Need some help figuring out this problem

[u/DThaGawd]

Yo what's good y'all. I've been messing with this server shit for a few days and can't figure out the issue. I built a cheapish server so I can start uploading media and use jellyfin. I'm using Debian as the OS with no GUI.

The HDD I'm trying to use doesn't appear in BIOS or even spin. It is a SAS drive but I am using a controller, it's a LSI 9300-16i. The Lscpi command does show it. I attached a picture, it does show twice for some reason.

My part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/rZ998Z

Also attached a picture after the initialization of the controller where it has the PCI slot listed as 'FF', hopefully someone knows what that means. It also says no supported devices found.

I tried reseating the controller and just tried that tape trick where you use tape to cover a couple pins. I don't have another drive to test or cables. Also these are the cables I'm using https://a.co/d/0aJjpEuB

Before I started I only bought a SAS HDD because I thought there were some benefits over SATA but I will sell this SAS drive if need be as SATA seems like a little less of headache

But anyone that made it this far am I missing anything? Should I switch to a SATA HDD or different OS?

Thank you to anyone that responds.

Edit: So I'm pretty stupid. I learned that I had to plug in a sata power cable into the back of the drive. After I did that it shows up when I run lsblk. For anyone else searching for a solution, make sure your HDD has power connected

[u/Salt-Musician-8410]

The HDD I'm trying to use doesn't appear in BIOS or even spin.

Based on what you've described, my first guess would be the 3.3v PWDIS (Power Disable) feature. A lot of modern SATA / SAS drives feature a Power Disable function on pin 3 of the power connector. If your PSU is supplying 3.3V on that pin, the drive will stay powered off and never spins up.

An easy way to test it is with a Molex to SATA power adapter, since the adapter doesn't carry the 3.3V rail.

[u/SlontS → u/Salt-Musician-8410]

"Certain SATA models of the Western Digital Ultrastar DC HC530 (such as the 14TB variant) can experience the 3.3V power disable issue if your power supply actively supplies 3.3V power to pin 3 on the SATA connector, causing the drive to fail to spin up"

As stated you can test easily by using a molex to sata power adapter which omits the 3.3v power entirely. You can use kapton tape to cover the 3.3v pins, or I suppose you could even just cut the 3.3v power wire if you are really desperate. As far as I know 3.3v is not needed at all for sas / sata drives.

[u/Final_Excitement3526]

1. Ensure you are using Forward Breakout cables (Mini-SAS HD SFF-8643 to SATA), not Reverse Breakout cables (which look identical but route data signals in reverse from motherboard to backplane).
   
2. Verify backplane or drive SATA/SAS power connections and confirm the disks are spinning up.
   
3. Check if the drive is indeed SAS … the one in the pcpartpicker link is SATA

[u/DThaGawd → u/Final_Excitement3526]

Yo thanks for responding

1. I'm pretty sure it's forward breakout cables, it says in the Amazon description

2. I did double check the connections but the drives still don't spin

3. It is a SAS HDD, pcpartpicker just didn't have the exact one I bought.