Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    Dell PowerEdge 1950, PERC 6/i problems

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Hardware
    6 Posts 3 Posters 13.5k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • S
      sathia
      last edited by

      Hello, I'm trying to have this server installed with pfsense, but it doesn't seem to like
      the raid controller.

      I've checked on the forum but I've found 2 years old solutions only, do you have any idea
      if we can get it working with this machine?

      	Primary Controller:
      SAS 6/iR Integrated Controller	 	SAS6I	 	[341-5782]	 	9
      	Primary Hard Drive:
      80GB 7.2K RPM Serial ATA 3Gbps 3.5-in HotPlug Hard Drive	
      	73A15	 	[341-3029]	 	8
      	2nd Hard Drive:
      80GB 7.2K RPM Serial ATA 3Gbps 3.5-in HotPlug Hard Drive
      

      Otherwise, is there a way to install it without RAID support?

      best regards

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • D
        drees
        last edited by

        Have you tried 1.2 built on FreeBSD 6.3? The official release is on FreeBSD 6.2 and 6.3 has a lot of updated drivers.

        http://cvs.pfsense.org/~sullrich/testing_images/6/FreeBSD_RELENG_6_3/pfSense_RELENG_1_2/

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • D
          David_W
          last edited by

          You haven't got a PERC 6/i in that server, you've got a SAS 6/iR, which is a completely different card. The PERC 6/i has hardware XOR and a battery backed 256MB cache, whilst the SAS 6/iR has neither. Nevertheless, the SAS 6/iR will be fine for what you want.

          Nevertheless, the answer is the same. You need to use a version of pfSense built around FreeBSD 6.3. There's no support for any series 6 Dell controllers in FreeBSD 6.2 - it was added for 6.3 and 7.0. This means that, for now, you need to use the snapshot, upgrading to the 1.2.1 RC series and 1.2.1 Release when they become available.

          I don't know if the RAID functions of the SAS 6/iR are supported in FreeBSD - it may just work as a 'straight' SATA/SAS host adapter. Check the FreeBSD man pages for mpt(4) for more details (SAS 6/iR is an mpt device, PERC 6/i is an mfi device). The RAID functions of the PERC 6/i definitely do work in FreeBSD; I have a 2950 III with a PERC 6/i running FreeBSD 7.0 - but that expensive RAID card would probably be a waste for pfSense.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • S
            sathia
            last edited by

            I'm sorry, I did forget some informations about the server, it has indeed the perc 6/i

            
            Hard Drive Configuration:
            Integrated SAS/SATA RAID 1, PERC 6/i Integrated/SAS6/iR
            
            

            what do you think about the testing image

            http://cvs.pfsense.org/~sullrich/testing_images/6/FreeBSD_RELENG_6_3/pfSense_RELENG_1_2/

            will it be as safe as the normal pfsense 1.2?

            I couldn't find any answer about that.

            thanks

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • S
              sathia
              last edited by

              If anyone else is thinking about installing

              http://cvs.pfsense.org/~sullrich/testing_images/6/FreeBSD_RELENG_6_3/pfSense_RELENG_1_2/

              please note that is considered perfectly stable.

              I've had this confirmation from the paid support.

              regards

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • D
                David_W
                last edited by

                I am running that image in production on a Dell PowerEdge R200; it is 1.2-RELEASE running on FreeBSD 6.3-RELEASE-p1. I can't use the 'true' 1.2-RELEASE because FreeBSD 6.2-RELEASE has no support for the ICH9 SATA controller in the R200, just as you can't use the 'true' 1.2-RELEASE because FreeBSD 6.2-RELEASE doesn't support Dell SAS 6/iR.

                You don't have a PERC 6/i in the machine - at least not from the line you posted. That's the hard drive configuration - which simply says "RAID 1 on the controller in the controller slot, whether it is a SAS 6/iR or PERC 6/i". I still believe you've got a SAS 6/iR in your machine. If your disk partitions are showing up as mpt… rather than mfid..., it's certain that you have a SAS 6/iR.

                Anyway - I'm glad you've got it working - pfSense is great, particularly on good hardware like the PowerEdge machines that you and I are using.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • First post
                  Last post
                Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.