Ga7-pesh2 failed looking at replacement motherboard and sas card options for Unraid

Builds Legacy Guides
1

I built the anniversary build 2 years ago, and been very happy with it until today, whilst I was working, the server just shut down, on further inspection looks like the 2 plastic caps and springs on a heatsink next to the pcie ports and ram slots had melted and the heat sink discolored. Could not see this as it was under the Asus gtx1060 graphics card.
I do have a green flashing light on BMC Led1 thats all
So asking what you guys would suggest I upgrade the motherboard and or SAS controller to? as the GA7-Pesh 2 is hard to get! I am in Texas.

my current parts list

Motherboard to replace
GA-7PESH2 GIGABYTE Intel Rev1.0 LGA2011 E-ATX Server Motherboard LSI2008 8x SAS/SATA, 2x 10G X540-AT2, Avocent IPMI 2.0 (GA-7PESH2)

  • 2x Intel Xeon E5-2667 v2 3.3GHz 8 Core 25MB Processors
  • total memory 64Gb
  • 32GB DDR3 1600MHz ECC Registered Memory (4x 8GB)
  • 32Gb 8GB 2Rx4 DDR3 PC3-12800R 1600MHz ECC REG Server Memory
  • 7 artic fans in case and 3 on external bays.
  • 24 bay 4U Super Micro Chassis with a SAS2-846EL1
  • 8 x 2Tb SAS Hitachi Drives (slowly replacing these drives)
  • 10 x 8Tb HGST Drives
  • 2x10Tb HGST SAS drives
  • 2 x ST4000M0-004 4Tb Drives (slowly replacing these drives)
  • Sola flare 2 port PCI SFP 10GB Fiber Card
  • USB3 5 Port PCI card

I used the onboard SAS with 1 cable from the motherboard to the SAS2846EL1

I still taking the server apart to see what else I find.

Thank you in advance for your help.

2

I recommend the LSI 9207-8i.

3

Thanks for that info,
I will look at the LSI 9207-8i and see what I can buy.
Any suggestions on a motherboard that be a good combo with the processor and / or memory I already have, or am I better to start afresh and get a more updated system

4

Plenty of options in the SNAFU guide. Your case would fit the x9dri-ln4f+, for instance, or the X9DRD-7LN4F-JBOD.

IIRC that copper-coloured heatsink is for the onboard X540 NIC; it usually runs hot. Have you tried bench testing the board, single CPU, single DIMM?

5

What kind of case are you using for the build? That will limit your options.

6

I have the Super Micro CSE-846 4U 24 Bay chassis

7

I just removed the board from the server and will remove the memory etc and test today, see what happens

8

Update, So I had no joy with the motherboard powering up, but noticed an issue with the power supplies and the fans in the power supplies not running at full speed.

Decided to take the case apart further, and try and test the distribution panel. I could not get a voltage on the red and black leads (24 Pin ATX connector). Not sure if this was the right way to test ( bridge green and a Black to turn on Power system) and use a multimeter to test voltage. Not much info on the web.

Power distribution board is a Super Micro Version 1 PDB-PT846-2824 using PWS-1K21P-1R 1000w power supplies.

So bit the bullet, and went to Altex and picked up a EV3A 1000 Watt power supply.
plugged in the power supply with only the CPUs and memory and the board powered up. Good start.
Then the server would reboot after 20 minutes. like clockwork. 4 times.

Just to mention started the server and the array, but no docker or any programs / vms/ etc running.

Found the issue, I think, not enough air flow on or around the new Power Supply. Removed the PSU from the case temporarily to test. so far so good. The server has been up for 40 minutes now.
Touch wood, this will get me by, until I can get a new motherboard etc.

I am not sure about the motherboard due to the plastic clips melting that held the heatsink onto the chip as mentioned earlier by seanho, (that it was for the x540 nic), which I am not using as I am using 10GB fiber.

Maybe Seanho or somebody can comment on that am I being to picky or could that cause issues further down the line.

One thing I will say wow its gone quiet, with the new power supply. lol

Thank you for everyone’s help so far