don't run VMware on one of those boards, so can't confirm or deny it.

You may find more help on the issue in the VMware forums.

 

[phier]

So if that's the case, you didn't miss sharing the HBA (since you don't have one) and you can't pass through that onboard SATA controller as it's not capable of it.

in that statement has no "technical" validation/proof that its not possible....

Also strange thing is that usb ports cant be passthrough....

so maybe the issue is somewhere else... i dont know.

 

[sretalla]

in that statement has no "technical" validation/proof that its not possible....

I never claimed it did... I'm just stating the "facts" back to you that you gave to me... it's greyed out, so you can't use it.
You're in a forum for discussing TrueNAS and you're making a lot of noise about how ESXi isn't doing what you want and trying to imply it's my fault for not having more evidence... I don't see how that helps.

Also strange thing is that usb ports cant be passthrough....

so maybe the issue is somewhere else... i dont know.

I agree the issue (if there's any issue remaining for discussion) is probably with some kind of enabling that needs to be done in ESXi if it is in fact possible... maybe something like this is helpful... https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/esxi-6-0-passthrough-onboard-sata.8902/

 

[phier]

@sretalla

i dont know, as every time someone is responding with different answer....

if u dont have a proof/validation there whats the point to saying Its not possible.... maybe something has to be set somewhere, i dont know.

Not saying that there is another issue ie USB is not showing to be able to passthrough... and there is no connection between usb/sata.. i assume.

 

[sretalla]

maybe something has to be set somewhere, i dont know.

Perhaps look at the link I shared then...

 

[phier]

So if that's the case, you didn't miss sharing the HBA (since you don't have one) and you can't pass through that onboard SATA controller as it's not capable of it.

You'll need a separate HBA.

Perhaps look at the link I shared then...

frankly, does that seriously make sense .... ?

 

[HoneyBadger]

Perhaps look at the link I shared then...

Specifically this post is what you should look at @phier -

ESXI 6.0 Passthrough onboard SATA

VMware Front Experience: How to make your unsupported SATA AHCI Controller work with ESXi 5.5 and 6.0 I have an Intel C610 chipset / wellsburg ahci controller on my SM board I'd like to use disks for pass-through in ESXI to Napp-IT VM but it appears ~ esxi5.0 they removed the generic drivers...

forums.servethehome.com

I'm not positive on the C610 chipset, but, as ehfortin mentioned in his thread, you'll need to add the Wellsburg controller to /etc/vmware/passthru.map.

You'll need the vendor and device id. Run lspci at the ESXi command line. Look for the line pertaining to your mass storage controller. It will likely be "0000:00:XX.X Mass Storage Controller: Intel Corporation Wellsburg AHCI Controller".

Make a note of the hex prefix (0000:00:XX.X) and then run 'lspci -n'.

Find the line corresponding to the prefix, it'll look something like '0000:00:1f.2 Class 0106: 8086:8d62 [vmhba2]'. That last part, "8086:8d62" in this case, are the vendor and device id.

Then add them to your passthru.map file like so:

# INTEL Wellsburg AHCI
8086 8d62 d3d0 false

VMware reference for VT-D passthrough.

SATA passthrough isn't 100% supported on every chipset or hardware configuration in VMware. That's a side effect of their hardware validation and you'd likely receive an answer of "use something on the HCL (hardware compatibility list)" as they're very risk-averse.

 

[phier]

Specifically this post is what you should look at @phier -

ESXI 6.0 Passthrough onboard SATA

VMware Front Experience: How to make your unsupported SATA AHCI Controller work with ESXi 5.5 and 6.0 I have an Intel C610 chipset / wellsburg ahci controller on my SM board I'd like to use disks for pass-through in ESXI to Napp-IT VM but it appears ~ esxi5.0 they removed the generic drivers...

forums.servethehome.com

SATA passthrough isn't 100% supported on every chipset or hardware configuration in VMware. That's a side effect of their hardware validation and you'd likely receive an answer of "use something on the HCL (hardware compatibility list)" as they're very risk-averse.

thanks will check,
yes supermicro seems is not on their compatibility list.

 

[HoneyBadger]

thanks will check,
yes supermicro seems is not on their compatibility list.

You can try manually adding the device ID to the passthru.map file as suggested, but this may not fully solve things.

Also ensure that VT-D/IOMMU has been enabled in your BIOS.

 

[phier]

but this may not fully solve things.

what do u mean by not fully solve things?

Also ensure that VT-D/IOMMU has been enabled in your BIOS.

that was enabled here>
bios v2.7
vt-d enabled (within chipset configuration->System Agent configuration)
intel pentium g4400


apart of that also USB cant be passthrough .. no idea why.


thanks

 

[HoneyBadger]

what do u mean by not fully solve things?

"It still might not work" - at this point you'll probably have to try it.