SAS newb, need help

[Kamel]

It takes a lot of me failing on my own before I actually will admit to not being able to figure it out on my own and post asking for help, so please be gentle lol

I purchased this server which seems to be great so far, except for one very important aspect... I can't get ANY of the SAS or SATA ports to work. (note: the sas drive cage with the 2 sas drives and the rackable systems backplane are not pictured in the link).

When going to install any OS, I am not given any options for available drives. I have even went as far as to use one of my own known-working drives, with a known working SATA cord that I own, and even powered it using a separate PSU. This would theoretically isolate any problems to be the motherboard itself. The thing is though, I was able to boot from a SATA CD drive, so I think the motherboard's SATA is working in the least

Through lots of googling and guess work, I was able to determine with a lot of uncertainty that the chipset for the board is an nForce Professional 3600 series. According to the available drop down menus on the site, it looks like the most recent version of Windows Server supported is 2008. I'd really like to install Windows Server 2012 if possible, and anecdotal evidence suggests this may be a possibility. When going directly to the manufacturers website though, it does look like drivers for windows 7 64 bit are available.

Please note that I have saved the drivers and loaded them during my attempts to install an operating system, and never has a drive shown up. What I'm trying to install (for now) is Windows 7. I have tried both the SAS drives and my own known-working SATA drive with my known-working SATA cable and a known-working power supply unit as well as trying to run it off of the servers own PSU.

I have also enabled and disabled raid on the motherboard. When entering the SAS configuration utility, it does not identify any drives when they are plugged in.

Here is where things get exceptionally confusing for me. The included cables with the SAS drive cage/backplane are definitely serial ATA. They are labeled as such, and they look identical to my existing SATA cables. This makes me think maybe the cables are of the wrong type. This also makes me think maybe the SAS backplane is actually converting from SAS to SATA?

I can't figure it out, but in my searches I've not found any SAS cables that look like the end is compatible with a SATA cable. This remains to confuse me, since the ports on the motherboard labeled SAS are clearly interchangeable with the SATA ones. If they weren't labeled, I would be unable to distinguish between the two. The normal SATA cables fit the SAS ports on the motherboard, as well as the ports on the rackable systems backplane.

Still, none of this explains why I can't see my known working harddrive/sata cable/psu combo on the install. Even if the drives or sas controller was shot etc I should still see my known-working drive.

What I've tried/observations
*Tried drivers from nvidia and mobo manufacturer, both not successful
*Enabled raid/disabled raid
*reset BIOS
*trying to install windows 7 pro 64 bit for now
*tried installing from a usb stick instead of disk
*noticed there is an empty 4pin power header on the mobo. i filled it with the matching 4pin header on the PSU... it doesn't even attempt to power on in this configuration. fortunately it doesn't seem like attempting this has done any harm, as after unplugging the header the system boots fine
*booting from USB works great, i've booted a live linux distro as well as trying to install windows via a usb key
*tried loading the SAS drivers during the install screen, the SATA/IDE drivers, the SATA/raid drivers, none have any impact
*observed if RAID is enabled, the available drivers for RAID will either show up or disappear in the installation as an option to install. this further supports the idea that the motherboard/sata is functioning
*i can't find any information at all about the sas backplane online apart from an ebay listing with a worthless description

Any ideas what I'm doing wrong here? If it's something really stupid I'm totally cool with that, I can get this behind me and move on lol. If you need any additional info please feel free to ask, I'll be glad to provide it.

 

[Kamel]

new development... just discovered my known-working hard drive that i added is 100% dead now. will not spin up at all.

i don't know the exact reason for the death, but i have since thrown out the molex to sata power adapter that was included since that may have been the cause of death? i don't know, but i don't want to take any chances on ruining anything else so i tossed it.

i'm going to test the PSU with my DMM and see what the volts are looking like

edit: i think i've determined the blank 4-pin power header on the motherboard is for if i don't have the 8-pin connector populated, so i'm no longer concerned about that

 

[Kamel]

i'm sure nobody is reading this but i might as well update anyway... either the SAS backplane is bad or the 2x SAS drives have both also gone bad. can't get them to spin up no matter what i do.

it really seems like maybe it's the fault of the power supply, i don't know... the volts are reading dead on with my dmm, but i don't have a scope to hook up to it or anything like that

 

[Automata]

As I mentioned in our private message, SAS and SATA cables are identical. There is absolutely no physical difference between the two. The difference between SAS and SATA is in the protocol transmitted across the data channel.

When you say the volts are reading "dead", what do you mean?

When you loaded the drivers, did you load them for the SAS controller (LSI 1064E per the manual). Loading the NFP3600 drivers (SATA) will only work for SATA drives.

 

[Kamel]

When you say the volts are reading "dead", what do you mean?

I was saying the readings were "dead on", meaning the 12v rail is reading 12.00 volts, and the 5v rail is reading 5.00 volts. Unusual actually, usually they are just a bit off. I think I'll run another test with the system loaded and see if the voltages drop or anything.

Thideras, do you happen to know if SAS drives will typically spin up as soon as power is applied, or will they only spin up when needed? I know my SATA drives will spin up as soon as power is applied. The two SAS drives I have in the rackable systems drive caddy do not spin up when I apply power to the backplane.

As far as the SATA vs SAS cables thing goes, that's great news. I'm so glad you put that question to rest, as I have done a lot of searching and was just unable to find the answer.

 

[Kamel]

When you loaded the drivers, did you load them for the SAS controller (LSI 1064E per the manual). Loading the NFP3600 drivers (SATA) will only work for SATA drives.

Must have read your post too quickly the first time, just noticed this question. I tried loading the SAS drivers as well as tried using my known working hard drive via SATA. Neither were working, but I discovered my known working drive had died at some point during this whole thing so maybe that's why it didn't show up.

It may also be worth mentioning that when entering the SAS controller settings via the BIOS, I also get the error stating no compatible devices were found. This occured of course while the SAS drives were plugged in to the SAS headers on the motherboard.

 

[Automata]

I was saying the readings were "dead on"

I was busy when typing that response and completely read your post incorrectly. Whoops!

Thideras, do you happen to know if SAS drives will typically spin up as soon as power is applied, or will they only spin up when needed? I know my SATA drives will spin up as soon as power is applied. The two SAS drives I have in the rackable systems drive caddy do not spin up when I apply power to the backplane.

It depends on the drive. Some will not spin up until they are given the command to start up or until they are accessed to prevent a bunch of drives spinning up at the same time and overloading the power supply. However, all the SAS drives that I've used will spin up immediately (with or without the data connection).

Must have read your post too quickly the first time, just noticed this question. I tried loading the SAS drivers as well as tried using my known working hard drive via SATA. Neither were working, but I discovered my known working drive had died at some point during this whole thing so maybe that's why it didn't show up.

It may also be worth mentioning that when entering the SAS controller settings via the BIOS, I also get the error stating no compatible devices were found. This occured of course while the SAS drives were plugged in to the SAS headers on the motherboard.

That isn't good if the SAS controller isn't reporting drives. Either you are missing something to enable it to work (some server boards have parts disabled where you have to buy a "key" to unlock it -- completely stupid) or something is broken. To rule out the "something is broken" portion, try a known working SATA drive and cable on the SAS controller; they work with SAS and SATA drives. If it works, then you know that the controller is probably working ok.

 

[Kamel]

That isn't good if the SAS controller isn't reporting drives. Either you are missing something to enable it to work (some server boards have parts disabled where you have to buy a "key" to unlock it -- completely stupid) or something is broken. To rule out the "something is broken" portion, try a known working SATA drive and cable on the SAS controller; they work with SAS and SATA drives. If it works, then you know that the controller is probably working ok.

Thanks, I'll give it a shot..... Once I find a hard drive to try that is lol.

 

[MongGrel]

I've SAS controller native on this MOBO and never messed with it.

Hope it works out to be honest.

 

[TechJunky]

If your worried about ruining the new drive, just plug the sata/SAS cable and not the power cable. By just plugging in the interface cable your bios should see the drive. Obviously the platters won't spin, but this is an easy way to tell if the SAS/SATA controller is working. I have had a bad mobo that ate drives and this was the only way to determine it was the board without ruining the drive.

If you haven't done this before try it. Plug a known working SATA drive into your PC without the power cable. Your mobo bios should see the drive.

 

[Kamel]

thanks for the tip techjunky, would have never thought that would work!

 

[cw823]

If you haven't done this before try it. Plug a known working SATA drive into your PC without the power cable. Your mobo bios should see the drive.

thanks for the tip techjunky, would have never thought that would work!

I've never seen this work, so I'd agree with you Kamel

 

[krzysiaczek99]

the same problem

Thanks, I'll give it a shot..... Once I find a hard drive to try that is lol.

I have the same problem i.e the same board TYAN S2912, serwer TYAN GT24 and it does not recognize any SATA disk. So did you managed to resolve it ??

Krzysztof