Dell 6100 User manual

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Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
1996–1997 Dell Computer Corporation. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Computer Corporation is strictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, and PowerEdge are registered trademarks and DellWare is a registered service mark of Dell
Computer Corporation; Intel, Pentium,and LANDesk are registered trademarks and Intel386, Intel486, IntelDX2, and IntelDX4 are trademarks
of Intel Corporation; Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows, and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation; Novell and NetWare
are registered trademarks of Novell, Inc.; IBM and OS/2 are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation; ASPI is a
registered trademark of Adaptec, Inc.; Adobe is a trademark of Adobe Systems Incorporated; UNIX is a registered trademark of UNIX System
Laboratories, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Novell, Inc.; VESA is a registered trademark and VL-Bus is a trademark of Video Electronics
Standards Association.
Other trademarks and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products.
Dell Computer Corporation disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and trade names other than its own.
January 1997 P/N 53859

v
Safety Instructions
U
se the following safety guidelines to help protect
your computer system from potential damage and to
ensure your own personal safety.
W
hen Using Your Computer
System
As you use your computer system, observe the following
safety guidelines:
•If your computer has a voltage selection switch on
the power supply, be sure the switch is set to match
the alternating current (AC) power available at your
location:
— 115 volts (V)/60 hertz (Hz)in most of North and
South America and some Far Eastern countries
such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan
— 230 V/50 Hz in most of Europe, the Middle
East, and the Far East
•Be sure your monitor and attached peripherals are
electrically rated to operate with the AC power avail-
able in your location.
•To help prevent electric shock, plug the computer
and peripheral power cables into properly grounded
power sources. These cables are equipped with
3-prong plugs to ensure proper grounding. Do not
use adapter plugs or remove the grounding prong
from a cable. If you must use an extension cable, use
a 3-wire cable with properly grounded plugs.
•To help protect your computer system from sudden,
transient increases and decreases in electrical power,
use a surge suppressor, line conditioner, or uninter-
ruptible power supply.
•Be sure nothing rests on your computer system’s
cables and that the cables are not located where they
can be stepped on or tripped over.
•Do not spill food or liquids on your computer.
•Do not push any objects into the openings of your
computer. Doing so can cause fire or electric shock
by shorting out interior components.
•Keep your computer away from radiators and heat
sources. Also, do not block cooling vents. Avoid
placing loose papers underneath your computer; do
not place your computer in a closed-in wall unit or
on a rug.
E
rgonomic Computing Habits
For comfort and efficiency, observe the following ergo-
nomic guidelines when setting up and using your
computer system:
•Position your system so that the monitor and key-
board are directly in front of you as you work.
Special shelves are available (from Dell and other
sources) to help you correctly position your
keyboard.
WARNING: The power supplies in this computer
system produce high voltages and energy hazards,
which can cause bodily harm. Only trained service
technicians are authorized to remove the computer
covers and access any of the components inside the
computer.
WARNING: Improper or prolonged keyboard use
may result in injury.

vi
•Set the monitor at a comfortable viewing distance
(usually 510 to 610 millimeters [20 to 24 inches]
from your eyes).
•Make sure the monitor screen is at eye level or
slightly lower when you are sitting in front of the
monitor.
•Adjust the tilt of the monitor, its contrast and bright-
ness settings, and the lighting around you (such as
overhead lights, desk lamps, and the curtains or
blinds on nearby windows) to minimize reflections
and glare on the monitor screen.
•Use a chair that provides good lower back support.
•Keep your forearms horizontal with your wrists in a
neutral, comfortable position while using the key-
board or mouse.
•Always leave space to rest your hands while using
the keyboard or mouse.
•Let your upper arms hang naturally at your sides.
•Sit erect, with your feet resting on the floor and your
thighs level.
•When sitting, make sure the weight ofyour legs is on
your feet and not on the front of your chair seat.
Adjust your chair’s height or use a footrest, if neces-
sary, to maintain proper posture.
•Vary your work activities. Try to organize your work
so that you do not have to type for extended periods
of time without stopping. When you stop typing, try
to do things that use both hands.
arms at desk level
feet flat on the floor
monitor screen at or below eye level
monitor and keyboard
positioned directly
in front of user
wrists relaxed and flat

vii
W
hen Working With Your
Computer
Take note of these safety guidelines when appropriate:
•Do not attempt to service the computer system your-
self, except as explained in this guide and elsewhere
in Dell documentation. Always follow installation
and servicing instructions closely.
•To help avoid possible damage to the system board,
wait five seconds after turning off the system before
disconnecting a peripheral device from the
computer.
•When you disconnect a cable, pull on its connector
or on its strain-relief loop, not on the cable itself.
Some cables have a connector with locking tabs; if
you are disconnecting this type of cable, press in on
the locking tabs before disconnecting the cable. As
you pull connectors apart, keep them evenly aligned
to avoid bending any connector pins. Also, before
you connect a cable, make sure both connectors are
correctly oriented and aligned.

viii

ix
Preface
A
bout This Guide
This guide is intended for anyone who uses a Dell Power-
Edge 6100/200 computer system. The guide can be used
by both first-time and experienced computer users who
want to learn about the features and operation of the sys-
tems or who want to upgrade their computers. The
chapters and appendices are summarized as follows:
•Everyone should read Chapter 1, “Introduction,” for
an overview of the system features, a description of
the controls and indicators on the front panel, a gen-
eral discussion of connecting external devices to the
back panel of the computer, and an overview of sys-
tem security.
•Users who want to run the system utilities, use the
online documentation, or createvarious software and
operating system-related diskettes should read Chap-
ter 2, “Using the Dell Server Assistant CD.”
•Everyone should read the first few sections of Chap-
ter 3, “Installing and Configuring SCSI Drivers,” to
find out which small computer system interface
(SCSI) device drivers (if any) are required for a par-
ticular system configuration. Users who need to
install and configure particular SCSI device drivers
should then read the appropriate section for their
operating system.
•Everyone should read the first several sections of
Chapter 4, “Using the System Setup Program,” to
familiarize themselves with this important program.
Only users who want to make configuration changes
to their system or who want to use the password fea-
tures need to read the rest of Chapter 4.
•Everyone should read Chapter 5, “Using the System
Configuration Utility.” If you change settings for one
of the built-in devices, add or remove an Extended
Industry-Standard Architecture (EISA) or
Industry-Standard Architecture (ISA) expansion
card, or install additional memory, you must run this
utility.
•Chapter 6, “Installing SCSI Hard-Disk Drives,”
describes how to install SCSI hard-disk drives in the
computer’s six internal drive bays.
•Appendix A, “Technical Specifications,” and
Appendix B, “I/O Ports and Connectors,” are
intended primarily as reference material for users
interested in learning more about the details of the
system.
•Appendix C, “Maintaining the System,” describes
preventive maintenance procedures that you should
perform regularly to keep your computer system in
top operating condition.
•Appendix D, “Regulatory Notices,” is for users who
areinterested in whichregulatoryagencies have tested
and approved the Dell PowerEdge 6100/200 system.
•Appendix E, “Warranties and Return Policy,” des-
cribes the warranties for the Dell PowerEdge 6100/
200 system and the “Total Satisfaction” Return Policy.
•The Glossary provides definitions of terms, acro-
nyms, and abbreviations used in this guide.
W
arranty and Return Policy
Information
Dell Computer Corporation (“Dell”) manufactures its
hardware products from parts and components that are
new or equivalent to new in accordance with industry-
standard practices. For information about the Dell
warranty for your system, see Appendix E, “Warranties
and Return Policy.”

x
O
ther Documents You May Need
In addition to this User’s Guide, the following documenta-
tion is included with your system:
•TheInstallationand Troubleshooting Guideincludes
troubleshooting procedures and instructions for
using the CD-based diagnostics to test your com-
puter system. System upgrade instructions are
provided for trained service technicians.
•TheUsing the Dell Server Assistant CD document
provides instructions for using the Dell Server Assis-
tant CD.
•The Intel LANDesk Server Manager software,
which includes a CD containing the server manager
software and the following documents: LANDesk
Server Manager Setup Guide, LANDesk Server
Manager User’s Guide, LANDesk Server Control
Installation and User’s Guide, and LANDesk Server
Monitor Module Installation and User’s Guide.
•TheDell Hardware Instrumentation Package for
Intel LANDesk Server Manager User’s Guide
describes this server management application soft-
ware’s extensive capabilities.
You may also have one or more of the following
documents.
NOTE: Documentation updates are sometimes included
with your system to describe changes to your system or
software. Always read these updates beforeconsulting any
other documentation because the updatesoften contain the
latest information.
•TheDell PowerEdge 4100 and 6100 Systems Rack
Installation Guide provides detailed instructions for
service technicians.
•The following documents are included with the Dell
PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller: Dell
PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller User’s
Guide,Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID
Controller Client User’s Guide,Dell PowerEdge
Expandable RAID Controller General Alert Server
User’s Guide, and Dell PowerEdge Expandable
RAID Controller Battery Backup Module User’s
Guide.
•Operating system documentation is included if you
ordered your operating system software from Dell.
This documentation describes how to install (if nec-
essary), configure, and use your operating system
software.
•Documentation is included with any options you
purchase separately from your system. This
documentation includes information that you need to
configure and install these options in your Dell
computer. Installation instructions for the options are
also included in this guide or in the Installation and
Troubleshooting Guide.
•Technical information files—sometimes called
“readme” files—may be installed on your hard-disk
drive to provide last-minute updates about technical
changes to your system or advanced technical refer-
ence material intended for experienced users or
technicians.
N
otational Conventions
The following subsections list notational conventions
used in this document.
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes
Throughout this guide, there may be blocks of text
printed in bold type within boxes or in italic type. These
blocks are warnings, cautions, and notes, and they are
used as follows:
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that
helps you make better use of your computer system.
WARNING: A WARNING indicates the potential
for bodily harm and tells you how to avoid the
problem.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either poten-
tial damage to hardware or loss of data and tells
you how to avoid the problem.

xi
Typographical Conventions
The following list defines (where appropriate) and illus-
trates typographical conventions used as visual cues for
specific elements of text throughout this document:
•Keycaps, the labeling that appears on the keys on a
keyboard, are enclosed in angle brackets.
Example: <Enter>
•Key combinations are series of keys to be pressed
simultaneously (unless otherwise indicated) to per-
form a single function.
Example: <Ctrl><Alt><Enter>
•Commands presented in lowercase bold are for refer-
ence purposes only and are not intended to be typed
when referenced.
Example: “Use the format command to . . . .”
In contrast, commands presented in the Courier New
font are part of an instruction and intended to be
typed.
Example: “Type format a: to format the diskette
in drive A.”
•Filenames and directory names are presented in low-
ercase bold.
Examples: autoexec.bat and c:\windows
•Syntax lines consist of a command and all its
possible parameters. Commands are displayed in
lowercase bold; variable parameters (those for which
you substitute a value) are displayed in lowercase
italics; constant parameters are displayed in lower-
case bold. The brackets indicate items that are
optional.
Example: del [drive:] [path] filename [/p]
•Command lines consist of a command and may
include one or more of the command’s possible
parameters. Command lines are presented in the
Courier New font.
Example: del c:\myfile.doc
•Screen text is text that appears on the screen of your
monitor or display. It can be a system message, for
example, or it can be text that you are instructed to
type as part of a command (referred to as a command
line). Screen text is presented in the Courier New
font.
Example: The following message appears on your
screen:
No boot device available
Example: “Type md c:\dos and press <Enter>.”
•Variables are placeholders for which you substitute a
value. They are presented in italics.
Example: SIMMn(where n represents the SIMM socket
designation)

xii

xiii
Contents
Chapter 1
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
System Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
Supported Operating Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-3
Connecting External Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Preventing Unauthorized Access Inside the Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Physically Securing the Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Chapter 2
Using the Dell Server Assistant CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Booting the CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
CD Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Choose Language. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Run System Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Run System Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Configure RAID Subsystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Use Online Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
View the System User’s Guide. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
View the Installation and Troubleshooting Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Create Diskettes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Create Blank Formatted Diskette . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Create Utility Diskettes. . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Create Operating System Support Diskettes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3

xiv
Chapter 3
Installing and Configuring SCSI Drivers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
The SCSISelect Utility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
SCSISelect Default Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
Configuration Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Boot Device Options Submenu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
SCSI Device Configuration Submenu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-3
Advanced Configuration Options Submenu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-4
Starting the SCSISelect Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Using SCSISelect Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Using the SCSI Disk Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-5
Exiting SCSISelect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Installation for Microsoft Windows NT Server . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Installation for Windows NT Server 4.0 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Installation for Windows NT Server 3.51 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Installing Windows NT 3.51 and the Driver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Performing a Windows NT 3.51 Installation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-6
Using Windows NT 3.51 to Install or Update the Driver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Installing or Updating the Driver With Windows NT 3.51 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-7
Removing a Host Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-8
Swapping a Host Adapter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Troubleshooting for Windows NT Server. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-9
Installation for Novell NetWare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Installation Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Installing EZ-SCSI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Calculating the Slot Number. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-11
Installing NetWare and the Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Performing a NetWare 4.xInstallation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-12
Using NetWare to Install or Update the Driver. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Using the load Command Line Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Bit Mask Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Sample load Command . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Using startup.ncf and autoexec.ncf. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15

xv
Using SCSI Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Booting From a SCSI Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
Formatting Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
Using Removable Media. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-16
Using NetWare-Tested and -Approved Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Using the NetWare Tape Backup Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Setting Up a CD-ROM Drive With NetWare 4.x. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Optimizing Performance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Troubleshooting for NetWare . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-18
Non–Host-Adapter Specific . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Host-Adapter Specific. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-19
Chapter 4
Using the System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
When to Use the System Setup Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
System Setup Screens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Entering the System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
System Setup Program Menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Main Menu Categories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
System Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
System Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Floppy Options Submenu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
IDE Submenus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Language. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Boot Options Submenu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-4
Video Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Mouse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Base Memory and Extended Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Advanced Menu Categories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Processor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Cache Size. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Chip Set Stepping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Peripheral Configuration Submenu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Advanced Chipset Configuration Submenu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-8
Plug and Play Configuration Submenu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10

xvi
Security Menu Categories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-10
Set User Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Set Administrative Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Unattended Start. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Security Hot Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Keyboard Inactivity Timer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Video Blanking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Floppy Writes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Reset and Power Switch Locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Exit Menu Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Exit Saving Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Exit Discarding Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Load Setup Defaults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Discard Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Using the Password Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Using the Administrative Password Feature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
Assigning an Administrative Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Operating With an Administrative Password Enabled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Deleting or Changing an Existing Administrative Password. . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Using the User Password Feature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-13
Assigning a User Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Using Your User Password to Secure Your System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Deleting or Changing an Existing User Password. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-14
Disabling a Forgotten Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Responding to Error Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-15
Chapter 5
Using the System Configuration Utility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Configuring EISA, ISA, and PCI Expansion Cards. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
System Board Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
How to Run the System Configuration Utility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
When to Run the System Configuration Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Making Selections in the System Configuration Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
Using Online Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Starting the System Configuration Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3

xvii
Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Step 1: About System Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Step 2: Add and Remove Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Using the Add or Remove Boards Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Step 3: Change Configuration Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-7
System Board Configuration Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Advanced Options Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Step 4: Save Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Step 5: View Switch/Jumper Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-11
Step 6: Exit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Resolving Resource Conflicts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Disabling a Forgotten Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-12
Chapter 6
Installing SCSI Hard-Disk Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Installing SCSI Hard-Disk Drives in the Internal Drive Bays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Removing and Installing a SCSI Hard-Disk Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Removing a SCSI Hard-Disk Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Installing a SCSI Hard-Disk Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Removing and Installing a SCSI Hard-Disk Drive With the System Running. . . . . . 6-3
SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Indicator Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Removing a SCSI Hard-Disk Drive With the System Running . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Installing a SCSI Hard-Disk Drive With the System Running . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Partitioning and Formatting SCSI Hard-Disk Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Appendix A
Technical Specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Appendix B
I/O Ports and Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
Serial and Parallel Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-1
Adding an Expansion Card Containing Serial or Parallel Ports . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-1
Serial Port Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-2
Parallel Port Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-3
Keyboard and Mouse Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-3
Keyboard Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-4
Mouse Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-4
Video Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-5

xviii
Appendix C
Maintaining the System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
Data Preservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
Scheduling Backups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
Backup Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
Cleaning System Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-1
Recommended Tools and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2
Cleaning the Computer, Monitor, and Keyboard Exteriors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2
Cleaning Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2
Environmental Factors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-2
Temperature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3
Humidity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3
Altitude . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3
Dust and Particles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3
Corrosion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4
ESD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4
Electromagnetic and Radio Frequency Interference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4
Magnetism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5
Shock and Vibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5
Power Source Interruptions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-5
Power Protection Devices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-6
Surge Protectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-6
Line Conditioners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-6
Uninterruptible Power Supply. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-6
Appendix D
Regulatory Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1
FCC Notices (U.S. Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1
Class A . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-1
Class B. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-2
IC Notice (Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-2
EN 55022 Compliance (Czech Republic Only) .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-3
CE Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-3
VCCI Notices (Japan Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-3
Class 1 Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-4
Class 2 Notice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . D-4

xix
Korean Regulatory Notice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-4
Class A Device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-4
Class B Device. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-4
Polish Center for Testing and Certification Notice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-4
Wymagania Polskiego Centrum BadaËi Certyfikacji . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-5
Pozostae instrukcje bezpieczeËstwa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D-5
Appendix E
Warranties and Return Policy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E-1
Limited Three-Year Warranty (U.S. Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-1
Coverage During Year One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-1
Coverage During Years Two and Three . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-1
General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-2
Limited Three-Year Warranty (Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-2
Coverage During Year One . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-3
Coverage During Years Two and Three . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-3
General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-3
“Total Satisfaction” Return Policy (U.S. and Canada Only) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E-4
Glossary
Index
Figures
Figure 1-1. Front Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Figure 1-2. Keylock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-4
Figure 1-3. Security Cable Slot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5
Figure 3-1. Bit Position . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Figure 4-1. Main Menu of the System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Figure 4-2. Boot Options Submenu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
Figure 4-3. Advanced Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-6
Figure 4-4. Peripheral Configuration Submenu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-7
Figure 4-5. Advanced Chipset Configuration Submenu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
Figure 4-6. Security Options Submenu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-11
Figure 5-1. Main Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Figure 5-2. Add and Remove Boards Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Figure 5-3. Change Configuration Settings Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-8
Figure 6-1. Internal Drive Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2

xx
Figure 6-2. Installing a SCSI Hard-Disk Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Figure B-1. I/O Ports and Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-1
Figure B-2. Pin Numbers for the Serial Port Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-2
Figure B-3. Pin Numbers for the Parallel Port Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3
Figure B-4. Pin Numbers for the Keyboard Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4
Figure B-5. Pin Numbers for the Mouse Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4
Figure B-6. Pin Numbers for the Video Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5
Tables
Table 3-1. Default SCSI Controller Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Table 3-2. load Command Line Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-13
Table 3-3. Files Necessary to Set Up Booting From a SCSI Device . . . . . . . . 3-16
Table 3-4. Drive Status Items . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Table 3-5. Read After Write Verify Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-17
Table 4-1. System Setup Keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Table 6-1. SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Indicator Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Table A-1. Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Table B-1. Pin Assignments for the Serial Port Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3
Table B-2. Pin Assignments for the Parallel Port Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-3
Table B-3. Pin Assignments for the Keyboard Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-4
Table B-4. Pin Assignments for the Mouse Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5
Table B-5. Pin Assignments for the Video Connector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-5

Introduction 1-1
Chapter 1
Introduction
D
ell®PowerEdge®6100/200 systems are high-
speed, scalable, upgradable servers designed around
the Intel®Pentium®Pro family of microprocessors.
The PowerEdge 6100 systems provide both Extended
Industry-Standard Architecture (EISA) and high-
performance Peripheral Component Interconnect
(PCI) expansion slots to allow for future expansion of
your system.
This chapter describes the major hardware and software
features of your computer, provides information about
the indicators and controls on the computer’s front panel,
discusses connecting external devices to the computer,
and provides information on system security.
S
ystem Features
Your computer offers the following major features:
•Up to four Pentium Pro microprocessors with an
internal operating frequency of 200 megahertz
(MHz) and an external bus speed of 66 MHz.
NOTE: The microprocessors are installed on one or
two microprocessor modules in the microprocessor
slots on the system board. Each module can hold two
microprocessors, allowing you to upgrade to a faster,
more powerful system as your processing needs increase.
If you have only one microprocessormodule installed,
you must also install a bus termination module or a
second empty microprocessor module. Upgrade kits
from Dell contain the correct microprocessor version
for your PowerEdge system.
The Pentium Pro microprocessor features Dynamic
Execution, which combines three processing tech-
niques:
— Multiple branch prediction: The processor antic-
ipates jumps in the instruction flow and where
the next instruction can be found in memory.
— Data flow analysis: The processor determines
which instructions are ready for processing and
which are waiting for results from other instruc-
tions. The processor then schedules instruction
execution to minimize idle time.
— Speculative execution: The processor executes
instructions according to the optimized schedule
for maximum processor performance and
efficiency.
•Cache memory (internal to the Pentium Pro module)
that provides 512 kilobytes (KB) of static random-
access memory (SRAM). Cache memory enhances
the speed of many microprocessor operations by
storing the most recently accessed contents of sys-
tem memory.
•Support for symmetric multiprocessing by installing
up to four microprocessors total. Symmetric multipro-
cessing greatly improves overall system performance
by dividing microprocessor operations between the
independent microprocessors. To take advantage of
this feature, you must use an operating system that
supports multiprocessing, such as Microsoft®Win-
dows NT® 3.51or 4.0 or Novell®NetWare®4.1 SMP
(and later versions).
NOTE: If you decide to upgrade your system by
installing additional microprocessors (up to four
microprocessors total), you must order a micro-
processor upgrade kit from Dell to ensure

1-2 Dell PowerEdge 6100/200 System User’s Guide
compatibility. The upgrade kit from Dell containsthe
correct version of the microprocessor, as well as
instructions for performing the upgrade. (A trained
service technician must perform the upgrade).
•A minimum of 64 megabytes (MB) of system mem-
ory, upgradable to a maximum of 2048 MB
(2 gigabytes [GB]) by installing combinations of
16-, 32-, 64-, and 128-MB single in-line memory
modules (SIMMs) in the 16 SIMM sockets on the
memory module. The SIMMs must be installed in
groups of four SIMMs of identical size. Fast-page
mode SIMMs are supported.
The buffered 32-bit, 72-pin SIMMs installed in
PowerEdge 6100 systems support error correction
code (ECC) to check for double-bit memory errors
and correct single-bit memory errors. ECC is per-
formed by the memory controller in the system chip
set.
•A power-supply paralleling board.
•An optional redundant, hot-pluggable power supply.
•Three redundant system cooling fans.
•A basic input/output system (BIOS) that resides in
flash memory and can be upgraded by diskette if
required.
The system board includes the following built-in
features:
•Six PCI and four EISA expansion-card connectors,
located on the system board. (A separate expansion-
card slot is available for each EISA and PCI
expansion-card connector; there are no shared
expansion slots.) The first three PCI expansion con-
nectors (P1, P2, and P3) support PCI video cards.
•An integrated super video graphics array
(SVGA)-compatible video subsystem with a Cirrus
CL-GD5424 device. The standard video subsystem
includes 1 MB of fast-page dynamic random-access
memory (DRAM). Maximum resolutions (noninter-
laced) are 800 x 600 pixels (16.7 million colors),
1024 x 768 pixels (65,536 colors), and 1280 x 1024
pixels (256 colors).
•An integrated Intel S82091AA super input/output
(I/O) controller that controls the bidirectional paral-
lel port, two serial ports, and two diskette drives in
the externally accessible front bay. The super I/O
controller resides on the EISA bus.
The parallel port can be set to operate in the follow-
ing modes via the Parallel Port Modecategory in the
system setup program: ISA Compatible, PS/2 Com-
patible, EPP Compatible, or ECP Compatible.
•Dual embedded Adaptec AIC-7880 Ultra/Wide
small computer system interface (SCSI) host adapt-
ers. One (labeled “SCSI A”) supports up to six
internal SCSI hard-disk drives via a standard SCSI
backplane board and special SCSI hard-disk drive
carriers. The SCSI backplane automatically config-
ures SCSI identification (ID) numbers and SCSI
termination on individual hard-disk drives, greatly
simplifying drive installation.
The other controller (labeled “SCSI B”) supports up
to four externally accessible SCSI devices in the
external drive bays or can be cabled to external SCSI
devices. An 8x SCSI CD-ROM drive is standard on
PowerEdge 6100 systems.
An optional PowerEdge Expandable RAID Control-
ler SCSI host adapter allows you to install and
remove SCSI hard-disk drives while the system is
running. For more information, see Chapter 6,
“Installing SCSI Hard-Disk Drives.”
•Integrated server management circuitry that moni-
tors operation of critical subsystems. The integrated
server management circuitry works in conjunction
with the Intel LANDesk®Server Manager software
and the Dell Hardware Instrumentation Package
(HIP) server management application program. (See
the Preface earlier in this guide for a list of docu-
ments that describe installation and use of the
LANDesk Server Manager software and Dell HIP
software.)
•Built-in support for a diskette drive. A 1.44-MB dis-
kette drive is included with your system.
•A PS/2-style keyboard port and a Personal System/2
(PS/2)-compatible mouse port.
The following software is included with your Dell com-
puter system:
•SCSI device drivers that allow your operating sys-
tem to communicate with devices attached to the
built-in SCSI subsystem. For more information on