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SAS2108 (LSI 9260) based firmware files


mobilenvidia

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OK ... UPDATE.

I was able to get my controller to start showing on the boot up....but I am still not seeing my (4) 4TB and (1) 160GB HDDs (when I press CTRL+H) on that prompt; which are on the hotswap backplanes connected to the controller with MINI-SAS to MINI-SAS cables. I had to buy longer ones as the ones which went to the system board were not long enough.

Any ideas?

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Takes quite a bit to kill your card.

Try attaching the HDD's directly to the controller

You may need to get SAS to SATA (I take the drives are SATA ?) break out cable

Make sure they are forward cables not the reverse ones

This will see if the backplane is at fault

I have a 4TB drive on my IBM 5116 controller and a heap of 2TB drives

I do it via a SAS expender and have not found a drive that the controller could not see

I'm running LSI FW, but I've not cross flashed it to a LSI

I put up with the slow boot

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Mobilenvidia,

 

  Thanks.  I am not concerned with the SLOW BOOT.  I am making a NAS with eventually (8) 4TB HDDs.

 

  This is an IBM x3500 (7977) with 2 backplanes for hotswap drives. No real way to attach them direct SATA to the controller with a breakout cable. 

 

  I was first told that the firmware on the controller was too old to see the 4TB HDDs....then I was told that IBM CONTROLLER was looking for IBM HDDs. 

 

  When I flashed the controller to the LSI (I guess I did it right).  I was not getting the tell - tell PRESS CTRL+H to access Web Setup prompt....hell, I was not even getting anything at all that the controller was even installed.  But I could boot with a DOS USB drive and issue   MEGAREC - AdpList  and it would show me the controller. 

 

  What I want is not that hard.  This machine requires that the ServeRAID 8k-l controller be installed in order to boot - will give a CPU error if it is not in the system...but you can tell it not to use it.  But cannot do that if I cannot get the new controller to see the HDDs.   :-(

 

  I wonder if the IBM simply will not show controller cards which are not IBM FW??  But that makes no sense....should still show me the controller.

 

  Maybe I did not flash the right SBR and ROM for the M5015 to make it think it is a pure-bred LSI 9260-8i.   Any ideas?

 

 

Thanks,

Curtis

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Mobilenvidia,

 

  Thanks.  I am not concerned with the SLOW BOOT.  I am making a NAS with eventually (8) 4TB HDDs.

 

  This is an IBM x3500 (7977) with 2 backplanes for hotswap drives. No real way to attach them direct SATA to the controller with a breakout cable. 

 

  I was first told that the firmware on the controller was too old to see the 4TB HDDs....then I was told that IBM CONTROLLER was looking for IBM HDDs. 

A load of plop, Firmware being old can be a factor, all you do is upate

IBM's don't look for like Drives as I've got non IBM drives (incl 4TB)

 

  When I flashed the controller to the LSI (I guess I did it right).  I was not getting the tell - tell PRESS CTRL+H to access Web Setup prompt....hell, I was not even getting anything at all that the controller was even installed.  But I could boot with a DOS USB drive and issue   MEGAREC - AdpList  and it would show me the controller. 

Go back to IBM FW, its a IBM controller keep it that way, cross flashing is for 9240 based cards

 

  What I want is not that hard.  This machine requires that the ServeRAID 8k-l controller be installed in order to boot - will give a CPU error if it is not in the system...but you can tell it not to use it.  But cannot do that if I cannot get the new controller to see the HDDs.   :-(

Does the 8k controller see the drives ?

 

  I wonder if the IBM simply will not show controller cards which are not IBM FW??  But that makes no sense....should still show me the controller.

The system BIOS might be at play here, but the CTRL+H LSI BIOS should still see the drives

Wondering if the backplane is blocking the drives

Is the backplane controlled via an expander ?

 

  Maybe I did not flash the right SBR and ROM for the M5015 to make it think it is a pure-bred LSI 9260-8i.   Any ideas?

Go back to IBM FW and flash the latest LSI FW to the card, put up with slow boot

But something is blockng those drives, the 160GB drives are ancient and even the 8K controller would see these with ease

 

 

Thanks,

Curtis

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Mobilenvidia,

 

  Thanks.  I am not concerned with the SLOW BOOT.  I am making a NAS with eventually (8) 4TB HDDs.

 

  This is an IBM x3500 (7977) with 2 backplanes for hotswap drives. No real way to attach them direct SATA to the controller with a breakout cable. 

 

  I was first told that the firmware on the controller was too old to see the 4TB HDDs....then I was told that IBM CONTROLLER was looking for IBM HDDs. 

A load of plop, Firmware being old can be a factor, all you do is upate

IBM's don't look for like Drives as I've got non IBM drives (incl 4TB)

 

I do not know at this point.  I am at a loss.  Currently I think I have the IBM SBR on it and the LSI FW -  as the CTRL+H has come back and the top shows ServerRAID M5015.  But the identify drives does not work.  The drives do flash on power on...but I think that is just SPIN-UP lights.

 

  When I flashed the controller to the LSI (I guess I did it right).  I was not getting the tell - tell PRESS CTRL+H to access Web Setup prompt....hell, I was not even getting anything at all that the controller was even installed.  But I could boot with a DOS USB drive and issue   MEGAREC - AdpList  and it would show me the controller. 

Go back to IBM FW, its a IBM controller keep it that way, cross flashing is for 9240 based cards

 

There are dozens of articles that state the M5015 and 5014 can be cross flashed.  Currently the CTRL+H is back, but that is all.  No HDDs.

  What I want is not that hard.  This machine requires that the ServeRAID 8k-l controller be installed in order to boot - will give a CPU error if it is not in the system...but you can tell it not to use it.  But cannot do that if I cannot get the new controller to see the HDDs.   :-(

Does the 8k controller see the drives ?

 

  It sees them as 2TB HDDs - but will not let you do anything with them.  Cannot build an array with them - even as individual drives.  ARGGGGHHHHHHH!!

 

  I wonder if the IBM simply will not show controller cards which are not IBM FW??  But that makes no sense....should still show me the controller.

The system BIOS might be at play here, but the CTRL+H LSI BIOS should still see the drives

Wondering if the backplane is blocking the drives

Is the backplane controlled via an expander ? 

 

The backplane has no expander (that I know of)   When using the 8k-l controller...they are plugged into the SAS1 and SAS2 ports on the system board and you have to enable ON-BOARD SAS in the BIOS. 

 

 

  Maybe I did not flash the right SBR and ROM for the M5015 to make it think it is a pure-bred LSI 9260-8i.   Any ideas?

Go back to IBM FW and flash the latest LSI FW to the card, put up with slow boot

But something is blockng those drives, the 160GB drives are ancient and even the 8K controller would see these with ease

 

I do not understand what you are saying here.   You say GO BACK TO THE IBM FW and then say FLASH TO LATEST LSI.  Right now with the M5015 out of the machine I cannot even get the 8k-l controller BIOS to load, I get a message that the "CONTROLLER BIOS NOT LOADED".

 

 

Thanks,

Curtis

 

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Mobilenvidia,

 

  If you think some screen shots would help.  Let me know what you need, and I will provide them.

 

  I worked for IBM xSeries Server Support for 6 years, and I do not think that IBM servers are this picky with the controllers you place in them.

 

Curtis

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With flashing I meant go back to IBM 5015 SBR, but I think you may already be here

You can use any FW, doesn't matter whether IBM or LSI

I know longer have any controllers other than my IBM 5016 which sees all drives

So it's its hard to diagnose from my end

Try the M5015 in a another machine with a drive (you'll need a SAS to SATA breakout cable)

This will eliminate the system BIOS, but if your old 8k controller sees the drives then doesn't look good for 5015

If I was to do this all over again, I'd just get a LSI card, OEM versions too finicky

You may need to get rid of M5015 and get a 9260

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Hello guys, congratulations on this forum, I flashed my m5015, all OK, but after I updated the card with the latest firmware downloaded from Avago, the server does not recognize more as LSI 9260-8i but M5015.

 

Regards

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The FW is probably restoring the IBM SBR over the LSI one you flashed.

You may have to go through the whole process every time a new FW comes out.

Or just stick with an older FW and be done with it

If I had a M5015, I'd probably go back to the SUN FW

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With flashing I meant go back to IBM 5015 SBR, but I think you may already be here

You can use any FW, doesn't matter whether IBM or LSI

I know longer have any controllers other than my IBM 5016 which sees all drives

So it's its hard to diagnose from my end

Try the M5015 in a another machine with a drive (you'll need a SAS to SATA breakout cable)

This will eliminate the system BIOS, but if your old 8k controller sees the drives then doesn't look good for 5015

If I was to do this all over again, I'd just get a LSI card, OEM versions too finicky

You may need to get rid of M5015 and get a 9260

 

I will try that... as I have one of those cables.   I really want to get this working so that I have (8) 4TB HDDs in this beast.

 

Curtis

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Curtis meet dinukro

How do you dinukro get on with your M5015 ?

Any problems with drive recognition ?

I'll leave you too to get acquainted :)

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Curtis meet dinukro

How do you dinukro get on with your M5015 ?

Any problems with drive recognition ?

I'll leave you too to get acquainted :)

 

dinukro states that his card does NOT recognize the drives either....and unless he is using the same SERVER and a HS Backplane - as I am ----  APPLES to PEACHES.

 

:-) 

 

Curtis

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I had my 6x 2TB Hitachi HDDs on the M5015 before migrating to the M5016

I have them via an expander with all sorts of other 2TB drives (incl 4k sector) and the WDC 4TB drive

Smaller older driver everything worked

I can only assume the backplane or the system BIOS is limiting the drives

Best thing to do is remove one of the backplane cables, if it uses both and plug in a 4TB directly with SAS-SATA breakout cable

This will test the backplane, if it still doesn't work try M5015 in a different computer

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Hello guys, congratulations on this forum, I flashed my m5015, all OK, but after I updated the card with the latest firmware downloaded from Avago, the server does not recognize more as LSI 9260-8i but M5015.

 

Regards

 

Dinukro,

 

  What model Server or PC do you have the M5015 installed?

 

  Are you using some sort of backplane or 8087 to SATA breakout cable? 

 

  I can get the machine to boot, and can press CTRL+H on my IBM System x3500 (7977-AC1) and get to the LSI web setup for the controller---but with my drives in the machine - connected to the SATA/SAS hotswap backplane - they are not seen.

 

  I need to get a longer 8087 breakout cable, as the one I have will not reach from controller to the drives themselves (taking out the hotswap backplane). 

 

  This server will hold (8) HDDs - if I have to remove the backplanes to get the (8) drives - my problem is going to be providing power to them all.

 

  I really want to turn this box into a MASSIVE NAS.

 

Thanks,

 

Curtis

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Finally had a chance to do some research

The x3500 is rather ancient, the first of the non Pentium Servers

First of the PCIe generation

The Backplane will probably be SATA I

If it was me, start again with the Mobo/CPU with PCIe II+, SATA II+ capable

Then your Giant NAS will be speedy also, as current will limited to backplane SATA I speed

And the power savings will pay for its self

Also recommend Enterprise drives for longevity

My 2TB's and single 4TB have been flawless for years

Other drives have come and gone in the mean time, cost more but you're data is safer.

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Finally had a chance to do some research

The x3500 is rather ancient, the first of the non Pentium Servers

First of the PCIe generation

The Backplane will probably be SATA I

If it was me, start again with the Mobo/CPU with PCIe II+, SATA II+ capable

Then your Giant NAS will be speedy also, as current will limited to backplane SATA I speed

And the power savings will pay for its self

Also recommend Enterprise drives for longevity

My 2TB's and single 4TB have been flawless for years

Other drives have come and gone in the mean time, cost more but you're data is safer.

 

mobilenvidia,

 

  I appreciate the recommendation...but I am not just going to throw out this server.

 

  I know it is OLD...but it can still be used for something.

 

  If I am limited to (8) 2TB HDDs - then I will go that route.  14TB NAS is still pretty good.

 

  I may wind up going with the ServeRAID MR10i.  It is designed for this machine too.

 

  I think part of it may be the backplanes.  I have just put the old ServeRAID 8k controller in the machine-  It boots, the (4) 4TB HDDs are seen- but at 2TB each...they also are reporting 1.5GB.s (SATA I) speed.

 

I am currently low-level formatting one of them to the 2TB range, and will see if I can do an array.

 

Not sure that I can find faster backplanes (IBM calls them) or some people call then SAS expanders.

 

Thanks,

 

Curtis

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Some backplanes have expanders in them usually the likes of 12x drives and over

Thinking about it they are not to blame for the M5015 not seeing the drives at all

There is something else at play here

You have completely disabled the 8k ocntroller from the system BIOS

Any jumpers that can disable the onboard SAS ?

I'm running RAID6 on my 6x 2TB drives have been for years on same drives, keep on chugging away

I can get about 600MB/s on a PCe 2.0 MOBO.

PCIe 1x you might be getting limited to 150MB/s if the controller can get the data sorted in time

But have a play

Another option is get an external controller and grab an external Drive enclosure

Then you can get SATA II from drives but bottle necked at the Mobo to PCIe 1.0 speeds

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Some backplanes have expanders in them usually the likes of 12x drives and over

Thinking about it they are not to blame for the M5015 not seeing the drives at all

There is something else at play here

You have completely disabled the 8k ocntroller from the system BIOS

Any jumpers that can disable the onboard SAS ?

I'm running RAID6 on my 6x 2TB drives have been for years on same drives, keep on chugging away

I can get about 600MB/s on a PCe 2.0 MOBO.

PCIe 1x you might be getting limited to 150MB/s if the controller can get the data sorted in time

But have a play

Another option is get an external controller and grab an external Drive enclosure

Then you can get SATA II from drives but bottle necked at the Mobo to PCIe 1.0 speeds

 

mobilenvidia,

 

  I think I may have found the culprit.  The CABLE.   I pulled back the (well cut loose) the cable which is in the system from the system board to the backplane..and there are like 12-16 wires in there.

 

  The cables I bought and were trying to use only have 5 wires.  I think the ORIGINAL cables from the backplanes to the system board are 4-lane cables, and these others are not. 

 

  I have been doing some investigation, and I will need to find some longer cables (like what I have from the system board to the backplanes - they are about 8" long).  They will need to be 24-30" long in order to reach the M5015.

 

  So a GOOGLE SHOPPING I will go.

 

Thanks,

 

Curtis

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....and a herald of angels sang!!!

 

WE HAVE SUCCESS.   I got my new SFF-8087 (multi-lane was the key) cable.  Re-installed the ServeRAID M5015 controller in my IBM x3500 server and attached the cable from the controller to the SAS/SATA backplane - put the (4) 4TB HDDs in -  Booted Up.  CTRL+H  and what do you know....It saw all 4 drives.  

 

I was able create a RAID 5 array (12TB - Thank You!!!) and install the OS. 

 

I need to determine if the battery is really bad or if something it reporting it as such. 

 

Now to get the other (4) HDDs and put them into the bottom 4 slots and I will have a 28TB RAID 5 NAS. 

 

THANKS TO EVERYONE FOR STICKING WITH ME.   

Knowledge it power...and cumulative knowledge ROCKS!

 

Curtis

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Yes the cable has been the cause of many headaches

There are various versions of the same cable, that often on Ebay or such sites are not often described as seller often has no idea

But glad you are all sorted

I'd go RAID6 if one drive degrades it will go down to RAID5, with RAID5 and a drive degrades then its SSSSLLLOOOWWW till you replace the drive

Battery issue there is a command switch you can set to stop that error (if you get one)

You'll need to study on on StorCli

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  • 2 weeks later...
Is any possibility to activate CacheCade Pro on M5015 with a specific firmware? Now is flashed as LSI 9260 and in MSM I don't have the link witn "Manage MegaRAID Advanced Software Options" but I have "Create CacheCade SSD Caching" gray link (cannot be clicked).

I have a trial key for 30 days for LSI 9260, how can I use it?

 

Many thanks!

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Pretty sure you can't, LSI FW still see it as a M5015 deep down in its internals even though it says its a 9260

There is a little EEPROM chip where the features are kept, this needs special programming

All you achieve with LSI9260 X-flash is faster boot up time

But as these controllers are designed to be on 24/7 of little consequence

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  • 1 month later...

@mobilenvidia

 

I want to thank you for sharing the info and files for flashing the M5015 :)

 

I tried to use the latest LSI firmware from their website but it must be overwriting the SBR because I still get the slow boot associated with the M5015. I followed your instructions and cleared the firmware before updating to the new firmware and 9260 SBR. I tired rebooting after each step, writing the empty SBR, etc. Nothing works.

 

As of now, I'm using the older 2011 Sun firmware. It boots much faster.

 

Do you know if there is a workaround or is the latest firmware even worth the trouble? Also, why did you say you would use the Sun firmware if you still had a M5015?

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

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I no longer have the M5015, just the M5016 which I leave alone

Don't care how long it takes to boot, as it's on 24/7 running a 6x2TB RAID 6 array

Simply run out of time to work on this of late

But were I to have a M5015 I would be very tempted to to go back to SUN FW

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Sorry if this is a lame question, but in the zip file there are multiple *_lsi.rom files.  Each with a different 4 digit number in the front.  However, I did not see anything that would assist in telling me which ROM to use for my particular card.  I am trying to flash my Dell PERC H700 to a LSI 9260-8i if that helps.

 

* Reason I need to do this is that I have a Dell C2100/FS12-TY with a H200 Mezzanine card (cross flashed to LSI 9211 IT Mode).  When a PERC H700 is added to the system in a PCIe Slot, the system RAM gets dropped by ~ 10 GB.  Weird I know and I have tried pretty much everything to get around it (different slots, cards, bios, backplane jumpers and firmwares).  I just purchased a LSI 9260-8i and it does not have the same problem.  So I am trying to see if I can get the H700 to work if I flash it to a LSI 9260-8i (I have several H700s and Servers I would like to be able to use).

 

Thanks.

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