[CentOS] Install Centos 6 x86_64 on Dell PowerEdge 2970 and aSSD (hardware probing issues)

Fri Sep 5 19:37:46 UTC 2014
Jason Pyeron <jpyeron at pdinc.us>

> -----Original Message-----
> From: m.roth at 5-cent.us
> Sent: Friday, September 05, 2014 15:19
> To: CentOS mailing list
> 
> Jason Pyeron wrote:
> >> From: m.roth at 5-cent.us
> >> Jason Pyeron wrote:
> >> >> From: Jason Pyeron
> >> >> > [mailto:centos-bounces at centos.org] On Behalf Of John R Pierce
> >> >> > On 8/31/2014 2:03 PM, Jason Pyeron wrote:
> 
> >> >> > > Yes. They support internal SATA drives, we are changing
> >> >> > from spinning drives to SSD. I am working with Dell to get a
> >> >> > BIOS patch, but I wont hold my breath.
> 
> Dumb question: these machines are getting very long in the tooth, but
> you're putting SSD's in them? New, or newer machines, would 

32GB SSD for the boot device, not on the raid arrays.

> solve a lot of
> problems....

Their warrantees are good for another few years... And the money is not :)

> 
> >> >> >
> >> >> > is the SATA interface in AHCI mode or legacy IDE emulation?
> >> >>
> >> >> Good question, I will ask Dell. The BIOS only has Off and
> >> >> Auto as choices. Is there a preference I should shoot for?
> >> >
> >> > So the dell tech says it only supports ATA (IDE) mode.
> >> [Sorry for the
> >> > accidental forward]
> >> >
> >> > Now I have to find an alternative to supporting a SSD boot
> >> > device on a SATA port in IDE (ATA) mode.
> >> >
> >> Ok, I see - it's an old 2970 - I see the manuals on Dell's
> >> site were last revised in 2011. We got rid of all our 
> 2950's (except for
> >> one, I think, or two, and they're another team's). IIRC, 
> they did have a
> >> choice of AHCI or RAID, and I think there may have been 
> one other option.
> >> Unless this is
> >
> > I think that is on the PERC contoller. The Onboard SATA A/B 
> ports are the
> > issue.
> 
> Nope. That's the kind of stuff that's only in the BIOS - it's 
> certainly
> not on a PERC.

Will go over it again with a fine tooth comb.

> <snip>
> > We have some with 40 pin IDE, but I am ignoring them.
> 
> And to that I have one response: MTBF. You need to talk to management
> about spending some money....

Step 1. Make more money.
Step 2. Replace 40 of them when the support contract expires.

> >
> > Both IDE and SATA mother boards have the same BIOS version!?!?!
> >
> Presumably from when the switchover was happening.
> 
> Hmmmm... have you spoken to Dell, or looked on their website, for a
> firmware update for the BIOS?

Running the latest BIOS.

> 
>         mark
> 
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> 


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