Messages and Codes:  Dell™ PowerEdge™ 8450 Systems Installation and Troubleshooting Guide

Overview • System Messages • Warning Messages • Diagnostics Messages • Alert Log Messages From the Dell OpenManage Hardware Instrumentation Package Application Program • Front-Panel Indicators • SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Indicator Codes • Power Supply Indicators • PCI Expansion-Slot Indicators

Overview

Application programs, operating systems, and the computer itself are capable of identifying problems and alerting you to them. When a problem occurs, a message may appear on the monitor screen or a beep code may sound.

This section describes each type of message and lists the possible causes and actions you can take to resolve any problems indicated by a message. To determine what type of message you have received, read the following subsections.

System Messages

System messages during the system's power-on self-test (POST) alert you to a possible operating system problem or to a conflict between the software and hardware. Table 1 lists the system messages that can occur and suggested remedies for each situation. (The four-digit code in the left column appears on a liquid crystal display (LCD) behind the front bezel.)

Table 1. System Messages

System Beep Codes

When an error that cannot be reported on the monitor occurs during a boot routine, the computer may emit a series of beeps that identifies the problem.This information is valuable to the Dell technical support representative if you need to call for technical assistance.

When a beep code is emitted, write it down on a copy of the Diagnostics Checklist found in Getting Help and then look it up in Table 2. If you are unable to resolve the problem by looking up the meaning of the beep code, use the Dell Diagnostics to identify a more serious cause. If you are still unable to resolve the problem, see Getting Help for instructions on obtaining technical assistance.

Table 2. System Beep Codes

Warning Messages

A warning message alerts you to a possible problem and asks you to take corrective action before the system continues a task. For example, before you format a diskette, a message may warn you that you may lose all data on the diskette, as a way to protect against inadvertently erasing or writing over the data. These warning messages usually interrupt the procedure and require you to respond by typing y (yes) or n (no).

Diagnostics Messages

When you test a device group or device in the Dell Diagnostics, an error message may result. These particular error messages are not covered in this section. Record the message on a copy of the Diagnostics Checklist found in Getting Help and then follow the instructions in that section for obtaining technical assistance.

Alert Log Messages From the Dell OpenManage Hardware Instrumentation Package Application Program

The Dell OpenManage Hardware Instrumentation Package (HIP) server management application program generates alert messages that appear in the Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) trap log file. To see the trap log, select any enterprise under the SNMP trap log icon. (More information about the Alert Log window and options is provided in the Dell OpenManage HIP online help and the HP OpenView NNM Special Edition x.x With Dell OpenManage HIP x.x User's Guide.)

Alert log messages consist of information, status, warning, and failure messages for drive, temperature, fan, and power conditions. They can assist you with identifying a problem and may provide you with information to help you resolve the problem. For more information about these messages, refer to the Dell OpenManage HIP online help and the HP OpenView NNM Special Edition x.x With Dell OpenManage HIP x.x User's Guide.

Front-Panel Indicators

The following indicators are on the system's front panel (see Figure 1 ):

• The power indicator lights green when the power supply is turned on and the system is receiving DC power.
• The fan/temperature status indicator lights amber when a fan failure is detected or temperature is out of bounds.
• The power-supply status indicator lights amber if a fault is detected with any of the power supplies or any system voltages.
• The hard-disk drive fault indicator lights amber if a problem occurs with one of the internal hard-disk drives.

Figure 1. Front-Panel Indicators

SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Indicator Codes

Three indicator lights in each SCSI hard-disk drive carrier provide information on the status of the SCSI hard-disk drives (see Figure 2). The SCSI backplane firmware controls the drive online and drive failure indicators.

Figure 2. Hard-Disk Drive Indicators

Table 3 lists the drive indicator patterns established by the SCSI backplane firmware. Different patterns are displayed as drive events occur in the system. For example, in the event of a hard-disk drive failure, the "drive failed" pattern appears. After you select the drive for removal, the "drive being prepared for removal" pattern appears, followed by the "drive ready for insertion or removal" pattern. After installing the replacement drive, the "drive being prepared for operation" pattern appears, followed by the "drive online" pattern.

Table 3. SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Indicator Patterns 

Power Supply Indicators

The following indicators are located on the back of each redundant power supply (see Figure 3):

• The power indicator is on if the power supply is operating normally.
• The predictive failure indicator is on if failure of the power supply fan is imminent
• The power supply failure indicator is on if the power supply has failed.

Figure 3. Power Supply Indicators

PCI Expansion-Slot Indicators

A pair of green and amber indicator lights is located above each of the ten PCI hot-plug expansion slots in the system. Viewed from inside the system, the left-most indicator in each pair is green. From the back of the system, the left-most indicator of each pair is amber. Table 4 lists the possible patterns for these indicators.

Table 4. PCI Expansion-Slot Indicator Patterns

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