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Will 2950 run without the PCI riser card?
Not that I particularly want to do it this way, but I have to juggle a couple of PCI-X riser cards from servers in geographically separate sites. Basically the bulk of our 2950s came with PCIe risers by default, but I have a couple of PCI-X SCSI cards for two tape drives that I am trying to migrate to a couple of our semi-retired 2950s. It will be impossible to swap them in one session without a very quick 310 mile roundtrip. The servers that do have the PCI-X risers don't need cards at all, so if there is no major issue I probably wouldn't even bother putting the PCIe risers back in.
Also, does anyone know if there are any jumpers or configuration I must do to change the riser?
TIA!
theflash1932
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July 27th, 2014 15:00
"A" riser is required for POST ... the optional part is in which one you use - PCI-X or PCIe.
theflash1932
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November 7th, 2011 11:00
The riser are required for the server to complete POST. So, at a minimum, you'll need to swap them.
DELL-Willy M
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November 7th, 2011 11:00
The Risers are needed for the server to POST properly. Here is a list of the Minimum to POST requirements.
•System board
•Processor (with heatsink) in socket 1
•Two sticks of memory in memory slots 1 and 2
•1 power supply
•Control panel (to turn on system)
•Sideplane
•Both PCI risers; PCI-e in center slot, (PCI-e or PCI-X) in left slot
Let us know if you have any further questions.
Dell | Social Outreach Services - Enterprise
philmorris
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July 27th, 2014 15:00
The Dell™ PowerEdge™ 2950 Systems Hardware Owner's Manual, Jumpers and Connectors section, Expansion-Card Riser-Board Components and PCI Buses sub-section states:
Figure 6-7, Figure 6-8, and Figure 6-9 show the components on the optional PCI-X/PCIe expansion-card riser boards, including the expansion-card slots and buses.
and
Figure 6-7. Optional PCIe Left Expansion-Card Riser Board Components
Figure 6-8. Optional PCI-X Left Expansion-Card Riser Board Components
Figure 6-9. Optional PCIe Expansion-Card Central Riser Board Components
If these are optional, they cannot be a requirement to POST. So is the Owner's Manual totally incorrect, or can the configuration be changed for when the riser is missing or replaced with an a x16 pci-e graphics or audio card?
If the manual is correct, there must be a way to do at least one of the above.
philmorris
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July 29th, 2014 05:00
Aha - so just a matter of the interpretation of the sentence.
Thanks