press F1 to continue, F2 to enter setup msg on boot

Question

Hello,   I have a Dell dual processor PowerEdge 4400.   When it boots up it IDs the processors, memory, and scussy drived and prompts the press 'F1 to continue, F2 to enter setup' message and won't go any further.   Any, any, any information on how to resolve this issue would be GREATLY GREATLY appreciated.   Sincere thanks, Steve

rewilson · Answer

Enter setup and look at your drive configuration.  Make sure the setting for all disk channels that have drives (hard or optical) attached are set to 'auto' and all without drives are set to 'off'.   --Bob

desselle · Answer

Thanks for the info Bob, I will try that out. Are you a Dell tech support person??   thanks, Steve

rewilson · Answer

Nope.  Just had the same problem on a 400SC and that is what fixed it.  THere are some other threads about the problem which go into more detail.   --Bob

desselle · Answer

Hello,

I have a DELL PowerEdge 4400/600 server than won't bot up into the OS. When it is in the boot process it displays the informaion below and then the "Strike F1 to retry boot, F2 for setup utility" message is displayed and that is far as it will go. I listed the F2 Settings on page 2 of Setup, and listed some things that might be of importance. If you could PLEASE give me any help in knowing what to do to resolve this issue, I would be so grateful.

Sincere thanks,
Steve

-------- This appears on the screen when Server is started after the DELL logo is prompted. -------------

PowerEdge 4400/600 BIOS Version A03
Embedded Server management firmware rev 5.22

System backplane firmware rev 5.32
!!! *** WARNING. Firmware is out-of-date, please update
Power supply paralleling board firmware rev 2.36

One 600 mhz processor, processor bus: 133mhz, L2 cache: 256kb Advanced
One mhz processor, processor bus: 133mhz, L2 cache: 256kb Advanced

System running at MHZ
Adaptec AIC - 7800 SCSI BIOS v25701
(c) 1999 Adaptec, Inc. ALL rights reserved

<<< Press for SCSI Select (TM) Utility! >>>

SCSI ID: 5 NEC CD-ROM Drive:466 20.0

Strike F1 to retry boot, F2 for setup utility

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the F2 Setup screen, page 2 the settings are as follows:

Integrated Devices

USB = ON
Mouse = ON
Serial Port 1 = Auto
Serial Port 2 = Auto
Parallel Port = 378h
Parallel Mode = PS/2
Diskette = Auto
NIC = Enabled
NIC MAC Address = Not Present
On Board RAID = Off
Channel A = SCSI
Channel B = SCSI
Secondary SCSI = ON

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Things that might be important to know:
1.)There are 3 power supplies, w/ each having a power plug. Should all 3 power supplies be plugged

in, or just one?
2.)There are 6 drive sections on the bottom. I'm not sure if there are 6 drives in there or not, but only

3 of them light up.
3.)There are 2 lights above the drive area, one having a lightning bolt icon above it that blinks orange,

and the other light has a fan blade icon above it that stays lit up solid green.
4.)Once the boot up process displays the "F1 to retry boot , F2 for setup utility" message, if I press

F1 after that it just redisplays the message again, and again everytime I press it.
5.)The Server is NOT hooked up to any network at all. I just have it plugged up by itself.
6.)I went into Setup an changed the NIC = Enabled to Disabled an rebotted and it didn't change

anything.
7.)Does the "!!! *** WARNING. Firmware is out-of-date, please update" message have any bearing

in this problem?

DELL-John K. · Answer

Below is a link to the downloads for the 4400. Update the system bios first, then the ESM firmware. Downloads 4400

Warauz · Answer

Hello desselle

First off all you need to upgrade the Bios and ESM of the server

latest bios A11 http://ftp.us.dell.com/bios/4400-A11.exe

ESM http://ftp.us.dell.com/esm/a56cust.exe

second step: verify if you have hdd connected as raid configuration or as scsi.

are u notice that in the post message the system cant recognize the hdd's and in integrated devices your bios as the onboard raid = off (that means that if drives was configured as raid the system could not boot becuse the bios turn off the raid card).

***only remember that when you switch to on/off the onboard raid its possible that you lose data ****

PowerEdge Hardware General

press F1 to continue, F2 to enter setup msg on boot

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