Never done something like this before. Is there a video I can watch on this to learn without making a fire? Lol
EXPIRED Intel 8x2.5" NVMe backplane - $50
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The 5v & 3.3v are almost certainly acquired/derived, via Buck Converters, from that 4-pin 12v power source.
Get a multimeter, set it to beep on continuity, don't connect the backplane to anything, put one meter probe on the power connector conductor you suspect is ground, put the other probe on something that's definitely ground, like the tinned area around a screw hole, see if it beeps. Find all the ground pins that way, then look up the pinout for the drive connector, find a +12V pin, and see what power connector pins connect to that.
Found out that the pins matched the 4 pin CPU power ground, so I decided to check if the ports had the right voltage. Didn't want to screw up the pins on the backplane, though, and so got a sata power to 4 pin molex adapter cable to check lol. Made it very simple to find that it does, in fact, just use CPU power. Good on intel for this one, but I'm not sure why their support contact didn't just tell me that rather then try to send me in circles thinking that I might eventually get some help.
I appreciate you helping me very much. Let me know if you ever need any 8644 or 8088 cables lol
Just as a note, intel is really good about documentation of this stuff:
See page 76:
See page 76:
It's hidden in the document for the family of the server that I didn't know it was attached to? How was I supposed to find that? At least it is somewhere, I guess. Thank you.
I tried to find documentation on this by looking up the part number, and was unable to find anything more than a warning page for some issue it had. G15232-451 is the backplane, and there aren't any technical documents specifically about it that detail its pinout. I tried to ask intel about this, but since it's discontinued and I don't have support, they were unhelpful. I understand, but it is still frustrating when I ask for the pinout for the board and get put on a 26 email long chain where they basically drive me in a circle, asking for things like bmc logs and to clarify the backplane pn repeatedly. How was I supposed to find that document by the part number? Imo documentation is useless when it cannot be found and the vendor themselves cannot even redirect me to the correct document after 20+ days of emailing. Broadcom has documentation and drivers for their products as well, but they have the same issue of it being a big trouble to try to find it.
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This one might also be interesting - Gigabyte G292-Z20 8-Port SFF Backplane Board CBPG083 + Cage + Cable
While its only included cables for 2x nvme/sas/sata + 6x sas/sata setup it has the ports on top to use it as 8x nvme.
While its only included cables for 2x nvme/sas/sata + 6x sas/sata setup it has the ports on top to use it as 8x nvme.
Should have snapped that up then oh well, any other model numbers to look out for? I'm only seeing a $125 one right now60 bucks used from this cat:
Undo one screw, slide backplane to side and throw away. Insert PHS and slide until screw hole lines up.
G18539-005 Intel R2208BB4GC 8x SAS/SATAIII 2.5" Hard Drive Cage W/ 1x G15232-550 | eBay
Product Type Hard Drive Cage. All the logos used are propriety to their respective owners and Technology Traderz does not have any authority over them. Note: Item is with 1x Backplane (Part# G15232-550 / G76116-001).www.ebay.com
Trays.... Green or Blue?????
I like Green for SATA, Orange for NVMe and Blue for SAS.
That is my legend.
Officially Intel uses Green Trays for SATA/SAS and Blue for NVMe.
Orange come from EMC branded Intel servers.
There is also White Trays with green eject buttont. Not sure who OEM'ed those.
I advise buying the trays with the inserts. That way they include the custom screws.(not required but nicer than using countersunk screws)
To add to the list of `strange but cheap backplanes` Gigabyte CBP2080 from this listing Gigabyte CBP2080 8-Bay SAS/SATA Drive Backplane Tested Working | eBay
It's LISTED as stat/sas but the board markings as pictured say U2 0, U2 1, etc, and theres 10 ports (8 for U.2 use, 2 for sas use I'm thinking)
Now since this uses a SAS2 connector for the U.2 the chance of "non standard cable annoyances" is MUCH higher.
It's LISTED as stat/sas but the board markings as pictured say U2 0, U2 1, etc, and theres 10 ports (8 for U.2 use, 2 for sas use I'm thinking)
Now since this uses a SAS2 connector for the U.2 the chance of "non standard cable annoyances" is MUCH higher.
That seller (or one with a similar spelling, maybe I'm not remembering quite perfectly) has occasionally had other parts of those Gigabyte NVMe systems available, never in large quantities or at great prices, but they could probably work for someone.
The seller probably got confused. It says sl_sas on the back so its alright to assume it is sas, but sl_sas is slimsas lol. This is using slimsas 4i ports. It is most assuredly nvme, sas, and sata from the pins and from the number of lanes going into it. Slimsas is used for both nvme drives and sas. 10x 4i, with 8x going to nvme direct and 2x going to 4 sas/sata drives each. This is a gen 4 part as well, due to slimsas being implemented for gen 4 (at least for gigabyte). If you maintain signal integrity to this it will absolutely reach gen 4 reliably. Let me know if you want me to find you the cables and or addon cards for this and I will take a look around. Too lazy too look myself but if you want to use this then try to find the pinout for that power connector there so that you can actually use it lol. If theres no adapter youll need to solder.
Edit: from a cursory look that appears to be 14 pin minifit. Not sure though, still best to look at the manual before you fry this lmao
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I'm likely not buying this myself since it doesn't have the cage and becomes another project
I was unable to find a manual or specs for this part (even the listing of the server it comes with/from seems to be confused about it).
If you do come up with any info please share so that if anyone finds this thread they find that info too
I got one of the nvme5 backplanes and I'm just gonna have it duct taped to the psu shroud inside of my case. It has become a project, but a fun and enlightening one (and expensive one lol). No need for cages, but I might end up printing one sometime or just stripping a 2.5 out of an older machine that has 2.5 bays. For anyone wanting to know about any backplanes, feel free to ask and I will see what I can find out about them for you. I know a bit to much about some of them...I'm likely not buying this myself since it doesn't have the cage and becomes another project
I was unable to find a manual or specs for this part (even the listing of the server it comes with/from seems to be confused about it).
If you do come up with any info please share so that if anyone finds this thread they find that info too