[OpenIndiana-discuss] 6 GB SATA drives on SAS HBAs

[Mark]

On 31/08/2011 10:12 a.m., Rich wrote:
> FWIW, crossflashing from IR to IT or vice-versa requires that you boot
> into DOS with their flasher and firmware, nuke the existing firmware,
> and replace it - hopefully not rebooting in the middle, because your
> card would be a brick if you did. :)
>
> Of course, if you did this, and it still refused to flash once you'd
> removed the firmware entirely, I don't have any thoughts.
>
> c.f. http://kb.lsi.com/KnowledgebaseArticle16266.aspx
>


Some Supermicro cards and onboard controllers with this chipset require 
a power cycle to change between IR to IT firmware, and the firmware 
tools can flash it in that state.
I've successfully recovered a few with bad firmware as well i.e. no 
heartbeat

You also need to watch the 1068 version (usually B1, B2 or B3)
The firmware must match.

I have successfully used LSI code to update the Supermicro 8023C to IR 
code when Supermicro couldn't supply it for a B2 chip.

Speed negotiation over expanders can be "interesting".
On new builds I use the controller diags to check the negotiated link 
speed is both correct and stable between power cycles.

Some disks, especially 6G Seagate desktop, just don't negotiate well on 
3G topology, and similar issues around 3G disks on 6G topology.

Also some expander code versions are better than others.

I've also RMA'ed Supermicro backplanes with issues as well.

So you can be sure it is a minefield out there.



Mark.