What "SATA expansion" PCIe card to use for Unraid?

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chevrolux

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#260151 13-Nov-2019 10:56

I'm feeling quite stupid at this point...

Can someone please link me a PCIe card to use to add more SATA ports to my Unraid server. Minimum 4 SATA ports (happy with more), no RAID required, just want to pass disks directly through to Unraid and let it do it's thing.

I guess I'm just not searching the right thing, but all I am getting is RAID cards.

Preferably an NZ retailer, don't want to wait for Amazon or Newegg.

Thanks in advance!

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#2352705 13-Nov-2019 11:02

You just need something like this https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/IDESTT690414/StarTech-4-Port-PCIe-SATA-III-Controller-Card

chevrolux

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#2352719 13-Nov-2019 11:35

gehenna:

You just need something like this https://www.pbtech.co.nz/product/IDESTT690414/StarTech-4-Port-PCIe-SATA-III-Controller-Card

So I have that exact card... it will only let me use it in some sort of RAID mode. It doesn't present any devices to the OS until you set up a volume.

SirHumphreyAppleby

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#2352721 13-Nov-2019 11:44

chevrolux:

So I have that exact card... it will only let me use it in some sort of RAID mode. It doesn't present any devices to the OS until you set up a volume.

Have you tried the JBOD 'RAID' mode?

gehenna

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#2352723 13-Nov-2019 11:49

I think that might be more of an Unraid issue than the card. Have a look on Unraid's forums for supported cards people are using and recommended configs to present the disks to Unraid.

toejam316

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#2352729 13-Nov-2019 12:03

Generally you need to change the mode of the card, usually this can be done with firmware.

By default they tend towards having RAID features enabled, once you flash the firmware to the correct mode it will present each port as an individual interface with the individual drive, rather than making a mess of it all. It varies per card, just do a bit of googling, though there are lists of specific cards people recommend.

Anything I say is the ramblings of an ill informed, opinionated so-and-so, and not representative of any of my past, present or future employers, and is also probably best disregarded.

mentalinc

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#2352730 13-Nov-2019 12:05

M1015 or similar in IT mode, from ebay.

it's worth the wait to get the right tool for the job.

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chevrolux

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#2352784 13-Nov-2019 13:58

SirHumphreyAppleby:

chevrolux:

So I have that exact card... it will only let me use it in some sort of RAID mode. It doesn't present any devices to the OS until you set up a volume.

Have you tried the JBOD 'RAID' mode?

No that was my first thought too, no JBOD option.

But now that I think about it, there are a bunch of headers on card - perhaps I just need to jumper the correct ones to change the mode of the card.

Will do some more googling....

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chevrolux

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#2352790 13-Nov-2019 14:10

All the documentation says it should do JBOD... will do some more looking around when i get home tonight.

PANiCnz

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#2352794 13-Nov-2019 14:30

mentalinc:

M1015 or similar in IT mode, from ebay.

it's worth the wait to get the right tool for the job.

Agree with this! Either a M1015 or a Dell Perc H310. The Dell can be had for $40 delivered off eBay. You need special cables but they're cheap too.

CokemonZ

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#2352850 13-Nov-2019 17:22

I have a cheap Aliexpress one, and while I never went the whole hog (ended up staying in the windows world) I am 99.9% sure all the disks it used just showed up.

Something like this, but couldn't confirm the exact model: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32875529896.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.488f3940zemoQe&algo_pvid=713c62ff-33b5-4e72-b66c-b13fbee05beb&algo_expid=713c62ff-33b5-4e72-b66c-b13fbee05beb-0&btsid=5748c971-33af-4571-badc-64e6e3710c02&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_8,searchweb201603_52

rb99

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#2352858 13-Nov-2019 17:52

Thought this was quite interesting -

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T3RMFFT/ref=psdc_284718_t3_B07S8CB398

not pci-e but who knows...

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richms

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#2352898 13-Nov-2019 19:09

Stay away from the 6 port ones on aliexpress. They are a 2 or 4 port with a port expander doing many of the ports, so it is really bad if you have storage spaces or a raid on it. Any port expander solution seems to give trash speeds with anything that has multiple drives active at once.

Richard rich.ms

chevrolux

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#2353075 14-Nov-2019 09:08

I feel really stupid now....

Had 'VT-d' enabled which was obviously doing something with the PCI slots. Disabled it, made sure there was no RAID volumes created on the card, and now all the disks are just presented directly to Unraid.

openmedia

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#2353611 15-Nov-2019 01:43

Be careful when selecting chipsets for simple SATA cards. I've had lots of issues due to Marvell Disks

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

CokemonZ

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#2353620 15-Nov-2019 06:43

openmedia:
Be careful when selecting chipsets for simple SATA cards. I've had lots of issues due to Marvell Disks

What sort of problems?

I've recently added a 4 port, and my server has gotten a bit crashy. Was going to blame it on the power supply but.....

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