This post is more than 5 years old
16 Posts
0
94256
PSU fans not spinning on 2008 model CS24-SC
I have a Dell 1U Model CS24-SC. It has 2 Intel Quad Core Xeon L5420's in it. There is no service tag sticker on it. Also, the service tag does not show up in the BIOS. Instead, the BIOS shows the first seven digits from the serial number of the unit. This looks very similar in ways to the current PowerEdge C1100. Though, this definitely has a different motherboard and is older. My server was manufactured in 2008.
I noticed that the PSU fans never spin. Is this normal for the C1100 model? I was thinking that maybe they are temperature controlled fans and the temperature has not exceeded the threshold for them to cut on. I've had it running in a very cool environment for testing.
My server looks exactly like the one shown at http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300661897673 .
Any idea where I could download BIOS / firmware updates for this server?
I tried calling Dell support on this. Since I didn't have a service tag, I got transferred around a few times. I've been on hold for almost an hour and a half since the last transfer. I don't think I'm getting anywhere using the phone route.
LowBoost
12 Posts
0
August 23rd, 2012 09:00
Chozian: Thank you very much for your reply and for all the valuable information you provided via PM.
I guess the fixed rack shelf will be OK. During my research, I found the C1100 server uses some parts
labeled CS24-SC as well... interesting.
Will try a USB SD reader and see if ESXi detects it. That way I save the hassle of getting hard drives and boot
straight from the SD. ;)
LowBoost
12 Posts
0
August 25th, 2012 20:00
I found some more specs on these servers. Hopefully this will help someone looking for more info.
I can't vouch for the accuracy of this information, so please don't take this as absolute facts.
Up to two Quad-Core Intel Xeon 5300 sequence processors
Up to two Dual-Core Intel Xeon 5200 sequence processors
Up to two Dual-Core Intel Xeon 5100 sequence processors
Up to two Dual-Core Intel Xeon 5000 sequence processors
Red Hat® Enterprise Linux 5.5
CentOS 6.0
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 x86 or x64
Microsoft® Windows Server® 2008 R2 x64
667MHz or 800MHz; 8 sockets for support up to 64GB
LSI Embedded SATA Megaraid (Software Raid capable of 0, 1, 10)
3.5" SATA (7.2K RPM): 80GB, 160GB, 250GB, 500GB, 750GB, 1TB, 1.5TB, 2TB
2x Onboard Intel Pro 1000E
See compatibility list below*
*In the Dell DCS CS24, “baremetal” hypervisors are not compatible with the LSI Embedded SATA Megaraid controller. “Hosted” hypervisors work fine as long as the host OS is compatible with the previously mentioned raid controller.
**These “Baremetal” hypervisors will work if RAID is turned off in the bios and the onboard Intel SATA controller is being used. This option offers no data redundancy.
theflash1932
9 Legend
9 Legend
•
16.3K Posts
0
August 25th, 2012 20:00
It is also worth noting that a number of "Dell" servers have hit eBay that are not standard Dell servers; they were a special make-up for whatever company is now selling them. You definitely won't get Dell to support them (most likely part of the deal with the original company) and it is probably safest to just pretend they are not Dell servers and buy them as generics.
chozian
16 Posts
0
August 25th, 2012 21:00
The model I have has only 6 DIMM slots, not 8, and does not require them to be installed in pairs. Also, the LSI RAID controller on mine does not support RAID 10, but 1E instead.
chozian
16 Posts
0
August 25th, 2012 21:00
s/same/state/
chozian
16 Posts
0
August 25th, 2012 21:00
Also, the RAID controller on mine functions fine with ESXi, except the sensors do not detect the same of the arrays. It sounds like the RAID controller mentioned above is a "fake RAID" which requires software in the OS to function properly.
LowBoost
12 Posts
0
August 25th, 2012 21:00
I am really happy to hear that I should not have any issues with ESXi 5. Unfortunately, it doesn't support local data-store sharing, so I will need to use one of the NICs for iSCSI and present data stores that way.
I may try HA / FT and see if vMotion will work even with local data-stores. That will get me going for starters.
BTW - I have confirmed that BMC does support Remote Console and Virtual Devices! :)
chozian
16 Posts
0
August 26th, 2012 16:00
Would you mind linking to the information that you found regarding the BMC?
LowBoost
12 Posts
0
August 26th, 2012 18:00
Sorry for the late reply… Here you go:
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/cp_pe_c2100/en/BMC/bmc.pdf
chozian
16 Posts
0
August 27th, 2012 14:00
I should clarify that I was able to see the ESXi host console, but it would not respond to keypresses over the remote console app.
chozian
16 Posts
0
August 27th, 2012 14:00
Excellent! Thanks!
I was able to connect to the embedded web server on it to take a look around. Too bad the RAID controller on mine doesn't show up under the sensors section. I tested out the remote console feature, but the ESXi host console would not respond.
FYI - Connect to port 81 on the BMC when trying to connect to the embedded web server. The default user and pass are both 'root'.
LowBoost
12 Posts
0
September 19th, 2012 12:00
Jeff:
What OS are you trying to install to these cloud servers?
JMWWST
2 Posts
0
September 19th, 2012 12:00
Actually I am not sure. Most likely Windows Server 2008/2012. I bought the servers for my son who is high school to learn on and I don't mind it being challenging for him I just want to make sure there will be operational drivers for him when he eventually finds them all.... He is does a lot of work wither HyperV and virtualization of gaming server instances.
Any advice on this is very much appreciated.
Thanks,
Jeff
JMWWST
2 Posts
0
September 19th, 2012 12:00
Geoff,
I want to make sure I am completely clear with regard to support in terms of driver availability on these servers. These machines are being sold in large quantities by Dell Financial Services apparently off lease from a large Dell customer. Because of the specifications it is obvious that there are drivers that are available for the server. Why will Dell not supply the drivers they have fro this server? This is a completely different request from asking that Dell provide support, service contract or driver software updates.
Obviously, if there are no drivers available for the server it is of absolutely no use for its intended purpose.
Thanks,
Jeff
theflash1932
9 Legend
9 Legend
•
16.3K Posts
0
September 19th, 2012 13:00
The large customer probably went with Dell to assemble their custom servers because it was more cost - or time - effective than assembling them themselves. They may or may not have actually used any Dell parts inventory for the project, meaning Dell never tested/validated any of the hardware and simply assembled the required parts for this company. The company may also have hand-picked the hardware required for the assembly, meaning that Dell would not have had any obligation (or practical way) to provide any drivers for them, and that all drivers were maintained (or developed) by the company they were for. The company may have even had a custom OS they were installing, meaning that drivers for other OS's would have been optional and up to the actual board/device manufacturer. In the end, there is no support of any kind (including driver support) on these machines and getting them to work (maybe requiring a bit of creativity) is entirely up to the user.