All, Per craigs request, an email describing the bambie box config issues. First, all the credit for this goes to Dan - he originally noticed. I only implemented what he suggested. The bambie storage boxes that we have contain 2x Areca ARC-1231ML raid controllers. These are at least pci-e 1.0 8x cards, and might be pci-e 2.0 8x cards. The supermicro motherboards in many of the bambies have 2x pci-e 2.0 8x slots, 1x pci-e 1.0 8x slot, and at least 1x pci-e 4x slot (and a couple of old style pci/pci-x slots). One bambie from ASA had the cards in one of the 2.0 8x slots and the 1.0 8x slot. For the second one I worked on they were in one of the 2.0 8x slot and the _4x_ slot. The reason for using the 1.0 8x slot is obvious when you look inside - the two 2.0 8x slots are immediately adjacent and using the 1.0 8x slot allows for plenty of air flow over the cards. It also provides a convenient place to put the BBU for the raid card, which on this model is on a small daughter card. I can't come up with any reason to have used the 4x slot. The fix is easy[1], but obviously moving the cards around requires a downtime. I did this at the same time as upgrading the firmware to try and fix some bad drive timeout issues. [1] Not quite as easy if like me you mounted them lowest in the rack, due to their weight. -- Hunter Matthews Unix Administrator Office: Bldg 221 Room B240 Argonne National Labs, MCS Key: F0F88438 / FFB5 34C0 B350 99A4 BB02 9779 A5DB 8B09 F0F8 8438 Never take candy from strangers. Especially on the internet.