FirmTek SiriTek/2ME4-E eSata with TR5UT not seen after booting

[ScientistRyan]

I just got a new FirmTek SiriTek/2ME4-E eSata card and Sans Digital TR5UT 5 bay enclosure with built in RAID. I set the box up via the jumpers on the back of the enclosure to make a raid 5, and connected it to the computer once the array was built via eSata. I turned the enclosure on, then turned my 2009 MacPro on. The enclosure was no where to be found, and not seen in disk utility either. I rebooted the MacPro and still nothing. Next I turned the enclosure off while the MacPro stayed on, and when the enclosure was switched back on it was finally seen in OSX. After some more testing, the only way to get OSX to see the enclosure is to turn on the MacPro first and let it fully boot, then turn the enclosure on.

Is there any way to just leave the enclosure on, and have it seen when the Mac is turned on?

(the eSata card drivers are the latest ones on FirmTek's website)


THANKS,
Ryan

 

[philipma1957]

that is common enough happens with a lot of raid5 setups. look around the site ask nanofrog he seems to have a pretty complete understanding of the problem.

 

[nanofrog]

That's the only way you'll be able to do it. It has to do with the fact, there's 3x devices that have to load firmware, and the order is critical. First is the system + eSATA card, then the enclosure (it has it's own RAID on a Chip in there = boot ROM that must be loaded as well). You're relying on the card's ability to Hot Swap disks (initialize the card, then the drives; but in this case, it's also the RoC's firmware, as it's not purely based on the power being on). Mess up the order, and the system won't recognize what's there.

This is an issue whenever the card isn't actually within the computer (located in a slot), and there are much more complicated (faster and feature rich) systems out there (think some SAN products, that may resemble a PCIe expander system; PCIe switch card in the system, but the drives, RAID controller, and usually a SAS expander are in the primary enclosure).

If it were a "dumb" box (nothing but an enclosure, drives and cables; no controller of any kind, so no ROM to be loaded), you usually turn the enclosure (drives) on first, then start the system (allows the card to "see" the drives, and is absolutely necessary if there's a boot disk/array in the enclosure).

 

[ScientistRyan]

Thanks Nanofrog! I guess ill just have to adjust my routine whenever I (re)boot my system.

Besides this issue things are great with it. 5x 1.5TB 5400RPM drives in a RAID 5 and im getting average reproducible 205MB/s writes and 225MB/s reads with AJA system test and 4GB file size...

 

[nanofrog]

Thanks Nanofrog! I guess ill just have to adjust my routine whenever I (re)boot my system.

Besides this issue things are great with it. 5x 1.5TB 5400RPM drives in a RAID 5 and im getting average reproducible 205MB/s writes and 225MB/s reads with AJA system test and 4GB file size...

😎 NP. 🙂

The throughput is decent for what it is and the drives you're using. 🙂