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Siig eSATA Card with PowerEdge 2950
Hello,
I appologize if this has been answered, but the search function here is seemingly worthless, especially when trying to search in a specific forum. Anyway, I have a PE 2950 rack server that I'm trying to install a Siig 2 port eSATA II PCI-Express card into (model SC-SAE412-S3). Here's a spec sheet: http://www.buy.com/prod/siig-2-port-esata-ii-pcie-pro-2-x-7-pin-serial-ata-300-external-sata/q/loc/101/207682365.html
According to the documentation on both the card and the server, these two should be compatible. I've got the card installed in the center riser board which has a single x8 PCI-e slot, which should support the card which requires only an x1 slot. However, the system doesn't seem to even realize the card is installed. Dell Server Administrator says the slot is empty and when I try to load the driver is fails, presumably because it can't find the hardware. Has anyone gotten this combination of hardware to work? I've done my research on PCI-e and eSATA and I don't see why these shouldn't be compatible, but I'm hoping someone knows something I don't. The OS is Windows 2003 SBS. I haven't tried installing it into one of the other open express slots, nor have I tried installing it into another 2950 I have. But that will be the next step. Just wanted to know if anyone knew for sure these weren't compatible or if I need to do something special to get them to play together.
Thanks,
Todd
Dennis Smith
946 Posts
1
January 26th, 2009 05:00
Hi Todd,
You should have no issues with that card in the 2950, I would go ahead and try it in another 2950 or just another PC just to make sure the card works.
RustonPaving
13 Posts
1
January 26th, 2009 08:00
Thanks Dennis, unfortunately these are production servers, so I'll have to at least wait until the end of the day to shut them down. But I'm glad to hear these two should work together. I'll try another server and report back.
Todd
RustonPaving
13 Posts
1
February 2nd, 2009 07:00
I tried it in another PE2950 I have and it didn't work either. Once I have a chance I'll try it in just a regular desktop PC with a PCIe slot to be sure it's not some compatibility problem. In the meantime, can anyone else confirm that these two should work together? I don't see why not.
Thanks,
Todd
speedstep
8 Wizard
8 Wizard
•
47K Posts
1
February 2nd, 2009 17:00
The system is available with either a PCI-X or a PCI Express (PCIe) left riser board option.
<ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>
If you have PCI-X vs PCIe slots then this is why it does not "see" the card.
ESATA is available in USB.
If you have PCI-X Slots then an easier option is a PCI 2.3 USB 2.0 card plugged into the PCI-X slot
then use USB 2.0 to ESATA connections.
For that situation I recommend an inexpensive Fully compatable PCI card.
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0221833
IOGEAR
$19.99
Then CoolMax ES-300 USB to External SATA Converter
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0249963
The IOGear Card is WHQL certified for Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/2003
Using USB2 to ESATA bridges means no drivers to install because the USB to mass storage and the NEC Chipset USB PCI are native to windows.
If you want internal then this card
USB + eSATA port. Bundle with a Mini-DIN (M) to Mini-DIN (M) power cable and a Mini-DIN (F) to DC Jack (12V) connector
http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0277555
You Save: $4.00
$15.99
RustonPaving
13 Posts
1
February 2nd, 2009 17:00
Even further update, tried the card in just a plain old Dimension desktop and it worked fine. So, I guess this card isn't compatible with the 2950, for whatever reason. It does state that it is compliant with the PCI-e base spec of 1.0a. Anyone know what spec the 2950 was designed to?
Thanks,
Todd
RustonPaving
13 Posts
0
February 2nd, 2009 21:00
It definitely has the PCIe riser board option, has "PCIE" printed right on the daughter card next to each slot. I don't even know how you could get a PCIe card in a PCI-X slot anyway. I'd really rather not use USB for the speed limitations There must be an eSATA card that works with this thing, every internal drive in the server is SATA. Maybe there's a free internal connector available on the motherboard that can be carried out to the back with a simple dummy slot cover and internal SATA cable? I didn't think to check the board when I had it open.
Todd
RustonPaving
13 Posts
0
February 17th, 2009 15:00
RESOLVED:
After doing some more research I came across someone using this same card in a 2950. They had the same problem until they tried the x4 PCIe slot available in the 2950. Apparently, I only tried the 2 x8 slots. Well, it worked beautifully. Not sure why, as everything I read both in Siig documentation and elsewhere says you should be able to run an x1 card in any PCIe slot. Maybe this is a limitation of this particular card, or the server? I don't know, but it seems to work just fine in the single x4 slot. So, there you go....
Thanks,
Todd
Infinity306
1 Message
0
March 17th, 2009 16:00
Good thing you were able to get it resolved.. and the passthrough SATA to ESATA exist, my external vantec drives came with them, but I advise not to use the passthrough on a 2950 as the motherboard SATA ports are passed to Windows as IDE and not HOT-Swappable.. You would have to get a software utility to disconnect the drives and then swap them out, or you encounter the lovely Panic I did where Server locks up; LCD on server goes orange and it reports a FATAL system Error and Crashes...