- Jun 30, 2004
- 15,709
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I'm setting up a new server system to eventually replace my WHS-2011 on an old 680i Striker-Extreme motherboard, which had the nForce drive controller. That controller was never quite AHCI 1.0 compliant, and for reasons and specifics I don't fully recollect now, I decided to disable it and use at least one PCI-E SATA-III controller.
I've used Promise RAID controllers, Adaptec, Highpoint and 3Ware. After my 3Ware 9250-SE card, I didn't like the expense of these controllers. I never felt like I captured my full investment from the 3Ware, my brother now has it and I can't get it back. It was SATA-II, anyway.
So I looked at controllers -- several with Marvell chips -- like this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...58365&cm_re=PEXSAT34RH-_-15-158-365-_-Product
The card works in either RAID0, RAID1 or RAID10, but it also configures for simple AHCI-mode, doesn't require a SAS breakout cable, is small and inexpensive. Reviews for it at Egg, while not totally "stellar," show several folks using the card for servers with the Win 2012 R2 OS, and general satisfaction with the product.
It's not a top performer, but it has the Hyper-Duo tiering feature, and it's good enough for my needs.
HOWEVER. I have three of these things. When I built my WHS box back in 2014 (after hardware failure on the original WHS installation), I was intent on providing an LED activity light for the overall controller, and thinking I didn't need an LED for each and every SATA port. (and I don't, really . . )
So I made up my cables and plugs and chose a color for the LED. What I then discovered (in 2014) was that the activity light simply stays lit, blinking on and off to show "activity." That is, it behave opposite what you'd want or expect.
Took my concerns to StarTech. They were mystified. Discussed it with a StableBit tech rep, since I'd installed their Scanner software. We speculated, we guessed, we wondered -- but couldn't resolve this anomaly.
I've even updated the controller firmware to see if the LED activity light would behave differently thereafter, and . . . it didn't.
I had experimented with cabling the LED to pinouts for one connected HDD, and to the pinouts labeled "ALL," but there's no difference.
Any idea as to this strange situation with this model controller? It works great otherwise for my purposes. But I'd rather the LED go dark with no activity, and flash when the drive is being accessed.
I've used Promise RAID controllers, Adaptec, Highpoint and 3Ware. After my 3Ware 9250-SE card, I didn't like the expense of these controllers. I never felt like I captured my full investment from the 3Ware, my brother now has it and I can't get it back. It was SATA-II, anyway.
So I looked at controllers -- several with Marvell chips -- like this one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...58365&cm_re=PEXSAT34RH-_-15-158-365-_-Product
The card works in either RAID0, RAID1 or RAID10, but it also configures for simple AHCI-mode, doesn't require a SAS breakout cable, is small and inexpensive. Reviews for it at Egg, while not totally "stellar," show several folks using the card for servers with the Win 2012 R2 OS, and general satisfaction with the product.
It's not a top performer, but it has the Hyper-Duo tiering feature, and it's good enough for my needs.
HOWEVER. I have three of these things. When I built my WHS box back in 2014 (after hardware failure on the original WHS installation), I was intent on providing an LED activity light for the overall controller, and thinking I didn't need an LED for each and every SATA port. (and I don't, really . . )
So I made up my cables and plugs and chose a color for the LED. What I then discovered (in 2014) was that the activity light simply stays lit, blinking on and off to show "activity." That is, it behave opposite what you'd want or expect.
Took my concerns to StarTech. They were mystified. Discussed it with a StableBit tech rep, since I'd installed their Scanner software. We speculated, we guessed, we wondered -- but couldn't resolve this anomaly.
I've even updated the controller firmware to see if the LED activity light would behave differently thereafter, and . . . it didn't.
I had experimented with cabling the LED to pinouts for one connected HDD, and to the pinouts labeled "ALL," but there's no difference.
Any idea as to this strange situation with this model controller? It works great otherwise for my purposes. But I'd rather the LED go dark with no activity, and flash when the drive is being accessed.
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