Quanta S210-X22RQ 2U LGA2011 Barebone (10Gb and LSI2008 mezzanines included)

[nonyhaha]

Hey everybody. So i am gwtting an x12rs version. It is a v2 as it comes with v2 cpus. Does anybody know if it is possible to enable the other 2 sas connectors on the mainboard?ine does not come with a separate sas controller and i need to be able to connect 7-8 disks.
Thanks.

 

[snowzach]

Hey everybody. So i am gwtting an x12rs version. It is a v2 as it comes with v2 cpus. Does anybody know if it is possible to enable the other 2 sas connectors on the mainboard?ine does not come with a separate sas controller and i need to be able to connect 7-8 disks.
Thanks.

I'm not sure I've ever even seen an option to enable it. Maybe you could email esisoinc on ebay. They have gobs of these machines. Some of them torn down. (I just bought a motherboard0 The LSI cards probably don't fit in anything else so they might have them laying around. Worth a shot anyhow.

 

[nonyhaha]

uhhh now I see people talking about the second and third sff ports not working. Anybody got an idea on this issue? My server will be in most probably on Friday. This should be selectable in bios or jumpers. But there is no manual for the motherboard. only for the server, and that is not of much help.

P.S. Also some have encountered problems mounting a graphics card on the pcie? hmmm.

I'll have to test for myself.

 

[snowzach]

uhhh now I see people talking about the second and third sff ports not working. Anybody got an idea on this issue? My server will be in most probably on Friday. This should be selectable in bios or jumpers. But there is no manual for the motherboard. only for the server, and that is not of much help.

P.S. Also some have encountered problems mounting a graphics card on the pcie? hmmm.

I'll have to test for myself.

I think you may be able to use one or the other onboard ports depending on the BIOS setting. The onboard controllers show up as a 6 Port Patsburg (2 of which go to SATA connectors on the MB and connect to the rear 2.5" bays on the 2U box) and then one of the SAS connectors on the motherboard. The other controller shows up as a 4 Port Patsburg. I personally have never messed with the other 2 onboard SAS connectors, but my guess is, at best you're only going to get one of them to work because it's only a 4 port controller if that indeed is the one controlling it.

I know for sure you can control 6 drives with the 2 onboard SATA ports + 1 SAS furthest away from the side of the machine. If you can also get one of those other 2 SAS ports working, that will give you 10 drives.

 

[nonyhaha]

To be clear, I bought a Quanta S210-X12RS - the 1u version.
Arrived yesterday, powers on, I flashed BMC to reset main password.
I have the fan problems. I installed Proxmox for testing but the fans don't go down. (I am trying with esxi also)
Whoever managed to get the fans on lower speeds, what os did you use? I do not like the idea to swap the fans.
Also, my server has a kind of dual fan per rail. so 6x~6000rpm+6x~8000rpm. this is insane

Mini sas ports - looks like 2 out of 3 are working. I might be good here. L.E. I got a response from Quanta - very nice and very fast - informing me that for my motherboard, sata ports 0-3, sata6-1 and sata6-1, and sas 0 to 3 are working, but sas4-7 are not usable. So a total of 10 ports available for drives. Nice!
I did not test yet the gpu on the pcie. L.E. Got the quadro p400 into the slot, passed it through to my vm, everything checks ok!

For posterity:
Quanta s210-x12rs BMC is the same as quanta s210-x22rq.

 

[fm663]

To be clear, I bought a Quanta S210-X12RS - the 1u version.
Arrived yesterday, powers on, I flashed BMC to reset main password.
I have the fan problems. I installed Proxmox for testing but the fans don't go down. (I am trying with esxi also)
Whoever managed to get the fans on lower speeds, what os did you use? I do not like the idea to swap the fans.
Also, my server has a kind of dual fan per rail. so 6x~6000rpm+6x~8000rpm. this is insane

Mini sas ports - looks like 2 out of 3 are working. I might be good here. L.E. I got a response from Quanta - very nice and very fast - informing me that for my motherboard, sata ports 0-3, sata6-1 and sata6-1, and sas 0 to 3 are working, but sas4-7 are not usable. So a total of 10 ports available for drives. Nice!
I did not test yet the gpu on the pcie. L.E. Got the quadro p400 into the slot, passed it through to my vm, everything checks ok!

For posterity:
Quanta s210-x12rs BMC is the same as quanta s210-x22rq.

For S210-X12RS, where do you get the BIOS and BMC firmware images?

 

[fm663]

I've been running my Quanta as a file server for the past few years. It's been a great bargain, but decided to try to update the bios to support a pair of E5-2650 v2 procs. I was able to figure out the process to get V2 support. The nice part is that the system bios is in a holder that can be easily swapped.

I wanted to share my experience as this information is sorely lacking online, however please use care and ensure you backup your original rom .Bin image if you decide to try this. I am not to blame if you fry your system and anger your cat because you lost all of their cat pictures you downloaded.

You will not be able to complete this using the MegaRac BMC to complete this. It may be possible to still do this without removing the BIOS chip from the system, however I have not tested this route.

You will need the following:
128Mbit bios chip - I purchased some Winbond 25Q128JVFQ from Mouser
SPI Programmer - I used a CH341A Usb variant from Amazon or other source
SOP16 300mil Adapter - STAR-SOP 3 in 1 from Amazon or other source
CH341A Programmer software - This can be found online as free download
4A21 Bios from Quanta - You will want the newest version, yes the 16MBit variant

Shut down system, remove all power sources.
Pull out the BIOS chip (the first pin faces the CPUs, there is a small mark on the inside of the holder pointing to the first pin but it is hard to see).
Insert 64Mbit bios chip into CH341A programmer, using SOP16 adapter as necessary.
Make a copy of your original bios .bin file and save this!!!
Set your original 64Mbit bios chip aside somewhere safe!!!
Place new 128Mbit bios chip into CH341A programmer/adapter.
Erase and verify chip has been blanked with software.
Burn 4A21.bin (NOT the .rom) onto 128Mbit bios chip, validate against buffer to ensure it has been written properly.
Insert new 128Mbit bios chip into socket on motherboard - ensure pin 1 is facing towards the cpus.
Clear CMOS on system.
Power up system.
You may need to wait for several power cycles that the system will perform.
If all went well, your system should eventually show you a splash screen.

If you are unable to get this to work, you can always clear CMOS and place your original 64Mbit bios chip back into the system.

In the event this is helpful and further information is requested, please let me know and I will help if I am able to. This should also assist those who have a corrupted bios and are unable to get their system to power up.

Other notes:
The BMC chip is soldered to the motherboard. It is possible to swap this out and use a 254Mbit to allow for v7x BMC firmware (not tested), however after comparing against original firmware release notes it does not seem that there is any if much of a difference and not worth the effort.

Thank you for a very detailed description. I am new to this and getting a Quanta S210-x12RS setup at home.

Where can I get the BIOS and BMC updates?

Also, can the BIOS and BMC be updated directly in the server?

 

[nonyhaha]

Thank you for a very detailed description. I am new to this and getting a Quanta S210-x12RS setup at home.

Where can I get the BIOS and BMC updates?

Also, can the BIOS and BMC be updated directly in the server?

Hello fm, please enter the bm and check from there, I think it is able to download automatically. I can not find them on qct website.

Good luck!

 

[fm663]

Hello fm, please enter the bm and check from there, I think it is able to download automatically. I can not find them on qct website.

Good luck!

No, they removed BIOS and BMC firmware from their websites.

 

[nonyhaha]

No, they removed BIOS and BMC firmware from their websites.

Check from the bmc interface. Not the website.

 

[sebmarchand]

Hi! I also have a Quanta S210-X22RQ that has been running for a little bit more than a year now that I'd like to upgrade (mostly to cut down on the noise by switching to better fans, but while I'm here I'll upgrade more parts). I've ordered the replacement fans on eBay and should hopefully get them soon, thanks for the info about that earlier in this thread.

My main question is about what are my options to upgrade the CPU, I currently have a pair of E5-2620 (2GHz) and I was considering upgrading to a pair of E5-2670 (2.6GHz), I just have no idea how to tell if it's supported on my machine (I know that it'll fit in the socket, but not sure if the bios will recognize it), here's the data from the internal information page :

Firmware Revision: 3.58
Firmware Build Time: Nov 26 2013 18:15:42 CST
BIOS Version: S2RQ3A20
Backplane F/W Version: 6B.04.S24(EXP)
BMC Date & Time: Mon, 30 Nov 2020 14:54:52
BMC Chipset : AST2300

It seems that both my BIOS and my BMC could be upgraded but it sounds like a lot of trouble:
- I can't find the files anywhere.
- IIUC upgrading the BMC requires an external flash programmer?

Could someone help me figure out what upgrading the CPU will require, and help me determine if upgrading the BIOS and BMC is worth it? (Is it a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" situation?)

Thanks!

 

[nonyhaha]

Hi! I also have a Quanta S210-X22RQ that has been running for a little bit more than a year ...

Hi,

I recommend upgrading to a pair of e5 2650 v2. They have 8 cores only, thus making it possible to have a vm in free esxi with about 6k passmark points. And they are cheaper i think.

Bmc update will not require additional tools, just access to the server. If the files can't be found anywhere, just ask quanta nicely. I am sure they will come back with the needed files.

 

[sebmarchand]

Hi,

I recommend upgrading to a pair of e5 2650 v2. They have 8 cores only, thus making it possible to have a vm in free esxi with about 6k passmark points. And they are cheaper i think.

Bmc update will not require additional tools, just access to the server. If the files can't be found anywhere, just ask quanta nicely. I am sure they will come back with the needed files.

Thanks! I'll try writing to Quanta to get the firmware!

I don't really need more cores but I wanted faster single core operations (e.g. for transcoding or decompressing), it looks like the 2650 is only marginally better here?

Is there a chance that my BIOS won't recognize these CPUs if I don't upgrade it or are all LGA2011 CPUs supposed to work?

 

[nonyhaha]

Thanks! I'll try writing to Quanta to get the firmware!

I don't really need more cores but I wanted faster single core operations (e.g. for transcoding or decompressing), it looks like the 2650 is only marginally better here?

Is there a chance that my BIOS won't recognize these CPUs if I don't upgrade it or are all LGA2011 CPUs supposed to work?

I say you should update bios and bmc first.

I also have 2 of those cpus coming from china.
They have almost 10k passmark for 8c16t, 2670v2 have 11.5k passmark per 10c20t. So better single core performance for 2650. Also, they have a tdp of 95w compared to the 115 of the 2670. Better also for the 1u profile of the server.

 

[sebmarchand]

Ok, I'll take a look at that, thanks. You're right that 95w is probably better than 115

I've contacted Quanta and they've forwarded my request to get the BIOS and BMC file to the appropriate team, they told me that I'd be on my own if things break during the update because the machine is out of warranty but I'm fine with that.

 

[sebmarchand]

Quanta has shared the latest BMC and BIOS files with me! (send me a PM if you need them).

I'm confused by Joe's post about switching to a different BMC to get v2 CPUs support (https://forums.servethehome.com/ind...-lsi2008-mezzanines-included.9806/post-227774) , is this required or can I simply install a new pair of E5-2650 V2 now that I'm on the latest BIOS / firmware?

 

[sebmarchand]

I say you should update bios and bmc first.

I also have 2 of those cpus coming from china.
They have almost 10k passmark for 8c16t, 2670v2 have 11.5k passmark per 10c20t. So better single core performance for 2650. Also, they have a tdp of 95w compared to the 115 of the 2670. Better also for the 1u profile of the server.

I've received the new CPUs (a pair of Intel Xeon E5-2650 V2) but they don't seem to work with my machine... The system doesn't boot when using them (black screen), despite running the latest BIOS version (S2RQ3A27), any idea what could be happening? I've updated the BIOS via the web interface, is it sufficient? Not sure if I should follow the process described by Joe D ?

I've been running my Quanta as a file server for the past few years. It's been a great bargain, but decided to try to update the bios to support a pair of E5-2650 v2 procs. I was able to figure out the process to get V2 support. The nice part is that the system bios is in a holder that can be easily swapped.

I wanted to share my experience as this information is sorely lacking online, however please use care and ensure you backup your original rom .Bin image if you decide to try this. I am not to blame if you fry your system and anger your cat because you lost all of their cat pictures you downloaded.

You will not be able to complete this using the MegaRac BMC to complete this. It may be possible to still do this without removing the BIOS chip from the system, however I have not tested this route.

You will need the following:
128Mbit bios chip - I purchased some Winbond 25Q128JVFQ from Mouser
SPI Programmer - I used a CH341A Usb variant from Amazon or other source
SOP16 300mil Adapter - STAR-SOP 3 in 1 from Amazon or other source
CH341A Programmer software - This can be found online as free download
4A21 Bios from Quanta - You will want the newest version, yes the 16MBit variant

Shut down system, remove all power sources.
Pull out the BIOS chip (the first pin faces the CPUs, there is a small mark on the inside of the holder pointing to the first pin but it is hard to see).
Insert 64Mbit bios chip into CH341A programmer, using SOP16 adapter as necessary.
Make a copy of your original bios .bin file and save this!!!
Set your original 64Mbit bios chip aside somewhere safe!!!
Place new 128Mbit bios chip into CH341A programmer/adapter.
Erase and verify chip has been blanked with software.
Burn 4A21.bin (NOT the .rom) onto 128Mbit bios chip, validate against buffer to ensure it has been written properly.
Insert new 128Mbit bios chip into socket on motherboard - ensure pin 1 is facing towards the cpus.
Clear CMOS on system.
Power up system.
You may need to wait for several power cycles that the system will perform.
If all went well, your system should eventually show you a splash screen.

If you are unable to get this to work, you can always clear CMOS and place your original 64Mbit bios chip back into the system.

In the event this is helpful and further information is requested, please let me know and I will help if I am able to. This should also assist those who have a corrupted bios and are unable to get their system to power up.

Other notes:
The BMC chip is soldered to the motherboard. It is possible to swap this out and use a 254Mbit to allow for v7x BMC firmware (not tested), however after comparing against original firmware release notes it does not seem that there is any if much of a difference and not worth the effort.

 

[nonyhaha]

I've received the new CPUs (a pair of Intel Xeon E5-2650 V2) but they don't seem to work with my machine... The system doesn't boot when using them (black screen), despite running the latest BIOS version (S2RQ3A27), any idea what could be happening? I've updated the BIOS via the web interface, is it sufficient? Not sure if I should follow the process described by Joe D ?

Because i do this almost on a daily basis, i.e. spi flashing and uart and other things like this, I would go that way. Fyi (do not try, but) in the olden days you could swap bios chips on the fly with the system powered on and flash them from terminal. I used to do this on abit nf7s 2.0 i think .

 

[sebmarchand]

Because i do this almost on a daily basis, i.e. spi flashing and uart and other things like this, I would go that way. Fyi (do not try, but) in the olden days you could swap bios chips on the fly with the system powered on and flash them from terminal. I used to do this on abit nf7s 2.0 i think .

Hehe, updating from the web interface is enough for me! I don't think that it makes a difference in the end, the firmware I've pushed via the web interface is the same that I'd have flashed manually... Not sure why my CPUs aren't recognized...

 

[sebmarchand]

Hehe, updating from the web interface is enough for me! I don't think that it makes a difference in the end, the firmware I've pushed via the web interface is the same that I'd have flashed manually... Not sure why my CPUs aren't recognized...

Is it possible that there's some options that need to be enabled in the BIOS before installing the new CPUs?