success with large drive snap server upgrades

[rami]

I have several snap servers (1000,1100,2200,4100 models) and am trying to add 200gig drives to the 4100s.

I am also going to try this with some of the smaller units at some point.

i've tried some of the listed methods to add the drive larger than 130gig but this is all it will recognize. I will continue to play with it.

3 of the 4100's have data on them so i dont want to play with those yet.

version 4 of the os is installed. 1 200gig drive is being used. (seagate) i will purchase more drives when i can get this working.


IDE 48 bit LBA hits: 0

i havnt checked how much newer or older this 4100 is than the other ones i have. could it be that some of them dont support large drives even after the software update? could it be a bios update of some kind is needed?

software version: 4.0.830
hardware version: 2.2.1
bios version 2.4.437




10/25/2004 14:03:14 Command: bios version


PIC Version 1.0, Capibilities 0x00
Failsafe Bios Exists
Failsafe v2.4.437.FS Tue Aug 15 15:23:18 2000

Bios stamp 2.4.437 Tue Aug 15 15:23:15 2000

Plat Bytes 2.2.1

Model Byte 2

Failsafe: -------------------------------L
Flash failsafe sector not locked(30)

[itsmeagain]

i have managed to upgrade a humble 80 gig snap 1100 by putting 2 x 200 gig drive in the converting the system to raid

it tried it tested ( but it will wipe both drive in the process)

the raid works well as i have mounted both disks on external hd caddys
i removed one it found the failure then on inserting a new drive and rebooting hey presto raid rebuilds .


alan happy bunnie £2500 snap server for under £600

Originally Posted by rami

I have several snap servers (1000,1100,2200,4100 models) and am trying to add 200gig drives to the 4100s.

I am also going to try this with some of the smaller units at some point.

i've tried some of the listed methods to add the drive larger than 130gig but this is all it will recognize. I will continue to play with it.

3 of the 4100's have data on them so i dont want to play with those yet.

version 4 of the os is installed. 1 200gig drive is being used. (seagate) i will purchase more drives when i can get this working.


IDE 48 bit LBA hits: 0

i havnt checked how much newer or older this 4100 is than the other ones i have. could it be that some of them dont support large drives even after the software update? could it be a bios update of some kind is needed?

software version: 4.0.830
hardware version: 2.2.1
bios version 2.4.437




10/25/2004 14:03:14 Command: bios version


PIC Version 1.0, Capibilities 0x00
Failsafe Bios Exists
Failsafe v2.4.437.FS Tue Aug 15 15:23:18 2000

Bios stamp 2.4.437 Tue Aug 15 15:23:15 2000

Plat Bytes 2.2.1

Model Byte 2

Failsafe: -------------------------------L
Flash failsafe sector not locked(30)

[rami]

with all that i have read, there hasnt been anyone who got more than 130x4 (520) out of a 4100 ?

how wrong is that... i mean my 2200 with 2 300gig drives holds more than my 4 drive 4100? there must be a way, i refuse to accept this

i dont like 2200's , they are just too slow, moving large files takes too long.

[Davesworld]

Originally Posted by rami

with all that i have read, there hasnt been anyone who got more than 130x4 (520) out of a 4100 ?

how wrong is that... i mean my 2200 with 2 300gig drives holds more than my 4 drive 4100? there must be a way, i refuse to accept this

i dont like 2200's , they are just too slow, moving large files takes too long.

Snap lists a replacement drive for the 4100 that is 160GB. I know the promise controllers had a bios update but they were pci add in cards and many mobos with the chip on it, got the update through the system bios. My Asus A7V has the same chip but I have always used SCSI since day one anyway. We already know the controller can handle LBA48 if it is allowed to do so. I have never tried over 120GB on mine yet. I too am liking the Seagates with the new 5 year warranty just like all good scsi drives have always had. Maybe they don't use cheap heads on ide drives which is common practice and hence the usual 1 year warranty and much lower price. A bios update would be nice if it was needed but how? I see a header right next to the intel flash chip that holds the os itself. This header looks similar to an ide header. This must have something they connect to it at the factory when you wipe your system out if an os upgrade is interrupted or something. Hmmmm.....

[Peter]

Please let me know if anybody resolved problem with 4100 and larger drives than 137GB. I like to purchase four 300GB drives for my 4100.
What do I need? New OS 4 or even bios update?
thank

[cringer]

Originally Posted by Peter

Please let me know if anybody resolved problem with 4100 and larger drives than 137GB. I like to purchase four 300GB drives for my 4100.
What do I need? New OS 4 or even bios update?
thank

I, too, would like to upgrade my 4100 to something larger than 4x120GB. However, I think it is unlikely unless someone can make a friend at Quantum / Snap Appliance / Adaptec to
1. learn what is causing the limit, and
2. get a workaround.

Since the Milpitas division is just around the corner from me, I am more than willing to pony up some greenbacks to liquor up an engineer or take him/her to the Kit Kat Club for entertainment.

[SnappedUP]

Originally Posted by cringer

I, too, would like to upgrade my 4100 to something larger than 4x120GB. However, I think it is unlikely unless someone can make a friend at Quantum / Snap Appliance / Adaptec to
1. learn what is causing the limit, and
2. get a workaround.

Since the Milpitas division is just around the corner from me, I am more than willing to pony up some greenbacks to liquor up an engineer or take him/her to the Kit Kat Club for entertainment.

Cringer,
You managed to put 300GB drives on your 4000, right?
For the benefit of the forum (and me ) could you run through the process, please?
Like you and others, I've got a couple of 4100s that I'd like to get through the disk size barrier and guess I could learn from you.
Also, do you have a copy of the 805 OS? I tried all the FTP servers listed on this forum, but to no avail.....

cheers
Jase

[skaterdad]

I have a Quantum Snapserver 2000 and one of the 30g drives is failing. Any way to determine which one? Can the unit run on one drive alone? Can I just replace both drives outright and have the thing boot up fresh? (knowing that there is a 137gb limit of course!)

[Peter]

Hi There,

I’m working enable LBA48 (137GB barrier) on M4100 Snap Servers.
If you like to help me to do so, please respond to this tread or sent me private massage.
I'm looking for somebody experrienced with Intel 82371 PIIX4 PCI Set Chip.
There is solution to break 137GB barrier.
Any info is needed.

[Peter]

I'm working on solving 137Gb limitation on 4100 snap server.
At this stage I'm collecting informations about hardware.
More specificaly I'm looking for somebody who has knowledge about Intel 82371 PIIX4 PCI Set Chip. We are all aware that this unit is fully capable of utilizing larger drives (over 137GB) I belive that with my knowledge of hardware and a software Guru's knowledge we can simply enable LBA48 support. Look forward to your comments. Please respond to this thread or send me a PM.

Thanks,

[Davesworld]

The Intel chipset is the wrong place to look. Each drive has its own promise controller chip. This chip is capable of LBA 48 but pci cards from around 2000 or 2001 required a bios update to do it. I know SnapOS 4 has this capability as well and there was a version of OS 3 that did but they quickly pulled it when OS 4 came out. If someone buys a 160GB field replacement unit for the 4100, it supposedly comes with instructions as well as being mounted on a drive sled already ( I need 4 sleds and a front bezel) but I wonder if they give a bios update? Has anyone who tried running at least 3.805 or 4.0?

[Peter]

Originally Posted by Davesworld

The Intel chipset is the wrong place to look. Each drive has its own promise controller chip. This chip is capable of LBA 48 but pci cards from around 2000 or 2001 required a bios update to do it. I know SnapOS 4 has this capability as well and there was a version of OS 3 that did but they quickly pulled it when OS 4 came out. If someone buys a 160GB field replacement unit for the 4100, it supposedly comes with instructions as well as being mounted on a drive sled already ( I need 4 sleds and a front bezel) but I wonder if they give a bios update? Has anyone who tried running at least 3.805 or 4.0?

You are right about Promise chip.
My idea is to retrieve Bios form model 4000 and burn it in to model 4100.
To do so without removing Flash memory, I need to get thru Intel Chip.
I do have equipment to read this Flash memory, but I need properly address Intel chip to be able to retrieve Bios.
For this purpose I'm looking for picture of controller used in model 4000. Can somebody get this picture for me?
Also if there is somebody who knows differences between controller used in 4000 and 4100 series please let me know.
Generally, I'm trying to get full access to controller thru black 40 Pin connector J8 used by manufacturer to upload entire controller and perform diagnostic.
I see big challenge to break 137GB barrier by enabling full access to flash memory.

[domdoyle]

I am trying to upgrade my snap drive 1000 18gig with a bigger 80 gig hard drive and found this post. Would someone mind emailing me instructions on how to do it?

I'd greatly appreciate it.

[cougem]

This is going to sound really stupid, but umm....

What's a snap server? I like to think I know a lot about computers, but this is the only place I see them. Is it that the snap server community all condenses upon procooling, and how come?

[rami]

Originally Posted by cougem

This is going to sound really stupid, but umm....

What's a snap server? I like to think I know a lot about computers, but this is the only place I see them. Is it that the snap server community all condenses upon procooling, and how come?

a snap server is a NAS (network attached storage) device.

Snap appliance
or
Adaptec snap site

[tosher99]

Originally Posted by domdoyle

I am trying to upgrade my snap drive 1000 18gig with a bigger 80 gig hard drive and found this post. Would someone mind emailing me instructions on how to do it?

I'd greatly appreciate it.

Did you get instructions? I need to repalce disk in an 1100. What's the tricks.

[upstech]

Go into the Hack a SNAP 1000 Thread and look for the dolly method. I have used it several times and it works great. If you need further assistance please email me.

[MichaelP]

I know this is a 4 year old thread but did you ever successfully break the hard drive barrier on the snap server 4100? I have one and want to upgrade to larger hard drives and was hoping you were able to figure out a solution.

[blue68f100]

No, will not happen either.