12000 large disk support?

[redyug]

I've gotten myself a 12000 snap server & updated it to 4.0.xx, then used the upgrade 4.0.860. I put in three 400 gig Seagate HDs and they formatted as 128 gigs each, but I did this before updating. Now I have executed "ide 48bitLBACounter get|reset" several times, but the drives won't reformat. The bios version is still v3.2.667 if that's a problem. I imagine it's something simple, but it still escapes me. I wonder if it's obvious to someone else? Oh this really is a 12000 with 12 slots.

redyug

[blue68f100]

Haven't dealt with one of those models. But I do know the Snap OS.
When you execute "ide 48BitLBA Counter reset"
Then check the value with "ide 48BitLBA Counter get"
if the value = "0" no 48LBA Support

If you get a value > 0 you may/will need to issue "co de format 10000 /reinit" for drive 1. Where 10000 is the drive ID. You will need to do this for each drive.

[redyug]

Thanks, I did take that step already, but I didn't know the "10000" stood for the drive ID. Like how does it identify? What stands for what? These are Seagate drives btw. I guess this would be easier if I had taken these steps before trying to format the drives, but it's good to know this. Sucker takes forever to reboot, though, and gives you a freakin' hernia every time you lift it.

This is actually my third snap, the other two are Snap! 2000's that I got for $80 each w/o drives or guarantee. The first one works with two old identical 45 gig IBM drives (mirrored) and the other has two seagate 120 gig drives that are striped, so I never have had a need to upgrade yet.

redyug

[blue68f100]

"co de info" will give you a full list of drives and ID.
It also displays all of sub slices. Normally the drives are marked like this:
If only 1 drive per controller, 10000, 10010, 10020 ....
If 2 drives are on a controller, 10000, 1000X, 10010, 1001X ..... Look closely at the position.

What responce did you get from "ide 48BitLBA Counter get"?

[redyug]

I thnk that'll work. I'm one of three guys I know who have just gotten these 12000 servers. I know one has it going with 300 gig drives, so I should manage later tonight.

Oh, I got "0" for the "ide 48BitLBA Counter get" command, so it should work. I'll let you know.

thanks
redyug

[webboy]

count me as number 4 then

[blue68f100]

That means it support LBA 48.
Re-init the drives and shold be good to go.

[redyug]

You know I still have trouble? Can't figure it out. I enabled "ide 48BitLBACounter reset" then re-init each drive, enabled the lba 48 once again for good measure, then restart the system. Upon booting up, it automatically formats all drives at 128 gigs. I even shut down the server, took all the drives out, booted it, then put the drives in once it had booted (these are hot swap) but it started as soon as it saw the drives to do the same thing. Maybe I should re-init all drives, shut it down, remove the drives, boot, enable LBA 48, then add the drives?

redyug

[blue68f100]

Originally Posted by redyug

I thnk that'll work. I'm one of three guys I know who have just gotten these 12000 servers. I know one has it going with 300 gig drives, so I should manage later tonight.

Oh, I got "0" fot the "ide 48BitLBA Counter get" command, so it should work. I'll let you know.

thanks
redyug

If you reset the LBA and get 0 = NO LBA48Bit Support.

I wonder if it's the 4100's cousin.......

[redyug]

Weird thing!! I got in touch with another friend who sold me parts for this server (snap! 12000's have redundant power supplies, fans, etc.) He tells me he got his working by formating the drives in a 2200. He did an earlier post. He's the one with the 300 gig drives. I seem to have a 2000 with an updated (enough) bios, so I'll give formatting the drives a try on it. NOT giving up yet!

redyug

[redyug]

Oh, on top of all this, my friend with the 12000 server gets "0" on his "ide 48BitLBACounter get" command as well. However his 300 gig drives format to 285 gigs each on his. What's with that? Or perhaps I didn't update mine correctly? Did he take a piece of the other server's bios with the formatted drive or something?

redyug

[re3dyb0y]

285Gig is brilliant for 300GB drives

Due to overheads, block allocation and file systems, you ALWAYS lose hard drive space, 160GB hd's can become 154 etc etc

[redyug]

Uh? Yeah 285 is good for a 300 gig drive. Not the issue. Any drive over 128 gigs getting formatted over 128 gigs is the issue. I've been losing hard drive space for the past 16 years on all types of machines: no stranger to to that.

If you got ideas for allowing me to format my 400 gig drives over 128, that's what I'm looking to do. Perhaps I'll reformat them on another machine and try again. Seems like once they've been formatted on 128, they stay that way, unless they're changed on another machine.

redyug

[blue68f100]

If you are able to format the drives in a 2200 to get large HD support. How are you going to handle a HD failure, broken raid5 array? Broken raid 5 arrays are not readable, till a new drive has been installed and resynced.

[redyug]

The issue is fixing drives that were formatted @ 128 gigs with larger capacity. Being formatted in a machine that has not been updated puts like a 128 gig clip on the hard drive. This isn't a problem with a new drive, only a drive that's been 'clipped' to 128 gigs. At least that's the theory. The drives can be formatted again easily on the 12000 after being formatted in the 2200.

Once they've been formatted at 128 in a 12000 that wasn't updated, it's a pain to get them seen as anything but. The 2200 trick is just one that was found to fix the 'clipped' drives again to full capacity. At least that's how it seems. Got another idea on how to do it, I'm listening because 're-init' does not work on the 12000. This is all theory because my time hasn't allowed me to find another way or utility to fix these drives.

redyug

[blue68f100]

You have found a way that no one else has thoght of.

What is your platformbytes reporting?

And OEM bios flag indicate?

On the 1000, several users were able to change the bios flags to a 2000 and convert their units to a 2000. But most was unable to correct one of the flags before it rebooted and boat anchored the unit.

You are working on expensive hardware, so the risks go up.

If Snap has newer models that support the LBA, then it must be a HW or Bios version that have changed.

[redyug]

Well, I can't take credit for finding this way, buckdakat was the one who got his working this way. I have yet to try it. I've only put the drives in a windows XP computer to try & reformat them back to 400 gigs by deleting partitions, but no luck so far. I'll need to use better utilities like Knoppix or something.

As for platformbytes & OEM bios flag, I'll have to check later tonignt, but converting it to another type of snap server is not in the agenda. The 12000 will do just fine as is.

redyug

[blue68f100]

Use this UBCD it has all of the mfg utilities that will allow you to wipe the MBR clean. It is a collection of mfg utilities and some unix utilities for repairing mbr.

[drgnetworks]

in debug screen i get IDE 48 bit LBA hits: 187951

Model Software Hardware BIOS
1000 series 4.0.860 (US) 2.0.2 3.4.758

i have a 250 gig drive in it.

when i format it i am getting 233G

[redyug]

By entering "bios Version" in the debug screen, I got this. Is this what you were looking to see, blue68f100?

Failsafe Bios Exists
Failsafe v3.2.664.FS Mon Jul 02 23:05:40 2001

Bios stamp v3.2.667 Wed Jul 25 16:33:30 2001

Plat Bytes 4.0.0

Model Byte 3

Failsafe:
BackPlane HW Version = 2
BackPlane SW Revision = 1.4.2

I went and 'low level formatted' the seagate drives using Seagate tools. Same problems trying to format the 400gig drives. I guess I'll backup up my 2000 server & try that route. Obviously either my updates were done wrong or this machine will not support 48bitLBA. Doesn't make sense when you see this page advertising 250 gig drives.

http://www.adaptec.com/worldwide/sup...p_Server_12000

[blue68f100]

Try "bios oem"

Then check "ide 48BitLBA Counter get" I think you reported a 0 = NO.

Check to see if "bios model" is reporting the correct model.

And "bios PlatformBytes" Need to know what buckdakat had for these.

[redyug]

Hmmm? Ok???

bios oem

OEM Type currently is NOT an OEM box.
Only Quantum resources allowed on this non-OEM box.


ide 48BitLBACounter get

IDE 48 bit LBA hits: 0

bios model

Model Byte currently is:
0 - 2 drive IDE: "Minnie"
1 - 1 drive IDE: "Mortie"
2 - 4 drive IDE: "Laser"
==> 3 - 12 drive IDE: "Clipper"

Whatever this last one & the first one mean....?

redyug

[re3dyb0y]

The last one means as it sounds

0-2 is 2200/2000
1-1 is 1100/1000
2-4 is 4000/4100

3-12 is yours!

[blue68f100]

48 bit LBA is turned off. It is a function of the 1st drive. If you can get your first drive into 48 bit mode before you add any other drives, you should be good to go. There were some users that changed the OEM to a different value to get there to work. But there were demo units. Also some 1000 users have played with bio model and rendered there units worthless (locked up). So you have to know what values will work. Your BIOS Model is correct. Don't know about the OEM.

Need to compare these to one that has large disk working.

[sic0048]

Any luck with getting the 12000 to format larger disks? I think there must be some versions that will allow this because according to the Adaptec web site - the Snap Server 12000 offers "Performance, capacity and availability in a simple, cost-effective NAS appliance. Up to 3TB of robust file storage for less than a penny per megabyte."

So their must be 12000's out there that will format up to 300gb drives.