Acer Altos R520 manual

Acer Altos R520 Series User’ s Guide[...]

Changes may be made periodically to the info rmation in this publicat ion without obligation to notify any person of such re vision or changes. Such changes will be incorporated in new editions of this manual or supplementary doc uments and publications. This company makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect [...]

iii Notices FCC notice Class A equipment This device has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection agai nst harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commer cial environment. This equipment generates, us[...]

iv Caution! Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user’ s authority , which is granted by the Federal Communications Commiss ion, to operate this server . Use conditions This part complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this devi ce may not caus[...]

v Important safety instructions Read these instructions carefully . Save these instructions for future reference. 1 Follow all warnings and instruct ions marked on the product. 2 Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aeros ol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning. 3 Do not use this product near wa[...]

vi d If the product does not operat e normally when the operating instructions are followed. Adjust on ly those controls that are covered by the operating instructions sinc e improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to normal condition. e If the[...]

Contents Notices iii FCC notice iii Laser compliance statement iv Important safety instructions v 1 System tour 1 System features 3 Performance 3 External and internal structure 7 Front bezel 7 Front panel 8 Rear panel 9 Internal components 10 System boards 11 Mainboard 11 Backplane board 13 Mid-plane board 15 Control panel 17 System LED indicators[...]

viii Removing the CPU air dam 47 Removing and installing the power distribution board cover 48 Configuring the storage devices 50 Removing and installing a hard disk drive 50 Removing and installing a slim-line optical drive 53 Removing and installing a PCI riser assembly 56 Removing and installing a PCI card 58 Upgrading the CPU 61 CPU upgrading g[...]

ix Hardware diagnostic testing 131 Verifying proper operation of key system lights 131 Specific problems and corrective actions 132 Error beep codes 139 BIOS POST error beep codes 139 ARMC/3 module error beep codes 141 Diagnostic POST code LEDs 142 Appendix A: Acer Altos R520 rack installation guide 149 Setting up the system rack 151 System rack in[...]

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1 System tour[...]

The Acer Altos R520 is a 1U dual-core Intel Xeon- based server equipped with numerous high performance features designed to provide easy server set up, remote management, highly reliable shared storage, and handle more demanding database or high transaction applications. This chapter provides a brief overview of the system hardware, including illus[...]

3 System featur es Listed below are the key features of the Acer Altos R520 server . Performance Processor • Supports two dual-core or quad-core Intel ® Xeon™ processors 5000 sequence with 667 MHz, 10 66 MHz, or 1333 MHz front side bus speed • Extended Memory 64-bit T echnology • Enhanced Intel SpeedStep T echnology • Execute Disable Bit[...]

1 System tour 4 • For SA T A models, the embedded SA T A controller support - Passive mid-plane board - Six onboard SA T A connectors - Up to six hot-plug 2.5” SA T A hard disk drives - Intel Embedded Server RAID T echnology capable of SA T A software RAID levels: • For SAS models, the embedded SAS controller support - Active mid-plane board [...]

5 Networking • Intel ESB2 I/O controller • Intel 82563EB Gigabit c ontroller with dual ports • Supports Intel I/O Acceleration T echnology PCI I/O • Low profile riser slot • One x8 PCI Express slot • Full height riser slot • One x8 PCI Express slot • One 64-bits/133 MHz PCI-X slot (optional) Graphic interface •A T I ® ES1000 vide[...]

1 System tour 6 • Rear • PS/2 keyboard port • PS/2 mouse port • Serial B port (RJ-45) • T wo Gigabit (10/100/1000 Mbps) LAN ports (RJ-45) • Server management port (10/100 Mbps) (RJ-45) 2 • VGA/monitor port • T wo USB 2.0 ports Operating system and software • Operating system options • Microsoft ® Windows ® Server 2003, x64 edi[...]

7 Exter nal and inter nal structure Front bezel The front bezel provides an inte rface for system management via status LED indicators. The light pipes on the backside of the front bezel allow the system status LEDs to be monitored when the front bezel is closed. Separate front bezels are av ailable to support systems that use a mini control panel [...]

1 System tour 8 Fr ont panel * The Acer Altos R520 dual-purpose bay supports either the standard control panel or two 2.5” hot-plug HDD drives. Item Component Item Component A Rack handles D Dual-purpose bay* B Slim-line optical drive bay E 2.5” hot-plug HDD bays C Mini control panel bay[...]

9 Rear panel 1 The system power can be configured to sup port redundant (1+1) and non-redundant (1+0) configuration. 2 Reserved for remote management of server . This requires the installation of an ARMC/3 module. Item Component Item Component A PS2 mouse port G, H USB 2.0 ports B Low profile PCI expansion slot I VGA/monitor port C Full height PCI [...]

1 System tour 10 Internal components Item Component Item Component A Power distribution board G Memory modules B Power distribution board cover H CPU air duct C Power supply module 1 I System fan modules D Power supply module bay 2 (filler panel shown) J Mid-plane board (active mid-plane shown) E Riser card assembly K Bridge board F Mainboard[...]

11 System boar ds Mainboard The mainboard becomes accessible on ce you open the system. It should look like the figure shown below. Item Description Item Description A Rolling BIOS jumper W Battery B Intel ESB2-E I/O controller X Power supply management connector[...]

1 System tour 12 C Diagnostic POST code indicators Y Dual port USB 2.0 connector D Full height PCI riser slot Z SA TA 0 connector E Low profile PCI riser slot AA SA T A 1 connector F USB ports BB SA T A 2 connector G VGA/Monitor port CC SA T A 3 connector H System ID indicator DD SA TA 4 connector I System status indicator EE SA T A 5 connector J G[...]

13 Backplane boar d SAS/SA T A backplane board The backplane board installed on th e rear side of the hot-plug drive bay provides support for both SAS and SA T A hard drives. Front view Item Description Item Description A Slim-line optical drive con- nector CS A S / S A T A c o n n e c t o r s B Mini control panel connector[...]

1 System tour 14 Rear view Item Description Item Description A Control panel connector D Mid-plane connectors B USB connector E Backplane power connector CI D E c o n n e c t o r[...]

15 Mid-plane boar d The mid-plane boad serves as the primary interface between the mainboard, backplane, and control pa nel. It is used to determine the desired hard drive interface for th e system. There are two mid-planes available for this system: an active mid-plane board and a passive mid- plane board. Active mid-plane board (SAS model) The ac[...]

1 System tour 16 Passive mid-plane board (SA T A model) The passive mid-plane board is used to provide SA T A support for the onboard SA T A controller and six SA T A ports. The mid-plane also supports up to six hot-plug SA T A HDDs and software RAID levels 0, 1, and 10. With the installation of an optional SA T A software RAID activation key can s[...]

17 Contr ol panel The Acer Altos R520 server supports either the mini control panel, providing basic functionality , or the standard control panel, which adds additional server management featur es. Both control panels utilize a combination of control buttons, sta tus LED indicators, along with I/O ports, to centralize system control, monitoring, a[...]

1 System tour 18 Standar d control panel (optional) Item Component Item Component A LAN 2 activity indicator G System ID indicator B LAN 1 activity indicator H System ID button C Power/sleep button I Reset button D Power/sleep indicator J USB 2.0 port E HDD actvity indicator K NMI button F System status indicator L VGA/monitor port TP02213 H I B A [...]

19 Control panel button function overview The following table list and describe the function of the control buttons available on the control panel. Control button Function NMI button Puts the server in a ha lt-state for diagnostic purposes and allows you to issue a non-maskable interrupt. After using the interrupt, a memory download can be performe[...]

1 System tour 20 System LED indicators This section describes the diff erent LED indicators located on • Mainboard • Control panel • Hot-plug HDD carrier • LAN port • Hot-plug power supply module[...]

21 Mainboard diagnostic LED indicators Item Description Color State Description A Diagnostic POST code indicators During the system boot process, BIOS executes a number of platform configuration processes, each of which is assigned a specific hex POST code number . As each configuration routine is started, BIOS will display the given POST code to t[...]

1 System tour 22 B System ID indicator Blue On The system ID buton on the control panel is activated Off System identification is disabled Blink Appropriate hex IPMI “Chassis Identify” value has been issued C System status indicator Green/ Amber Altern ating blink Pre DC power on - 30-35 second BMC initialization when AC power is applied to the[...]

23 System status indicator (cont.) Amber On Critical or non-recoverable condition • DIMM failure when there is one DIMM present • Run-time memory uncorrectable error in non-redundant mode • IERR signal asserted • Processor 1 missing • Critical temperature • Power fault • CPU configuration error Blink Non-critical condition • Critica[...]

1 System tour 24 Control panel LED indicators The following table list and descri be the LED indicators available on the mini or optional standard control panel. Indicator Color State Description LAN1/LAN2 activity indicator Green On Link between system and network Blink Network access Power/Sleep indicator Green Of f System is not powered on or AC[...]

25 Hot-plug HDD LED indicators There are two status LED indica tors mounted for each hot-plug HDD carrier . The table below list th e possible drive states. LAN port LED indicators Indicator Color State Description Hot-plug HDD activity indicator Amber Flash HDD is active Amber + Green Alternate flash • HDD is powered on and rebuilding RAID • H[...]

1 System tour 26 Hot-plug power supply module LED indicator The table below list and describe the bi-color LED indicator located on the power supply module. Indicator Color State Description Status Off No AC power to the power supply Green On System has power applied to it Blink AC power cord is plugged into an active AC power source Amber On • N[...]

27 System jumpers Jumper name Settings Function J1D2 Password clear 1-2 (default) 2-3 Password enabled Password disabled/cleared J1D3 Clear CMOS 1-2 (default) 2-3 BIOS clear CMOS Forced CMOS clear J3H1 BIOS select 1-2 2-3 (default) Force lower bank Normal operation J1D1 BMC force update mode 1-2 (default) 2-3 BMC force update disabled BMC force upd[...]

1 System tour 28[...]

2 System setup[...]

This chapter gives you instructions on how to set up the system. Procedures on how to connect peripherals are also explained.[...]

31 Setting up the system Pre-installation r equirements Selecting a site Before unpacking and installing the sy stem, select a suitable site for the system for maximum efficiency . Consider the following factors when choosing a site for the system: • Near a grounded power outlet • Clean and dust-free • Stable surface free from vibration • W[...]

2 System setup 32 Connecting peripherals Caution! The server operates on 100-127/200-240 V AC only . Do not connect the system to an incorrect voltage source. Refer to the illustration below for sp ecific connection instructions on the peripherals you want to connect to the system. Note: Consult the operating system manual for information on how to[...]

33 Tur ning on the system After making sure that you have properly set up the system and connected all the required cables , you can now power on the system. Note: After plugging in the AC po wer cord, allow system to warm up for 30 seconds or until the sta tus/fault indicato r on the control panel stops blinking befo re turning on the system. Refe[...]

2 System setup 34 Power -on problems If the system does not boot after you have applied power , check the following factors that might have caused the boot failure. • The external power cord may be loosely connected. Check the power cord connection from the power source to the power supply module AC input co nnector on the rear panel. Make sure t[...]

35 Configuring the system OS The Acer Altos R520 server comes with Acer EasyBUILD TM that allows you to conveniently install your choice of operating system. T o start using EasyBUILD, follow the steps below . 1 Locate the EasyBUILD DVD includ ed in the system package. 2 With the system turned on, gently press the optical drive’ s Stop/ Eject but[...]

2 System setup 36 T ur ning of f the system There are two ways to turn off the server . These include: • Software power off If you are using a Windows OS on your server , you can turn off the server by clicking the Start button, point to Shut Down... , select Shut down from the drop-down window then click on OK . Y ou can then turn off all periph[...]

3 System upgrade[...]

This chapter discusses the precautionary measures and installation procedures you need to know to upgrade the system.[...]

39 Installation pr ecautions Before you install any server component, we recommend that you read the following sections. These se ctions contain important ESD precautions along with pre-installation and post-installation instructions. ESD precautions Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage the processor , disk drives, expansion boards, motherboard[...]

3 System upgrade 40 W arning! Failure to properly turn off the server befor e you start installing components ma y cause serious damage. Do not attempt the procedures described in the following sections unless you are a qu alified service technician. Post-installation instructions Perform the steps below after installing a server component. 1 See t[...]

41 Opening the server Caution! Before you proceed, make sure that you have turned off the system and all peripherals connected to it. Read the “Pre- installation instructions” on page 39. Y ou need to open the server before you can install additional components. The front bezel and to p cover are removable to allow access to the system’ s int[...]

3 System upgrade 42 T o install the front bezel: 1 Line up the center notch on both ends of the bezel with the center guide on the rack handles. 2 Slide the front bezel onto the cha ssis until it clicks into place.[...]

43 Removing and installing the top cover T o remove the top cover: 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 39. 2 Remove the screw located on the top cover (A) . 3 Press and hold the blue release button (B) , then slide the cover toward the back of the chassis until the cover disengage with the slots on the[...]

3 System upgrade 44 T o install the top cover: 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 39. 2 Place the top cover on the chassis so that the tabs on the cover align with the slots on the chassis . 3 Slide the top cover toward the fron t of the chassis until it is fully closed (A) . 4 Replace the screw on th[...]

45 Removing and installing the CPU air duct Caution! Always operate your serv er with the CPU air duct installed to ensure reliable and continued operation. T o remove the CPU air duct: Y ou will need to remove the CPU air duct to perform the following procedures: • Removing and installing a CPU air baffle • Removing and installing the PCI rise[...]

3 System upgrade 46 T o install the CPU air duct: 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 39. 2 Place the CPU air duct over the two processor sockets. The front edge of the air duct should touc h the front fan module and the top of the installed air duct should be flush with the top of the PCI riser assemb[...]

47 Removing the CPU air dam T o remove the CPU air dam: Important: Do not remove the CPU air dam from the CPU air duct except when installing a second CPU to the system. The air dam ensures proper air flow when a single CPU is installed to the system. Do not remove the memory air deflector . 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instr[...]

3 System upgrade 48 Removing and installing the power distribution boar d cover T o remove the power distribution boar d cover: Y ou will need to remove the power distribution board cover to perform the following procedures: • Removing and installing the RAID activation key and RAID cache • Removing and installing a RAID BBU 1 Observe the ESD p[...]

49 T o install the power distribution board cover: 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 39. 2 Lower the power distribution board cover to the chassis (A) . 3 T ighten the thumbscrew to secure the cover to the chassis (B) . 4 Observe the post-installation in structions described on page 40. A TP02229 B[...]

3 System upgrade 50 Configuring the storage devices The system supports 2.5-inch stora ge devices. It accommodates slim- line optical drives and depending on system model, can support up to six 2.5-inch hot-plug SA T A hard disk drives or eight hot-plug SAS hard disk drives. Caution! T o maintain proper system c ooling, filler panels must be instal[...]

51 T o remove a HDD: 1 Observe the ESD precautions described on page 39. 2 If you are removing a failed HDD, determine which drive has failed by checking the drive status LEDs. 3 Press the green HDD carrier latch to open the drive (A) . 4 Pull out the lever and slide the carrier from the chassis (B) . 5 Place the HDD carrier on a clean , static-fre[...]

3 System upgrade 52 T o install a HDD: Note: T o puchase a HDD carrier , contact your local Acer representative. 1 Perform steps 1 to 4 listed on the “T o remove a HDD” section on page 51. 2 Remove the four screws that secure the air baf fle to the HDD carrier (A) . 3 Remove the air baf fle from the HDD carrier (B) . 4 Save the air baf fle and [...]

53 8 When the lever begins to close by it self, push on it to lock the drive assembly into place (B) . Removing and installing a slim-line optical drive Note: The slim-line optical drive is not hot-pluggable. Before removing or replacing the driv e, you must first power down the server , unplug the AC power cord from the system, and turn off all pe[...]

3 System upgrade 54 2 Press the blue release lever to unlock the optical drive tray (A) and slide the optical drive tray out th rough the front of the server (B) . 3 If no device will be installed in the drive bay , install the filler panel in the drive bay . If installing a new optical drive, see succeeding section. T o install a slim-line optical[...]

55 5 Install the plastic guide on the rear of the optical device, then secure it with the two screws that came with the optical drive kit. 6 Slide the optical drive tray into the front opening in the server . Make sure the back end of the plastic guide plugs into the matching connector on the backplane board. 7 V erify that the blue release leve r [...]

3 System upgrade 56 Removing and installing a PCI riser assembly Note: The PCI riser assembly include s an intrusion switch that engages the system cover . The in trusion switch is provided to allow server management software to monitor removal of the top cover from the server . Caution! The PCI riser assembly must be installed to maintain proper a[...]

57 5 Lift the riser assembly from the chassis. 6 Place the riser assembly on a cl ean, static-free work surface. 7 If you need to replace PCI card s. See “Removing and installing a PCI card” on page 58. 8 Observe the post-installation inst ructions described on page 40. TP02236[...]

3 System upgrade 58 T o install the PCI riser assembly: 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 39. 2 Lower the PCI riser assembly (A) , aligning the four hooks on the back edge of the riser assembly with the matching slots on the rear of the chassis (B) . 3 Press down on the assembly until th e four hooks[...]

59 5 When removing a full height PCI card, open the full length PCI card retention clip on the front of the riser assembly by rotating it 90 degrees outward. Note: The install sequence for lo w profile PCI cards on the opposite side of the rise r assembly is the same. 6 Pull up the card to remove it, then store the card in an antistatic protective [...]

3 System upgrade 60 5 When installing a full height PCI card, open the full length PCI card retention clip on the front of the riser assembly by rotating it 90 degrees outward (B) . 6 Remove the filler panel, if installed. 7 Insert the PCI card into the selected slot (C) . Make sure the card is properly seated. 8 Close both retention clips. 9 Obser[...]

61 Upgrading the CPU The server supports two dual-core or quad-core Intel Xeon processors 5000 sequence with system bus spee ds of 667 MHz, 1066 MHz or 1333 MHz, and core frequencies starting at 1.6 GHz. CPU upgrading guidelines When installing CPUs the following rules must be observed: • Use only Acer-qualified CPUs. • Each CPU socket include [...]

3 System upgrade 62 5 Push the socket retainer leve r handle down and away from the socket to release it (A) , then pull the lever to a fully open, upright position (B) . 6 Push the rear tab with your finger tip to bring the front end of the load plate up slightly (A) . 7 Lift the load plate (B) . 8 Remove the CPU from its protective packaging. 9 P[...]

63 10 Remove the protective socket co ver by grasping the socket cover tab (A) and pulling it away from the load plate (B) . 11 Store the protective socket cover for future use. 12 Close the load plate (A) , then press the retainer lever down to lock the load plate in place (B, C) .[...]

3 System upgrade 64 13 If the heat sink does not have thermal grease on the bottom, apply thermal grease to the heat sink base. 14 Install the heatsink and fan Caution! The heat sink has a thermal interface material (TIM) on the underside. Use caution so that you do not damage the TIM. (1) If a protective film is inst alled on the TIM, remove it. ([...]

65 T o remove a CPU: If you are replacing a CPU on the syste m, the heat sink must first be removed. Important: Before removing a CPU from the mainboard, make sure to create a backup fi le of all important data. 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 39. W arning! The heat sink beco mes very hot when the [...]

3 System upgrade 66 (3) Lift the heat sink from the processor . Caution! If it does not pull up easily , twist the heat sink again. Do not force the heat sink from the processor . Doing so could damage the processor . (4) Place the heat sink upside down on a flat surface. Note: Wipe off the thermal grease fro m both the heat sink and processor usin[...]

67 Upgrading the system memory Acer Altos R520 server supports ei ght DDR2 fully buffered DIMM slots with four FBDIMM memory channels . Each channel can support up to 2 dual ranked DDR2 FBDIMMs. The memory channels are organized in to two branches for support of mirrored memory configuration. Up to 8 FBDIMMs or a maximum memory size of 32 GB physic[...]

3 System upgrade 68 Memory module installation guidelines The following rules apply when installing fully-buffered memory modules to the server: • The system must have a minimum of one 512 MB FBDIMMs installed. When installing additi onal memory , refer to the tables on “Memory module population orde r” on page 69 for proper population order [...]

69 Memory module population order The tables below list the suggested DDR2 FBDIMM module population for standard, mirrored or sparing configuration. Standard configuration Mirror ed configuration Branch 0 Branch 1 Channel A Channel B Channel C Channel D DIMM A1 DIMM A2 DIMM B1 DIMM B2 DIMM C1 DIMM C2 DIMM D1 DIMM D2 512 MB 512 MB 512 MB 512 MB 512 [...]

3 System upgrade 70 Sparing configuration Memory configuration overview The system supports the following memory configuration that allow flexibility in performance, redund ancy , and ability to upgrade. • Standard configuration • Memory mirroring • Memory sparing Memory mirroring and memory sp aring features are mutually exclusive, only one [...]

71 Standard memory configuration The system is capable of supporting a minimum of only one FBDIMM installed on the DIMM A1 slot. However , for system performance reasons, we recommend that at le ast two memory modules must be installed per branch. The modules mu st cover the same slot position on both channels and FBDIMM pairs must be identical wit[...]

3 System upgrade 72 T o upgrade to a four FBDIMM mirrored memory configuration, four additional FBDIMMs must be added to the system. All four memory modules in the second set must be identical to the first with the exception of speed. The memory controller hub (MCH) will adjust to the low-speed FBDIMM memory . Note: After upgrading system memo ry t[...]

73 • The following FBDIMM slots must be identical in organization, size and speed. • The following DIMM slots need not be identical in organization, size and speed. • Sparing should be enabled in the BIOS setup utility • BIOS will configure rank sparing mode. • The largest memory size among the DIMM pairs (DIMM_A1, DIMM_B1) and (DIMM_A2, [...]

3 System upgrade 74 4 Open the clips on the DIMM slot(s) (A) . 5 Align (B) then insert the FBDIMM into the socket (C) . 6 Press the holding clips inward to lock the FBDIMM in place (D) . Note: The DIMM slot is slotted to en sure proper installation. If you insert a FBDIMM but it does not fit easily into the socket, you may have inserted it incorrec[...]

75 Caution! Use extreme care when re moving DIMMs. T oo much pressure can damage the connecto r . Apply only enough pressure on the plastic levers to release the DIMM. 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 39. 2 Press the holding clips on both si des of the DIMM slot outward to release the DIMM (A) . 3 G[...]

3 System upgrade 76 Installing and r emoving a power supply module The server has two power supply modul e bays on the rear panel that accept hot-plug power supply modul es. The system ships out with only a single power supply module inst alled. Y ou have the option to purchase an extra power supply modul e to provide the system with a redundant po[...]

77 T o install a second power supply module: 1 Remove the top cover . Perform the instructions described in “T o remove the top cover” section on page 43. 2 If a filler panel is in stalled, use the finger hole to remove the filler panel out of the bay (A) . 3 Insert the power supply module in to the right bay , labeled power supply bay 2, until[...]

3 System upgrade 78 T o remove a power supply module: Caution! Power supply hot-plug operations should be performed only if a failure occurs in the power supply . 1 If there are more than one power supply modules installed, determine which power supply module has failed. Refer to the “Hot-plug power supply module LED indicator” on page 26 for m[...]

79 Removing and installing an ARMC/3 module The optional ARMC/3 module provides server management firmware and functionality to the system. T o remove an ARMC/3 module: 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 39. 2 Remove the CPU air duct. Perform the instructions described in “T o remove the CPU air duc[...]

3 System upgrade 80 5 Pull up the module to remove it from the connector (B) . 6 Observe the post-installation ins tructions described on page 40. T o install an ARMC/3 module: Note: Prior to installing the ARMC /3 module module, you must remove the server management port cover module cover on the rear of the server . 1 Observe the ESD precautions [...]

81 4 Attach the module to the ARMC/3 module connector on the mainboard and snap the standoff into the matching hole on the mainboard (B) . 5 Install the NIC module. a Install the three standof fs to the mainboard. b Attach the module to the NIC module connector on the mainboard and matching standoff holes. 6 Observe the post-installation in structi[...]

3 System upgrade 82 Installing and r emoving the SAS har dwar e RAID components The system supports SAS hardware RAID through the active mid-plane and backplane board. The server pla tform supports SAS hardware RAID 0, 1, 5, 6 (when available), 10, and 50 levels. Functionality for SAS hardware RAID is enabled by using the following components: • [...]

83 6 Open the clips on the slot (B) . 7 Align then insert the RAID cache into the slot (C) . 8 Press the holding clips inward to lock the RAID cache in place. 9 Observe the post-installation in structions described on page 40. T o remove the RAID activation key and RAID cache: 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions describ[...]

3 System upgrade 84 6 Gently pull the RAID cache upward to remove it from the slot (C) . 7 Close the clips. 8 Store the RAID activation key and RAID cache in an anti-static bag. 9 Observe the post-installation ins tructions described on page 40. Installing and r emoving the RAID BBU T o install the RAID BBU: 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-i[...]

85 4 Close and latch the BBU case lid. 5 Align the two hooks on the unders ide of the RAID BBU with the matching chassis tabs, then slide toward the power supply to lock into place (C) . 6 Connect the power cable to the rear of the BBU and the RAID BBU connector on the active mid-plane board (D) . 7 Observe the post-installation in structions descr[...]

3 System upgrade 86 4 Slide the RAID BBU forward and lift from the chassis (B) . 5 Store the RAID BBU in an antistatic protective wrapper . 6 Observe the post-installation ins tructions described on page 40. TP02258 A B[...]

87 Installing and r emoving the SA T A softwar e RAID activation key The system supports SA T A software RAID 5 through the installation of a RAID activation key on the mainboard. T o install the RAID activation key: 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 39. 2 Remove the power distribution board cover . [...]

3 System upgrade 88 T o remove the RAID activation key: 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 39. 2 Remove the power distribution board cover . Perform the instructions described in “T o remo ve a power distribution module cover” section on page 48. 3 T ightly squeeze the two ends of the RAID activat[...]

4 BIOS setup[...]

This chapter gives information about the system BIOS and discusses how to configure the system by changing the settings of the BIOS parameters.[...]

91 BIOS setup BIOS setup is a hardware configurat ion program built into the system's Basic Input/Output System (BIOS). Since most systems are already properly configured and optimized, th ere is no need to run this utility . The BIOS setup utility stores basic sett ings for your server . Y ou will need to run this utility under the following [...]

4 BIOS setup 92 Entering BIOS setup Power on the server to start the sy stem POST process. During bootup, press F2 to enter the BIOS setup screen. Note: Y ou must press F2 while the system is booting. This key does not work during any other time. There are several tabs on the setup screen corresponding to the eight primary BIOS menus. • Main •A[...]

93 •P r e s s F1 for General Help on using the BIOS setup. •P r e s s F9 to load the default configuration. •P r e s s F10 to save changes and close the BIOS setup. •P r e s s Esc to close the BIOS setup. In the descriptive table following each of the screen illustrations, settings in boldface are the default and sugg ested parameter settin[...]

4 BIOS setup 94 Using the BIOS menus Main The Main menu displays basic and important information about the system. These information are necessary for troubleshooting and may be required when asking for tech nical support. These entries are for your reference only and are not user-configurable. The System Date and System T ime parameters lets you d[...]

95 Processor Specification of the processor currently installed in the server . T otal Memory Indicates the si ze of the system memory . Quiet Boot When Enabled, th e BIOS splash screen is displayed during startup. When Disabled, the diagnostic messages are displayed during startup. Enabled Disabled POST Error Pause If Enabled, the system will paus[...]

4 BIOS setup 96 Advanced The Advanced menu contains parameter values that define how the system behaves on startup. W arning! Be cautious in sett ing parameter values in the Advanced menu as any incorrect value may cause the system to malfunction. Press Enter to enter the submenu screen of the parameters shown in the screen below .[...]

97 Processor The Processor submenu displays CP U settings such as type, actual speed, cache size and other CPU related settings. Parameter Description Option Core Frequency Indicates the processor clock speed. System Bus Frequency Indicates the processor front side bus speed. Hyper Threading T echnology Enables or disables the Hyper-Threading T ech[...]

4 BIOS setup 98 Virtualization Te c h n o l o g y Enables or disables the system to run multiple operating systems and applications in different partition. Disabled Enabled Execute Disable Bit When Enabled, the processor disables code execution when a worm attempts to insert a code in the buffer preventing damage and worm propagation. When Disabled[...]

99 Processor # Information The screen below appears when you select the Processor #1 or 2 Information menu.[...]

4 BIOS setup 100 Memory The Memory submenu displays the total amount of memory installed, the number of memory modules installed, and the current memory configuration. Parameter Description T otal Memory Indicates the total amount of onboard memory . The memory size is automaticall y detected by BIOS during the POST . If you install additional mamo[...]

101 Configure Memory RAS and Performance The screen below appears when yo u select the Configure Memory RAS and Performance menu. This submen u allows you to view memory configuration details and configure the memory modules in the server. Configure Memory RAS and Performance Press Enter to access the Conf igure Memory RAS and Performance submenu. [...]

4 BIOS setup 102 Memory MIrroring Possible Indicates whether a mirrored configuration is possible with the current installed memory . If No is displayed, you may need to install more memory to meet the requirements of the selected configuration. Ye s No Memory Sparing Possible Indicates whether a sparing configuration is possible with the current i[...]

103 A T A Controller The A T A Controller submenu lets yo u define the parameter settings related to the hard disk(s). Parameter Description Option Onboard P A T A Controller Enables or disables the integrated parallel A T A controller . Enabled Disabled Onboard SA T A Controller Enables or disables the integrated Serial ATA c o n t r o l l e r. En[...]

4 BIOS setup 104 AHCI Mode Enables or disables access to all six SA T A connectors via the AHCI (Advanced Host Controller Interface) Option ROM. AHCI is an interface specification that allows the storage driver to enable advanced SA T A features such as Native Command Queuing and hot plug. Note: Requires an AHCI aware OS. Disabled Enabled Configure[...]

105 Mass Storage The Mass Storage submenu displays the status of the mass storage controller . Parameter Description Option SAS Controller Enables or disables the SAS controller . Enabled Disabled SAS Option ROM If enabled, initializes the the embedded SAS device Option ROM. Enabled Disabled Configure SAS as SW RAID Enables or disables the Embedded[...]

4 BIOS setup 106 Serial Port The Serial Port submenu lets you defi ne the parameter settings for the system’ s serial port. Parameter Description Option Serial A Enable Enables or di sables the onboard serial A port. Enabled Disabled Address Set the base I/O address for the serial A port. 3F8 2F8 2E8 3E8 IRQ Set the interrupt request line for the[...]

107 USB Confguration The USB Configuration submenu allows you specify settings for USB devices. Address Set the base I/O address for the serial B port. 2F8 3E8 2E8 3F8 IRQ Set the interrupt request line for the serial B port. 3 4 Parameter Description Option USB Controller Enables or disables the USB controller . If disabled, all the USB controller[...]

4 BIOS setup 108 Legacy USB Support Enables or disables the support for legacy USB devices. Enabled Disabled Auto Port 60/64 Emulation Enables or disables the I/O port 60/64h emulation support. This parameter is enabled for complete USB keyboard legacy support for non- USB aware OS. Enabled Disabled Device Reset Ti m e ou t Select the number of sec[...]

109 PCI The PCI submenu lets you specify settings that are related to the onboard controllers. enable or di sable the ROM scan of a device installed in the selected PCI slot. It also enables or disables posting of a 16-bit legacy ROM from the plug-in fiber channel card. Parameter Description Option PCI Memory Mapped IO Space This selects the amount[...]

4 BIOS setup 110 Onboard NIC ROM Enables or disables both channels of the embedded LAN. Note: If disabled, NIC1 and NIC2 cannot be used to boot the system. Enabled Disabled NIC 1 or 2 MAC Address Indicates the media access control of the system’ s LAN controller . I/O Acceleration Te c h n o l o g y Enables or disables the onboard LAN’ s I/O Ac[...]

111 System Acoustic and Performance Configuration The System Acoustic and Performance Configuration submenu lets you set the system fan performance option. Parameter Description Option Set Fan Profile Select the Fan Control Profile that will be used to cool the system. Performance Acoustics Altitude When set to less than 300 m (<= 980 ft), it wi[...]

4 BIOS setup 112 Security The Security menu allows you to safeguard and protect the system from unauthorized use by se tting up access passwords. Parameter Description Option Administrator Password Prevents unauthorized access to the BIOS setup utility . Not Installed Installed User Password Secures the sy stem against unauthorized use. Once you se[...]

113 T o set a Administrator/User password 1 Use the up/down keys to highli ght a password parameter (Set Administrator Password or Set User Password) then press Enter . A password box will appear . 2 T ype a password then press Enter . The password may consist of up to seven alphanumeric characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9). 3 Retype the password to verify t[...]

4 BIOS setup 114 Server Management The Server Management submenu lets you specify the appropriate settings for the system’ s event handling function. The system event log enables you to record and monitor events that occur in the system (eg., system temp erature changes, fan stops, over- temperature, over-voltage, fan failures, etc.). Parameter D[...]

115 Resume on AC Power Loss Defines the mode of operation if a power loss occurs. When set to Stay Off, the system remains off after power shutdown. When set to Last State, the system returns to the state it was prior to the AC power loss. When set to Reset, th e system will turn on after power is restored. Stay Off Last State Reset Clear System Ev[...]

4 BIOS setup 116 Console Redirection The Console Redirection submenu lets you enable or disable the console redirection parameters for server management tasks over the serial port.[...]

117 System Information The System Information submenu disp lays basic information about the server unit.[...]

4 BIOS setup 118 Boot Options The Boot Options menu allows you to set the network device priority during system bootup. It also displa ys information about the installed storage devices. Parameter Description Option Boot T imeout Sets the automatic boot time-out value. Note: A value ot 65535 will disable the timeout completely . 10 1 Boot Option 1 [...]

119 CD-ROM Order Specifies the boot device priority sequence for available CD drives. Floppy Order Specifies the boot device priority sequence for available FDD. Network Device Order Specifies the boot device priority sequence for available network devices. Parameter Description Option[...]

4 BIOS setup 120 Network Device # The Network Device # submenu lets you specify the preferred settings for system bootup. Parameter Description Option Network Device # Sets the boot order of the Bootstrap Entry V ector Devices. Network devices are devices which have a bootable Option ROM such as a network card or onboard network controller .[...]

121 Boot Manager The Boot Manager menu lets you set the device priority during system bootup. The server will attempt to boot from the first device on the list. If the first device is not availabl e, it will continue down the list until it reaches an available device. Select a boot option, then press Enter .[...]

4 BIOS setup 122 Err or Manager The Error Manager menu lets you view the system POST errors detected by the system.[...]

123 Exit The Exit menu displays the various opt ions to quit from the BIOS setup. Highlight any of the exit options then press Enter . Parameter Description Save Changes and Exit Saves changes made and close the BIOS setup. Discard Changes and Exit Discards changes made and close the BIOS setup. Save Changes Saves changes made in the BIOS setup. Di[...]

4 BIOS setup 124 Save as User Default Va l u e s Saves current values to be restored later . Restore User Default Va l u e s Restores previously saved user default values. Parameter Description[...]

125 Upgrading the BIOS The upgrade utility allows you to upgrade the BIOS in the flash memory . T o prepare to upgrade th e BIOS, you need to record the current BIOS settings and download the BIOS image file to a temporary folder on your hard drive or a USB flash memory device. T o recor d the current BIOS settings: 1 Run BIOS setup. See “Enterin[...]

4 BIOS setup 126[...]

5 T r oubleshooting[...]

This chapter provides possible solutions for specific problems. If you cannot correct the problem, contact your local Acer representative or authorized dealer for assistance.[...]

129 T r oubleshooting This chapter helps you identify an d solve problems that might occur while you are using the system. For any issue, first ensure that yo u are using the latest firmware and files. Firmware upgrades include updates for BIOS, the BMC, FRUSDR, and the HSC. In addition to the server firmware and files, make sure to update any driv[...]

5 T roubleshooting 130 First steps checklist • AC power available at the wall outlet? • Are the power supplies plugged in? Check the AC cable(s) on the back of the chassis and at the AC source. • Are all cables correctly connected and secured? • Is the processor fully seated in the socket on the mainboard? • Are all standoffs in the prope[...]

131 Hard ware diagnostic testing This section provides a more deta iled approach to identifying a hardware problem and locating its source. Caution! Before disconnecting any pe ripheral cables from the system, turn off the system and an y external peripheral devices. Failure to do so can cause perm anent damage to the system and/ or the peripheral [...]

5 T roubleshooting 132 Confirming loading of the OS Once the system boots up, the opera ting system prompt appears on the screen. The prompt varies accord ing to the operating system. If the operating system prompt does not appear , see "No Characters Appear on Screen" on page 137. Specific pr oblems and corrective actions The following c[...]

133 Server boot does not complete POST Do the following: • Make sure the CPU is properly seated. • Check the BIOS release notes to ensure the BIOS installed on the platform supports the stepping and the family of processors currently installed. Server does not recognize a ll of the processors installed Do the following: • Make sure the CPU is[...]

5 T roubleshooting 134 ODD tray cannot be ejected. • Insert the tip of a paperclip into the small hole on the ODD drive. Slowly pull the tray out from th e drive until the tray is fully extended then remove the disc. ODD drive cannot read a disc. Do the following: • Make sure you are using the correct type of disc. • Make sure the disc is pr [...]

135 • Make sure the memory modules have been populated according to the system requirements. External device connected to a USB connector does not work. Do the following: • Reduce the number of external devices connected to a USB hub. • Refer to the documentation that came with the device. Server cannot connect to a network • Make sure the [...]

5 T roubleshooting 136 The controller stopped working when an adapter was installed. • Make sure the cable is connected to the port from the onboard network controller . • Make sure the other adapter supp orts shared interrupts and your OS supports shared interrupts. • T ry reseating the adapter . The adapter stopped working without apparent [...]

137 • If other software runs correctly on the system, contact your vendor about the defective software. No characters appear on the screen. Check the following: • Is the keyboard functioning? T est it by turning the “Num Lock” function on and off to make sure the Num Lock light is functioning. • Is the video monitor plugged in and turned [...]

5 T roubleshooting 138 5 If you do not receive a beep code and characters do not appear , the video display monitor or vide o controller may have failed. Contact your service representative or authorized dealer for help. Characters are distorted or incorrect. Check the following: • Are the brightness and contrast controls properly adjusted on the[...]

139 Err or beep codes BIOS POST err or beep codes The following table lists the POST er ror beep codes. Prior to system video initialization, BIOS uses these beep codes to inform you of error conditions. The beep code occurs only when a critical error occurs or when the BIOS fails to boot to the operating system. Not all error conditions are suppor[...]

5 T roubleshooting 140 T roubleshooting BIOS POST error beep codes The following table lists the possible beep codes thay may occur while using the system and is followed by solutions to the situation. Number of beeps T roubleshooting action 1, 2, or 3 • Make sure the memory modules are properly seated on the DIMM slots. • Make sure the memory [...]

141 ARMC/3 module err or beep codes In addition to the beep codes above, additional beep codes are provided if an ARMC/3 module is installed. The management modules provide the following additional beep codes. Beep Code Reason for the beeps and action to take 1 Control panel CMOS clear has been initiated. 1-5-1-1 Processor failure. Reseat or replac[...]

5 T roubleshooting 142 Diagnostic POST code LEDs During the system boot process, BI OS executes a number of platform configuration processes, each of wh ich is assigned a specific hex code number . As each configuration routine is started, BIOS will display the given POST code to the diagnostic PO ST code LEDs found on the rear of the mainboard. T [...]

143 0x13h OFF OFF G A SMM initialization Chipset 0x21h OFF OFF R G Initializing a chipset component Memory 0x22h OFF OFF A OFF Reading configuration data from memory (SPD on DIMM) 0x23h OFF OFF A G Detecting presence of memory 0x24h OFF G R OFF Programming timing parameters in the memory controller 0x25h OFF G R G Configuring memory parameters in t[...]

5 T roubleshooting 144 A T A / A T API / SA T A 0x5Ah G R G R Resetting PA TA / SA T A bus and all devices 0x5Bh G R G A Reserved for A T A SMBUS 0x5Ch G A OFF R Resetting SMBUS 0x5Dh G A OFF A Reserved for SMBUS Local Console 0x70h OFF R R R Resetting the video controller 0x71h OFF R R A Disabling the video controller 0x72h OFF R A R Enabling the [...]

145 0x9Bh A OFF G A Enabling the mouse Fixed Media 0xB0h R OFF R R Resetting fixed media device 0xB1h R OFF R A Disabling fixed media device 0xB2h R OFF A R Detecting presence of a fixed media device (IDE hard drive detection, etc.) 0xB3h R OFF A A Enabling / configuring a fixed media device Removable Media 0xB8h A OFF R R R esetting removable medi[...]

5 T roubleshooting 146 0xDB A R G A T rying boot device selection 0xDC A A OFF R T rying boot device selection 0xDE A A G R T rying boot device selection 0xDF A A G A T rying boot device selection Pre-EFI Initialization (PEI) Cor e 0xE0h R R R OFF Started dispatching early initialization modules (PEIM) 0xE2h R R A OFF Initial memory found, configur[...]

147 0 x F 8 h A RRRO p e r a t i n g s y s t e m h a s r e q u e s t e d E F I to close boot services (Exit Boot Services has been called) 0xF9h A R R A Operating system has switched to virtual address mode (Set Virtual Address Map has been called) 0xF Ah A R A R O perating system has requested the system to reset (Reset System has been called) Pre[...]

5 T roubleshooting 148[...]

Appendix A: Acer Altos R520 rack installation guide[...]

This appendix shows you how to set up the Acer Altos R520 server in a rack mount configuration.[...]

151 Setting up the system rack Important! Observe the electrostatic discharge (ESD) precautions indicated on page 39 when perfo ming the follow ing procedures. Do not attempt the procedures desc ribed in the following sections unless you are a qua lified technician. Equipment rack precautions Follow the rack manufacturer's safety and installat[...]

Appendix A: Acer Altos R 520 rack installation guide 152 • Elevated operating ambient temperature The maximum operating temperature of the system is 35 °C (95°F). Careful consideration should be gi ven to installing the system in an environment compatible with the 35 °C (95°F) maximum ambient temperature. • Reduced airflow The amount of air[...]

153 System rack installation The Acer Altos R520 server should be mounted into a rack. A tool-less rack rail and CMA (cable management arm) kit is available for installing system to a rack cabinet. The figure below shows the server in a rack-mount position.[...]

Appendix A: Acer Altos R 520 rack installation guide 154 V ertical mounting hole patter n The four vertical rails of the sy stem rack contain mounting holes arranged in a manner shown in the figure below: The system occupies 1U in the ra ck. Count the U positions and hole numbers from the bottom up. The distance from the center of tw o holes with c[...]

155 Installing the system into the rack Caution! T o minimize the chances of injuries, make sure that two or more people help in installing the server . T o install the system into a four -post rack 1 Remove the inner rails from the mounting rails. (1) Extend the inner rail from the mounting rail until the rail release latch clicks. (2) Depress the[...]

Appendix A: Acer Altos R 520 rack installation guide 156 (3) Do the same thing to the other mounting rail. Caution! T o avoid personal injury , care should be taken when pressing the inner rail release latches and sliding the component into the rack. 2 Attach the inner rails to both sides of the server . Align the screw holes of the in ner rail to [...]

157 3 Install the mounting rails to the rack posts. (1) Determine the vertical position in the rack. Refer to “Vertical mounting hole pattern” on page 154 for more information. (2) Align and insert the mounting rails into the rack posts’ mounting holes (A) . (3) Make certain the proper mounting holes on rack post are selected. (4) Use two met[...]

Appendix A: Acer Altos R 520 rack installation guide 158 (6) Fully extend the mounting rails on the rack.[...]

159 4 Install the server into the rack. Caution! T o avoid personal injury , ca re should be taken when pressing the inner rail release la tches and sliding the component into the rack. (1) Carefully align the inner rails attached to the server with the fully extended mounting rails on the rack. (2) Press the release latch on both sides of the serv[...]

Appendix A: Acer Altos R 520 rack installation guide 160 5 Attach the CMA (cable management arm) to the rear of the server . The CMA allows you to tie-wrap al l cables to and from the system. As you slide the system in and out of the rack, the CMA collapses and extends, keeping the cables untangled and attached to the system. (1) Insert the smaller[...]

161 (6) Connect the power , peripheral and networking cables into their appropriate ports. Refer to “Connecting periphera ls” on page 32 for detailed instructions. (7) Route all cables through the cable clips.[...]

Appendix A: Acer Altos R 520 rack installation guide 162[...]

Appendix B: RAID configuration[...]

This appendix gives an overview of the different RAID configuration that you can use to configure RAID settings for the system hard drives.[...]

165 Configuring integrated SAS RAID This section briefly shows how to create RAID volume with integrated SAS RAID when the hardware RAID components: RAID activation key and RAID cache, are installed. Load BIOS default setting 1 Power on the server to start the sy stem POST (Power On Self T est) process. During boot up, press F2 to enter the BIOS se[...]

Appendix B: RAID configuration 166 5 Select the RAID Level you want to configure. Create the logical volume by specify the size at Select Size and click on Accept to create the logical volume. 6 The RAID volume is created, click on Accept and Ye s to save the configuration. 7 Select Fast Initialize and click on Go to initialize the new logical driv[...]

167 Configuring the integrated SAS SW RAID This section briefly shows how to cr eate RAID 1 (mirror) volume with integrated SAS SW RAID function. Load BIOS default setting 1 Power on the server to start the system POST (Power On Self T est) process. During boot up, press F2 to enter the BIOS setup screen. 2P r e s s F9 to load BIOS default setting [...]

Appendix B: RAID configuration 168 2S e l e c t New Configuration from the Configuration menu and select Ye s to continue. An array selection menu displays the devices connected to the current controller . 3 Press the arrow keys to choose sp ecific physical drives and press spacebar to associate the selected drive with the current array . The indic[...]

169 Configuring the onboar d SA T A RAID This section briefly shows how to cr eate RAID 1 (mirror) volume with onboard SA T A RAID function. Load BIOS default setting 1 Power on the server to start the system POST (Power On Self T est) process. During boot up, press F2 to enter the BIOS setup screen. 2P r e s s F9 to load BIOS default sett ing and [...]

Appendix B: RAID configuration 170 2S e l e c t New Configuration from the Configuration menu and select Ye s to continue. An array selection menu displays the devices connected to the current controller . 3 Press the arrow keys to choose sp ecific physical drives and press spacebar to associate the selected drive with the current array . The indic[...]

171 Index A ARMC/3 module installing 80 removing 79 specifications 5 B BIOS menus Advanced 96 ATA Controller 103 Mass Storage 105 Memory 100 Configure Memory RAS and Performance 101 PCI 109 Processor 97 Processor Information 99 Serial Port 106 System Acoustic and Performance Configuration 1 1 1 USB Configuration 107 Boot Manager 121 Boot Options 11[...]

172 N NIC module installing 81 removing 79 O opening the system 41 installing the front bezel 42 installing the top cover 44 removing the front bezel 41 removing the top cover 43 optical drive installing 54 removing 53 P PCI card installing 59 removing 58 PCI riser assembly installing 58 removing 56 peripherals 32 plastic guide installing 55 power [...]

173 system jumpers 27 system memory reconfiguring 75 system tour 1 system upgrade 37 ESD precautions 39 installation precautions 39 post-installation instructions 40 preinstallation instructions 39 T top cover installing 44 removing 44 troubleshooting 127 confirming loading of the OS 132 hardware diagnostic testing 131 POST error codes 140 problems[...]

174[...]