HP SAS expander in motherboard with no CPU.

[houkouonchi]

Anyone know a specific model of motherboard (hopefully on the cheap) that can power an HP SAS expander with no CPU/memory installed?

 

[ie4EeyooCh]

Does it have to be a motherboard? If not you may want to take a look into this thread here: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1519806

 

[houkouonchi]

Does it have to be a motherboard? If not you may want to take a look into this thread here: http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=1519806

I already have that thing from orbit micro. Unfortunately before ordering I didn't realize the kind of modding that would be needed to use it (you have to remove the PCI-E like slots on the bottom of the thing).

Also I am not looking to test things out I just want something that works so if anyone has verified a cheap mobo will work with no cpu/ram for powering the HP SAS expander please let me know. The cheaper the better.

 

[ghost6303]

i do not think that any power (besides maybe a standby, low current, 5v signal) gets passed to any motherboard slots without a CPU or RAM installed.

you could easily test this on any junk ATX computer by just removing the RAM and CPU and seeing what happens when you push the power button. if no fans spin up, there is your answer.

 

[brutalizer]

Here is a solution. It is half a motherboard, just the power connection. You screw it in your jbod chassi. Read review on this
http://www.orbitmicro.com/global/pe-2sd1-r10-p-9375.html

 

[houkouonchi]

Here is a solution. It is half a motherboard, just the power connection. You screw it in your jbod chassi. Read review on this
http://www.orbitmicro.com/global/pe-2sd1-r10-p-9375.html

I already have that. No you don't just screw it into your jbod chassis you have to dremel or some how otherwise remove the huge PCI-E looking thing on the bottom of it. See:

http://www.orbitmicro.com/global/imagemagic.php?img=../i/9375-3.jpg&w=700&h=650&page=popup

Not a simple mod.

 

[houkouonchi]

Well the dual 771 socket supermicro board these coraid disk chasis came with actuall work for powering the card with no CPU/ram.

Unfortunately only one of the three 15 chasis actually have the newer motherboard with PCI-E slots in it so maybe I can bum another one off my co worker who got more than I did.

 

[houkouonchi]

Well the dual 771 socket supermicro board these coraid disk chasis came with actuall work for powering the card with no CPU/ram.

Unfortunately only one of the three 15 chasis actually have the newer motherboard with PCI-E slots in it so maybe I can bum another one off my co worker who got more than I did.

And actually I am still open for suggestions. This dual CPU motherboard uses *a lot* of power. It is using like 70w of power for just the chasis, fan, board and SAS expander when another motherboard I tested (that gave power to the SAS expander but solid LED so wouldn't detect) was around 40w. That is a pretty significant difference especially when the disks are at idle with disks the entire 15 disk enclosure is using 150 watts. Almost half of it is going to the motherboard + fan + sas expander.

 

[lovemyram4x4]

I already have that. No you don't just screw it into your jbod chassis you have to dremel or some how otherwise remove the huge PCI-E looking thing on the bottom of it. See:

http://www.orbitmicro.com/global/imagemagic.php?img=../i/9375-3.jpg&w=700&h=650&page=popup

Not a simple mod.

Aren't you putting this in a Norco case? Norco standoffs are as tall card slots so you should need to remove the card slot while still being able to mount in location/orientation so you Expander can still use one of the card slots on the case. Also nothing says you have mount it this way, you us larger standoffs, mount it in the middle of the case, rotate it 90, etc.

 

[houkouonchi]

Aren't you putting this in a Norco case? Norco standoffs are as tall card slots so you should need to remove the card slot while still being able to mount in location/orientation so you Expander can still use one of the card slots on the case. Also nothing says you have mount it this way, you us larger standoffs, mount it in the middle of the case, rotate it 90, etc.

No I am not (supermicro case); however, I did realize that I have some flexible risers and some other risers that I might be able to jerry rig to mount the card correctly.. doh why didn't I think of that. Gonna go try that out now!

 

[odditory]

The stand-offs on the original Norco 4020 used to be tall enough not to need to chop the plastic bracket on the bottom of the power board, but any newer Norco cases and you'd have to chop it unless you found a creative way to raise it up. Removing the plastic bracket takes 30 sec with a cut-off disc on a dremel tool, I've done several of these boards and its pretty low risk to damaging the board unless you're michael j. fox

The power board is definitely a pain because another problem is the mounting holes don't line up perfectly to ATX dimensions. On the last power board I installed in a Norco 4224 I had to tap a couple screw holes at the bottom of the case to place the stand-offs.

 

[lovemyram4x4]

No I am not (supermicro case); however, I did realize that I have some flexible risers and some other risers that I might be able to jerry rig to mount the card correctly.. doh why didn't I think of that. Gonna go try that out now!

Oh, I guess you and someone else are having the same problem as you posted in the HP expander thread using 2 HP expanders on an Arca 1880 I saw on another forum that stated he was using a Norco.

Yeah I have a Supermocro chassis and the standoff are much shorter than a card slot, but you can still just find some that are long enough if don't want to cut the card slot.

The stand-offs on the original Norco 4020 used to be tall enough not to need to chop the plastic bracket on the bottom of the power board, but any newer Norco cases and you'd have to chop it unless you found a creative way to raise it up. Removing the plastic bracket takes 30 sec with a cut-off disc on a dremel tool, I've done several of these boards and its pretty low risk to damaging the board unless you're michael j. fox

The power board is definitely a pain because another problem is the mounting holes don't line up perfectly to ATX dimensions. On the last power board I installed in a Norco 4224 I had to tap a couple screw holes at the bottom of the case to place the stand-offs.

That's weird that Norco changed the standoffs, maybe so they'd be the same height as other case, what's even more weird is my Norco is also a new style at least as it goes for the backplains it is about 1 year old though.

 

[houkouonchi]

well I just got all ghetto style on it and used my flexible riser and a 2U riser that is semi-secure. I mean I wouldn't want to shake the case around but when its just sitting in my rack it will do. Definitely helped as the thing is using a good 35 less watts now. Its like 140 watts with 15x3TB disks, SAS expander, chasis fans, etc..