expansion card PCI-E SATA expansion cards for DAS, BSOD, etc

[r0otctrl]

Filled up my Define R5's 8 HD bays and need more storage now. The plan is to get a couple 5.25 to 3.5 inch bay adapters and a 2-port PCI-E SATA expansion card. None of this will ever be used for a NAS or RAID or some form of RAID or backing up my media in any way. This is merely to increase my storage capacity. I am trying to accomplish this while spending as little money as possible so that I can instead spend my money on storage. I am a bit worried after looking on Amazon.ca for a card and seeing these BSOD messages on product pages and hardware failure reviews everywhere. I do not want to create any more problems for myself beyond my current lack of storage.

 

1. Does anybody know why some of these cards are allegedly causing BSOD and hardware failures for some people?
2. Can anybody recommend a problem-free 2-port PCI-E version 2.0 or 3.0 (that uses, ideally, a minimum of 2 or 1 lanes respectively for a sufficient amount of bandwidth) SATA expansion card to be used in a system running Windows 11?
3. Do these cards run hot or is it only the SAS cards that run hot? Is it advisable to get one with a heatsink?
4. Are there any other cheap, practical solutions to my problem that does not involve external drives or additional enclosures?

 

For context, I am using a 3900X on a ROG Strix X570-E Gaming mobo.

 

Thanks in advance!

[Electronics Wizardy]

Typically I'd suggest getting the sas jbod cards instead of multiple 2 port SATA cards.

 

Any card can have issues, so I'd ignore those reviews unless its a overall low ratings. Generally online ratings are a pretty bad sample.

 

Depends on the exact card, but if it doesn't have a heatsink it likely makes very little heat.

 

What drives do you have now? It might be better to replace the current drives with bigger models.

[mariushm]

Get some LSI SAS card configured in IT mode (JBOD, no raid) ...

 

eBay is full of them

 

Random examples

 

(us seller) https://www.ebay.com/itm/155421555013

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394490385961

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124292701537

 

They're pci-e x8 slots, but they'll run in pci-e x4 or even pci-e x1 slots (some boards have slots that have open end and you can plug longer cards in small slot). Or, you could use a small riser cable to extend a x1 slot to a x4 or x8 wide slot.

 

 

[r0otctrl]

10 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Typically I'd suggest getting the sas jbod cards instead of multiple 2 port SATA cards.

 

Any card can have issues, so I'd ignore those reviews unless its a overall low ratings. Generally online ratings are a pretty bad sample.

 

Depends on the exact card, but if it doesn't have a heatsink it likely makes very little heat.

 

What drives do you have now? It might be better to replace the current drives with bigger models.

 

I would not be getting multiple SATA cards, only one.

 

Fair enough, though many of these cards do not have very few reviews if any at all and I know fake reviews are rampant on Amazon nowadays. I suspect reviews that talk about drives failing are coincidental timing-wise, but the BSOD is really concerning since I work on this computer. This computer is basically my business and my life lol.

 

Here are my current drives:

 

1 × 14TB (MG07ACA14TE)

4 × 8TB (ST8000VN0022)

2 × 4TB (ST4000DM004)

1 × 1TB (WD10EARS)

 

I am trying to maximize my storage capacity, so it makes more sense to convert the bays and add an expansion card. I could replace the 1TB drive, but then I would have a 1TB kicking around doing nothing useful.

[r0otctrl]

15 minutes ago, mariushm said:

Get some LSI SAS card configured in IT mode (JBOD, no raid) ...

 

eBay is full of them

 

Random examples

 

(us seller) https://www.ebay.com/itm/155421555013

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394490385961

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124292701537

 

They're pci-e x8 slots, but they'll run in pci-e x4 or even pci-e x1 slots (some boards have slots that have open end and you can plug longer cards in small slot). Or, you could use a small riser cable to extend a x1 slot to a x4 or x8 wide slot.

 

 

 

I am in Canada by the way. I want to try and minimize my cost if possible and shopping on Amazon is part of that since I have free credit there. Also, my case is kind of cramped and hot right now. I have an M.2 plugged in that runs quite hot, so not sure if slapping a SAS card, which supposedly run very hot, on top of it is the best idea? This seems to be the prevailing advice everywhere nonetheless. It is hard to find much discussion about SATA expansion cards because everybody always starts talking about SAS cards lol. Also, it seems like a SATA card is so much simpler. The SATA card was built for this exact purpose. In other words, there should not be any potential conflicts of lacking IT mode and or the card being configured in such a way to suport NAS, RAID, and or all of that stuff instead?

[Electronics Wizardy]

7 minutes ago, r0otctrl said:

 

I would not be getting multiple SATA cards, only one.

 

Fair enough, though many of these cards do not have very few reviews if any at all and I know fake reviews are rampant on Amazon nowadays. I suspect reviews that talk about drives failing are coincidental timing-wise, but the BSOD is really concerning since I work on this computer. This computer is basically my business and my life lol.

 

Here are my current drives:

 

1 × 14TB (MG07ACA14TE)

4 × 8TB (ST8000VN0022)

2 × 4TB (ST4000DM004)

1 × 1TB (WD10EARS)

 

I am trying to maximize my storage capacity, so it makes more sense to convert the bays and add an expansion card. I could replace the 1TB drive, but then I would have a 1TB kicking around doing nothing useful.

I'd personally replace the 1 and 4 TB drives here with a 16+ TB drive. Would give you much more space and then you have 2 free bays for the future.

 

Do you have a backup? If the data is important you don't want the only copy on one system.

 

 

[OddOod]

I'm kinda concerned that you have filled all 8 SATA ports and *aren't* using a NAS. But I'd recommend grabbing a LSI 9207-8i HBA card. It does need an x16 slot, but for 20-some bucks, it will open up all onboard SATA

[r0otctrl]

7 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

I'd personally replace the 1 and 4 TB drives here with a 16+ TB drive. Would give you much more space and then you have 2 free bays for the future.

 

Do you have a backup? If the data is important you don't want the only copy on one system.

 

 

 

But why not buy a 16TB drive and use it in addition to the 1TB drive until I have filled up the additional 2 converted bays?

No backup. Not needed or wanted for this data. Additional storage capacity > Redundancy in my case

[Electronics Wizardy]

40 minutes ago, r0otctrl said:

 

But why not buy a 16TB drive and use it in addition to the 1TB drive until I have filled up the additional 2 converted bays?

No backup. Not needed or wanted for this data. Additional storage capacity > Redundancy in my case

Then you don't need to get a extra sata card or a 5.25 to 3.5in drive bay adapter. Also saves you power to remove 2 drives from the system.

[r0otctrl]

1 minute ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Then you don't need to get a extra sata card or a 5.25 to 3.5in drive bay adapter. Also saves you power to remove 2 drives from the system.

I will need the cage adapters and expansion card sooner or later, so might as well buy them now and add to my overall storage capacity instead of swapping out and paying for capacity that I am not really gaining (i.e. if I pay for an 8TB drive and swap it with a 1TB drive, then I'm really only getting 7TB). The cage adapters and SATA cards are dirt cheap too.

[r0otctrl]

51 minutes ago, OddOod said:

I'm kinda concerned that you have filled all 8 SATA ports and *aren't* using a NAS. But I'd recommend grabbing a LSI 9207-8i HBA card. It does need an x16 slot, but for 20-some bucks, it will open up all onboard SATA

 

No need for NAS. My TV is right next to my PC and everything is hardwired. I will create a NAS eventually, years from now once I have maxed out the number of drives I can support as DAS.

[OddOod]

8 minutes ago, r0otctrl said:

No need for NAS. My TV is right next to my PC and everything is hardwired. I will create a NAS eventually, years from now once I have maxed out the number of drives I can support as DAS.

Then why not DAS now with an LSI -16e card and a drive rack?

[mariushm]

1 hour ago, r0otctrl said:

 

I am in Canada by the way. I want to try and minimize my cost if possible and shopping on Amazon is part of that since I have free credit there. Also, my case is kind of cramped and hot right now. I have an M.2 plugged in that runs quite hot, so not sure if slapping a SAS card, which supposedly run very hot, on top of it is the best idea? This seems to be the prevailing advice everywhere nonetheless. It is hard to find much discussion about SATA expansion cards because everybody always starts talking about SAS cards lol. Also, it seems like a SATA card is so much simpler. The SATA card was built for this exact purpose. In other words, there should not be any potential conflicts of lacking IT mode and or the card being configured in such a way to suport NAS, RAID, and or all of that stuff instead?

A good card is 20-30$  ... save your Amazon coupons and discounts for some other purchases.

The cards will be just warm, not hot... and you can have the card in the bottom slot, away from M.2 drives.

 

You could invest some money on a basic case with lots of drive bays, like for example the  Rosewill models

 

Amazon.com: Rosewill 4U Server Chassis 11 Bay Server Case 8X 3.5 + 3X 5.25 HDD, ATX, Rackmount Server Case, Include Front 2X 120mm Fans Rear 2X 80mm Fans Metal Rack Mount Computer Case 21" Deep, RSV-R4000U : Electronics

 

There's a 139$ model (RSV-4200U) in the link above with fewer drive bays.

 

 

[r0otctrl]

3 hours ago, OddOod said:

Then why not DAS now with an LSI -16e card and a drive rack?

I would be doing DAS with a drive rack but with a SATA card? -.-a
 

Cost is the main factor in dissuading me against an LSI 16E or SAS card. From the little bit of searching that I have done, the least expensive one will cost about twice as much and I am not even sure it was flashed with the IT mode or whatever. You tell me, is this one flashed with the IT mode?

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/126726957929 -- I just noticed this one does not seem to have any internal connectors either.

 

Other ones appear to cost anywhere from 2 to upwards of 14 times more than a basic SATA card. More often than not, these cards cost 3 to 4 plus times more.

 

Also, it seems as though the market is rife with counterfeit LSI cards?

[r0otctrl]

2 hours ago, mariushm said:

A good card is 20-30$  ... save your Amazon coupons and discounts for some other purchases.

The cards will be just warm, not hot... and you can have the card in the bottom slot, away from M.2 drives.

 

You could invest some money on a basic case with lots of drive bays, like for example the  Rosewill models

 

Amazon.com: Rosewill 4U Server Chassis 11 Bay Server Case 8X 3.5 + 3X 5.25 HDD, ATX, Rackmount Server Case, Include Front 2X 120mm Fans Rear 2X 80mm Fans Metal Rack Mount Computer Case 21" Deep, RSV-R4000U : Electronics

 

There's a 139$ model (RSV-4200U) in the link above with fewer drive bays.

 

 

 

I do plan to buy something like that when I set up a NAS eventually, but for now keeping everything in one tower is preferred. Less clutter. If I am not mistaken, something like that would also require a power source, which would add more to the cost that I am trying to keep down.

 

Would I be able to have those eBay listings that you linked previously shipped to Canada? I have never bought anything off of eBay before. Everything seems to be a bit more expensive here in Canada too, especially when you factor in the cost of shipping when buying from eBay.

 

Also, it seems as though the market is rife with counterfeit LSI cards?

[OddOod]

On 12/5/2024 at 5:12 PM, r0otctrl said:

You tell me, is this one flashed with the IT mode?

It is not, but you can do that pretty easily
https://forums.serverbuilds.net/t/guide-updating-your-lsi-sas-controller-with-a-uefi-motherboard/131
 

On 12/5/2024 at 5:12 PM, r0otctrl said:

I just noticed this one does not seem to have any internal connectors either.

That would be because it's a -16e not a -16i or -8e8i. E for external, I for internal
 

On 12/5/2024 at 5:19 PM, r0otctrl said:

counterfeit LSI cards

There are a lot of LSI rebadge cards, and honestly, r/datahoarders seems pretty happy with even the knockoffs. The design is ancient and rock solid. 

 

Ultimately, I think you will be best served building an actual NAS, but it's up to you. Do what you will