Post Your Servers v3: Holy Motherload of Knowledge - Hardware & Software

Getting ready to ship more nodes: [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/l19xMdQ.png[/IMG]

[QUOTE=darksoul69;51047772]Getting ready to ship more nodes: [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/l19xMdQ.png[/IMG][/QUOTE] Gotta hook up that Razer keyboard for that extra edge :v:

[QUOTE=darth-veger;51048940]Gotta hook up that Razer keyboard for that extra edge :v:[/QUOTE] Yeah well.. it's the only keyboard I have :(

[QUOTE=darksoul69;51049020]Yeah well.. it's the only keyboard I have :([/QUOTE] Did the page not say it was a chiclet keyboard and you just haven't replaced it with a real one yet?

And this is why you run thorough tests before shipping the nodes and paying for remote hands. Two have issues. One chassis has a slight rattling noise coming from a fan and another chassis is running 6C hotter for no apparent reason during memtest86+. :v: Can't wait to start actual stress tests!

[QUOTE=darksoul69;51056589]And this is why you run thorough tests before shipping the nodes and paying for remote hands. Two have issues. One chassis has a slight rattling noise coming from a fan and another chassis is running 6C hotter for no apparent reason during memtest86+. :v: Can't wait to start actual stress tests![/QUOTE] This reminds me that 3+ years ago my company bought 12 servers for remote locations and no one bothered to test them right after receiving them. Last week we finally started using them and discovered that 4 servers have serious stabillity issues. The warranty expired a year ago. :suicide:

[QUOTE=Megalan;51061516]This reminds me that 3+ years ago my company bought 12 servers for remote locations and no one bothered to test them right after receiving them. Last week we finally started using them and discovered that 4 servers have serious stabillity issues. The warranty expired a year ago. :suicide:[/QUOTE] Did you ever figure out what components were the issue?

Looks like it's either motherboard or cpu issue. We are currently talking with IBM support about paid diagnostics and repair but I'm not sure if we have money to do this right now. The servers are IBM x3530 M4 and the error in IMM is something like "A Uncorrectable Bus Error has occurred on system (PCIs)". The server just shuts down and not starts until you completelly turn off the power and wait a few minutes.

[QUOTE=Megalan;51061784]Looks like it's either motherboard or cpu issue. We are currently talking with IBM support about paid diagnostics and repair but I'm not sure if we have money to do this right now. The servers are IBM x3530 M4 and the error is something like "A Uncorrectable Bus Error has occurred on system (PCIs)".[/QUOTE] Have you tried flashing the bios with an updated version? Also I'm pissed off at this node. Tossed in an extra fan and still seeing higher then normal temps when compared to the other three. I'm going to guess either the heatsink wasn't installed correctly or the thermal paste on it was bad. Does anyone know a good thermal paste for servers that will last several years? [editline]16th September 2016[/editline] Yeah, IBM isn't[URL="http://publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/systemx/documentation/topic/com.ibm.sysx.7944.doc/806f08132582xxxx.html"] too optimistic about[/URL] that error. Try updating the bios anyway.

Yea, the EFI, IMM and everything else is on latest version. As for the thermal paste: Personally I've been using Arctic Cooling MX series for a long time on everything including the servers.

[QUOTE=Megalan;51061843]Yea, the EFI, IMM and everything else is on latest version. As for the thermal paste: Personally I've been using Arctic Cooling MX series for a long time on everything including the servers.[/QUOTE] I'm assuming you've swapped the ram and CPU out at least once to try to isolate the issue? Have you tried another PSU? Sounds like a bad board if everything else checks out. [editline]16th September 2016[/editline] Ebay can be [URL="http://www.ebay.com/itm/00Y7538-00AL973-IBM-LENOVO-SYSTEM-BOARD-FOR-x3530-M4-x3630-M4-/272357521713?hash=item3f69c5f931:g:~owAAOSwdIFXxLE~"]your best friend[/URL] in situations like this. Probably cheaper then paying IBM to fix it.

[QUOTE=darksoul69;51061860]I'm assuming you've swapped the ram and CPU out at least once to try to isolate the issue? Have you tried another PSU? Sounds like a bad board if everything else checks out. [editline]16th September 2016[/editline] Ebay can be [URL="http://www.ebay.com/itm/00Y7538-00AL973-IBM-LENOVO-SYSTEM-BOARD-FOR-x3530-M4-x3630-M4-/272357521713?hash=item3f69c5f931:g:~owAAOSwdIFXxLE~"]your best friend[/URL] in situations like this. Probably cheaper then paying IBM to fix it.[/QUOTE] Yep, I've tried different cpu's (even different models) and different ram sticks. The only thing I haven't tested is PSU's so this is going to be first thing I'll do next week, thanks for the suggestion. And about ebay: without going much into details - not really possible in a company I work for. We have to send it to IBM or buy the motherboard from the local company. Complete bullshit but it's not my money and I'm not the one to decide so I don't really care how it goes if it will help me fix those servers.

Well buying a new board will probably still be cheaper then paying the bloodsuckers to repair it. Let us know how the PSU testing goes :)

So I made an Ubuntu server for image recovery shit in the lab, since it would be only plugged into the network /power I had made a beep song to play when ever it fully loaded [video=youtube;ItC-UhrbAKs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItC-UhrbAKs[/video]

I finished my 8 bay FreeNAS build. Right now, I have 4x 4TB refurbished HGST MegaScale 4000 drives in there. I bought a fifth for a replacement in case any fail. [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/TJV7oY4.png[/IMG] [t]http://i.imgur.com/WMcypxf.jpg[/t] [t]http://i.imgur.com/KZ99twr.jpg[/t] [img]http://i.imgur.com/5ktD038.png[/img]

Did you stress the replacement too?

[QUOTE=Levelog;51062665]Did you stress the replacement too?[/QUOTE] I ran a long smartctl test on all five drives, they all passed.

figured I'd post this in here for anyone interested that doesn't check Newegg too often. It's not the greatest deal, but to me unspent money is saved money. 2x1TB red NAS HDDs for $100 [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.3136299[/url]

Just picked up a Cisco 2651 with an NM-16A for less than the price of the required octopus cable from China. Guess my CCNA lab is going to be quite serial.

That's definitely [URL="https://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Nexus-Layer-Switch-N3K-C3548P-10G/dp/B00CO21678"]the most expensive[/URL] Intel Pentium PC I've ever used. :v: [t]http://i.imgur.com/m2BMpXz.jpg[/t][t]http://i.imgur.com/ZTUomZo.jpg[/t] [QUOTE=darksoul69;51061938]Well buying a new board will probably still be cheaper then paying the bloodsuckers to repair it. Let us know how the PSU testing goes :)[/QUOTE] I'm not 100% sure but it looks like it was indeed a PSU issue. It's been 48 hours of CPU and memory stress testing and server is working fine. Need to test it a bit more to be sure through. So thanks again for the suggestion. PSU's for those servers are expensive as hell (~400$) but I guess it's still going to be cheaper than buying a new warranty plan from IBM.

Ah yes, good ol' nexus line. I once got to mess about with an ASR fully loaded with fiber blades. The chassis alone is ~150k.

And so begins the weekend of converting "I can't fucking find racks!" to "Fuck it, I'm making my own racks!" Before I cleaned the room out: [img]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/ballsandy/computer%20room/CGS_0539.jpg[/img] After the machines and rack were removed: [img]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/ballsandy/computer%20room/IMG_5935.jpg[/img] With some devices laid out to determine how much space I have: [img]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/ballsandy/computer%20room/IMG_5937.jpg[/img] I should have the space to construct three racks 42U tall and a fourth one that's a third the size (no higher than that brickwork) due to the electrical panels on the back wall.

That fourth short one would be a great network rack height for a router and a few switches and such.

[QUOTE=pentium;51097531]And so begins the weekend of converting "I can't fucking find racks!" to "Fuck it, I'm making my own racks!" Before I cleaned the room out: [url]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/ballsandy/computer%20room/CGS_0539.jpg[/url] After the machines and rack were removed: [url]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/ballsandy/computer%20room/IMG_5935.jpg[/url] With some devices laid out to determine how much space I have: [url]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/ballsandy/computer%20room/IMG_5937.jpg[/url] I should have the space to construct three racks 42U tall and a fourth one that's a third the size (no higher than that brickwork) due to the electrical panels on the back wall.[/QUOTE] Well if you don't mind road tripping to Montreal, [URL=https://www.gcsurplus.ca/mn-eng.cfm?snc=wfsav&sc=enc-bid&scn=239306&lcn=385542&lct=L&srchtype=&lci=&str=1&ltnf=1&frmsr=1&sf=ferm-clos]RevServ[/URL] has three freebie racks.

Here's how you make it happen: [IMG]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/ballsandy/computer%20room/rackbuild.gif[/IMG] [IMG]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/ballsandy/computer%20room/IMG_5960.jpg[/IMG] I couldn't find the proper metal ears for either side to mount hardware to so I just spaced the posts 17 3/4" apart so that the devices still slid in and you could secure them with wood screws but now I need to template out where the holes should of been so things don't go in crooked.

[QUOTE=FrankPetrov;51042472]Not bashing on you, but I find it to be pretty funny how popular Kali became since Mr robot started. It is a fantastic and convenient distro though. Also, you build that malware from scratch or a base?[/QUOTE] I've been using Kali for about 2 years now, but yeah it's blowing up. Actually ordered some Rubber Duckies recently as well, and they were delayed shipping because they were on back order from Hak5, probably because of their cameo as well. As far as the Malware goes I got it from thezoo repository on github- it was already compiled. All I did was change the extension from the .pdf it was disguised as to exe so I could run it as an executable. It's worth noting that the lab is behind PFSense and the actual traffic from that VM is in a VLAN isolated to only be able to reach the interwebs, and not anything else on the LAN. That being said, there's also a program moving all traffic from that box through Tor so that if that Malware does actually hit a C&C, it's coming from an IP in another country.

[QUOTE=pentium;51100846]Here's how you make it happen: [IMG]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/ballsandy/computer%20room/rackbuild.gif[/IMG] [IMG]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/ballsandy/computer%20room/IMG_5960.jpg[/IMG] I couldn't find the proper metal ears for either side to mount hardware to so I just spaced the posts 17 3/4" apart so that the devices still slid in and you could secure them with wood screws but now I need to template out where the holes should of been so things don't go in crooked.[/QUOTE] You could probably use some angle iron as ghetto rails for the hardware.

[QUOTE=benjgvps;51101002]You could probably use some angle iron as ghetto rails for the hardware.[/QUOTE] Too late now. Putting those in requires rebuilding the posts. I just need a template for the usual bolt holes and I should be fine though.

[QUOTE=Megalan;51095495] I'm not 100% sure but it looks like it was indeed a PSU issue. It's been 48 hours of CPU and memory stress testing and server is working fine. Need to test it a bit more to be sure through. So thanks again for the suggestion. PSU's for those servers are expensive as hell (~400$) but I guess it's still going to be cheaper than buying a new warranty plan from IBM.[/QUOTE] Update on this situation. So apparently we still have active warranty on those servers even though IBM website shows us that we don't. :dance: IBM is going to send their service engineer to replace PSU's in 2 servers and PSU + Motherboard in another one. (it has a problem with one of the memory slots)

Anyone ever tried watercooling in a 1U Chassis? Needing to overclock an i7-6700k, air cooling was pretty damn decent at 4.7GHz~ stable at around 69C with just above stock voltages (under load). I'm not comfortable with those temperatures and would like to test out watercooling. Looking around I can see quite a few 50MM radiators, I'm running a Mini-ATX board so have some play room to put the radiators somewhere (and the pump?). The chassis is a X145F which I have a few laying around. I'm looking to build at least 3 of these, so would like some input from others before going ahead. Also just to point out that, yes I've had authorization from our DC to have watercooling as it's covered in their insurance.