BUILD [Review] X11SDV-4C-TP8F - did it

Hobbel

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Feb 17, 2015
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Hey folks,

I'm just sharing my experience with the Supermicro X11SDV-4C-TP8F :)

Currently there are
  • 8x WD Red 1TB
  • 1x Intel SSD 750
  • 1x LSIxxxx (forgotten) in IT-mode
  • 2x Samsung 32GB (M393A4K40CB1-CRC)
  • 1x SNK-C0111AP4L
connected. Used for iSCSI with several ESXi.
The board is working great. Nothing negative to report. The only thing is: heat. CPU has a passive cooling system. It was overheating like 5mins after booting up - wrong case (Fractal Design Define R6) and wrong environment. Used a Noctua fan temporarily with zip ties to keep temp low. After some writing with the Supermicro support, I got the part number of the active CPU cooler from another X11SDV (see list above). Now CPU temp is at about 32-35°C, System at ~40°C - no datacenter or any active cooling of the room.
The board replaced a X10SRL-F with an E5-1620v4 (FreeNAS 11.1-U7).

This build is just for testing. The production system seems to be a 8C board, 128GB RAM, 10G connections, Intel DC P3700 and 16x Samsung 860 Evo 1TB.

Yes, expansion slots and CPU replacement are limited. But with PCIe SSD (SLOG), external storage cases, the right HBA and expanders, it will saturate any of my (currently planned and future) needs.
 
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It was overheating like 5mins after booting up - wrong case (Fractal Design Define R6) and wrong environment. Used a Noctua fan temporarily with zip ties to keep temp low.
Interesting, I use the same case and have no CPU temperature issues but then I loaded the case with fans and have an active cooler on it. What is your fan setup? Perhaps I don't run mine as hard?
 

Hobbel

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Interesting, I use the same case and have no CPU temperature issues but then I loaded the case with fans and have an active cooler on it. What is your fan setup? Perhaps I don't run mine as hard?

2 in the front, 1 in the back. Without active cooling of the CPU it was overheating. Don't think that it is running harder than any other box...

Do you have exactly the X11SDV-4C-TP8F or another one?
 
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Do you have exactly the X11SDV-4C-TP8F or another one?
No, I'm using an X11SSM-F. I've also fully loaded the case with fans. 3 in front, 3 on top, 1 in back, 2 on the bottom. My build is described here if you're interested.
 

Hobbel

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No, I'm using an X11SSM-F
The X11SRL-F with the E5-1620v4 was not overheating at all, but it's actively cooled. The X11SDV-4C-TP8F comes without active CPU cooling - that's why it was overheating. I just wanted to share my findings, because the X11SDV-4C-TP8F is an amazing board
 

francisaugusto

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Nov 16, 2018
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Hey folks,

I'm just sharing my experience with the Supermicro X11SDV-4C-TP8F:)

Congrats for this superb build!

Would you mind sharing some stuff with us?

I got a mail from Supermicro saying that there's no active cooling for this board, and when I google for the SNK-C0111AP4L, I almost don't find it. Very few shops carry it, and not even Supermicro has it anymore. Is it quiet? Do you suggest something else?

Do you think this CPU might work without a CPU cooler? I would gladly get a cooler, but I just can't seem to find one that'd fit out of the box. I am considering a Fractal Design node 804 case, which I believe might have a better airflow. I was also thinking about installing more fans than those that come with the machine.

Also, do you get lots of noise with those WD RED of yours? I get so much noise out of them, but I dunno if I should blame my old HP Elite case for that.

A last question: do you run ESXi on your system, or just FreeNAS? If you use ESXi, could you tell us what does it identify as available for passthrough? I ask you this because I'd like to avoid getting a HBA, as the board has plenty of SATA ports, but at the same time I'd like to keep some storage available for the ESXI and other VM's, so I wonder if there's some flexibility there.
 

Hobbel

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got a mail from Supermicro saying that there's no active cooling for this board
yes. officially there is no active cooling for this board. but all the active cooled boards have same dimensions of CPU and mounting holes.
IMG_20190730_172422.jpg

Is it quiet?
well, depends on your environment. I have some experience with supermicro fans and they can be called silent - in slowest mode. If the fan spins up towards maximum, it sounds like a starting jet ;)
So, yes you can have it in a room, door closed and you can work in the room next door.
no, don't do this at home, near your bedroom :D

Do you think this CPU might work without a CPU cooler?
for me: no. with the stock passive cooling the CPU overheated in like 5 minutes.

Also, do you get lots of noise with those WD RED of yours?
don't think so. If every other component is turned off, you can hear them - like any other HDD. but I wouldn't say they are noisy.

do you run ESXi on your system, or just FreeNAS?
only freenas. but I know freenas on ESXi 6.x. I think, the SATA controller of this board cannot be passed through. Seperate HBA recommended.
 

Hobbel

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I have some experience with supermicro fans and they can be called silent
Just to make it a bit clearer:
I also did some mods on several Supermicro chassis. e.g. replaced all stock fans with some noctua. They run at full speed (without PWM) and that is silent. You can't hear it, when the door is closed.
also replaced some Supermicro stock CPU fans with noctua and get the same result. But this really depends on the environment.
 

francisaugusto

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yes. officially there is no active cooling for this board. but all the active cooled boards have same dimensions of CPU and mounting holes.
View attachment 32118


well, depends on your environment. I have some experience with supermicro fans and they can be called silent - in slowest mode. If the fan spins up towards maximum, it sounds like a starting jet ;)
So, yes you can have it in a room, door closed and you can work in the room next door.
no, don't do this at home, near your bedroom :D


for me: no. with the stock passive cooling the CPU overheated in like 5 minutes.


don't think so. If every other component is turned off, you can hear them - like any other HDD. but I wouldn't say they are noisy.


only freenas. but I know freenas on ESXi 6.x. I think, the SATA controller of this board cannot be passed through. separate HBA recommended.

thanks a lot! Very nice info!
I ordered it with the cooler. I wonder if it will be worth/feasible to remove the active cooler installed by them to try something else if I find out that it is just too noisy. Although, to be fair, the main reason I’m asking them to install it is to avoid loosing the warranty, so I guess I might suck it up when it comes to the noise.
 

francisaugusto

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Just to make it a bit clearer:
I also did some mods on several Supermicro chassis. e.g. replaced all stock fans with some noctua. They run at full speed (without PWM) and that is silent. You can't hear it, when the door is closed.
also replaced some Supermicro stock CPU fans with noctua and get the same result. But this really depends on the environment.

was it very hard to replace the cooler? Supermicro was very clear to me that they had to install the cooler themselves, so I became afraid that they would make it hard to change it. But looking at the picture you sent it seems the original heatsink is there so it’s all about removing the Supermicro cooler and putting a Notua. Any tips on how to avoid the plastic to touch the heatsink?
(Sorry for too many questions, it’s my first motherboard install so kinda nervous here...:)
 

Hobbel

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was it very hard to replace the cooler?
did several mods on several heatsinks. For the mentioned SNK-C0111AP4L you would have to
  1. remove the heatsink from the board (4 screws)
  2. release the metal "cage" (4 screws)
  3. release the fan (4 screws)
  4. transfer the fangrill (4 plastic "whatever it is called")
  5. assemble fangrill with new fan
  6. assemble fan onto metal "cage"
  7. assemble metal "cage" onto heatsink
  8. assemble heatsink to the board
don't forget to clean CPU and use new thermal pad / compound.
 

francisaugusto

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did several mods on several heatsinks. For the mentioned SNK-C0111AP4L you would have to
  1. remove the heatsink from the board (4 screws)
  2. release the metal "cage" (4 screws)
  3. release the fan (4 screws)
  4. transfer the fangrill (4 plastic "whatever it is called")
  5. assemble fangrill with new fan
  6. assemble fan onto metal "cage"
  7. assemble metal "cage" onto heatsink
  8. assemble heatsink to the board
don't forget to clean CPU and use new thermal pad / compound.

I hope they send me the original heatsink back after they install the SNK-C0111AP4L, as it seems it will be easier to mount a fan on top of the original heatsink than on top of the SNK-C0111AP4L.
 

Hobbel

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If you use ESXi, could you tell us what does it identify as available for passthrough?
have to correct myself. I think, I read sth. about a hack the ESXi 6.5 to passthrough SATA controllers... Have currently an ESXI 6.7 here and it shows the onboard SATA controller available for passthrough - also it is an Supermicro X9 Board...
Perhaps you are lucky and passthrough of SATA (all, not partly) is possible. At the end, I would recommend a seperate HBA ;)
 

Hobbel

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I hope they send me the original heatsink back after they install the SNK-C0111AP4L, as it seems it will be easier to mount a fan on top of the original heatsink than on top of the SNK-C0111AP4L.
the passive one has no mounting options for a fan. replacing the already mounted fan would be my preferred way.
 

francisaugusto

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the passive one has no mounting options for a fan. replacing the already mounted fan would be my preferred way.
Great!!

have to correct myself. I think, I read sth. about a hack the ESXi 6.5 to passthrough SATA controllers... Have currently an ESXI 6.7 here and it shows the onboard SATA controller available for passthrough - also it is an Supermicro X9 Board...
Perhaps you are lucky and passthrough of SATA (all, not partly) is possible. At the end, I would recommend a separate HBA ;)

I just ordered an HBA. However, I wouldn’t mind passing through the internal SATA, as long as some of the other ports like the miniSATA (for the U.2) or the M.2 ports so that other storage could be used outside the FreeNAS VM.
 

francisaugusto

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the passive one has no mounting options for a fan. replacing the already mounted fan would be my preferred way.

Any fan you recommend here that would fit well here?
 

Hobbel

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Any fan you recommend here that would fit well here?
Take a look here: noctua
I did some mods on CPU heatsinks with this one: NF-A6x25 PWM

Can't get the dimensions of my mine - system is running. But it seems to be a 60mm fan. You could also take a non PWM fan and connect it directly to the PSU. No need to attach it to the mainboard pins...
 

francisaugusto

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Take a look here: noctua
I did some mods on CPU heatsinks with this one: NF-A6x25 PWM

Can't get the dimensions of my mine - system is running. But it seems to be a 60mm fan. You could also take a non PWM fan and connect it directly to the PSU. No need to attach it to the mainboard pins...

I got my machine up and running yesterday with the active cooler from Supermicro (SNK-C0111AP4L). Just too loud, even when I put on the "optimal" speed via the IPMI interface, which is the least loud - it is still too loud for me. I just need to man up a bit to replace the cooler, but messing with the cpu and thermal paste is something I am very afraid to do. The fan came connected to FANA, and I'll try to connect it to FAN1 to see if it will make any difference. My IPMI is not showing the CPU temperature, I don't know if I have to plug something or adjust a jumper.

On the other hand, it seems promising to passthrough only some of the SATA controllers to the FreeNAS. I still need to do some testing, but I see two SATA controllers under ESXi. I toggle the passthrough for the second one, and connected harddisks via the miniSAS plug, and they were immediately imported by FreeNAS (it was a preexistant pool). I also plugged a SSD directly onboard, which is shown as storage by ESXi. The two HDD I connected to the miniSAS do not show as storage under ESXi, so I suspect that a "partial" passthrough was achieved, though I think I saw the same SSD showing up while booting FreeNAS, but I don't find this SSD under the FreeNAS gui. I will check more.

Overall, impressed with the motherboard and how powerful the thing is. I would like to keep this machine on the living room, but with that noise, I need to do something, but I just don't know if I will have the guts to deal with the thermal paste and all.
 

Hobbel

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I just need to man up a bit to replace the cooler, but messing with the cpu and thermal paste is something I am very afraid to do.

do it ;)
it's not that complicated. invest 30mins in google and youtube -> now you know how much thermal paste you need
 

francisaugusto

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do it ;)
it's not that complicated. invest 30mins in google and youtube -> now you know how much thermal paste you need

Hehe, I will check that up. But what also scares me a bit is that everyone seemed to have used quite a lot of ingenuity to find a way to fixate the fan on top of the CPU. I wonder if there's a more straightforward solution. I saw people who order custom made brackets, while others used zip cables, and so on.
 
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