R640 10 bay add NVME option , what parts

Hello,

we are not able to suggest to buy on third party sites, but let's see if some other customer have some advice for you.

Thanks

Hi, what about extend to 10 nvme drives ? i have allready connect 8 nvme drives . now i tried to connect to it more 2 drives , i bought : 1YGFW nvme expander card and the F2V74 cable . i connected to one of the two ports on the card to the backplane of 10 disk .and i get message this message:PCIe downtrain : expected with x4 and actual link margin: 0;">what i missed?

The "PCIe downtrain" error message you're receiving indicates that the PCIe link between the expander card and the backplane isn't establishing properly at the expected speed (x4).

Let's troubleshoot what might be happening:

Possible Causes and Solutions

1. BIOS/Firmware Compatibility:

   • Check BIOS Version: Ensure your R640's BIOS is up to date. Dell often releases updates to improve hardware compatibility, especially with NVMe drives and expander cards.
   • Expander Card Firmware: See if the 1YGFW expander card has its own firmware that needs updating. Check the manufacturer's website or Dell support resources.

2. Cable Connection and Quality:

   • Secure Connection: Double-check that the F2V74 cable is securely connected to both the expander card and the backplane. Reseat the connections to ensure they are firmly in place.
   • Cable Integrity: Inspect the cable for any signs of damage (kinks, bends, or cuts). A damaged cable can cause signal degradation.
   • Correct Port: Verify you're using the correct port on the expander card and the backplane that's intended for NVMe connectivity. Consult the R640 documentation and the expander card's manual.

3. Backplane Configuration:

   • NVMe Support: Confirm that the specific bays you're trying to use on the 10-bay backplane are indeed wired for NVMe support. Some backplanes have a mix of SAS/SATA and NVMe bays. The R640 documentation should specify which bays support NVMe.
   • Backplane Firmware: Similar to the expander card, the backplane might have its own firmware that needs to be compatible with NVMe drives and the expander.

4. PCIe Slot Configuration:

   • Slot Bandwidth: Make sure the PCIe slot you've installed the 1YGFW expander card into has sufficient bandwidth (x4 or higher). Some slots might be limited to lower speeds. The R640 service manual will outline the PCIe slot specifications.
   • Slot Priority: In some rare cases, PCIe slot priority settings in the BIOS might affect performance. Try moving the expander card to a different PCIe slot to see if that resolves the issue.

5. NVMe Drive Compatibility:

   • Drive Support: Although less likely, ensure that the NVMe drives you are using are compatible with the R640 and the expander card. Check the Dell support matrix for officially supported NVMe drives.

6. Resource Conflicts:

   • IRQs/Memory Addresses: In rare cases, there might be an IRQ or memory address conflict between the expander card and other devices. This is less common with modern systems but still worth considering. Check the system's event logs for any potential resource conflicts.

Troubleshooting Steps

1. Isolate the Problem: Try connecting only one of the new NVMe drives via the expander card to see if the issue persists. This helps determine if the problem is related to the expander card itself or to the combination of both drives.
2. Test with a Known Good Drive: If possible, test with an NVMe drive that you know is working correctly to rule out any issues with the new drives themselves.

Thank You Martin for the fast respond.. the problem was that the nvme expander set on pcie extender that include the boss card . the company that supply us the server added another pcie extender for the nvme expander and everything is working correct ..

thx for informing us