PowerEge C2100 memory reduced with Intel X540

Question

Came across a couple of PE C2100 (not CS2100) wityh 128 (16x8Gb) RAM

They have H700 controller & one spare PCI-e slot.

If I fit Intel X540-T2, then memory gets reduced to 80Gb & I briefly (too fast) error on boot about PCI not enopugh space to copy...

Looks like buggy BIOS (in addition to not the best hardware)

Anybody seen anything like that with this (obviously NOT Dell) hardware?

Thanks

Seb

spgsit · Accepted Answer

I can confirm that Dell Intel 0XR997 D79893-017

PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_10C8&SUBSYS_A11C8086&REV_01

works perfectly fine with C2100, leaving memory untouched (so obviously BIOS issue!)

Driver for the card is build in Server 2012 R2 (but it is old from 2009)

Intel PROWinx64 20.7 has never driver NDIS 6.30, but the ixe62x64.inf is a mess, so the only way to install driver 2.4.36.0 is to edit the inf & then install "unsigned" driver

BCDEDIT /Set LoadOptions DDISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS

BCDEDIT /Set TESTSIGNING ON

Latest firmware 2.3.64 for this card is available from Intel here

spgsit · Answer

Nobody noticed? I have tested on 3 different system, all with identical results

spgsit · Answer

After my own research, it could be that following adapters could have a chance of working in this system:

Intel 10 Gigabit XF SR Server Adapter

Intel 10 Gigabit AT Server Adapter

Intel Ethernet Server Adapter X520-2

Intel Ethernet X520 10GbE Dual Port KX4 Mezz Intel Ethernet X520 10GbE Dual Port KX4-KR Mezz

Intel 10 Gigabit AF DA Dual Port Server Adapter

But they are all 10GBASE-SR

But there is Intel 82598EB 10 Gigabit Ethernet Controller that is Base-T

It is Dell Part Number: 0XR997/D79893-017

I wonder if I can find it (affordable) to test it...

spgsit · Answer

I ready DID enjoy conversation with myself!

PowerEdge Hardware General

PowerEge C2100 memory reduced with Intel X540

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