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XServe 2006 RAID Card Issues

Basically, I was gifted (some gift!) a Late 2006 XServe 2.0GHz Dual QX, with 4 GB RAM, and basically was told 'It does not boot. We give up.'


So heres what I have found so far..


It has an Apple Raid Card (don't ask me much more than that, or ill have to tear it apart again). But the 10.4.10 Install disk doesnt show the Raid card or drives (SATA Apple Drive Module 80.0). So is my card toast? Not supported by 10.4? Need a direction to run at because this thing is starting really get under my skin.


If I use a SATA Drive bay via USB (WD 80GB Drive), the disk appears, but the Server won't last long before it Kernel Panics, but it works during Installation Media Verification..


In the meantime, Ill tear apart the server again (Only a few minutes) and get the Raid Card ID.

Xserve, Mac OS X (10.4.10), Late 2006 Dual QX 2.0

Posted on Feb 28, 2015 11:39 PM

Reply
6 replies

Mar 1, 2015 9:58 AM in response to PHunterIT

Some more information, the EEE Code of the Card is WC6. There is a sticker on the underside of the RAID Card that says "XServe RAID" with some asian characters, and A1248.. I don't see A1248 anywhere when referring to XServe Raid Cards.. I see A1246 online, but What is my card? Some places suggest its just a drive interconnect backplane, other markings insist its a Raid Card..


I Just want to get a Early 2006 Drive Interconnect Backplane for less than $200 Chunk that monkey in and ride of into the sunset with a working XServe.

Mar 9, 2015 7:17 AM in response to PHunterIT

An easy way to see if it's a raid card is on the part of the RAID/Backplane you can see when you slide the top cover off, if it has 2 chips with silver heatsinks on it's a RAID card if it's 1 chip it's a backplane. The RAID Card also has a small connection for a RAID battery..


as for why it doesn't work.. Have a look at the following


1) Do the drives light up when you start the machine.. You should see a green light (always on) and a blue activity light which should flash.

2) If it doesn't then there is an orange ribbon cable that goes from the RAID/Backplane to the logic board. Make sure this is properly connected and doesn't have any breaks in it.


The RAID card will work in a non raid configuration so you don't need to get rid of it if you don't want to. An easy option to check the server would be to install 10.6 or Lion on a USB stick and start the server up for it by plugging it in and holding down the ALT key when you power on the server. From the system profiler you should be able to see if it recognises the RAID card (Hardware RAID) and also if it passes it's diagnostics test.


There are of course a lot of things that could be wrong with it.. You can remove the RAID/Backplane board and start the server up from USB/Firewire to narrow down your testing.. One thing the 2006/2008 servers are pretty cheap on eBay in working form so you might find it better to get one from there. The 2009's hold their value a lot more as you can still install the current OS on them..


Hope that helps

Beatle

Mar 9, 2015 9:13 AM in response to beatle20359

Okay, Its definitely a RAID Card.


I get green lights, but no blue lights at all.


Does OS X Server 10.4 not work with RAID Cards? I tried doing the System Profiler with 10.4, as well as RAID Configuration, however they both do not acknowledge any RAID Controllers/Devices. The Ribbon is connected when testing. Ill check the condition when I can. I can't do any diagnostic testing, as it kernel panics way too soon to do any testing like that.


Ill try removing the card and do USB Testing.

Aug 20, 2016 10:52 PM in response to beatle20359

Hi,


Many Thanks this is very helpful, but I stay on my hunger.


I have the same problems with a same RAID card with 2 chips with silver heatsinks on it, however mine is a 3.1 xserve (2009).


* The 3 drives light up when i start the machine and i can see a green light (always light on front each disk) but unfortunately the blue leds never light on and no flash.


** You said:"

An easy option to check the server would be to install 10.6 or Lion on a USB stick and start the server up for it by plugging it in and holding down the ALT key when you power on the server. From the system profiler you should be able to see if it recognises the RAID card (Hardware RAID) and also if it passes it's diagnostics test.


-I did it, the RAID card (Hardware RAID) still not recognized ! Owever I found something... (really not sure is helpful?) when i'd used the 10.6 osx install disk, in the menu utility the RAID Utility.app is present, when i try it he said: "Apple RAID hardware card is not installed on this machine !?"


- I did it too to boot 10.6 or Lion on a USB stick and start the server up. This way running RAID Utility.app the message is: "Waiting for Apple RAID Card"... Instead of ... "Apple RAID hardware card is not installed on this machine !?"... I waits long long time me too, in case of message saying "Arf...Bingo ! Apple raid card found !"...

Then, when OSX is on, the system profiler cannot be able to recognise the RAID card (There is no Hardware RAID installed on this machine)...


-Because i have an old one xserve (2008) without any RAID card inside, i know that the RAID Utility.app is never installed in these configurations hardware !!! So in the RAID one xserve does it means that the RAID card is recognize and then finally ... Not !!!???


-Do everything to go crazy?


-And here you add:"

... and also if it passes it's diagnostics test."


-I don't know how i can read "if it passes it's diagnostics test." Any help in this ? Thank you very much !


It is very unfortunate that PhunterIT did not respond to complete the history of this post. (Since 2015).


There is about ten days that i am looking from there or out there to find anything else goes the way for that. But, is there still someone down here? This forum is he abandoned?


Thousand Thanks by advance.


jean



Wow I do not know what to do to get me out and that's the first time this has happened!

XServe 2006 RAID Card Issues

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