New installation on existing hardware

[shpxnvz]

Hi everyone!

This is not exactly a build thread since I already have the server running with a different NAS OS on it, but I figured it would be smart to post up the hardware here before taking the plunge and installing FreeNAS on it.

Server hardware...

Motherboard:
Supermicro X8DT6

CPUs:
Dual Xeon X5650

Memory:
48GB Micron 36KSZF1G72PZ-1G4D1 DIMMs

Disks:
8x 2TB Seagate Constellation ES ST2000NM0011 and 4x 2TB Hitachi HDS72302 (I know these are not ideal, but what I had available)

Controller:
LSI SAS2008 SAS-2 controller, flashed to pass-through mode (don't remember which firmware version at the moment)

Other:
SAS2-826EL Backplane

I also have an expansion chassis with another backplane which I want to connect to the external ports on the server. Have not tried to use the expansion chassis at all yet, but will soon need it to add more disks.

This configuration has been running well with a different NAS OS on it for six months or so, and so far as I call tell meets the hardware recommendations for running FreeNAS. I've verified that I have ECC memory and MB/CPU support (dmidecode shows 72-bit memory width and MB support).

From the searching I've done on the site there don't seem to be any problems with this hardware, but figured I'd post anyways to document the installation and in case anyone has run into quirks or problems with using an expansion chassis to add bays. I do have auto-power-on disabled on the server since I've read that some people have reported that the expansion backplane can sometimes take too long to initialize so the main controller doesn't detect the drives during boot-up (leading to broken arrays).

 

[m0nkey_]

It appears your hardware exceeds the recommendations. FreeNAS should run pretty well. For your LSI HBA, make sure you're on firmware 20.00.07.00.

 

[shpxnvz]

I'll have to check, but I think I'm on firmware version P12. If I remember correctly (it's been six months) at the time I was unable to get any newer firmware to flash to it. If that's the case, would this be a showstopper for running FreeNAS?

 

[m0nkey_]

Firmware can be found on Broadcom's web site: https://www.broadcom.com/products/storage/host-bus-adapters/sas-9211-8i#downloads

 

[nightshade00013]

Should work just fine have the same board same amount of ram and e5640's

 

[shpxnvz]

Should work just fine have the same board same amount of ram and e5640's

Awesome, glad to hear that! Since you have the same board, can you share which LSI IT firmware version you are running with? I'd just like to confirm either that it runs fine with an earlier firmware, or else that you were able to successfully flash the latest firmware?

 

[Stux]

You need to upgrade the firmware to p20. FreeNAS will throw a warning otherwise.

The recommended version is p20.0.7.0 as suggested.

 

[nightshade00013]

Flashes just like a 9211-8i or any thing else based on the LSI SAS 2008. I have the latest version required by FreeNAS installed. I used a USB drive with FreeDOS and the DOS utility. One caveat for the board is it doesn't do EFI from what I can tell.

 

[shpxnvz]

Flashes just like a 9211-8i or any thing else based on the LSI SAS 2008. I have the latest version required by FreeNAS installed. I used a USB drive with FreeDOS and the DOS utility. One caveat for the board is it doesn't do EFI from what I can tell.

Great, thanks for confirming that. When I tried to flash mine last time it would not take a newer firmware, but this gives me hope. I'll try again using FreeDOS and the latest and cross my fingers.

 

[shpxnvz]

This is the guide I used last time to flash the X8DT6 built-in controller, where I was unable to get a newer firmware to load: https://www.servethehome.com/howto-flash-supermicro-x8si6f-lsi-sas-2008-controller-lsi-firmware/

Curious if anyone knows of a better guide to flashing this board out there?

 

[nightshade00013]

I did pretty much the same thing. Just remember the dos utility is sas2flsh.exe if you try using sas2flash.exe you will have issues as that is for EFI boards if I remember right.

Check this one out and ignore the information about the del perc board https://techmattr.wordpress.com/201...-flashing-to-it-mode-dell-perc-h200-and-h310/ the procedure is basically the same as far as the steps go for flashing minus a few things here or there. You will not need their downloads just the basic steps for sas2flsh.

 

[shpxnvz]

I did pretty much the same thing. Just remember the dos utility is sas2flsh.exe if you try using sas2flash.exe you will have issues as that is for EFI boards if I remember right.

Check this one out and ignore the information about the del perc board https://techmattr.wordpress.com/201...-flashing-to-it-mode-dell-perc-h200-and-h310/ the procedure is basically the same as far as the steps go for flashing minus a few things here or there. You will not need their downloads just the basic steps for sas2flsh.

Thanks a ton for the link. I decided to wait for the FreeNAS 10 release before proceeding, and now that it's out I did the flash tonight. Followed the instructions in this link and flashing both the MB onboard chip and the add-on card I have for the expansion chassis worked flawlessly. MUCH smoother than last time I tried flashing.

Now on to the install...

 

[shpxnvz]

And, the FreeNAS 10 install went smooth. Like completely, boringly, smooth. Installed on SSD, it booted and recognized all the attached drives and I had a volume created in under 30 minutes from start to finish. I'll be doing some testing now and planning ahead for expansion since I'll be adding the second chassis and another 8 drives in the next month or so. I'll update here again after that, but for now FreeNAS seems to like the hardware just fine.

Thanks everyone for the help!

 

[Dice]

welcome onboard :]]