LSI card recommendation on ebay

2nd-in-charge

Explorer
Joined
Jan 10, 2017
Messages
94
A good card from a reputable seller. No worries at all. The only thing I'd worry about is whether you should get a newer SAS9207 card instead. What system is it going into?
 

NYRANGERS423

Dabbler
Joined
May 18, 2017
Messages
17
It is going in a freenas 11.2 server build I have to add more drives. Will be replacing the i5 4690k CPU with my 5820k 32gb ram and will be adding 4 more 3tb drives for now with the psi card I hope to get by next week. Thanks for the feedback, I am going to look for some 9207 cards now, what is the difference between them?
 

2nd-in-charge

Explorer
Joined
Jan 10, 2017
Messages
94
I am going to look for some 9207 cards now, what is the difference between them?
9211 is SAS2008 chipset. PCI-e 2.0 interface
9207 is SAS2308 chipset PCI-e 3.0 interface and capable of more IOPS.
If you only ever connect 8 HDDs to the card there will be no difference.
 

NYRANGERS423

Dabbler
Joined
May 18, 2017
Messages
17
I will probably connect lots more in the future. I have found a 9207 card on Ebay for about $74, would you think that is a fair price to get a new LSU 9207 8i card?
 

2nd-in-charge

Explorer
Joined
Jan 10, 2017
Messages
94
I will probably connect lots more in the future. I have found a 9207 card on Ebay for about $74, would you think that is a fair price to get a new LSU 9207 8i card?
This one? Yeah can't go wrong. You can possibly find an H220 cheaper, for the hassle of having to flash it to LSI firmware. For example.
 

Chris Moore

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 2, 2015
Messages
10,080
A little on the pricey side, otherwise, not expected to be a problem.
That seller goes to the trouble of replacing the Dell factory bracket with a vented one:
1558103278629.png
He also fully tests every card when he flashes the firmware.
Here is a link to the video of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWJNr7W6DK8

This is the same guy that figured out how to recover a bricked H310 mini card and posted a video of it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=koyVehVIXA8

I wouldn't hesitate to buy from this seller.
 

Chris Moore

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 2, 2015
Messages
10,080
I have never flashed one before but I heard it was not too difficult.
There are many instructions on the forum. Some people are deterred from making the attempt by the complexity of the instructions, but if you don't mind putting forth some effort, you can get a card that has not been flashed for even less cash. The question is, is it worth your time to upgrade the firmware yourself instead of paying someone else to do it.


Detailed newcomers' guide to crossflashing LSI 9211/9300/9311 HBA and variants
https://www.ixsystems.com/community...shing-lsi-9211-9300-9311-hba-and-variants.54/
 

tfran1990

Patron
Joined
Oct 18, 2017
Messages
293
You might as well get that card for a little less and flash it. Keep in mind you may have to flash it down the line if freenas uses a different driver in a new version.
 

Chris Moore

Hall of Famer
Joined
May 2, 2015
Messages
10,080
You might as well get that card for a little less and flash it. Keep in mind you may have to flash it down the line if freenas uses a different driver in a new version.
It is quite unlikely that the firmware will change again. It was, three or four years ago, changing every couple months, but the card is old enough now that they are probably not putting any R&D time into fixing anything any more. The last time the driver did change, they did not release a new firmware for the card. There was a time when the driver version and the firmware version were numerically synced but it is not the situation any longer.
 
Top