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February 24th, 2019 06:00

PowerEdge R720 stuck at CPLD

The same thing has happened to me two or three months ago, my poweredge just decided to reboot (found a "System CPU resetting" message in lifecycle logs) and got stuck after CPLD version : 103. That time i was able to enter LifeCycle controller, start the diagnostics (which didn't show any hw errors) and to boot again after that. Now that's happened again, but this time i'm unable to enter LifeCycle controller. However i'm able to get into PERC bios, Intel Boot Agent bios and i'm even able to get into iDRAC web interface, to use virtual console. I've been even able to update iDRAC's firmware to the latest. Sadly i'm unable to update any other firmware which requires reboot (including BIOS), since i'm stuck at CPLD. I've googled this topic out, found a lot of proposed solutions, none of them work in this case. Tried to clear nvram (jumper way), tried to take the battery out and wait few days, tried to take CPU #2 out, nothing works.

Here are some screenshots:

BIOS versionBIOS versionBooting...Booting...This is where it endsThis is where it endsI'm pretty sure it's factory spoilage, since this poweredge usually did a lot of (4-6 times a year) reboots by itself, with the log message "System CPU resetting", but i was quite sure it's a BIOS firmware problem and it's going to be fixed with the next version. And maybe it was fixed, i wouldn't know, as i'm unable to flash the new version. :) Any suggestions?

November 1st, 2022 05:00

We were spending more time on the problem than the system was worth.  We sent the unit to electronic recycling. Problem solved.

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6.2K Posts

February 25th, 2019 10:00

Hello

If the system is not completing POST then you should go through no POST troubleshooting.

https://www.dell.com/support/article/sln111201/

The issue isn't necessarily with CPLD. The issue is likely with something after CPLD. I would try to fault isolate by removing hardware. I would start with simple things, like external USB.

Thanks

6 Posts

February 26th, 2019 00:00

Ok, so i did everything to troubleshoot no POST again. Brought the server to minimum to POST, left only CPU #1, one memory module in A1, took out the PERC H710 mini controller and even intel network card. No USB devices, no nothing, even no display connected (i'm using iDRAC's virtual console). Here's the screenshot:

F1.png

Cleared NVRAM using the jumper as it's suggested in hw manual. Nothing has changed.

6 Posts

March 7th, 2019 03:00

Is that it? Out of ideas, no more support, silence is golden? I've been told Dell support is a joke, but frankly, i've had no idea, it's such a bad joke. Well, i guess i'll have to get back to ProLiants. No more PowerEdges. Thanks, but no thanks. :)

2 Posts

October 21st, 2020 12:00

I have the same problem. After updating the BIOS, the server crashed at the same point. POST initialization has not been completed. Does anyone have any idea what I can do?

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2.9K Posts

October 21st, 2020 14:00

Hello,

 

What troubleshooting have you taken thus far? Have you checked out the article in the response regarding no POST troubleshooting?

December 5th, 2020 10:00

I have the same problem.  I have tried all the recommended troubleshooting guides to no avail.

Any more suggestions?

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4.1K Posts

December 6th, 2020 22:00

Hi, can we make sure one more time these conditions are met?

PowerEdge R720 Minimum To Post 

·       One Power Supply

·       Control Panel (for power button functionality)

·       Working cable connection between control panel and system board

·       One Processor (CPU) in socket CPU1 (minimum for troubleshooting)

·       One Memory Module (DIMM) installed in socket A1

·       System Board

·       Backplane 

 

iF Should you still see the issue,  best to get in touch with the phone support at this point, I might recommend. Thank you for your enquiries and have a great one!

 

W

December 7th, 2020 07:00

Please read the thread.  We have done everything you and dell support have recommended.

No solution.  No progress.

 

Any way for F2, F10 or F11 to execute before POST completes?

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2.9K Posts

December 7th, 2020 08:00

Are you seeing your system hang at the CPLD, or are you also seeing the missing network card message? Servers can stop at the CPLD section for a variety of reasons and knowing if you're getting the same message may be helpful.

 

If you've already tried all recommended steps, I would have to recommend replacing the motherboard. I'm happy to make troubleshooting suggestions, but I would need to know what you've done. You may well be right when you say that you've tried everything, but in the case that there is something I can suggest, I would need to know what's already been tried. A brief description should be sufficient.

 

020HJ is the latest part number I'm seeing for the motherboard service kit. I'm looking at the block diagram of the board now, and it confirms the CPLD as part of it. If you're confident that all troubleshooting steps have been taken, than this is what I'd look at next.

 

December 9th, 2020 12:00

When configured as designed, my system boots without errors and then hangs at the CPLD.

When I clear the NVRAM, I boot and without errors I get to the prompt to press F1 or F2.  At this point the system is unresponsive.

When I clear the NVRAM, I have tried booting without any keyboard, mouse or any device in the USB ports.  When I get to the prompt to press F1 or F2, I plug the keyboard into the USB port and the system is unresponsive.  I have repeated this for each USB port.

Is there a way to disable the CPLD?

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2.9K Posts

December 9th, 2020 13:00

To the best of my knowledge, the CPLD cannot be disabled. However, referring back to this diagram, it looks like it is only connected to the iDRAC. If flashing the iDRAC didn't work, the only other suggestion I could make is to try disabling the Lifecycle controller (LCC). It's a bit of a longshot, but it's the only thing I can think of that you can fully turn off. Now, the LCC data is on  eMMC storage separate from the iDRAC and CPLD both, so I just want to reiterate that this may not move the needle at all, but may be worth testing.

 

The way that I know to turn the LCC off is to SSH into the iDRAC and issue this command:

$ racadm set LifecycleController.LCAttributes.LifecycleControllerState 0

 

Was the server at a minimum to POST configuration when you tried these different approaches? If so, that would really have me looking at the motherboard for replacement.

December 14th, 2020 09:00

How did you solve the problem?

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December 20th, 2020 19:00

Hello, cpearson22033, just checking if this case has come to any conclusions. Wish you a great holiday ahead.

2 Posts

May 19th, 2022 19:00

Just go to System -> Misc -> and turn off reporting Errors (right under keyboard errors.)

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