Home Server Build - Drive not recognized

[mike.potts]

I've done a lot of research here but this is one of my first posts

A couple years ago I built a home server to manage some HA tasks, Plex, backup etc. Specs are Windows 7, an Asus mini ITX motherboard, core I7 4790 processor, 16 gb of Ram, and a Supermicro SAS storage controller (marvell 64xx\63xx based). This drives an SSD system drive, two blu-ray burners and an ICY dock 5 drive backplane.

The problem that I am having is that only 4 of the 5 storage disks are recognized. I figured it was a loose cable and I didn't need the space so I didn't think much of it but I opened it up and its not a loose cable. I went through the process of shutting down, pulling drives and booting back up in all sorts of combinations and have found that the machine will only recognize 4 hard drives at once. Its not a connection or failed drive.

I guess I am looking for some help troubleshooting this. I know there isn't a 4 hard drive limit in windows, Could it be a bios setting? A setting in the SAS controller?

Thanks for any help and sorry for the newbie question.

 

[sporker]

It sounds like you may have, but did you try hooking up the drives directly and bypassing the Icy Dock? I used one of the 5x3.5" versions for about a year and a half, and it started to get flakey on two of the slots after some time. Drives would not show up, show up sporadically, etc, drop randomly etc. After getting rid of that thing I haven't had any issue with the drives that were in it. The build quality seems a bit questionable on those.

Also, what is the model number of the Supermicro HBA, and what size are the drives?

 

[K D]

Is the drive recognized in a different system? One possibility (hope that's not the case)is that the drive has failed.

 

[K D]

EDIT : Misread the OP.

Have you tried bypassing the ICYDOCK backplane and connecting directly to the drives to eliminate that as a source of the issue?

@sporker
I have 4 of the ICYDock backplanes and 2 of those are in my main home server running 24/7 for the past 3 years. I've not had any issues with them. Probably lucky.

 

[sporker]

@K D I actually own a few of them as well, I have 3 of the 5 bay ones and one of the 3 bay ones. I think the one I had issues with was a slightly different model from the other two, not sure if it was older or newer though. The other two didn't get used as long as the one that had issues. On all of them however, the power and sata connectors are pretty flimsy, and feel really cheap. I actually bent one of the sata connectors onto a nice 45 degree angle by accident when I was installing it, but it still worked.