Dell Precision T3600 detects SSD as a SAS

sprtfan

Senior member
Nov 17, 2003
257
5
81
I purchased a Samsung 840 128 to use as a boot drive on a Dell Precision T3600. When I check the BIOS, it has the SSD listed as a SAS device and will not let me install the OS. I'm using the same port (HDD0) that was used before with a 250 SATA HDD. I believe that HDD0 can be used for SAS, but should be compatible with SATA as well. I can move it to 1 of the 2 SATA only ports and install, but I'm going to need those for different drives. Thanks for any help
 

denis280

Diamond Member
Jan 16, 2011
3,434
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Try changing the bios to Legacy mode. The UEFI settings require your boot device to be UEFI enabled. If you see a Secure boot setting then disable it.
 

sprtfan

Senior member
Nov 17, 2003
257
5
81
Try changing the bios to Legacy mode. The UEFI settings require your boot device to be UEFI enabled. If you see a Secure boot setting then disable it.

Thanks, I had given that a try and still couldn't get it to work. I'll still try it again on Monday just to be sure.
 

sprtfan

Senior member
Nov 17, 2003
257
5
81
updated BIOS and I'm still having trouble. There is a new firmware for the drive but I have not been able to update it. The drive does work fine in other computers though and I also tried a different SSD in the Dell and had the same problem. I also realize now that the fact that the BIOS reads the ssd as a SAS may not be a problem. I think it is just plugged into a SAS port and it should be backwards compatable with SATA. The original WD HDD has SAS in front of it in the BIOS as well but boots up and works. Probably just going to contact Dell and see if they can help me since the computer is only a few months old. Thanks for the help.
 

sprtfan

Senior member
Nov 17, 2003
257
5
81
I was able to find the problem. I needed to load the Intel C600 controller drivers as part of the install. I would have figured it out sooner, but as far as I can tell, they are not listed on Dell's website and I had to get them from Intel. The hardest part was figured out which controller was being used in the first place. Thanks for the help