Dell PowerEdge 2450 Guide

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





______ ___ ___ ___ ____
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 1999 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, PowerEdge, Dimension, Inspiron, OptiPlex, Latitude, Dell OpenManage, and DellWare
are trademarks of Dell Computer Corporation; Microsoft, MS-DOS, Windows, and Windows NT are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation; MMX is a trademark of Intel Corporation; OS/2 is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation;
VESA is a registered 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
November 1999 P/N 6741U Rev. A00

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
  
   
Backing Up Files . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Basic Checks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-1
Checking Connections and Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
Look and Listen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
The System Setup Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
The Resource Configuration Utility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-6
 
System Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
System Beep Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Warning Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Diagnostics Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
Alert Log Messages From the Dell OpenManage HIP Application Program. . . . . 3-14
SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Indicator Codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-14
   
Installing and Configuring Software. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-1
Using Software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Error Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Input Errors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Program Conflicts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2
Avoiding Interrupt Assignment Conflicts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2

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 !!  
Features of the Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
When to Use the Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-1
Starting the Dell Diagnostics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-2
How to Use the Dell Diagnostics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
How to Use the Device Groups Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Device Groups Menu Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-3
Run Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Select. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Config. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Error Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
" #$%  "
Troubleshooting the Monitor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-1
Troubleshooting the Keyboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-2
Troubleshooting the Basic I/O Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-3
Troubleshooting a Parallel Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-4
Troubleshooting a Serial I/O Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-5
Troubleshooting a USB Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-6
Troubleshooting the Integrated NIC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
& %  &
Safety First—For You and Your Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-1
Opening the Computer Doors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-2
Removing the Optional Front Bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Removing and Replacing the Expansion-Card Cage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
Removing the Expansion-Card Cage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
Replacing the Expansion-Card Cage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Inside the Chassis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Troubleshooting a Wet Computer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Troubleshooting a Damaged Computer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-7
Troubleshooting the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8
Troubleshooting Redundant Power Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-9
Removing and Replacing a Power Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-10
Troubleshooting a Cooling Fan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-11
Troubleshooting Expansion Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-12
Troubleshooting System Memory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-14
Troubleshooting the Video Subsystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-16
Troubleshooting the System Board. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-17
Troubleshooting the Diskette Drive Subsystem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-18
Troubleshooting a SCSI Tape Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-20

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Troubleshooting SCSI Hard-Disk Drives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-22
Troubleshooting a RAID Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-24
Troubleshooting an Integrated RAID Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-25
Troubleshooting a PERC 2 Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-26
' (%)  '
Expansion Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2
Installing an Expansion Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Removing an Expansion Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Adding Memory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-5
Memory Upgrade Kits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
DIMM Installation Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Performing a Memory Upgrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Installing DIMMs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8
Removing DIMMs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
Upgrading the Microprocessor or Installing a Secondary Microprocessor . . . . . . . 8-9
Removing a Terminator Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
Installing a Terminator Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
Removing the SEC Cartridge and Heat Sink Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
Replacing the SEC Cartridge and Heat Sink Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11
Activating the Integrated RAID Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12
Replacing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-14
* !+,( *
Before You Begin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Interface Cables. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
SCSI Configuration Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
SCSI ID Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-2
Device Termination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Installing a Device That Uses the System’s Integrated SCSI Controller . . . . . . . . . 9-3
Installing a Tape Drive That Uses a Controller Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-5
Connecting an External Tape Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-7
- .!!+  -
Preparing SCSI Hard-Disk Drives for Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Partitioning and Formatting SCSI Hard-Disk Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
General Information on Cabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-2
Installing SCSI Hard-Disk Drives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Installing a Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller Host Adapter Card. . . . 10-4
Installing a SCSI Backplane Daughter Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Configuring the Boot Device . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-7

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 /.  
Technical Assistance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-1
Help Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-2
World Wide Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-2
AutoTech Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3
TechFax Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3
TechConnect BBS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-3
Automated Order-Status System. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-4
Technical Support Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-4
Problems With Your Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-4
Product Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-4
Returning Items for Warranty Repair or Credit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-4
Before You Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-5
Dell Contact Numbers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-7
010 2%33 0
Jumpers and Switches—A General Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Jumpers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-1
Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
System Board Jumpers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-2
System Board Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4
SCSI Backplane Board Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5
Interposer Board Connectors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6
Disabling a Forgotten Password . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6
044+0(%
1
 Figure 2-1. Back-Panel Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Figure 2-2. Front-Panel Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-3
Figure 3-1. Hard-Disk Drive Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3-15
Figure 7-1. Opening the Computer Doors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-3
Figure 7-2. Removing the Computer Bezel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-4
Figure 7-3. Removing the Expansion-Card Cage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-5
Figure 7-4. Inside the System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-6
Figure 7-5. Power Supply Features and Removal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7-10
Figure 7-6. Removing the Cooling Fan Assembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-11
Figure 8-1. System Board Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-2
Figure 8-2. Riser-Board Expansion-Card Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-3
Figure 8-3. Installing an Expansion Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-4

xxi
Figure 8-4. DIMM Sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-6
Figure 8-5. Installing a DIMM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-8
Figure 8-6. Removing a DIMM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9
Figure 8-7. Removing a Terminator Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-10
Figure 8-8. Removing an SEC Cartridge and Heat Sink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-11
Figure 8-9. Installing an SEC Cartridge and Heat Sink Assembly. . . . . . . . . . . . 8-12
Figure 8-10. Installing the RAID Controller DIMM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-13
Figure 8-11. Installing the RAID Hardware Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-14
Figure 8-12. Installing the Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-16
Figure 9-1. Peripheral Bay Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-1
Figure 9-2. Connectors on the Interposer Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Figure 9-3. Installing a Drive in the Peripheral Cage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9-4
Figure 10-1. Hard-Disk Drive Hardware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-1
Figure 10-2. Removing a Hard-Disk Drive Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-3
Figure 10-3. SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Carrier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-4
Figure 10-4. Installing a SCSI Backplane Board Daughter Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-6
Figure 11-1. Diagnostics Checklist. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-6
Figure A-1. System Board Jumpers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3
Figure A-2. Connectors on the SCSI Backplane Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-5
Figure A-3. Connectors on the Interposer Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-6
54 Table 2-1. Boot Routine Indications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-5
Table 3-1. System Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-2
Table 3-2. System Beep Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-10
Table 3-3. SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Indicator Patterns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-15
Table 4-1. IRQ Line Assignment Defaults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-3
Table 5-1. Devices Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-4
Table 5-2. Parameters Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-5
Table 8-1. Sample DIMM Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-7
Table 11-1. International Dialing Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-8
Table 11-2. Dell Contact Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11-9
Table A-1. System-Board Jumper Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-3
Table A-2. System Board Connectors and Sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A-4

xxii

support.dell.com Introduction 1-1


Dell™ PowerEdge™ 2450 computer systems are compact, high-speed servers that
offer significant service and upgrade features. These systems include the following
service features to make troubleshooting and repair easy and effective:
Dell Diagnostics, which checks for hardware problems (if the system can boot)
Embedded server management hardware, which monitors temperatures and
voltages throughout the system and notifies you if the system overheats, if a sys-
tem cooling fan malfunctions, or a power supply fails
The Dell PowerEdge 2450 system chassis simplifies removing and replacing com-
puter components. You can perform processor and memory upgrades without
removing the system board. The Dell-designed small computer system interface
(SCSI) backplane board and hard-disk drive carriers eliminate the extensive cabling
and drive configuration usually required for a SCSI subsystem.
The following upgrade options are offered for PowerEdge 2450 systems:
Additional microprocessors
Additional memory
An optional redundant power supply
An integrated redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID) controller that sup-
ports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 10
A SCSI backplane daughter card for split SCSI backplane support
A SCSI backplane extender board to support a fifth SCSI hard-disk drive in the
peripheral bay
A variety of expansion-card options
A Dell OpenManage™ Remote Assistant Card 2 (DRAC 2) for advanced server
management

1-2 Dell PowerEdge 2450 Systems Installation and Troubleshooting Guide

support.dell.com Checking the Basics 2-1


If your Dell PowerEdge 2450 system is not working as expected, begin troubleshoot-
ing using the procedures in this chapter. This chapter guides you through some initial
checks and procedures that can solve basic computer problems. It can also direct you
to the appropriate chapter for detailed troubleshooting information and procedures to
solve more complex problems.
NOTE: When you see the question "Is the problem resolved?" in a troubleshooting
procedure, perform the operation that caused the problem.

If the system is behaving erratically, back up the files on the hard-disk drives immedi-
ately. See the documentation that came with the operating system for instructions on
how to back up the files.

The following procedure leads you through the checks necessary to solve some basic
computer problems:
1. Was an alert message issued by the Dell OpenManage Hardware Instrumenta-
tion Package (HIP) server management application program?
Ye s .Go to “Alert Log Messages From the Dell OpenManage HIP Application Pro-
gram” in Chapter 3, “Messages and Codes.”
No.Go to step 2.
2. Is the computer wet or damaged?
Ye s . Go to Chapter 7, “Checking Inside the Computer.”
No.Go to step 3.

2-2 Dell PowerEdge 2450 Systems Installation and Troubleshooting Guide
3. Perform the steps in the next section, “Checking Connections and Switches.”
Is the problem resolved?
Ye s .The power to the computer system was faulty, or the connections to the
computer system were loose. You have fixed the problem.
No.Go to step 4.
4. Follow the procedures described in "Look and Listen," found later in this chapter.
Did the system complete the boot routine?
Ye s .Go to step 5.
No.A serious malfunction may have occurred. Go to Chapter 11, “Getting Help.”
5. Did you receive a system message or beep code?
Ye s . Go to “System Messages”in Chapter 3, “Messages and Codes.”
No.Go to step 6.
6. Verify the settings in the System Setup program. (See Chapter 4, “Using the Sys-
tem Setup Program,”in your User’s Guide.
Is the problem resolved?
Ye s .The system configuration information was incorrect. You have fixed the
problem.
No.Go to step 7.
7. Run the Dell Diagnostics. (See Chapter 5, “Running the Dell Diagnostics.”)

Improperly set switches and controls and loose or improperly connected cables are
the most likely source of problems for the computer, monitor, or other peripherals
(such as a printer, keyboard, mouse, or other external equipment). A quick check of
all the switches, controls, and cable connections can easily solve these problems.
Figure 2-1 shows the back-panel connections on the computer. Figure 2-2 shows the
front-panel controls and indicators on the computer.

support.dell.com Checking the Basics 2-3


To check all the connections and switches, perform the following steps:
1. Turn off the system, including any attached peripherals (such as the monitor, key-
board, printer, external drives, scanners, and plotters). Disconnect all the AC
power cables from their electrical outlets.
2. If the computer is connected to a power strip (or power distribution unit), turn the
power strip off and then on again.
Is the power strip receiving power?
Ye s . Go to step 5.
No.Go to step 3.
optional redundant
power supplies (2)
serial port 2
parallel port connector
AC power receptacle serial port 1
mouse connector
keyboard connector
Universal
Serial Bus (USB)
connectors (2)
network interface
controller (NIC) connector
video connector
expansion slots (3)
system status indicator
power button and
power indicator
hard-disk drive
activity indicator
diskette drive
CD-ROM drive

2-4 Dell PowerEdge 2450 Systems Installation and Troubleshooting Guide
3. Plug the power strip into another electrical outlet.
Is the power strip receiving power?
Ye s .The original electrical outlet probably does not function. Use a different elec-
trical outlet.
No.Go to step 4.
4. Plug a different system into the electrical outlet.
Does the system receive power?
Ye s . The power strip is probably not functioning properly. Use another power
strip.
No.Go to step 5.
5. Reconnect the system to the electrical outlet or power strip.
Make sure that all connections fit tightly together.
6. Turn on the system.
Is the problem resolved?
Ye s .The connections were loose. You have fixed the problem.
No.Go to step 7.
7. Is the monitor operating properly?
Ye s .Go to step 8.
No.Go to “Troubleshooting the Monitor”in Chapter 6, “Checking the
Equipment.”
8. Is the keyboard operating properly?
Ye s .Go to step 9.
No.Go to “Troubleshooting the Keyboard”in Chapter 6, “Checking the
Equipment.”
9. Are the mouse and printer operating properly?
Ye s .Continue with “Look and Listen”found next in this chapter.
No.Go to “Troubleshooting the Basic I/O Functions”in Chapter 6, “Checking the
Equipment.”

Looking at and listening to the system is important in determining the source of a
problem. Look and listen for the indications described in Table 2-1.

support.dell.com Checking the Basics 2-5

 
An error message See Chapter 3, “Messages and Codes.”
Alert messages from the Dell
OpenManage HIP software
The server management software has
detected a problem inside the computer. See
“Alert Log Messages From the Dell Open-
Manage HIP Application Program”in
Chapter 3, “Messages and Codes.”
The monitor's power indicator Most monitors have a power indicator (usu-
ally on the front bezel). If the monitor's
power indicator does not come on, see
“Troubleshooting the Monitor”in Chapter 6,
“Checking the Equipment.”
The keyboard indicators Most keyboards have one or more indicators
(usually in the upper-right corner). Press the
<Num Lock> key, the <Caps Lock> key, or
the <Scroll Lock> key to toggle their respec-
tive keyboard indicators on and off. If the
indicators do not light up, see “Troubleshoot-
ing the Keyboard”in Chapter 6, “Checking
the Equipment.”
The diskette-drive access indicator The diskette-drive access indicator should
quickly flash on and off when you access
data on the diskette drive. If the diskette-
drive access indicator does not light up, see
“Troubleshooting the Diskette Drive Sub-
system”in Chapter 7, “Checking Inside the
Computer.”
The hard-disk drive activity
indicators
The hard-disk drive activity indicators should
quickly flash on and off when you access
data on the hard-disk drives. On a system
running the Microsoft®Windows NT®oper-
ating system, you can test the drive by
opening Windows®Explorer and clicking the
icon for drive C. If the hard-disk drive access
indicator does not come on, see “Trouble-
shooting SCSI Hard-Disk Drives”in
Chapter 7, “Checking Inside the Computer.”
A series of beeps See “System Beep Codes”in Chapter 3,
“Messages and Codes.”
NOTE: For the full name of an abbreviation or acronym used in this table, see "Abbreviations and
Acronyms."

2-6 Dell PowerEdge 2450 Systems Installation and Troubleshooting Guide

You can easily correct certain system problems by verifying the correct settings in the
System Setup program. When you boot the system, the system checks the system
configuration information and compares it with the current hardware configuration. If
the system hardware configuration does not match the information recorded by the
System Setup program, an error message may appear on the screen.
This problem can happen if you changed the system's hardware configuration and for-
got to run the System Setup program. To correct this problem, enter the System
Setup program, correct the corresponding System Setup setting, and reboot the sys-
tem. See Chapter 4, "Using the System Setup Program," in the User's Guide for
detailed instructions on using the System Setup program.

If you are experiencing problems with the system, you may have a conflict between
the information stored by the System Setup program and the Resource Configuration
Utility. Although the Resource Configuration Utility can read changes from the System
Setup program, changes are not recorded into configuration memory until you run the
Resource Configuration Utility and save the new information. See Chapter 5, "Using
the Resource Configuration Utility," in the User's Guide for detailed instructions on
using the Resource Configuration Utility and saving new information.
If after using the Resource Configuration Utility you have not resolved the problem,
see Chapter 5, “Running the Dell Diagnostics.”

support.dell.com Messages and Codes 3-1


Applications, operating systems, and the computer itself are capable of identifying
problems and alerting you to them. When a problem occurs, a message may appear
on the monitor screen or a beep code may sound.
Several different types of messages can indicate when the system is not functioning
properly:
System messages
System beep codes
Warning messages
Diagnostics messages
Alert messages
Small computer system interface (SCSI) hard-disk drive indicator codes
This chapter describes each type of message and lists the possible causes and
actions you can take to resolve any problems indicated by a message. To determine
what type of message you have received, read the following sections.

System messages alert you to a possible operating system problem or to a conflict
between the software and hardware. Table 3-1 lists the system error messages that
can occur and the probable cause for each message.
NOTE: If you receive a system message that is not listed in Table 3-1, check the docu-
mentation for the application that is running when the message appears and/or the
operating system documentation for an explanation of the message and recom-
mended action.

3-2 Dell PowerEdge 2450 Systems Installation and Troubleshooting Guide

  
 Faulty diskette/tape drive sub-
system or hard-disk drive
subsystem (defective system
board)
Replace the system board. See
Chapter 11, “Getting Help,” for
instructions on obtaining technical
assistance.



System supports up to 2 MB of
memory
Remove one or more DIMMs so
that all DIMMS are the same
type.

 
!
Improperly seated or faulty
DIMMs
Remove and reseat the DIMMs.
If the problem persists, replace
the DIMMs. See Chapter 11,
“Getting Help,” for instructions
on obtaining technical assistance.
"
#$%&
Unsupported DIMM(s) installed in
specified slot(s)
Replace one or more DIMMs so
that all DIMMs are the same
type.
"
 
!
Improperly seated or faulty
DIMMs
Remove and reseat the DIMMs.
If the problem persists, replace
the DIMMs. See Chapter 11,
“Getting Help,” for instructions
on obtaining technical assistance.
!

Diskette drive or hard-disk drive
controller cannot send data to
associated drive
Replace the drive. See Chapter 11,
“Getting Help,” for instructions on
obtaining technical assistance.
  Mouse cable connector loose or
improperly connected, defective
mouse
Check the mouse cable connec-
tion. If the problem persists,
replace the mouse.

%'((&
(!
Faulty diskette/tape drive sub-
system or hard-disk drive
subsystem (defective system
board)
Replace the system board. See
Chapter 11, “Getting Help,” for
instructions on obtaining technical
assistance.
NOTE: For the full name of an abbreviation or acronym used in this table, see “Abbreviations and Acronyms."

support.dell.com Messages and Codes 3-3
(#)*  Improperly connected or missing
CD-ROM drive.
Check that the diskette drive/
CD-ROM drive unit is seated
properly against the interposer
board on the peripheral cage. See
Chapter 9, “Installing a Drive in
the Peripheral Bay.”Replace the
drive. See Chapter 11, “Getting
Help,”for instructions on obtain-
ing technical assistance.
(+",!
  !

Two different types of micropro-
cessors are installed
Install a correct version of the
microprocessor so both micro-
processors have the same level 2
cache size.
# Faulty diskette, diskette drive, or
hard-disk drive
Replace the diskette, diskette
drive, or hard-disk drive.
# 

One or more DIMMs improperly
seated or faulty
Remove and reseat the DIMMs.
If the problem persists, replace
the DIMMs. See Chapter 11,
“Getting Help,”for instructions
on obtaining technical assistance.
# -

# .

Faulty or improperly inserted dis-
kette, incorrect configuration
settings in System Setup pro-
gram, loose diskette/tape drive
interface cable, or loose power
cable
Replace the diskette. Run the
System Setup program to correct
the diskette drive type. See
Chapter 4, “Using the System
Setup Program,”in the User's
Guide for instructions. Check that
the diskette drive/CD-ROM drive
unit is seated properly against the
interposer board on the peripheral
cage. See Chapter 9, “Installing a
Drive in the Peripheral Bay.”
# Faulty diskette, faulty or improp-
erly connected diskette/tape
drive, or loose power cable
Check that the diskette drive/
CD-ROM drive unit is seated
properly against the interposer
board on the peripheral cage. See
Chapter 9, “Installing a Drive in
the Peripheral Bay.”
#

Faulty diskette/tape drive control-
ler (defective system board)
Replace the system board. See
Chapter 11, “Getting Help,”for
instructions on obtaining technical
assistance.

  
NOTE: For the full name of an abbreviation or acronym used in this table, see “Abbreviations and Acronyms."

3-4 Dell PowerEdge 2450 Systems Installation and Troubleshooting Guide
#, Diskette write-protect feature
activated
Move the write-protect tab on the
diskette.
#  Diskette missing from or improp-
erly inserted in diskette drive
Reinsert or replace the diskette.
' 

' 

Embedded server management
memory may be temporarily
corrupted
Shut down the system to clear
the memory, and then restart the
system. If the problem persists,
see Chapter 11, “Getting Help,”
for instructions on obtaining tech-
nical assistance.
/- Faulty keyboard controller (defec-
tive system board)
Replace the system board. See
Chapter 11, “Getting Help,”for
instructions on obtaining technical
assistance.
/ Operating system corrupted or
not installed properly
Reinstall the operating system.
0

Incorrect configuration settings in
System Setup program, improp-
erly connected hard-disk drive,
faulty hard-disk drive controller
subsystem (defective system
board), or loose power cable
Check the hard-disk drive configu-
ration settings in the System
Setup program. See Chapter 4,
“Using the System Setup Pro-
gram,”in the User's Guide for
instructions. Reinstall the
hard-disk drive. Check the inter-
face cable and power cable
connections to the backplane
board. See Chapter 10, “Installing
Hard-Disk Drives.”
$ 

'1"+
Incorrect ISA_CLR jumper config-
uration, incorrect configuration
settings in System Setup pro-
gram, or faulty battery
Remove the plug from the
ISA_CLR jumper. See
Appendix A, “Jumpers,
Switches, and Connectors”for
instructions. Check the System
Setup configuration settings.
See Chapter 4, “Using the Sys-
tem Setup Program,”in the
User's Guide for instructions.
Replace the battery. See
Chapter 8, “Installing System
Board Options.”

  
NOTE: For the full name of an abbreviation or acronym used in this table, see “Abbreviations and Acronyms."