Dell PowerEdge 2900 Technical manual

Dell™ PowerEdge™
2900 Systems
Information Update

Notes, Notices, and Cautions
NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use
of your computer.
NOTICE: A NOTICE indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data
and tells you how to avoid the problem.
CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury,
or death.
____________________
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.
© 2006–2009 Dell Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction of these materials in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of Dell Inc.
is strictly forbidden.
Trademarks used in this text: Dell, the DELL logo, and PowerEdge are trademarks of Dell Inc.; Intel
and Xeon are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation; Microsoft, Windows, and Windows Server
are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or
other countries; Red Hat and Red Hat Enterprise Linux are registered trademarks of Red Hat, Inc.;
SUSE is a registered trademark of Novell Inc.
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 Inc. disclaims any proprietary interest in trademarks and
trade names other than its own.
May 2009 P/N YC469 Rev. A06

Contents 3
Contents
PowerEdge 2900 III – New System Features . . . . . . . 5
New Performance Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
New I/O and Storage Features . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
New Security Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Optional Internal USB Memory Key . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Installing the Optional Internal USB
Memory Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Processor Upgrades – PowerEdge 2900 II
and PowerEdge 2900 III Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
System Board Replacement – Safeguarding
Encrypted Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
System Message Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
LCD Status Messages Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
System Setup Program Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Memory Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
CPU Information Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Integrated Devices Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
System Security Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Serial Communication Screen . . . . . . . . . . . 22

4Contents
Operating System Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Enumeration of NICs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
SATA Optical Drive Support on RHEL3
and SLES9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
RHEL – Incorrect Processor Information . . . . . . 23
System Support for Microsoft Windows 2000 . . . 23
Hardware Owner’s Manual Updates . . . . . . . . . . 24
Installing the Processor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
System Diagnostics Custom Test Options . . . . . 24
System Board Replacement Update
(Service-Only Procedure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

InformationUpdate 5
This document provides updated information for your system
on the following topics:
• New system features for PowerEdge™ 2900 III systems
• Internal USB memory key for PowerEdge 2900 III systems
• Processor upgrades for PowerEdge 2900 II and PowerEdge 2900 III
systems
• System board replacement – safeguarding encrypted data
• System message update for
PowerEdge 2900 III system
• LCD status message update for PowerEdge 2900 III systems
• System Setup program update for PowerEdge 2900 III systems
• Operating system information
•
Hardware Owner’s Manual updates
• System board replacement (service-only procedure)
PowerEdge 2900 III – New System Features
New Performance Features
• Two dual-core or quad-core Intel
®
Xeon
®
processors.
New I/O and Storage Features
• Optional Intel quad-port Gigabit Ethernet NIC, capable of supporting
10-Mbps, 100-Mbps, and 1000-Mbps data rates, and iSCSI remote boot.
• Support for 10 Gb Ethernet cards.
• One internal USB 2.0-compliant connector supporting an optional
bootable USB flash drive or USB memory key.
• Support for optional SAS 6i/R and PERC 6/i adapters.
New Security Features
• Trusted Program Module (TPM) support for improved security.
• Optional support for iSCSI boot.

6Information Update
Optional Internal USB Memory Key
The PowerEdge 2900 III system provides an internal USB connector located
on the system board for use with a USB flash memory key (see Figure 1-1).
The USB memory key can be used as a boot device, security key, or mass
storage device. To use the internal USB connector, the Internal USB Port
option must be enabled in the Integrated Devices screen of the System Setup
program. See "Integrated Devices Screen" on page 20.
Figure 1-1. Internal USB Connector Location
1 system board 2 internal USB connector location
1 2

InformationUpdate 7
To boot from the USB memory key, you must configure the USB memory
key with a boot image and then specify the USB memory key in the boot
sequence in the System Setup program. See “
Using the System Setup
Program” in the
Hardware Owner’s Manual . For information on creating
a bootable file on the USB memory key, see the user documentation that
accompanied the USB memory key.
NOTE: USB keys that contain multiple LUNs (Logical Unit Numbers) must
be formatted using the format utility provided by the key manufacturer.
NOTICE: To avoid interference with components inside the system, the USB key
must conform to the following maximum dimensions: 12.7mm thick (0.5”) x 30.48mm
width (1.2”) x 71.12mm length (2.8”).
Installing the Optional Internal USB Memory Key
CAUTION: Only trained service technicians are authorized to remove the system
cover and access any of the components inside the system. See your Product
Information Guide for complete information about safety precautions, working
inside the computer, and protecting against electrostatic discharge.
1 Turn off the system, including any attached peripherals, and disconnect
the system from its electrical outlet.
2 Open the system. See “Opening the System” in the Hardware Owner’s
Manual
.
3 Locate the USB connector on the system board, and insert the USB
memory key into the USB connector. See Figure 1-2.

8Information Update
Figure 1-2. Installing an Internal USB Key
4 Close the system. See “Closing the System” in the Hardware Owner’s
Manual
.
5 Reconnect the system to power and restart the system.
6 Enter the System Setup program and verify that the USB key has been
detected by the system. See “Using the System Setup Program”
in the
Hardware Owner’s Manual .
1 USB memory key 2 internal USB connector
9
8
1
2

InformationUpdate 9
Processor Upgrades – PowerEdge 2900 II
and PowerEdge 2900 III Systems
• If the front of your system chassis is labeled with a “II”, your system is
upgradeable to the 5100 series of dual-core Intel Xeon processors and
the 5300 series of quad-core Intel Xeon processors.
• If the front of your system chassis is labeled with a “III”, your system is
upgradeable to the 5100 and 5200 series of dual-core Intel Xeon processors
and the 5300 and 5400 series of quad-core Intel Xeon processors.
See support.dell.com for information on the latest processor upgrade options
for your system.
System Board Replacement –
Safeguarding Encrypted Data
On PowerEdge 2900 III systems using Windows Server®2008, you can use
encryption programs, such as the BitLocker utility, to secure the contents
of the hard drive.
If you are using the TPM with an encryption program, you are prompted to
create a recovery key during system setup. Be sure to store this recovery key.
If you replace the system board, you must supply the recovery key when you
restart your system before you can access the encrypted files on your hard
drive(s).

10 Information Update
System Message Update
Table 1-1 lists new system messages for the PowerEdge 2900 III system
and the probable cause and corrective action if the message appears.
CAUTION: Only trained service technicians are authorized to remove the system
cover and access any of the components inside the system. See your Product
Information Guide for complete information about safety precautions,
working inside the computer, and protecting against electrostatic discharge
Table 1-1. System Messages
Message Causes Corrective Actions
Alert! Node
Interleaving
disabled! Memory
configuration does
not support Node
Interleaving.
The memory configuration
does not support node
interleaving, or the
configuration has changed
(for example, a failed
DIMM) so that node
interleaving cannot be
supported. The system
runs but with reduced
functionality.
Ensure that the memory
modules are installed in a
configuration that supports
node interleaving. Check
other system messages
for additional information
for possible causes.
For memory configuration
information, see
“General Memory Module
Installation Guidelines”
in the Hardware Owner’s
Manual. If the problem
persists, see
“Troubleshooting System
Memory” in the Hardware
Owner’s Manual.
!!*** Error: Remote
Access Controller
initialization
failure *** RAC
virtual USB devices
may not be
available...
Remote Access Controller
initialization failure
Ensure that the Remote
Access Controller is
properly installed. See
“Installing a RAC Card”
in the Hardware Owner’s
Manual.
Invalid PCIe
card found in the
Internal_Storage
slot!
The system halted because
an invalid PCIe expansion
card is installed in the
dedicated storage controller
slot.
Remove the PCIe expansion
card and install the internal
SAS controller in the
dedicated slot.