Old server, 3 Tb drives.

[VT4]

Hello.

I have an old Intel server system with FSR2520BPSAS 6-drive active SAS expander backplane. The server uses integrated motherboard SAS RAID controller which does not support >2Tb HDDs. I, however, want to use 3 Tb drives with that server system. The motherboard is S5000VSA.

To achieve that, I wanted to use a PCI-E RAID controller card. I've got a spare RS2WC080 laying around, so I thought I'd use that.

However, that 6 drive backplane has two SATA-style 7 pin connectors for controller connection. Most SAS RAID adapters, including the one I've got, have SFF 8087 connectors.

I've got an SFF 8087 <-> 4*SATA fan-out cable, however the RS2WC080 does not detect any drives in the backplane if I use that.

So, how do I connect a 6 drive backplane with two SATA 7pin connectors to my RS2WC080 adapter properly? Or, should I buy a different adapter?

Or, maybe there's a way for S5000VSA's integrated RAID to support 3 Tb drives?

Any help wil be appreciated.

[Salem_W_Intel1]

Hi!

I confirm the Intel® Server Board S5000VSA is not among the supported boards for the Intel® RAID Controller RS2WC080 (click http://ark.intel.com/products/43164/Intel-RAID-Controller-RS2WC080?q=RS2WC080# @compatibility here). This explains as to why your RAID controller card does not detect any of the drives in the backplane. For a list of validated hardware RAID controllers for the board in question, please, refer to the tested hardware and operating system .pdf file found http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/s5000vsa/sb/CS-022697.htm?wapkw=intel+server+board+s5000vsa here.

Finally, I confirm there is no 3 Tb. drive size support on the Intel® Server Board S5000VSA as you indicated.

[David_A_Intel]

Are you able to test any drive connected to this cable and bypass the backplane. This would confirm if there is communication between the RAID controller and the drives when using this cable. By the way, was this cable provided by Intel?