Areca 1223-X8 is not shown up in MacPro 3.1 8 Core

Storage & Archiving

Areca 1223-X8 is not shown up in MacPro 3.1 8 Core

Posted by Thomas Grummt on September 26, 2013 at 1:39 pm

Hello,

i´m new in this community, so this is my first post here.

I have a big problem, with weird issue´s and hope someone can help me….

i purchased the ARC-1223-8x Raid Controller and try to setup in my System:

Mac Pro 3.1 – 8Core Xeon (early 2008 Modell)
16 GB Ram
Crucial M4 – SSD Bootdrive
Nvidia GTX 680 Graphics
Blackmagic Decklink Extreme 3 HD – SDI Video Card
Apple Cinema Display 30″
OSX 10.8.5

I put the card in the second slot (PCI 16x), because
the slot three and four are only PCI 4x.

Now here is my problem.
When the machine boots up, the following issues happen:

– System needs three-times longer to boot
– the USB Keyboard and Mouse are not in function
– System hangs on the User Login Page

After a while (around 5min) the USB Keyboard and Mouse is in function.
Then i checked the System-Info – no Areca Card listed.

I tried to install the MacOS MRaid Package of the delivered CD.
Then the Installer hang up. After that i downloaded the latest Package from the Areca Webpage.
The Installer runs trough, but after the Reboot – same Issues and still no Areca Card listed in the System.

I can´t figure out what the problem is.
Please can anyone tell me, if the card is able to run in my System?
Is it the wrong Bios, EFI or Firmware?

This Information is labeled on the Card:
F / W: 1.51A
BIOS: 1.22f
BOOT: 1.51A

Best Regards,
Thomas Grummt

Thomas Grummt replied 12 years, 11 months ago 2 Members · 8 Replies
8 Replies

Bob Zelin
September 26, 2013 at 4:32 pm

It is beyond me that there is not a single engineer at Dreamworks in Glendale that can help you.
I have no idea who is at (818) 282 3105

you know how to reach me

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
maxavid@cfl.rr.com
Thomas Grummt
September 26, 2013 at 4:41 pm

I´m sorry Bob, but i don´t understand what you mean with Dreamworks in Glendale?
My company is not in the US, i´m from Germany…

Also sorry if understand something wrong, cause my english is not the very best.
Bob Zelin
September 26, 2013 at 5:04 pm

Hi Thomas –
there is a professional animator with the name Thomas Grummt that works at DreamWorks in Glendale, CA. It is a coincidence that another professional with the same name in our industry. (the name Grummt is not common in the US).

Go back to the support page of https://www.areca.com.tw, and download the flash firmware for your card, and make sure that you flash ALL 4 flash files, in the MRAID Utility. Do not hook up your disk drive array when you are doing this. Do the flash without the disk drive array connected to your ARC-1223 card. Reboot, make sure that you can get into all the menus, and that your computer comes up quickly.
Once you are confident that this is working, THEN you can plug in the drive array.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
maxavid@cfl.rr.com
Thomas Grummt
September 26, 2013 at 5:15 pm

Nice to know that person with the same is working at Dreamworks, weird…

I had the same idea to flash the card to the newest firmware,
but as long as the card is not listed in the OSX System Info, i can´t flash it by the MRAID Utility.
It´s simple not existing in my system, also not in the MRAID Utility.

To be clear, you mean the MRAID Utility which i can open on a ready booted System by the Archttp Proxie Server?

Thanks in advance, for your help!
Bob Zelin
September 27, 2013 at 12:18 am

if the card is NOT listed under PCI cards in System Information (System Profiler) – then you DO NOT have the driver for the card installed, no matter what you think !

Go to https://www.areca.com.tw, and download the OS X driver (there is only one – March 2013) – and INSTALL IT, then reboot your computer. Then the driver will install. The CD that came with your card means absolutely nothing.

When you reboot, you will see that in System Profiler (under PCI cards) that your driver says YES under driver installed.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
maxavid@cfl.rr.com
Thomas Grummt
September 27, 2013 at 7:07 am

Hi Bob,

thanks again for your help.

I tried different configurations.
I Installed a clean OSX 10.6.8 , 10.7.4 , 10.8.5.
In every system the same issues. The card is shown as unknown PCI Device.
After installing the latest driver and reboot, no card is listed in the system profiler.
And the whole system slow down.

I also attached the card to my HP XW workstation.
On a PC system the card must show the Bios on the start up.
I only get the message: “Waiting for F / W to become ready”

I think the device is damaged.
I will sent it back to the shop, then they have to check if its working or not.

Regards,
Thomas
Bob Zelin
September 27, 2013 at 2:51 pm

you have not made it clear in your last reply.
As you test this card, with the different Mac OS –
have you gone to the Areca website, and downloaded the Mac OS X driver under the support tab, and installed it ?

forget about the CD they sent with the card. You MUST install the driver from the https://www.areca.com.tw website.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
maxavid@cfl.rr.com
Thomas Grummt
September 27, 2013 at 3:04 pm

Yes i have the latest driver and utilities from the areca website.
I only tested the drivers of the CD to be sure, that i tried anything possible.

I´m waiting for the response of the Areca Support.
But i still think its a damaged unit, because theres no bios-message shown at my PC when i start up.
Nearly every Raidcard shows a Bios on PC…

regards…

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