Do we have any I.T guys on here that know Dell servers?

**cont1204** · 19th January 2011, 15:08

Hey people.

Got a Dell Poweredge 1750 and 2650 sitting here causing a tornado at the moment. Only problem is, they appear to be dead! I picked them up today and have been trying to get Pfsense onto one and Server 2003 onto the other.

I have tried everything I can think of. There's no monitor output at all on the 1750 and a flashing error light pops up on the front after a few seconds of running. I've had the lid off and the warning on the power supply isn't on so that's ruled out.

The 2650 seems ok, it boots, I've setup the drive array as RAID 0, and everything seems to go smooth up until the point where it has to boot from CD to install Windows. Nothing. CD drive is the first on the boot list in the BIOS, boot from CD is enabled in the RAID controller (SCSi drives throughout) but still nothing. Doesn't even try to look at the CD drive. It does come up in the list of connected devices but can't be opened.

So, I'm sure we have some I.T people on here, who fancies a challenge?

I think the 1750 will be going back for a refund if I can't get her to boot, or at least POST.

**SignumPhil** · 19th January 2011, 15:32

I've fiddled with them occasionally, though I'm not that current.
The 1750 is failing POST (power on self test) Could be many things, but given that it's been shipped around, I'd check any internal boards, and especially the memory is seated properly.
The other one sounds a bit like a duff cd drive to me. It's never telling the mother board that it's ready, so it never reads it.

Phil

**cont1204** · 19th January 2011, 16:14

Memory has been removed and reseated. Still the same.

Everything seems to be well seated. Connections feel nice and tight and nothing lose flopping about. I'm at a bit of a loss now.

Regarding the 2650, you may be right. I can't see where the problem would be apart from that. However being Dell I can't just bung any SCSi CD drive in it! Can't take the one from the 1750. Grr.

Might end up taking these back. Bought from a re-seller.

EDIT added pics. This is the flashing warning light and the lovely BIOS message I get off the 2650.

**SignumPhil** · 19th January 2011, 17:30

Found a manual online for the 1750. http://support.taylor.k12.in.us/refe...0/5w862c10.htm

"The amber system status indicator flashes when the system needs attention due to a problem with power supplies, fans, system temperature, or hard drives.

NOTE: If the system is connected to AC power and an error has been detected, the amber system status indicator flashes regardless of whether the system has been powered on."
Fault finding guide here:
http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...20.htm#1039173
Suggests that a disk issue can cause that kind of thing.

**cont1204** · 19th January 2011, 17:47

Well I can rule out a power problem, that has its own warning lights and nothing is lit up on that. System powers up fine, just whipped the lid off again and all the fans are turning, it's not going to be overheating within a few seconds of turning on I doubt. Just pulled both hard disks, still the same. Which leaves me with.... The RAID controller

**nokiaman1978** · 19th January 2011, 17:54

have you tried removing heatsink/fan from cpu and putting on some thermal compound and attachinfg back on, the cpu will over heat withing seconds if not seated right.