Xserve RAID - Cannot Initialize Disk?

[NOTNlCE]

See bottom post - didn't want to clutter up the forum.

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Alright -
I understand this is the Mac Pro forum, but I figured regarding the hardware, the issue is more likely to be solved by people in the Mac Pro forum than in the networking forum.

I'm currently running OS X Yosemite 10.10.1 with Server 4.0 on my 2006 Xserve 2.0GHz Quad Core. I've used Piker-Alpha's modified boot.efi, and was cruising along fine, until a few weeks ago. I've been using a GeForce 405 PCIe GPU for graphics acceleration under Yosemite, but now, whenever I have a PCIe GPU installed in the Xserve, regardless of the PCIe slot I use, the system will not boot ANY Yosemite disk. I've recreated the Install Media several times, with no avail. The odd thing is, the Xserve will boot the Yosemite install FINE as long as I DON'T have the PCIe GPU installed. However, this yields a basically unusable system, as the X1300 GPU is unsupported, and any kind of work I need to do with the Xserve is impossible due to the GUI lag. The Xserve will also boot up the copy of Leopard server it came with when I got it, I assume because the GeForce 405 (and the Radeon 6450 I have also attempted using) have no drivers in Leopard.

I have attempted to diagnose the issue myself, but it has been difficult. When I boot verbose, depending on what card I use, the system either freezes up or automatically reboots itself, (using the Radeon 6450 and GeForce 405, respectively.) When I boot with a monitor plugged into the X1300 GPU and run in verbose mode, it loads up to [PCI Configuration Begin] and then either freezes or reboots. The other PCIe slot is occupied by my Fibre card, with works great, and does not appear to be impacting the boot process.

I'd also like to note that both these cards work without issue in my Mac Pro 1,1, which is also using Piker-Alpha's boot.efi to run Yosemite. I'm essentially at a loss at this point. It's been 3 weeks without a running server, and I'd really like it back. Alternatively, is there a way to configure things without the GUI? Terminal based access, etc.?

As always, I appreciate any help. Happy Holidays, all.

-N

 

[goMac]

I'm wading a bit out of my comfort zone here, but...

Are you talking about booting for the disk with the modified boot.efi, or an install disk? It seems like you're at least talking about install disks.

You can only boot from disks with the modified Boot.efi, so unless the Yosemite install disks you're using have the modified Boot.efi they won't work.

Not sure why you can't boot off your main disk. Have you tried a Geforce 120? It's the original card for the 2009 Xserves, and might work better.

XServe hardware doesn't exactly match the Mac Pro. The EFI is not the same as what the Mac Pro uses. You're right that this is probably the closest forum, but I'm not sure what's going on here.

It's possible maybe someone who's used Xserves for GPGPU or rendering might have a better answer here.

 

[NOTNlCE]

I've spoken with Jamall about this quite a bit when I first got the box. I'm referring to both install disks and actual, complete installs of the system on a drive. The oddity is that I WAS able to use the system, and something broke it, seemingly a hardware issue, since I CANNOT boot an Install Disk, therefore (in my mind) ruling out a software change. The boot.efi files are all modified and replaced properly, I can even boot the disk in my Mac Pro 1,1 without issue.

Unfortunately, Xserves are very scarce, especially these days. Figured maybe since the boot.efi Mod was working so well for the Mac Pro users, someone might have experienced something similar, since my posts in that thread are just overlooked due to far more answerable questions. I'll keep troubleshooting.

 

[NOTNlCE]

I've decided to give Lion a go. Since the OS is actually supported, maybe I'll be ok. Will report back, just hate to use such an old system...

 

[NOTNlCE]

I've installed OS X Lion Server on my 1,1 Xserve, and linked in my Xserve RAID. I have two disk arrays on the Xserve RAID, one using the bottom controller, and one using the top controller. They've been set up and initialized by the XRAID, which took about 2 days. After they were finished, I got the usual notification to initialize the disk, which I have done. It's been formatted to my preference, but it's only showing one disk - the one on the bottom controller.

The XRAID is running two RAID arrays in RAID 5, one using disks 1-7 (which won't initialize) and one using disks 8-12, controlled by the bottom controller (which is fine, formatted, and already in use.) I've tried plugging and unplugging the Fibre cables, resetting the RAID controller, power cycling both systems, and I have looked and looked for solutions to why my Xserve won't see the array, with nothing.

Has anyone experienced this before? I really, really don't want to delete and recreate the array unless I have to, because that literally took days... Hope someone can assist. Thanks.

 

[dyt1983]

Did you swap the controllers + cables around to each half of the RAID?

Just curious, where are disks 13-14?

 

[NOTNlCE]

Did you swap the controllers + cables around to each half of the RAID?

Just curious, where are disks 13-14?

Not in use. Didn't need the extra storage, so I saved the spare hard drives in case something dies.

I have not tried swapping the cables, nor the controllers, but would that make much of a difference? The cables were purchased brand new, and I've used the Top Controller without issue before. I'll give that a shot, but even then, that would only give me access to one array?

Thanks for the help.
-N

 

[dyt1983]

I have not tried swapping the cables, nor the controllers, but would that make much of a difference? The cables were purchased brand new, and I've used the Top Controller without issue before. I'll give that a shot, but even then, that would only give me access to one array?

well, you spent a lot of time on it. It might be nice just to be sure for peace of mind.

I would even go as far as swapping the the drives in the two halves of the array around. That's barring anyone else coming up with other ideas.

 

[NOTNlCE]

well, you spent a lot of time on it. It might be nice just to be sure for peace of mind.

I would even go as far as swapping the the drives in the two halves of the array around. That's barring anyone else coming up with other ideas.

Thanks for your help. I'll see if it fixes anything. I'd just hate to have to rebuild that array over the course of 2 days again... Q.Q

 

[NOTNlCE]

Dead cable. Ordered a new one. Thank you for the help.

 

[NOTNlCE]

So, it appears that it was NOT the cable. I now have FOUR Fibre Ports that are fully recognized by OS X 10.7.5 Server on my Xserve, but, no matter what I do, the XRAID disk arrays will ONLY mount on ONE port. Port 0 on the left card mounts EITHER RAID, with EITHER cable. I can just only access one at a time.

The reason I now have four ports is because I ordered a new card. NEITHER port works on this card. It is the same exact model, same exact firmware as the other card, but neither RAID mounts in either port on the card. What on earth could be causing this? They are not "Apple" branded cards, but that doesn't seem to affect anything with that one port? The Fibre settings and Raid Admin says they're fine. Link Established, etc. It just won't mount the array.

Any help is appreciated as always - what a headache this has been!

-N

 

[dyt1983]

edit: To remove personally identifying info not relevant to the conversation.