Supermicro X9DRD-7LN4F for $130+shipping

Notice: Page may contain affiliate links for which we may earn a small commission through services like Amazon Affiliates or Skimlinks.

foogitiff

Active Member
Jul 26, 2018
168
41
28
Still waiting my board... Bought monday last week, shipped only on Friday. Now with thanksgiving, I should receive it next week...

Does someone knows the ram clearance if used with two Noctua NH-D9DX i4?

Still debating between those and two SNK-P0050AP4. Obviously I wanted something silent, but I don't know if the $15 more per cooler is worth it
 

PnoT

Active Member
Mar 1, 2015
650
162
43
Texas
Still waiting my board... Bought monday last week, shipped only on Friday. Now with thanksgiving, I should receive it next week...

Does someone knows the ram clearance if used with two Noctua NH-D9DX i4?

Still debating between those and two SNK-P0050AP4. Obviously I wanted something silent, but I don't know if the $15 more per cooler is worth it
I don't have a spare D9DXi4 to test with but I can tell you that with SM SNK-P0048PS there's about 2-3mm on both sides of it till you hit the DIMM slot(s)
 

foogitiff

Active Member
Jul 26, 2018
168
41
28
I don't have a spare D9DXi4 to test with but I can tell you that with SM SNK-P0048PS there's about 2-3mm on both sides of it till you hit the DIMM slot(s)
Thanks, I will try to get the dimensions of the SNK-P0050AP4 then
 

frogtech

Well-Known Member
Jan 4, 2016
1,482
272
83
35
I finally got around to unboxing mine today, to my delight it came with 2 SNK-P0048AP4 HSFs instead of the pictured Dynatron R14 screamers. So, for ~130 I am happy actually. Board itself looks clean as well. Wish I had a use for multiple boards.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dontwanna

foogitiff

Active Member
Jul 26, 2018
168
41
28
Received mine last Saturday, I should receive my two SNK-P0050AP4 should arrive today or tomorrow. Will use two E5-2650v2 and 8x16GB DDR3L RDIMM.

I plan to mount it in a Phanteks Enthoo Pro, any advice on the CPU coolers orientation? Is it better to push air to the back or just up?

I don't have a lot of thermal paste, and these 2011 CPU "consumes" a lot of it, I don't think I would have enough totest both orientation :D

I didn't went with the most quiet cooler/case, I hope noise will still be ok for me. I couldn't find a Fractal Design XL R2 at a decent price lately. I can still move the machine in a closet if needed... I may end up cutting a pcie slot to put a small GPU in it later on.
 

BLinux

cat lover server enthusiast
Jul 7, 2016
2,669
1,081
113
artofserver.com
Received mine last Saturday, I should receive my two SNK-P0050AP4 should arrive today or tomorrow. Will use two E5-2650v2 and 8x16GB DDR3L RDIMM.

I plan to mount it in a Phanteks Enthoo Pro, any advice on the CPU coolers orientation? Is it better to push air to the back or just up?

I don't have a lot of thermal paste, and these 2011 CPU "consumes" a lot of it, I don't think I would have enough totest both orientation :D

I didn't went with the most quiet cooler/case, I hope noise will still be ok for me. I couldn't find a Fractal Design XL R2 at a decent price lately. I can still move the machine in a closet if needed... I may end up cutting a pcie slot to put a small GPU in it later on.
if you mess around a lot with thermal paste, you really need to spend like $6 on this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MU2FLVJ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

it's cheap, and it works. perhaps not the best, but for testing parts and stuff like that, you won't feel your wallet getting lighter. save the more premium stuff for final installation. actually, i've just used this for final installation and never had a problem with temps running several months straight.

I don't know anything about the case you mentioned, but all of the Supermicro X9DR"D" motherboards have staggered CPU sockets; the idea is that CPU1 hot air doesn't go straight into CPU2 heatsink. It's a nice idea in a server case, because you usually have a wall of fans pushing air threw the whole system. In desktop case, and remember when i posted this I said this is great for a NAS build, not really a workstation build, the typical fan setup is to push air over the PCI slot area, while CPUs have their own heatsink/fans. The consequence of shifting the CPU socket into the PCI area is that the onboard SAS2308 and it's heatsink are now in the CPU area. In a desktop case, this area doesn't get airflow because it mostly expects the CPU heatsink to take care of the cooling in that part of the board. You need to put some airflow in this area as the SAS2308 does get pretty hot. The other consequence of swapping the CPU socket into the PCI area is that it obstructs long PCI cards, like GPUs. The larger the heatsink you put on CPU1 socket, the greater the obstruction; so keep that in mind if you have plans to install long PCI cards.
 

foogitiff

Active Member
Jul 26, 2018
168
41
28
if you mess around a lot with thermal paste, you really need to spend like $6 on this:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MU2FLVJ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

it's cheap, and it works. perhaps not the best, but for testing parts and stuff like that, you won't feel your wallet getting lighter. save the more premium stuff for final installation. actually, i've just used this for final installation and never had a problem with temps running several months straight.

I don't know anything about the case you mentioned, but all of the Supermicro X9DR"D" motherboards have staggered CPU sockets; the idea is that CPU1 hot air doesn't go straight into CPU2 heatsink. It's a nice idea in a server case, because you usually have a wall of fans pushing air threw the whole system. In desktop case, and remember when i posted this I said this is great for a NAS build, not really a workstation build, the typical fan setup is to push air over the PCI slot area, while CPUs have their own heatsink/fans. The consequence of shifting the CPU socket into the PCI area is that the onboard SAS2308 and it's heatsink are now in the CPU area. In a desktop case, this area doesn't get airflow because it mostly expects the CPU heatsink to take care of the cooling in that part of the board. You need to put some airflow in this area as the SAS2308 does get pretty hot. The other consequence of swapping the CPU socket into the PCI area is that it obstructs long PCI cards, like GPUs. The larger the heatsink you put on CPU1 socket, the greater the obstruction; so keep that in mind if you have plans to install long PCI cards.
Yup, I know that's not the ideal case in a desktop. I should have gone with something else probably, I tried to cancel the order, but the seller didn't respond, even though he shipped it 5 days after my order...

I will definitely use the onboard SAS controller.

I don't plan to use long PCIe slot, I will add a Mellanox-2/3, and MAYBE a small GPU later on, just for basic desktop, but I am not sure of that.

Do you think the SAS controller will not have enough airflow if I set the CPU1 fan pointing up? Or from the CPU2 fan if pointing to the rear?

I can put some fan on the top of the case too:

- either to extract air, mot sure if it will be enough for the 2308 controller
- or to take cool air from the outside of the case. The 2308 controller will definitely have a proper airflow, and I will have to mount the CPU cooler to point the the rear of the case. Not sure if the airflow will be very optimal...
- just use a small fan directly on the controller :p
 

BLinux

cat lover server enthusiast
Jul 7, 2016
2,669
1,081
113
artofserver.com
Yup, I know that's not the ideal case in a desktop. I should have gone with something else probably, I tried to cancel the order, but the seller didn't respond, even though he shipped it 5 days after my order...
Well, it's a really nice deal on a really nice motherboard. So, I think it's worth keeping...
Do you think the SAS controller will not have enough airflow if I set the CPU1 fan pointing up? Or from the CPU2 fan if pointing to the rear?
It might depend on the CPU cooler you're thinking about. I tend to use Cooler Master, Zalman, and Noctua, and Supermicro. From the ones I've used, most desktop CPU coolers are designed to blow air above the height of the rear I/O panel, so they don't really move much air down low at the surface of the motherboard. So, if the CPU cooler you are thinking about using is like that, then I would say no, it is probably not enough airflow over the 2308 chipset heatsink; especially if your ambient goes up during the summer months. If you're in a A/C controlled room at 70F all the time, maybe okay.
I can put some fan on the top of the case too:

- either to extract air, mot sure if it will be enough for the 2308 controller
- or to take cool air from the outside of the case. The 2308 controller will definitely have a proper airflow, and I will have to mount the CPU cooler to point the the rear of the case. Not sure if the airflow will be very optimal...
- just use a small fan directly on the controller :p
Yeah, I think these would be possible ways to address the issue:
1) top of case intake fan, maybe with an air shroud to push the air down to the surface of the motherboard
2) attach small fan to the heatsink of the 2308 pushing down on it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: foogitiff

foogitiff

Active Member
Jul 26, 2018
168
41
28
Thanks for your responses!

Well, it's a really nice deal on a really nice motherboard. So, I think it's worth keeping...

It might depend on the CPU cooler you're thinking about. I tend to use Cooler Master, Zalman, and Noctua, and Supermicro. From the ones I've used, most desktop CPU coolers are designed to blow air above the height of the rear I/O panel, so they don't really move much air down low at the surface of the motherboard. So, if the CPU cooler you are thinking about using is like that, then I would say no, it is probably not enough airflow over the 2308 chipset heatsink; especially if your ambient goes up during the summer months. If you're in a A/C controlled room at 70F all the time, maybe okay.

Yeah, I think these would be possible ways to address the issue:
1) top of case intake fan, maybe with an air shroud to push the air down to the surface of the motherboard
2) attach small fan to the heatsink of the 2308 pushing down on it.
The room stay pretty cool, even in summer. And usually it's not very hot oustide here (PNW)

Yes it is tower cooler, so it might not be enough. I think I will mount them pointing up, with some fan extracting the heat if needed on the top of the case, and add a small fan on the SAS controller.

I totally forgot how hot it can become, now that I think about it, on my PCIe LSI 2008 I had to add a fan on it
 

BLinux

cat lover server enthusiast
Jul 7, 2016
2,669
1,081
113
artofserver.com
I totally forgot how hot it can become, now that I think about it, on my PCIe LSI 2008 I had to add a fan on it
Yeah, the SAS2008 for *me* gets "warm", and I usually don't think you need that much air flow over a SAS2008 chip. But, the SAS2308 gets much hotter than the SAS2008, so I would definitely say you need air flow over that.
 

foogitiff

Active Member
Jul 26, 2018
168
41
28
Finally received my CPU cooler, so I was able to put everything together. I couldn't change the CPU cooler orientation, so at least I will not have to fiddle with that.

Question though: how to flash to IT firmware for the SAS2308? I saw some guides related to other SM motherboard, is it the same method here?
 

BLinux

cat lover server enthusiast
Jul 7, 2016
2,669
1,081
113
artofserver.com
Finally received my CPU cooler, so I was able to put everything together. I couldn't change the CPU cooler orientation, so at least I will not have to fiddle with that.

Question though: how to flash to IT firmware for the SAS2308? I saw some guides related to other SM motherboard, is it the same method here?
you can use the stuff provided by Broadcom/LSI/Avago, or you can use the files provided by SMCI. For SMCI files, see here:

https://www.supermicro.com/wftp/driver/SAS/LSI/2308/Firmware/IT/PH20.00.07.00-IT.zip

Both are the same version P20.00.07.00. Make sure you get the SAS address written down somewhere before you start. The process will erase it and then prompt you for the last half of the SAS address (last 9 bytes?).
 
  • Like
Reactions: foogitiff and Danic

foogitiff

Active Member
Jul 26, 2018
168
41
28
Thanks, I didn't had time this week-end tro try to flash, but it seems you are right, the heatsink of the SAS controller does get really really hot in my desktop case, I think I will have to add a fan on the heatsink. Is there a temp sensors accessible in the chip? Currently running on Windows Server...
 

BLinux

cat lover server enthusiast
Jul 7, 2016
2,669
1,081
113
artofserver.com
Thanks, I didn't had time this week-end tro try to flash, but it seems you are right, the heatsink of the SAS controller does get really really hot in my desktop case, I think I will have to add a fan on the heatsink. Is there a temp sensors accessible in the chip? Currently running on Windows Server...
hardware wise, yes, the 2308 chip does have a temp sensor. how you access that in Windows server, I don't know.
 

frogtech

Well-Known Member
Jan 4, 2016
1,482
272
83
35
Easy solution to cool the 2308 is just jerry rig a thin 40mm fan to it, works wonders.
 

foogitiff

Active Member
Jul 26, 2018
168
41
28
hardware wise, yes, the 2308 chip does have a temp sensor. how you access that in Windows server, I don't know.
Do I need to install some tools to get the temp on Linux? I simply tried to install lm-sensors, but it didn't found the card.

Easy solution to cool the 2308 is just jerry rig a thin 40mm fan to it, works wonders.
Yes that's what I plan to do :)
 

frogtech

Well-Known Member
Jan 4, 2016
1,482
272
83
35
just got around to testing mine, i found a bad dimm :( seller likely won't have spares to swap w either
 

BLinux

cat lover server enthusiast
Jul 7, 2016
2,669
1,081
113
artofserver.com
just got around to testing mine, i found a bad dimm :( seller likely won't have spares to swap w either
i would get a refund. then see if you can fix it. check the CPU socket pins attached to the bad DIMM. maybe see if you find a slightly bent pin, or some times not bent in obvious way, but "depressed" below the surface of the other pins and making poor contact. i had an older board that showed up like that and manifested as bad DIMM. pulled the pins up a little with tweezers and it's been stable ever since.
 

frogtech

Well-Known Member
Jan 4, 2016
1,482
272
83
35
i would get a refund. then see if you can fix it. check the CPU socket pins attached to the bad DIMM. maybe see if you find a slightly bent pin, or some times not bent in obvious way, but "depressed" below the surface of the other pins and making poor contact. i had an older board that showed up like that and manifested as bad DIMM. pulled the pins up a little with tweezers and it's been stable ever since.
i may have spoken too soon. i took the cpus and put p2 in p1 and p1 in p2 and for some reason it works now.
 
  • Like
Reactions: BackupProphet