SIL3124 is a PCI (as in old PCI, not PCI express) SATA-II controller which I had to buy because my NAS’ old Gigabyte motherboard supports (downspeeded) SATA-II drives only to 750GB size. Of course I got to know this AFTER buying 1,5TB drive 😉
Anyway, it’s always uphill and even though SIL3124 card sees the drive and I’ve installed Ubuntu Server with no problems to it, I couldn’t boot the card. It kept saying „no valid device”. Turns out it has a RAID-only BIOS by default so if someone – like me – wants to use it as an JBOD (Just a Bunch Of Disks) controller, BIOS upgrade is needed. How user friendly not to mention it in a – Czech-language – manual.
Of course, being mainly a Linux user with no CD- or DVD-drive, I have it even more uphill. BIOS flashing tools are available for Windows and DOS. Soooo the solution is:
- Use HP USB Disk Storage Format Tool to create bootable DOS pendrive, here’s Polish language tutorial: http://forum.purepc.pl/Dyski-twarde-cdromy-dvd-pendrive-inne-pamieci-f55/Boot-Pendrive-t254005.html if You don’t speak Polish, just google „boot pendrive dos”, in the tutorial is a link to Win98 boot files You might use.
- Download UPDFLASH and the newest BIOS zip from http://www.siliconimage.com/support
- The zip file has more than one BIOS inside, read the README and see which one is „IDE” BIOS or „non-RAID” BIOS. Copy the file together with UPDFLASH to the pendrive.
- Boot the PC with the PCI SATA Controller from the pendrive.
- Run „updflash biosfile.bin”
- If you don’t have a UPS, pray to Atheist’s God(TM) that there’s no blackout during flashing process.
- Use motherboard’s (not SATA controller’s) BIOS to set Hard Drive as first boot priority, make sure there’s „Bootable Add-In Cards” enabled somewhere.
- Reset and enjoy bootable large drives.
Note: Drive’s UUIDs change because of that so it’s best to do it BEFORE installing Ubuntu, otherwise You get a maintanance console.