BUILD Need non-RAID controller recommendation for Dell PE R900

[danb35]

Just as one last sanity check, I set up each disk as JBOD. This is correct, right?

If you did anything anywhere other than the FreeNAS web GUI to set up any of your disks, something isn't right. If you got the M1015, did you flash the firmware to IT mode (version P16)?

 

[Ericloewe]

If you have a M1015 there is no raid, it will be JBOD without configuring anything. Plug in the M1015, the cables, have the drives in, boot FreeNAS and it should grab it all and be done with it.

Assuming it's been crossflashed to P16 IT mode.

 

[estrabd]

I don't think they were visible for some reason, so I updated them to JBOD in the controller's BIOS setting interface and they were seen fine...so I assume if they are explicitly set to JBOD it's still ok?

 

[Darren Myers]

Let's backtrack and take a look at flashing the M1015 to IT mode please,

My post from another thread

search the forum, there are plenty of articles. i followed this guide http://www.servethehome.com/ibm-serveraid-m1015-part-4/ ,

Or go here https://forums.freenas.org/index.ph...ut-that-lsi-card-join-the-crowd.11901/page-10 post #198.

"For anyone looking for P16 of the firmware...you can find it here:
http://www.lsi.com/Pages/user/eula.aspx?file=http://www.lsi.com/downloads/Public/Host%20Bus%20Adapters/Host%20Bus%20Adapters%20Common%20Files/SAS_SATA_6G_P16/9211_8i_Package_P16_IR_IT_Firmware_BIOS_for_MSDOS_Windows.zip&Source=http://www.lsi.com/support/pages/download-results.aspx?keyword=9211-8i

All I had to do was copy the 2118it.bin (Firmware folder), mptsas2.rom (sasbios_rel folder), and just to be safe sas2flsh.exe (sas2flash_dos_rel folder) files from the downloaded ZIP into my sas2008 usb boot disk and re-run the commands

sas2flsh -o -f 2188it.bin -b mptsas2.rom
and
sas2flsh -0 sasadd 500605bxxxxxxxxx

Hope this helps others looking.
"
"

 

[danb35]

I don't think they were visible for some reason, so I updated them to JBOD in the controller's BIOS setting interface and they were seen fine...so I assume if they are explicitly set to JBOD it's still ok?

If you have the ability to set them to anything other than JBOD, no, it isn't OK. It may work, and it may even be trouble-free, but it won't be optimal. Flash your 1015 to the P16 firmware in IT mode, without the boot ROM. Your computer's BIOS may or may not see the drives--that's fine.

 

[estrabd]

Okay, I'll flash it. Thanks.