Poweredge C2100 not seeing memory

Hello.

Would you be able to check if the BIOS is up to date? And I'm sure your BMC is running at 1.86?

Have you tried only single processor configuration first? Tried, 1 processor with memories in bank A0 B0 C0?

@DELL-Joey C thanks for the reply. BIOS is at latest version, I removed one processor and tested only the blue banks with 3 identical 8GB sticks:

I tried several memory sticks with either 16 or 8GB in size, same result with the middle stick not visible. When I insert 3 identical sticks, I get this error:

As soon I remove the B0 stick, everything is okay.

Could it be that L5640 processors do not support this memory configuration?

When I install the second processor back, there are no more DIMM errors but the memory is just not seen into middle banks:

@DELL-Joey C the BIOS I'm running is old actually, I was referring to BMC being up to date. I have the old Sequoia S99Q3B10 installed and upgraded to C99Q3B25 without issues. I still have the same problem.

Hi,

Would you be able to provide me the main board's PPID? "CN-0XXXX".

It's is very unlikely that both main board that you have used, having the same situation. 

Do you have any other processor (other than L5640) to test? 

@DELL-Joey C I'm trying to post the part number and the message gets deleted?

I'm attaching the component information, if I take any stick of the below installed memory and move it into middle banks, they are ignored and become invisible:

[deleted]

Hi,

The picture is not loading from my side. If you would like, you can send me a private note, I hope I can see it there.

By the way, do you have any other processors to try? Since there is some doubts about L5640, and they are low voltage CPU.

After reading the your past reply, there is an error on boot if you install only 1 processor, but after you install both CPU, there is no error occur. Would you like to try, to find out which CPU give you that error or both CPU have the error. 

@DELL-Joey C I sent you a private message with the serial number and image attached. It looks like the image was not attached, again but at least now you have the serial number.

I don't have any other processors to try besides the ones that came with the server. There are no processor related errors (one or two processors installed on the board), only memory errors. No matter what I do, the middle banks are not seen and throw errors. I'm attaching again the the image with server details, I was not able to send it either in your private message.

Actually, I'm going to delete the images with serial numbers, since DELL does not want them posted anyways.

Maybe this should be reported, as it seams only me can see all images, if I logout, all images are visible except the one I attached in this post? Maybe there is a delay to make the image visible, not sure. Either ways, the fact as you as moderator cannot see an attached image, is an issue.

Hi,

Thanks for the PM. The forum automation probably detected private info, that may be the reason that it won't display. 

There may be no processor prompt errors, but the CPU bus might not be able to communicate with the memory. By the way, just to check, I couldn't recall if there is has been performed, but does the BIOS able to detect full memory population? Have you tried performing a hardware diagnostics?

@DELL-Joey C with the current memory banks populated, I always get these warnings:

2020-06-23 20:30:03 MRC Event: Memory sensor, MRC Warning(17.01): Improper DIMM population. Node 1, Channel E, DIMM 1.

2020-06-23 20:30:02 MRC Event: Memory sensor, MRC Warning(17.01): Improper DIMM population. Node 0, Channel B, DIMM 1.

2020-06-23 20:30:00 MRC Event: Memory sensor, MRC Warning(17.01): Improper DIMM population. Node 1, Channel E, DIMM 1.

2020-06-23 20:30:00 MRC Event: Memory sensor, MRC Warning(17.01): Improper DIMM population. Node 0, Channel B, DIMM 1.

2020-06-23 16:13:10 PROCESSOR0: Processor sensor, presence was asserted

2020-06-23 16:13:10 PROCESSOR1: Processor sensor, presence was asserted

Since the image attachment do not work properly in these forums, I'll post links to images.

Current memory bank: https://postimg.cc/K4HWjjbR

System events log: https://postimg.cc/K1NrKpTJ

Why do I get warnings, if I don't have any memory installed into B and E banks? Bios cannot detect the middle banks, it spits the errors posted into earlier screenshots. If I move the memory from bank A to bank B, it will not be visible anywhere, Bios or OS. I don't know how to perform a hardware diagnostic on the server.

Hi,

So you're having the those errors in event logs, when bank B and E is not populated? Have you tried only 1 CPU and do you see only channel B having the error only?

So far, we're tried most of the troubleshooting to minimize the root cause of the issue, except to test a different CPU, which you don't have.

Let try resetting the BIOS: https://dell.to/2YvGrF8

Next would be just try simplified configuration, 1 CPU with bank A,B and C populated. If you're having issue, swap the CPU. If you're ok with it, let's swap mother boards, since you thought it was a main board issue, and replaced it. So swap back the old one. 

@DELL-Joey C yes I get warnings for non-populated banks. I plan to upgrade the CPUs soon. The old board had few sitting CPU pins bent, so I thought this what was causing the issue, I don't have the old board anymore, I recycled it. Once I get the new CPUs, I will test one CPU at the time with memory populated into all banks for that specific CPU. I remember that originally I tried filling all banks for CPU A (while CPU B was not installed) and getting the same errors.

Hi,

I'd hope that the new CPUs would be the solution to the memory issue that you had. 

Do let me know if you have any other issues.

Sorry for the delay, I simply abandoned the idea of adding more memory and sticking with 192GB only. Eventually I will upgrade the server and re-use the memory it sits now in a drawer.

How do you get 192gb ram on c2100, my system only regconize 144gb, dell website say c2100 max ram only 144gb.

@DELL-Joey C can you verify this:

https://www.dell.com/us/en/business/servers/poweredge-c2100/pd.aspx?refid=poweredge-c2100&s=bsd&cs=04

Top of the page write maximum is 144gb ram, but near bottom write 192gb.

Can you share the details on memory population and memory modules used? You can refer "System Memory" section on page 71 of below link for memory installation guidelines for PowerEdge C2100

https://dl.dell.com/manuals/all-products/esuprt_ser_stor_net/esuprt_cloud_products/poweredge-c2100_owner's%20manual_en-us.pdf