Intel SRCSASRB RAID Controller and SR1560SF Caveat

Intel's SRCSASRB RAID controller has a catch when it is to be installed on the S5400SF series server board that comes in the SR1560SF series server system: The PBA on the card needs to be D92806-153.

The MM# on the box needs to be 892598.

The PCN:

Intel Product Change Notification: 108057-00

The above mentioned PCN came to us via the Intel support technician we spoke with on the phone today.

Now, we have mentioned in the past on a number of occasions how we need to research our system components to see if there were any compatibility issues relative to the revision level of the components.

It is very important, because in the case of Intel desktop and server boards one runs into the board revision level being too low for a particular processor on a somewhat frequent basis.

The same is true for compatibility between RAID controllers and a given desktop or server board.

In the Tested Hardware and OS List document we see the following:

Intel Server Board S5400SF Successfully Tested with SRCSASRB

Note the BIOS, BMC, FRU/SDR, and HSC revision levels required.

At the bottom of the Tested Hardware document we find:

SRCSASRB Stepping C1 not compatible with Gen2 PCI-E

Intel's products all of a PBA number on them. In this case, the product we pulled out of the SRCSASRB box had a PBA number of: D928906-152.

As indicated in the above PCN, we needed to have -153 in order to have the correct stepping for the second generation PCI-E slot that the SR1560SF/S5400SF has.

But, our box has an MM# 892598, which by the above PCN should have had a -153 in the box.

We did not however find out about the above PCN and the correct PBA number until after the SR1560SF would freeze during POST with the SRCSASRB installed and the Intel technician supplied us with a link to the PCN.

It is truly amazing how Murphy's Law finds its way into situations where timing is of the essence! ;)

Our supplier has shipped us another SRCSASRB to replace this one. Hopefully it is correctly boxed! 8*O

Product related links:

• Intel RAID Controllers
• Intel RAID Controllers: Intel RAID Controller can not be detected after installed [sic] into PCI-E GEN 2
• Intel SRCSASRB Support Page

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

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