Poweredge 2900 fan thresholds

Hi David,

Are the new fans the normal factory part or did you use 3rd party fans? The fan controller is part of the BMC and is not configurable in Openmanage Server Administrator, you can set alert levels in OMSA but it will not change the actual fan behavior. You can try updating the BIOS and BMC and see if that resolves the issue. You can also use our Linux LiveCD and boot to that and use OMSA there to see what the fans are doing. You may also want to reseat the fans to see if one is loose and causing an issue.

BMC motherboard firmware Version 2.5.0, A00, Released 10/15/12, URGENT, *Note, will cause fans to run fast/loud while updating

Windows: downloads.dell.com/.../ESM_Firmware_C6H4X_WN32_2.50_A00.EXE

Bios 2.7.0 update released 12/8/2010, urgent if yours is less than 2.4.3, Windows update package, requires immediate reboot: ftp.us.dell.com/.../PE2900_BIOS_WIN_2.7.0.EXE

Linux LiveCD: linux.dell.com/.../OMSA64-CentOS55-x86_64-LiveCD.iso

Hi and thanks for the informative reply, i am sure my Bios is 2.7.0 and my ESM is up to date, i have installed after market fans and i am told this is the problem and i quote:-

"In order to swap the fans on a Dell PowerEdge with slower, more quiet ones you have to adjust the lower critical threshold (LCR). If you don’t, the server’s firmware actually lowers the fan’s speed under it’s own LCR, panics, spins them back up a 100%, lowers them again etc. Very noisy, very annoying."

i know how to do it under Linux but i think you can set the LCR within OMSA, i hope i am correct?

I wasnt aware of the linux boot disk , i am downloading and will try it out and report back.

Thanks again!!

Baff, obviously your quoting Arnuschky web site on how to set the lower fan threshold in a PE 2800.

To change the lower critical thresholds requires modifying the BMC firmware for your server as described in the link previously provided. Likely the 2900 is similar enough to the 2800 that you should be able to work out how to modify your 2900 BMC firmware. Obviously it would be much easier if Dell exposed these values via BIOS and allowed us owner to tweak them as needed, but unfortunately they don't! So to recap, you have to mod the latest BMC firmware yourself and flash it to your server :emotion-6:

I haven't done such a BMC firmware mod on my T610 as it is in service within a noisy location so the fan noise isn't relevant at the moment. Likely i will revisit this as i may again have this server in my office where the fan noise will quickly become intolerable again....

Take note that OSMA only allows setting a level for low fan speed warning where a message is sent to alert you to a potential problem. Setting such warning levels do nothing in controlling actual fan speed.

Hi there, sorry to trouble, the image file you gave me a link for OMSA64-CentOS55- has two folders within ISO Linux and LiveOS.

When i select the entire image my ISO software says not bootable or do i use the images within the folders?, i can of course create a bootable cd within windows 7 and burn the image file but not sure if that would work in Linux?

really appreciate your help.

David

Just download the file "OSMA64-CentOS55-x86_64-LiveCD.iso" as linked in Josh's, post then burn the complete .iso file to disk.

My preferred burning application (in Windows) is ImgBurn where i use "write image file to disk" with iso files and the disk will be bootable.

Any burning application running on any operating system and able to handle .iso files can be used to create a disk from this image file. As long as the image file itself contains the boot components, so will the burnt disk be bootable..

(but as i mentioned earlier, OSMA can not be used to set the lower critical fan threshold used to control fan speed)

"Do i take it then i can not adjust the fan limits within OMSA? I know you cant adjust the speed of the fans but i thought you can change the thresholds?"

You can change the thresholds, but all that means is that you change the point at which a warning or error is triggered (for example, if you will be running the server in temps you KNOW are not the norm and don't want to be bothered with constant warning/error notifications) ... it does not actually affect the fan operation (including speed).

Baff, no need to jump to Dells defense as the 2800, 2850, 2900 and many many other servers are rather old and well out of warranty by now.

As many people recycle and/or re-purpose these old servers Dell could, if it chose, exposes such cooling parameters (thresholds, ramp rates, etc) via an updated BIOS and thus give these old out of warranty machines a new lease of life. The good-will would be well worth the trivial task to release such a BIOS and potentially expose some otherwise non Dell owners to the experience and benefit of Dell servers at what is little cost (but currently way too much noise creating a rather negative impression).

And if it's only the installation of linux that hinders you from modding the BMC firmware, try using a bootable live disk that will run linux of CD and thus not touch your HDD. From memory, Arnuschky posts details of all the commands, etc to mod the BMC so it should be relatively straight forward. If linux still daunts you, maybe a local linux users forum can help make these mods for you - i'm sure donations would be appreciated...

Unplugging fans and using some other hardware fan controller is a clunky solution when all the hardware already exists on the motherboard and it's just for the BMC firmware to be modded to set more appropriate low speed thresholds for the specific fans you are using. 

As for speedfan, this application does not work in controlling fan speed on the PE T610 due to the way the fans are exposed and controlled by the BMC so i would be very surprised if this app will work with your 2900.

And as i mentioned, and theflash confirmed, OSMA does nothing to control fan speed. Threshold settings contained within OSMA are strictly used for defining when warning messages to other management systems will be sent (though i believe OSMA can also shut down the server when a set critical threshold is reached).

Thanks for great reply and i do agree with you totally, i have my own electronics business and my views are similar to yours, i own 3 Dells and do like the machines but everything you do is like wading through treacle, for example yes if they do create a Bios that allows you to mod the fans even if they get you to tick a disclaimer if you decide to install.

I for one believe after service is the most critical in getting customers to stay with your products in the future.

For example, i have just run OSMA for the first time and found it informative, i watched my fans spin down and just drop below the minimum threshold of 1275 Rpm after 5 minutes, the temperatures were 26 deg C .

Just above the list of fans it says (click on the fan name to adjust the thresholds) and then it says (IF APPLICABLE) and obviously it wasnt but leads me to believe they might be an Admin login that allows the change, i feel sure if i set them at 1150 my system would be superb!!!

Now the BMC was updated and i cant remember the version but mine is the latest, but many people complained about the fan noise and i understand that the answers came back are you using the latest BMC, can i assume the older versions spun the fans faster??? if so an older BMC might cure??

Anyway i think i might teach myself some Linux!!!

Thanks Again!!!!

Baff, what changes were made to the various versions of BMC firmware for your system is not clear but likely the changes are not just related to changed a cooling strategy. So downgrading, if even possible as BMC is tied to server BIOS and some BIOS's can't be downgraded, may indeed provide you with the older more aggressive cooling strategy but you may miss out on some rather important BIOS/BMC updates by doing this. Also, the older more aggressive cooling strategy may still not handle the slow spinning non dell quiet fans you have installed, so hunting may still occur on hitting the critical fan speed threshold. After all the cooling strategy is not just about fan speed but ramp rates, installed components, temperature measurements and much much more that Dell knows about but we don't.

Likely your best approach is to make the threshold mod to the BMC firmware and monitor that the cooling works to your expectations...

My update crashed 2 times using the server update utility

Winserv 2008 ENT / yadda yadda Bios 2.7

Used the stand alone update utility

file: ESM_Firmware_C6H4X_WN32_2.50_A00.EXE

**
Completed after revving the fans the last 30 secs a few times

>>TOTAL RUN TIME FOR UPDATE 13.75 MINUTES<<

WOW Them 2900 sound like a large Military JeT air plane taking off...

!!!!!!!!Dell should WARN FOLK about this first!!!!!!!!!

it's 2015 , I've been at this since 1977,

I still said Oh Wow [ADMIN NOTE: Profanity removed per TOU]

Did I BREAK it / when it revved up full tilt.....

Do you here me dell..

!!!!!!!!Dell should WARN FOLK about this first!!!!!!!!!

I REPEAT;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

IF YOU HAVE A WEEK HART OR IF NOISE IS AN ISSUE WHERE YOUR AT

>>TAKE THE SERVER SOMEWHERE APPROPRIATE

>>>>>>>>>>'''BEFORE YOU RUN THIS UPDATE''''

[ADMIN NOTE: Repetitive phrase removed]

Your spelling is atrocious. I have no idea what you just said.