Problems with PCI SATA Controller

Mark Kirkwood markir at paradise.net.nz
Fri Jan 20 21:27:47 PST 2006


Peter Hoskin wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I've had a number of problems with this card. Please note I'm not using 
> this as a RAID card.
> 
> atapci0 at pci1:3:0:       class=0x010400 card=0x61121095 chip=0x31121095 
> rev=0x02 hdr=0x00
>    vendor   = 'Silicon Image Inc (Was: CMD Technology Inc)'
>    device   = 'SiI 3112 SATALink/SATARaid Controller'
>    class    = mass storage
>    subclass = RAID
> 
> Under FreeBSD 5, it'd continually generate timeout - WRITE_DMA errors 
> which would make the disks operate really slow... I found many others to 
> be having the same issue and they recommended dropping back to PIO 
> mode... seems I cannot do that on this card.
> 
> Under FreeBSD 6-BETA5, I never managed to get it installed... was 
> getting an error DANGER WILL ROBINSON
> 
> Under FreeBSD 6-RELEASE, I wasn't able to install with multiple disk 
> slices which I have attempted several times for the machine to lock up 
> when it gets to 28% copied each time. I ended up partitioning as a 
> single slice and strangely this worked. However, it seems whenever there 
> is a bit of disk activity the machine locks up just after dumping the 
> error ata2: DISCONNECT requested
> Strangely this seems to happen everytime if I begin accessing both disks 
> I have attached to this controller at once.
> 
>

Unfortunately the sii 3112 is a bit of a horror....numerous people have 
experienced issues with it (web search on "sii 3112 data corruption" 
makes quite interesting reading).

I seem to recall a posting suggesting that some success might be had 
with just 1 SATA channel (i.e 1 disk) attached, however I can't find it 
offhand.

Cheers

Mark


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