Intel RMS25KB080 (LSI 9205/9207-8i) for $12 OBO shipped

[nthu9280]

These are LSI 2308 based but locked to Intel boards only even after flashing to LSI 9205 or 9207 (depending on the chip revision C0 or D1).

But for folks with Intel boards, can be a cheap spare. Comes with both brackets. Brackets alone worth the price if you are buying them in US. They have 200+ at the time of posting

Intel 8-Ports RMS25KB080 SAS RAID Controller PCI Express 2.0 x8 Plug-in Card 675901124300 | eBay

I was scanning the current market to list mine. At this price point it's not even worth my time and hassle to list mine anymore.

 

[BLinux]

how is it locked to Intel boards? would changing out the SBR unlock it?

 

[nthu9280]

@BLinux

It's incompatibilities with non-Intel boards are well documented here on the forum as well as on the Interwebs. Intel has other variants which work on non Intel boards for ex - RS2WC080 based on LSI2008 and there may be others as well. This particular card is locked to Intel boards. May be that is one of the reasons why these are being practically given away.

Here is an old thread here talking about the incompatibility. I think there was few posts on the monster E5-2670 thread too.
https://forums.servethehome.com/ind...0-g35828-310-with-lp-bracket-35-obo-fs.11522/

 

[sys-online]

they are working in Dell C6220 blades - i have tested.

 

[nthu9280]

That's good to know. A while back I tested in HP Z600 (LGA1366) and it did not recognize it but worked fine in S2600CP2J board I have. I'll check in another Supermicro X9 / X10 systems that I have which are E5 Xeon based systems.

 

[BLinux]

@BLinux

It's incompatibilities with non-Intel boards are well documented here on the forum as well as on the Interwebs. Intel has other variants which work on non Intel boards for ex - RS2WC080 based on LSI2008 and there may be others as well. This particular card is locked to Intel boards. May be that is one of the reasons why these are being practically given away.

Here is an old thread here talking about the incompatibility. I think there was few posts on the monster E5-2670 thread too.
https://forums.servethehome.com/ind...0-g35828-310-with-lp-bracket-35-obo-fs.11522/

I wasn't so much doubting your statement about incompatibility with non-Intel mobos, but inquiring what people have done to work around it and what failed or may have succeeded in such attempts.

 

[nthu9280]

@BLinux There is an old (2011/2) thread that @mobilenvidia attempted and was not successful. But @sys-online's above comment peeked my interest to see if I can still use mine in another LGA2011 or newer board.

 

[RyC]

Accepted BO 3x $8. I'm expecting the B0/PCIe 2.0 revision based on the item listing title but that's fine for my usage.

 

[nthu9280]

Wow! That's how much some of the US sellers listed just one of the brackets for. I don't need any more SAS cards but I'll check my spare in a x9/x10 boards.

 

[nthu9280]

Interesting design change.

I'm suspecting the revisions PBA# G35828-311 or 312, after they removed the resistor as described in the PCN 113010-00, may be compatible with non-Intel boards.
The PCIe 2.0 is -302 and PCIe 3.0 is -310

Intel® QDMS - Search Database

 

[Samir]

Wow! That's how much some of the US sellers listed just one of the brackets for.

These smell of gray market imports (fakes) if they're that cheap...

 

[RyC]

These smell of gray market imports (fakes) if they're that cheap...

kalleyomalley (and others) have relatively high res photos of the RMS25KB080 on their listings. When I get the ones I ordered in, I'll check and see if there are any noticeable differences.

 

[nthu9280]

Messaged the seller and they said it is G35828-311. So they are PCIe3 with the above design change. I think one way to confirm whether genuine or counterfeit is to validate the Serial# with Intel.

 

[fpm1703]

Messaged the seller and they said it is G35828-311. So they are PCIe3 with the above design change. I think one way to confirm whether genuine or counterfeit is to validate the Serial# with Intel.

I received mine yesterday and it is indeed G35828-311. It was not seen when I plugged it into an Asus x99 board (Linux lscpi output was the same with and without the board).

 

[Samir]

Messaged the seller and they said it is G35828-311. So they are PCIe3 with the above design change. I think one way to confirm whether genuine or counterfeit is to validate the Serial# with Intel.

If they've copied another serial number, this won't be a good way to test.

In the one experience I had with an Intel fake NIC, it takes the model, serial, and some of the other tags on the card and box for them to completely sniff it out. Just one piece of data will probably validate fine.

 

[wildpig1234]

so would this work with intel S2600 boards? I mean i could get one for the s2600 but this would have been a killer deal if this works on every board...

I have a bunch of adaptec 31605 but they are only sata 3gbit... ;(

 

[nthu9280]

@wildpig1234 - Yes. In addition there is a compatibility list of other boards and systems on Intel's support for this card. But @sys-online indicated above that it worked in Dell 6220. Looks like it was not working in Asus X99 board per @fpm1703. So not sure what other systems these cards are compatible with.
@Samir - I understand the concern for counterfeit cards. I don't buy new LSI branded cards for that reason and stick to used Dell, HP, Lenovo cards and same with Intel NICs & SAS cables as well. Some comfort in knowing that they were pulled from retired systems. This card is a very limited scope card so not sure counterfeiters have the incentive to manufacture something that does not sell that much but it's entirely possible. I'm thinking the reason for low price is lack of sales. If it was widely compatible, the above listing would have been emptied by now.

 

[Samir]

@Samir - I understand the concern for counterfeit cards. I don't buy new LSI branded cards for that reason and stick to used Dell, HP, Lenovo cards and same with Intel NICs & SAS cables as well. Some comfort in knowing that they were pulled from retired systems. This card is a very limited scope card so not sure counterfeiters have the incentive to manufacture something that does not sell that much but it's entirely possible. I'm thinking the reason for low price is lack of sales. If it was widely compatible, the above listing would have been emptied by now.

Yep, after my own experience with some fake Intel NICs I do the exact same thing. I wouldn't pass it up on the counterfeiters to produce even an obscure card--they're still shipping lga771/775 modified xeons all day long on ebay--and that platform died decades ago.

But I do think it is more related to compatibility as you've mentioned if it's so restrictive. Then it could just be a pile of old stock just being liquidated out.

 

[wildpig1234]

i bought two at $20.. i guess the worst thing is i threw away a dinner? i do have an s2600cp2j which only have 2 sata 6gb so it's good to have at least 8 more with these cards.... oh well... will have to test them out when i get them

 

[RyC]

I haven't tested the cards yet, but I compared what I got to another -311 card from a different seller on eBay and as far as I could tell, they were identical. The Intel logo was embossed/printed on it, and the logos on the chips I could see without taking the heatsink off matched.

If they really do have 200+ of these laying around, it does seem reasonable they're trying to get rid of them quickly on the cheap before they lose all value, especially since they're locked to Intel boards.