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August 21st, 2019 12:00
PowerEdge r420 won't restart, shuts down instead (Windows 2012 server)
My PowerEdge r420 suddenly developed a problem yesterday where it can't be restarted from within Windows (2012 Server operating system.) If a restart is triggered, either by the user or Windows Update, the server seems to shut down instead, which is a major problem for a remote data center machine.
This type of problem seems to have hit various 2012 servers with various hardware over the years, and never did any case seem to be truly understood. But sometimes it's blamed on outdated BIOS or firmware having become incompatible with the latest Windows updates. In my case, KB4512488, the August quality rollup, is the most suspect recent update installed. I wondered if any other r420 owners have encountered this problem, and if any causes have been identified.
cbtqt
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September 12th, 2019 15:00
Side note -- the restart problem has perhaps spontaneously resolved. The server automatically installed September Windows monthly updates and requested a restart. I initiated an update and restart cycle, and went off to make coffee while humming "Keep on the Sunny Side." When I got back, the system had restarted, apparently with no problem. Not clear if the original problem had any connection to the r420 hardware, or firmware, or outdated bios. Perhaps it was all just unknowable 2012 Server bugs, introduced in the August updates and accidentally fixed in the September updates.
Dell-DylanJ
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August 21st, 2019 15:00
This isn't an issue I've heard of before, personally. However, I'd be happy to see if I can replicate it. What BIOS and iDRAC version are you working with? I'd like to try to have the test system have the same versions.
I'll dig into this with some of my colleagues to see if anyone else has needed to work the issue, too.
cbtqt
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August 21st, 2019 16:00
In researching the problem, I noticed that the BIOS version, 2.1.2, is urgently out of date and needs to be updated whether or not it solves this particular problem. I can't do it until next week for logistical reasons. Meanwhile, it's perhaps not worth your time to simulate the problem with an outdated BIOS. The iDRAC has never been updated so presumably it's still version 7. It's a stand-alone server, not in an enterprise environment, and the iDRAC has never been used.
Maybe updating the BIOS will make the problem go away, or maybe not. I won't know until next week. Meanwhile, I was curious to see if the problem hit anyone else, and if there was more definite experience about how to fix it.
I have seen other versions of the problem reported on message boards for ASUS, SuperMicro, and IBM hardware at various times. It doesn't seem to be a Dell issue in particular, more a 2012 server issue, but possibly it hits lots of systems with a particular hardware type at a particular time.
Dell-DylanJ
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August 22nd, 2019 06:00
Ok, I'll stand by then and we can continue based on what you see next week.
cbtqt
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September 9th, 2019 10:00
I naively thought I could hire a Dell technician to update the machine's BIOS and firmware, but it turns out that no such service is available. I was told by a Dell "triage" person that it was considered a software problem, and I would need to pay a breathtaking $1,000 even to talk to someone, more than the server is worth. Never mind that the problem can't be solved remotely, because iDRAC is not configured. The Dell rep said their technicians will visit the server only for parts replacement. So Dell support offers no way out of my situation. Meanwhile, I asked my colo provider if they knew of anyone around the data center who could be hired to do the work for me, and they would not even dignify the question with a response.
The server is in a data center 1,000 miles from me, so I can't easily work on it myself. 16 years ago, when I purchased my first server, this arrangement didn't seem so crazy. Lots of people did it, and there was abundant support available from a friendly colo provider. Now it seems that most such activity has departed for the cloud, and the support resources for owning your own server have withered to almost nothing. My approach to the business is obsolete, and I am just considered a nuisance to everyone concerned. OK, I got the message and started building a new cloud-based server at AWS. I will retire my machine in a couple of months after my operation is transferred and stable in its new location.