R620 doesn't detect drives when PERC H310 is used

It seems you're facing a common issue with the PowerEdge R620 not detecting drives when using the PERC H310 controller. Here are a few steps you can take to troubleshoot the problem:

1. Firmware Update: Ensure that the firmware for your H310 controller and BIOS are up to date. Outdated firmware can cause compatibility issues with the server and drives.

2. Cable Check: Verify that you're using the correct cables and that they are securely connected. The TK2VY cable should be compatible, but it's worth double-checking if there's a specific cable for the 4x drive backplane you're using.

3. BIOS Settings: Disable the S110 via the BIOS settings. Navigate to System Setup Main Menu > System BIOS > SATA Settings. Change Embedded SATA to AHCI mode.

4. Backplane Connection: Some users have reported that the backplane should be plugged into the larger slot where the RAID card is inserted. This might require a different cable if you're currently using one designed for a smaller slot.

5. RAID Controller Slot: Make sure the H310 is plugged into the integrated slot properly. If it's recognized during POST but not showing the drives in the configuration, it could be a slot issue or a compatibility problem with the backplane.

Remember to back up any critical data before making hardware changes, especially when updating firmware or changing RAID configurations, as these can sometimes lead to data loss. Good luck!

@Dell-Martin S​ Hey Martin,

I checked the firmware version on the H310 and the BIOS and both seem to be at the latest versions.
As for the backplane and cables, I tested using two different backplanes (4bay and 8bay), using two different sets of TK2VY cables.
The TK2VY cable does use the larger slot next to the H310, when booting the card starts blinking green steadily but nothing else happens.
I have also tried reseating the card and I heard both clicks when I placed it back in, I'm inclined to believe it's either an issue with the H310 or with the motherboard.

If it helps, here's the service tag: (private data removed by Mod.)

Hello,

Looks like it could be the cable.

The one you have is for 8 drive backplane.

You have 4 drive backplane and should use this part number:

Part #:WVF6J

Part Desc.:ASSY,CBL,MINI PERC,4HD,R620

H310,H710(p) mini controller to 4 HDD bkpln. (from Mini PERC to BP)

Did you set the embedded controller?

Go in to the BIOS > SATA settings screen details > Embedded SATA. Change embedded controller from raid to AHCI

Owner manual

@DELL-Charles R​ 

I have an 8-bay backplane (KVGG1) which is what I'm going to use, however, even with both backplanes the TK2VY cable doesn't work.

The system does POST when the Embedded SATA is set to AHCI but only when I'm using a cable that uses the S110 controller (small port) and not the larger one (TK2VY cables)

Looks like the issue is with one of these components:

Mother board (for PERC mini socket), PERC H310 mini, PERC to Backplane cable, Backplane.

You already have on hand the backplane power and signal cable.

Do you still have those connected?

Is this the H310 you purchased?

K09CJ - PWA,CTL,SAS,H310,MCRD

You may try clearing the PERC configuration.

Try unseating the drives, boot into the PERC mini BIOS and clear configuration. Save, exit and shut down

Install drives and power up. Check results.

I do have the specific cables on hand, but only one set, and they're plugged in to the KVGG1 backplane right now and I do believe that is the part number for the H310 Mini, however I'm not fully sure.

I tried resetting the configuration when the drives were unplugged and then I plugged them back in but the result is still the same.

You've already stated you made sure the embedded controller is set to AHCI.

Do you have the embedded S110 cable disconnected?

Please make sure it is disconnected when using mini PERC.

Do you see any pin damage in the miniPERC socket?

Where on the system board are you connecting the cable?

Have you tried both PERC cables?

Part #:TK2VY

Part Desc.:ASSY,CBL,MINI PERC,Y TYP,R620

H310,H710(p) mini to 8 HDD bkpln. (from Mini PERC to BP)

Part #:WVF6J

Part Desc.:ASSY,CBL,MINI PERC,4HD,R620

H310,H710(p) mini controller to 4 HDD bkpln. (from Mini PERC to BP)

As it looks now you may need to replace one of these components

Mother board (for PERC mini socket), PERC H310 mini, PERC to Backplane cable

When I try to use the H310 Mini, I disconnect the small cable that is parallel to the slot and plug in the TK2VY cable in the bigger slot directly next to the slot. I only have two TK2VY cables so I cannot test with a WVF6J but at least one of them is a known good cable. As for the pin damage, there's nothing visible.

After much testing, it seems like only one half of the backplane works at a time, with both TK2VY cables, the PERC H310 sees one or two drives depending on which half of the backplane works, however, after switching out the cables, it usually switches between the first 4 bays and the last 4 bays.

Hi,

1. The PERC H310 controller has known compatibility issues with certain Dell server models, including the R620. Users have reported similar problems where drives are not detected when using the H310 controller. 
2. The issue seems to be related to the backplane and cabling. You mentioned that only one half of the backplane works at a time, and the drives detected depend on which half is working. This suggests a potential problem with the backplane or the cabling between the RAID controller and the backplane. 
3. Trying different cables, including the known good TK2VY cable, did not resolve the issue, further indicating a compatibility problem between the H310 controller and the server's backplane. 
4. There is no visible damage to the pins, so the issue is likely not due to physical damage.

Based on the information provided, it seems that the PERC H310 controller is not compatible with the backplane configuration in your Dell PowerEdge R620 server. The best solution would be to use a different RAID controller that is known to be compatible with this server model, such as the PERC H730 or H730P. These controllers should provide better support and compatibility with the server's backplane and drive configuration.

After some trial and error by forcing the cables in, the system fully posts but the Dell Enterprise Plus drive I have (I'll post it's model in an edit) shows as 0B in the OS (Debian) and gives errors when I try commands such as sg_start or sg_format.

Also for the recommended controllers, would the drive I mentioned below be compatible with an H730 or H330? It mentions it's supported on PowerEdge R620 servers but I'm not able to write or format it as of now.

Edit: HGST HUC101212CSS600 V580

Thank you for the update.

I'm unable to check that Manufacturer part number.

Could you post a picture of the drive label showing the Dell part number (PD/N)?

I'll note that Dell did not validate Debian OS. You can check if the components are validated for it.

I'll go over some information I found:

These are the cables needed and I think you have them all on hand. It's possible there is a bad cable:

*94T5N - ASSY,CBL,I2C,MB,BKPLN,4/8,R620

*123W8 - ASSY,CBL,PWR,BKPLN,4/8,HD,R620

*TK2VY - ASSY,CBL,MINI PERC,Y TYP,R620

--

This is the H310 mini. Could you confirm that is the part number you have?

There is possibly a bad controller so you could get another to try.

*K09CJ - PWA,CTL,SAS,H310,MCRD

--

Or you could try a H710 mini. This is the part number.

*5CT6D - ASSY,CRD,CTL,H710,512,NV,MCRD

You have different backplanes available you can test with.

Lastly you may need a system board replaced.

*1W23F - ASSY,PWA,PLN,SV,DELL,R620,V5

I have attached a picture of the HGST drive in question and of the H310, the DP/N is matching with the one you provided.

I'm currently testing the stability of the system after I got it to boot, as of now it's detecting all drives in the RAID software on boot, however the 1.2TB drive is still showing as 0 bytes in the OS.

Edit: Also get an error when running smartctl:

Hello, can you plug in the disk to another system? That way you’ll know whether it’s the disk that is faulty or the controller is.

Respectfully,

Sadly I don't have any other systems that are compatible with SAS drives.

that's sad