Dell PowerEdge 2950 Technical manual

Dell™ PowerEdge™

2950 Systems

Information Update

Notes, Cautions, and Warnings

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use

of your computer.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates potential damage to hardware or loss of data

if instructions are not followed.

WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage,

personal injury, or death.

____________________

Information in this document is subject to change without notice.

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 and 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.

October 2009 P/N DD259 Rev. A07

Contents 3

Contents

Non-Optimal Memory Configurations . . . . . . . . . . . 5

PowerEdge 2950 III – New System Features . . . . . . . 5

New Performance Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

New High-Efficiency Power Supply

and Power Monitoring Features . . . . . . . . . . . 5

New I/O and Storage Features . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

New Security Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Optional Internal USB Memory Key . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Installing the Optional Internal

USB Memory Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Support for 8-GB Memory Modules –

PowerEdge 2950 III Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Processor Upgrades – Power 2950 II

and PowerEdge 2950 III Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

System Board Replacement –

Safeguarding Encrypted Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

System Message Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

LCD Status Messages Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

4Contents

System Setup Program Update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Memory Screen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

CPU Information Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Integrated Devices Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

System Security Screen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Serial Communication Screen . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Operating System Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Enumeration of NICs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

RHEL – Incorrect Processor Information . . . . . . 23

System Support for Microsoft Windows 2000 . . . 24

System Diagnostics Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Information Update 5

Non-Optimal Memory Configurations

The POST may halt when a non-optimal memory configuration is detected

and the following message is displayed:

Non-Optimal Memory Configuration

Press F1 to continue or F2 for Setup

NOTE: Mixing DIMMs of different speeds renders the memory configuration

non-optimal. The system clocks down the performance to the slowest speed

in the DIMM set for the channel.

PowerEdge 2950 III – New System Features

New Performance Features

• Two dual-core or quad-core Intel

Xeon

5400 Series and 5300 Series

processors.

• 8-GB memory module support.

New High-Efficiency Power Supply and Power Monitoring Features

• Higher system efficiency on power conversion across workloads.

• Baseboard Management Control (BMC) power monitoring monitors

current, voltage, and power utilization in the system.

6Information Update

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.

Optional Internal USB Memory Key

The system provides an internal USB connector located on the sideplane

board for use with a USB flash memory key. 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.

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.

CAUTION: To avoid interference with components inside the system, the USB key

must conform to the following maximum dimensions: 11mm thick (0.43") x 23.2mm

width (0.91") x 67mm length (2.64").

Information Update 7

Installing the Optional Internal USB Memory Key

WARNING: 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.

Turn off the system, including any attached peripherals, and disconnect

the system from its electrical outlet.

Open the system. See “Opening the System” in the

Hardware Owner’s

Manual

Locate the USB connector on the sideplane board, and insert the USB

memory key into the USB connector. See Figure 1-1.

Close the system. See “Closing the System” in the

Hardware Owner’s

Manual

Reconnect the system to power and restart the system.

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

8Information Update

Figure 1-1. Installing an Internal USB Key

Close the system. See “Closing the System” in the

Hardware Owner’s

Manual

Reconnect the system to power and restart the system.

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 sideplane board 2 internal USB connector

3 USB memory key

Information Update 9

Support for 8-GB Memory Modules –

PowerEdge 2950 III Systems

PowerEdge 2950 III systems have added support for the following approved

8-GB memory configurations:

•64 GB — 8 x 8-GB quad-rank memory modules

•48 GB — 4 x 8-GB quad-rank and 4 x 4-GB dual-rank memory modules

If 64 GB of memory is installed, the system only recognizes and displays

63.75 GB during POST.

NOTE: Prior to upgrading your system, verify that the latest system BIOS version is on

your system. Loading the latest BIOS version ensures that your system is fully supported.

NOTE: Some operating systems cannot support more than 4 GB of physical memory.

For more information on memory support requirements and restrictions, refer to the operating

system documentation that was shipped with your system.

Processor Upgrades – Power 2950 II

and PowerEdge 2950 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 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 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 2950 III systems using Windows Server®2008, you can use

encryption programs, such as the BitLocker utility, to secure the contents

of the hard drive.

10 Information Update

If you are using the TPM with an encryption application, 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).

System Message Update

Table 1-1 lists new system messages for the PowerEdge 2950 III system and

the probable cause and corrective action when the message appears. System

messages appear on the screen to notify you of a possible problem with the

system.

WARNING: 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 “Trouble-

shooting System Memory”

in the Hardware Owner’s

Manual.

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