Acer G5350 Series manual

Acer Altos G5350 Series User’ s Guide[...]

Changes may be made periodically to the info rmation in this publicat ion without obligation to notify any person of such re vision or changes. Such changes will be incorporated in new editions of this manual or supplementary doc uments and publications. This company makes no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect [...]

iii Notices FCC notice Class A devices do not have an FCC logo or FCC IDE on the label. Class B devices have an FCC logo or FCC IDE on the label. Once th e class of the device is determined, refer to the following corresponding statement. Class A equipment This device has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device [...]

iv Notice: Shielded cables All connections to other computing device s must be made using shielded cables to maintain compliance with FCC regulations. Notice: Peripheral devices Only peripherals (input/out put devices, terminals, pr inters, etc.) certified to comply with the Class A or Class B limits may be attached to this equipment. Operation wit[...]

v Important safety instructions Read these instructions carefully . Save these instructions for future reference. 1 Follow all warnings and instruct ions marked on the product. 2 Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid cleaners or aeros ol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning. 3 Do not use this product near wa[...]

vi d If the product does not operat e normally when the operating instructions are followed. Adjust on ly those controls that are covered by the operating instructions sinc e improper adjustment of other controls may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to restore the product to normal condition. e If the[...]

Contents Notices iii FCC notice iii Laser compliance statement iv Important safety instructions v 1 System tour 1 Features summary 3 External and internal structure 6 Front bezel 6 Front panel 7 Rear panel 11 Internal components 13 System boards 14 Mainboard layout 14 Backplane board layout 17 2 System setup 21 Setting up the system 23 Pre-installa[...]

viii Replacing the CD-ROM drive 53 Installing 5.25-inch drives 55 Upgrading the processor 57 To install the CPU 57 To install the HSF assembly 58 To remove the HSF assembly 60 To remove the CPU 61 Upgrading the system memory 62 DIMM population guidelines 63 To remove a DIMM 66 To install a DIMM 67 Installing an expansion card 69 Installing a SCSI m[...]

ix Hardware diagnostic testing 116 Verifying proper operation of key system lights 116 Confirming loading of the OS 117 Specific problems and corrective actions 117 Appendix A: System management utility 123 ASM 126 System requirements 126 System setup 127 RAID configuration 129 Appendix B: Acer Altos G5350 rack installation guide 131 Setting up the[...]

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1 System tour[...]

The Acer Altos G5350 server is a powerful dual- processor system loaded with a host of new and innovative features. The system offers a new standard for flexible productivity ideal for multimedia processing, intensive graphics applications, general business applications, email, web service, file clustering and print services.[...]

3 Featur es summary Listed below are the system’ s key features: Processor • Dual AMD Opteron™ single or dual core processors • Supports AMD 64-Bit technology Chipset • AMD 8131™ (I/O bridge) • AMD 8111™ (South bridge) Memory • Supports DDR-333(PC2700) or DDR-400(PC3200) registered ECC memory modules • Four DIMM slots per proces[...]

1 System tour 4 •E a s y - s w a p • Hot-plug • Supports up to four SA T A hard disk drives SCSI controller (optional) • Adaptec AIC-7902, two channel Ultra320 SCSI controller • Supports two SCSI 68-pin connector • Supports disk mirroring Networking • Intel 82541Gl chipset Baseboard Management Contr oller (optional) • Onboard Nation[...]

5 • Gigabit LAN port (RJ-45) Operating system and software • Microsoft ® Windows ® Server 2003, X64 edition • Microsoft ® Windows ® Server 2003 • Microsoft ® Windows ® 2000 Server (SP4) • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.0 • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.0 X64 •N o v e l l ® NetWare ® 6.5 •S U S E ® Linux Enterprise Server 9.0 •S [...]

1 System tour 6 Exter nal and inter nal structure Fr ont bezel No. Component 1 Side panel release button 2 Security keylock 3 Front panel LED indicator 4 Bezel door[...]

7 Front panel No. Icon Component Description 1 CD-ROM drive Stop/ Eject button Press this button to open the CD drive tray . 2C D - R O M d r i v e activity indicator When the LED indicator is lit, there is activity in the CD drive. 3 CD-ROM drive Disk drive for reading CD-ROMs. 4 V olume control Adjusts the volume of the CD drive. 5C D - R O M d r[...]

1 System tour 8 8 Hard disk activity indicator 2 Indicates the status of the system hard drive. 9 System status indicator 3 The indicator lights up green when the system is operating normally . When the a system fault is present, the indicator blinks or lights up amber . 10 LAN activity indicator 4 Indicates an active link on the LAN port (green). [...]

9 Front panel LED indicators Below table lists the LED states on the front panel. LED Color Status Description Power Green On Power on Blinking System in ACPI sleep mode. Status 1 Green On System in normal mode. Green Blinking • Defective CPU • Defective DIMM Amber Blinking • Redundant fan failure • Redundant power supply failure • Non-cr[...]

1 System tour 10 Hot-plug HDD LED indicators Below table lists the poss ible disk drive states. LAN Green On Network is established. Blinking • Network activity . • Network is established and running at its supported speed. Off Network link is not established. 1 The Status LED is activated when the BMC controller is installed on the mainboard. [...]

11 Rear panel No. Icon Component Description 1 Power supply module bay Allows installation of a hot-swap redundant power supply module. The hot-swap redundant power supply module may include three LEDs that will indicate its operating status. Note: Though the system supports two hot-swap power supply module bays, the system comes bundled with only [...]

1 System tour 12 4 USB ports Connects to USB devices. 5 Serial port Connects to serial devices. 6 Parallel/printer port Connects to parallel devices. 7 VGA/monitor port Connects to monitors. 8 Gigabit LAN ports (10/100/ 1000 Mbps) Connects to network cables. 9 Expansion slots For installing expansion cards. 10 PCI slot lock lever Secures the PCI ca[...]

13 Intern al components No. Component 1 Power supply module (610-watts) 1 1 Though the system supports tw o hot-swap power supply m odules, the system comes bundled with a single 610- watt power supply module onl y. You have the option to purchase an extra power supp ly module to provide the sy stem with a redundant pow- er source. 2 Rear system fa[...]

1 System tour 14 System boar ds Mainboar d layout The mainboard becomes accessible once you open the system. It should look like the figure shown below.[...]

15 No. Code Description 1 CN4 T op: PS/2 mouse port Bottom: PS/2 keyboard port 2 USB3 USB ports 3 COMA1 Serial A port 4 LPT1 Parallel/printer port 5 VGA1 VGA/monitor port 6 LAN Gigabit LAN ports (RJ-45) 7 A TX2 Power supply connector 8 CPU2 CPU 2 socket 9 CPU F AN2 CPU fan 2 connector 10 A TX1 Power supply connector 11 PWR F AN1 Power fan 1 connect[...]

1 System tour 16 22 IDE2 Secondary IDE connector 23 IDE1 Primary IDE connector 24 BA T1 CMOS battery 25 U109 SIO (System IO) chipset 26 GSMI1 BMC (Baseboard Management Controller) connector 27 FDD1 FDD connector 28 COMB Serial B port 29 PCI_6 P CI slot 5, 6 (PCI 32-bit/33 MHz) 30 JP3 VGA jumper (enabled/disabled) 31 A TI Rage XL VGA chipset 32 WOL1[...]

17 Backplane boar d layout The backplane board attached to the four-bay hot-plug HDD cage provides a convenient interface betw een the SCSI or SA T A drives and the mainboard. SCSI backplane board layout No. Code Description 1 SCSI HDD connectors 2 I 2 C bus interface connector 3 4-pin power cable connector 4 SAF-TE ID SAF-TE ID jumper Jumper setti[...]

1 System tour 18 J3 LED indicator jumper Jumper setting: SHORT 1-2 — Link LED on SHORT 2-3 — Link LED dark 792D_ID1 792D_ID1 ADDR select jumper Close 1-2 — 5EH (default) Close 2-3 — 5AH 5 68-pin SCSI data cable connector No. Code Description[...]

19 SA T A backplane board layout No. Code Description 1 SA T A HDD connectors 2 SAF-TE heartbeat LED and Manufacturing function jumper 3 J1 BPB No. jumper Jumper setting: SHORT 1-2 — 1st BPB SHORT 2-3 — 2nd BPB J2 LED indicator Jumper setting: SHORT 1-2 — Link LED on SHORT 2-3 — Link LED dark 792D_ID1 792D_ID1 ADDR select jumper Close 1-2 ?[...]

1 System tour 20 5 4-pin power cable connector 6 I 2 C bus interface connector No. Code Description[...]

2 System setup[...]

This chapter gives you instructions on how to set up the system. Procedures on how to connect peripherals are also explained.[...]

23 Setting up the system Pre-installation r equirements Selecting a site Before unpacking and installing the sy stem, select a suitable site for the system for maximum efficiency . Consider the following factors when choosing a site for the system: • Near a grounded power outlet • Clean and dust-free • Stable surface free from vibration • W[...]

2 System setup 24 Connecting peripherals Refer to the illustration below for sp ecific connection instructions on the peripherals you want to connect to the system. Note: Consult the operating system manual for information on how to configure the network setup.[...]

25 Tur ning on the system After making sure that you have properly set up the system and connected all the required cables , you can now power on the system. T o power on the system: 1 Open the bezel door . 2 Press the power button.[...]

2 System setup 26 The system starts up and displays a welcome message on the monitor . After that, a series of power-on self-test (POST) messages appears. The POST messages indica te if the system is running well or not. Note: If the system does not turn on or boot after pressing the power button, go to the next sect ion for the possible causes of [...]

27 Power -on problems If the system does not boot after y ou have applied power , check the following factors that might have caused the boot failure. • The external power cable may be loosely connected. Check the power cable connection from the power source to the power cable socket on the rear panel. Make sure that the cable is properly connect[...]

2 System setup 28 Configuring the system OS The Altos G5350 comes with Acer EasyBUILD TM that allows you to conveniently install your choice of operating system. T o start using EasyBUILD, follow the steps below . 1 Locate the EasyBUILD System CD in cluded in the system package. 2 With the system turned on, gently press the CD-ROM drive Stop/ Eject[...]

29 Server setup Aside from its tower configuration, the Altos G5350 server system can also be mounted in a rack-model position. A rack mount kit is available for customers who want to convert a tower-mounted system to rack-model design. T o purchase a rack mount kit, contact your local Acer representative or order directly from http://www .acer .co[...]

2 System setup 30 T ur ning of f the system There are two ways by which you can turn off the server . These include: T o turn off the server , on the Windows taskbar click on the Start button, point to Shut Down... , select Shut down from the drop-down window then click on OK . Y ou can then turn off all peripherals connected to your server . If yo[...]

3 System upgrade[...]

This chapter discusses the precautionary measures and installation procedures you need to know when upgrading the system.[...]

33 Installation pr ecautions Before you install any server component, we recommend that you read the following sections. These sections contain important ESD precautions along with pre-installation and post-installation instructions. ESD precautions Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage the processor , disk drives, expansion boards, motherboard,[...]

3 System upgrade 34 W arning! Failure to properly turn off the server before you start installing components may cause serious damage. Do not attempt the procedures described in the following sections unless you are a qu alified service technician. Post-installation instructions Perform the steps below after installing a server component: 1 See to [...]

35 Opening the server Caution! Before you proceed, make sure that you have turned off the system and all peripherals connected to it. Read the “Pre- installation instructions” on page 33. Y ou need to open the server before you can install additional components. The front bezel and left-side panel are removable to allow access to the system’ [...]

3 System upgrade 36 Opening the bezel door A security lock secures the bezel do or to protect the system unit from unauthorized access. T o open the bezel door: 1 Insert the key into the lock and turn it clockwise until it points to the unlock icon . 2 Pull open the bezel door . Removing the fr ont bezel 1 Remove the left-side panel. See page 35. 2[...]

37 Removing the HDD cage bay cover 1 Open the bezel door . 2 Push down the HDD cage bay cover (1) . 3 Detach the HDD cage bay cover from the front bezel (2) .[...]

3 System upgrade 38 Configuring the four -bay hot-plug HDD cage This section explains how to install a four-bay hot-plug HDD cage as well as procedures on how to install a hard disk into the cage’ s hard disk carrier . Installing the four -bay hot-plug HDD cage The Altos G5350 has two HDD cage ba ys that accept the following HDD cages: • Hot-pl[...]

39 T o install the hot-plug SCSI HDD cage: 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 33. 2 Remove the HDD cage bay cover . See page 37. 3 Remove the screw that secures the cover to the empty HDD bay (1) , then detach the cover (2) . 4 Install the hot-plug cage.[...]

3 System upgrade 40 (1) Slide the cage into the chassis with the backplane board facing the rear of the chassis. Th e cage is locked to the chassis with an audible click. (2) Locate and attach the following cables clamped on the side of the chassis to their corres ponding connectors on the backplane board: Important: If a four-bay hot-plug SCSI HDD[...]

41 (2) SCSI HDD power cables 5 Observe the post-installation in structions described on page 34. Important: When you are detaching the hot-plug HDD cage from the chassis, make sure to fi rst remove all hard disks from their carriers. For instructions, see “Installing an additional hard disk into the hot-plug HDD cage carrier” on page 51. 6 Chan[...]

3 System upgrade 42 T o install the easy-swap SCSI HDD cage: The easy-swap SCSI HDD cage is an optional four-bay internal HDD enclosure without a SCSI backplane board. 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 33. 2 Remove the HDD cage bay cover . See page 37. 3 Remove the screw that secures the cover to the[...]

43 (2) SCSI HDD power cables 5 Observe the post-installation in structions described on page 34. Important: When you are detaching the easy-swap cage from the chassis, make sure to first remo ve all cables attached to the hard disks. 6 Change the RAID configuration of your hard disk. For details on how to change the RAID configurat ion of your hard[...]

3 System upgrade 44 T o install the hot-plug SA T A HDD cage: Note: Before installing a hot-plug SA T A HDD cage in the system, make sure you install a SA T A RAID controller . 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 33. 2 Remove the HDD cage bay cover . See page 37. 3 Remove the screw that secure the cove[...]

45 4 Install the hot-plug cage. (1) Slide the cage into the chassis. The cage is locked to the chassis with an audible click. 5 Connect the following cables to their corresponding connectors on the SA T A RAID backplane board, mainboard and adapter: (1) Attach the SA T A data cable to the SA T A HDD connector on the backplane board (1) , then conne[...]

3 System upgrade 46 (2) Attach the system’ s power ca ble to the SA T A power cable connector on the backplane board (2) . Note: The SA T A RAID data cables must be installed and removed in the following order: SA T A0, SA T A1, SA T A2, then SA T A 3. 6 Observe the post-installation ins tructions described on page 34. Important: When you are rem[...]

47 T o install the easy-swap SA T A HDD cage: The easy-swap SA T A HDD cage is an optional four-bay internal HDD enclosure without a SA T A backplane board. 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 33. 2 Remove the HDD cage bay cover . See page 37. 3 Remove the screw that secures the cover to the empty HDD [...]

3 System upgrade 48 (1) Slide the cage into th e chassis. The cage is locked to the chassis with an audible click. (2) Locate and attach the power (1) and SA T A (2) cables to their corresponding connectors on the hard drives and SA T A RAID controller . 5 Observe the post-installation ins tructions described on page 34.[...]

49 Important: When you are removing the easy-swap cage from the chassis, make sure to first remo ve all cables attached to the hard disks. 6 Change the RAID configuration of your hard disk. For details on how to change the RAID configurat ion of your hard disk, go to “Appendix C: SCSI RAID configuration” on page 147.[...]

3 System upgrade 50 Removing the four -bay hot-plug HDD cage 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 33. 2 Disconnect the data and power cables from the backplane board. 3 Move the release slider all the way up to eject the hot-plug HDD cage (1) . 4 Remove the cage from the HDD bay (2) . 5 Observe the post[...]

51 Installing an additional har d disk into the hot-plug HDD cage carrier Note: T o purchase a hard disk carr ier , contact your local Acer representative or order directly from http://www .acer .com/ . Important: Y ou need not remove the four-bay hot-plug HDD cage from the chassis to install a hard disk into its carrier . 1 Carefully pull out the [...]

3 System upgrade 52 2 Install a hard disk on the hard disk carrier (1) , then secure it with the four screws that came with the hard disk carrier (2) . 3 Insert the new hard disk carrier into the cage with the lever still extended (1) . 4 Make sure that the drive is properly inserted before closing the lever , then push the lever back until it clic[...]

53 Replacing the CD-ROM drive 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 33. 2 Disconnect the power and IDE cables from the old drive. 3 Push the lever in the direction of the unlock icon (1) , then pull the drive out of the chassis (2) .[...]

3 System upgrade 54 4 Install a new 5.25-inch drive into the drive bay (1) , then push the lever in the direction of the lock icon (2) . 5 Connect the power and IDE cables to the new drive. 6 Observe the post-installation ins tructions described on page 34.[...]

55 Installing 5.25-inch drives The two empty 5.25-inch drive bays allow you to install additional drives such as another backup hard drive, CD-ROM drive, or a tape drive. These options provide the system with additional storage capacity . T o install a 5.25-inch tape drive: 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described [...]

3 System upgrade 56 3 Install a tape drive into the drive bay (1) , then push the lever in the direction of the lock icon (2) . 4 Connect the power and IDE cables to the tape drive. 5 Observe the post-installation ins tructions described on page 34.[...]

57 Upgrading the pr ocessor This section includes instructions for installing and removing a processor and heat sink fan (HSF) assembly . T o install the CPU: The mainboard has two 940-pin proc essor socket that support AMD Opteron™ processors. The system sh ips out with only a single AMD Opteron processor installed leaving one CPU socket empty .[...]

3 System upgrade 58 6 Press the retainer lever down to lock the CPU in place (2) . T o install the HSF assembly: 1 Apply thermal grease. Apply approximately 0.1ml of th e thermal grease compound to the top of the CPU. 2 Install the heat sink fan assembly (1) Move the handle of the retaining clip slightly in a direction away from the heat sink. (2) [...]

59 (4) Secure the retaining clip back toward the heat sink base (3) . (5) Connect the CPU fan cable to its mainboard connector . Refer to “Mainboard layout” on page 14 for the location of the CPU fan connector . 3 Observe the post-installation inst ructions described on page 34.[...]

3 System upgrade 60 T o remove the HSF assembly: Important: Before removing a CP U from the mainboard, make sure to create a backup fi le of all important data. 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 33. W arning! The heat sink beco mes very hot when the system is on. NEVER touch the heat sink with any me[...]

61 T o remove the CPU: 1 Pull the CPU socket retainer lever to the fully open, upright position (1) . 2 Pull out the CPU from the socket (2) .[...]

3 System upgrade 62 Upgrading the system memory This section includes instructions fo r removing and installing a DIMM (dual in-line memory module). Altos G5350 has eight DIMM slots. Each CPU controls four DIMM slots. The DIMM slots support dual channel DDR -33 and DDR-400 registered ECC memory modules. Important: When you are using a si ngle-proce[...]

63 DIMM population guidelines Important: For the system to func tion, DIMM modules must be installed or removed in matched pa irs, following the slot sequence listed below . DIMM modules of the same type, size and manufacturer must be installed in the same colored DIMM slots. • CPU 1 — Populate DIMM slots 1 and 2 first, followed by slots 3 and [...]

3 System upgrade 64 The table below lists the supported memory installation based on the processor configuration: Single-processor configuration Dual-processor configuration CPU 1 CPU 2 (empty) DIMM 1 DIMM 2 DIMM 3 DIMM 4 DIMM 5 DIMM 6 DIMM 7 DIMM 8 512 MB — — — — 1 GB — — — — 2 GB — — — — 512 MB 512 MB — — — — 1 GB [...]

65 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 512 MB 512 MB 512 MB 512 MB 512 MB 512 MB 512 MB 512 MB 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB 1 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB 2 GB CPU 1 CPU 2 DIMM 1 DIMM 2 DIMM 3 DIMM 4 DIMM 5 DIMM 6 DIMM 7 DIMM 8[...]

3 System upgrade 66 T o remove a DIMM: Before you can install a new DIMM in a socket, remove first any previously installed DI MM from that socket. Important: Before removing any DI MM from the mainboard, make sure to create a backup fi le of all important data. 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 33. [...]

67 T o install a DIMM: W arning! DIMM of the same type, size and manufacturer must be installed into th e same colored DIMM slots. 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 33. 2 Locate the DIMM slots on the mainboard. 3 Open the clips on the socket. 4 Align then insert the DIMM into the socket. 5 Press the [...]

3 System upgrade 68 T o reconfigur e the system memory: The system automatically detects th e amount of memory installed. Run the BIOS setup to view the new value for total system memory and make a note of it.[...]

69 Installing an expansion car d This section explains how to insta ll an expansion card. The onboard expansion slots supports PCI (Perip heral Component Interconnect) and PCI-X cards. T o install an expansion card 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 33. 2 Locate an empty expansion slot on the mainboar[...]

3 System upgrade 70 8 Press the PCI slot release latch on the rear panel of the server (4) . 9 Observe the post-installation ins tructions described on page 34. Note: When you turn on the system, the BIOS setup automatically detects and assigns resources to th e new device (applicable only to Plug-and-Play expansion cards).[...]

71 Installing a SCSI module This section explains how to install a SCSI module. T o install a SCSI module 1 Observe the ESD precautions an d pre-installation instructions described on page 33. 2 Locate the SCSI module connector on the mainboard. 3 Remove the three SCSI module screws on the mainboard. 4A l i g n (1) , then insert (2) the shorter edg[...]

3 System upgrade 72 5 Secure the card to the mainboard with three screws you removed earlier (3) . 6 Observe the post-installation ins tructions described on page 34. Note: When you turn on the system, the BIOS setup automatically detects and assigns resources to the new device.[...]

73 Installing a power supply module T o install a hot-swap power supply module The Altos G5350 power subsystem consists of two hot-swap power supply module bays that accept 550-watt hot-swap redundant power supply modules. The system ships out with only a single power supply module leaving one power supply m odule bay empty . Y ou have the option t[...]

3 System upgrade 74 1 Remove the securing the cover of the empty power supply module bay . Note: if the system ships out with a screw on the securing cover , remove the screw first then detach the cover .[...]

75 2 Hold the handle on front of the power supply module while pressing your thumb on the release latch. Slide the power supply module into the empty bay until you feel resistance. 3 Press the module handle to secu re the power supply module to its bay . 4 V erify that the power indicators on the main power supply and on the newly installed redunda[...]

3 System upgrade 76[...]

4 BIOS setup[...]

This chapter gives information about the system BIOS and discusses how to configure the system by changing the settings of the BIOS parameters.[...]

79 BIOS setup BIOS setup is a hardware configurat ion program built into the system's Basic Input/Output System (BIOS). Since most systems are already properly configured and optimized, ther e is no need to run this utility . Y ou will need to run this utility under the following conditions: • When changing the system configuration • When [...]

4 BIOS setup 80 Entering BIOS setup Power on the server to start the sy stem POST process. During bootup, press F2 to enter the BIOS setup screen. Note: Y ou must press F2 while the system is booting. This key combination does not work during any other time. There are several tabs on the setu p screen corresponding to the six major BIOS menus: • [...]

81 • Use the Enter key to display a submenu screen. Note: When a parameter is preceeded by a > , it means that a submenu screen is available. •P r e s s F1 for General Help on using the BIOS setup. •P r e s s F10 to save changes and close the BIOS setup. •P r e s s Esc to close the BIOS setup. In the descriptive table following each of t[...]

4 BIOS setup 82 Main The Main menu displays basic and important information about the system. These information are ne cessary for troubleshooting and may be required when asking for tech nical support. These entries are for your reference only and are not user-configurable. The last two parameters on the screen lets you define the sytem’ s time [...]

83 Processor Speed The processor speed is the speed at which a microprocessor executes in structions. Clock speeds are expressed in megahe rtz (MHz), with 1 MHz being equal to 1 million cycles per second. The faster the clock, the more instructions the CPU can execute per second. Processor Count Indicates the nu mber of processors currently install[...]

4 BIOS setup 84 Advanced The Advanced menu contains parameter values that define how the system behaves on startup. W arning! Be cautious in sett ing parameter values in the Advanced menu as any incorrect value may cause the system to malfunction. Press Enter to enter the submenu screen of the parameters shown in the screen below .[...]

85 CPU Configuration The CPU Configuration submenu displays CPU settings such as type, actual speed, cache size and ot her CPU related settings. Parameter Description Option Processor T ype T ype of processor currently installed in the server . Processor Speed The processor speed is the speed at which a microprocessor executes instructions. Clock s[...]

4 BIOS setup 86 CPU ID ID number of the CPU. Level 1 Cache T otal amount of first-level cache memory or the internal fast-accessed memory size (i.e., the memory inte- grated into the CPU). Level 2 Cache T otal amount of the second-level cache memory that comes with the CPU. The available cache sizes are 256 and 512 KB. CPU Socket2 Indicates a proce[...]

87 Memory Configuration The Memory Configuration submenu displays the type and size of DRAM installed in DIMM slots 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. The Not Installed setting indicates that there is no DDR DRAM installed.[...]

4 BIOS setup 88 IDE Configuration The IDE Configuration submenu lets you define the parameter settings related to the hard disk/s. Parameter Description Option Primary IDE Master Specifies the current configuration of the IDE device connected to the master port of the primary IDE channel. Press Enter to access the Primary Master submenu. Primary ID[...]

89 Secondary IDE Master Specifies the current configuration of the IDE device connected to the master port of the secondary IDE channel. Press Enter to access the Secondary Master submenu. Secondary IDE Slave Specifies the current configuration of the IDE device connected to the slave port of the secondary IDE channel. Press Enter to access the Sec[...]

4 BIOS setup 90 Primary/Secondary/Third/Fourth IDE Master/Slave These items let you select the IDE hard disk parameters that the system supports. Parameter Description Option T ype Selects the drive type. Auto None CD-ROM A T API Removable IDE Removable User Multi-Sector T ransfers Selects the Multi-Sector transfer mode. 16 Sectors Disabled 2 Secto[...]

91 LBA Mode Control Selects the hard disk drive translation method. For drivers with more than 504 MB, LBA mode is necessary . Enabled Disabled 32-bit I/O Enables or disables the 32-bit data transfer function Disabled Enabled T ransfer Mode Select a transfer mode to enhance hard disk performance. Fast PIO 4 Standard Fast PIO 1 Fast PIO 2 Fast PIO 3[...]

4 BIOS setup 92 Floppy Configuration The Floppy Configuration submenu disp lays the type of floppy drive installed in the server . Parameter Description Option Legacy Diskette A Floppy disk drive type 1.44/1.25 MB, 3.5-inch Disabled[...]

93 Chipset Configuration The Chipset Configuration submenu lets you set the memory interleave and node interleave settings. Parameter Description Option DRAM Bank Interleave Bank Interleave allows the memory controller to group two DIMM banks into one large array . If set to Auto, each node with two identical DIMMs is set up to use bank interleave.[...]

4 BIOS setup 94 I/O Device Configuration The I/O Device Configuration submen u lets you define the parameter settings for the system’ s parallel and serial ports. NMI Asset Enables or disables the PCI bus parity error support. Enabled Disabled Parameter Description Option Serial Port A When Enabled allows you to configure the serial port settings[...]

95 Base I/O address/IRQ Indicates the serial port 1 address and IRQ setting. 3F8/IRQ4 2F8/IRQ3 3E8/IRQ4 2E8/IRQ3 Serial Port B Indicates the serial port 2 address and IRQ setting. Auto Disabled Enabled Parallel Port Indicates th e parallel port address. Auto Disabled Enabled Mode Sets the oper ation mode for the parallel port. When Bi-Directional, [...]

4 BIOS setup 96 PCI Configuration The PCI Configuration submenu lets you specify settings that are related to the onboard controllers. Parameter Description Option Onboard NIC ROM Enables or disables the onboard LAN PXE function. Disabled Enabled Onboard SCSI Device Enables or disables the onboard SCSI controller . Enabled Disabled[...]

97 USB Configuration The USB Configuration submenu lets you specify settings for USB devices. Parameter Description Option Onboard USB controller Enables or disables the onboard USB controller . Enabled Disabled USB BIOS Legacy Support Enable this parameter when you intend to use a USB device in a Non-Plug and Play operating system, such as DOS. En[...]

4 BIOS setup 98 Server Management Configuration The Server Management Configurat ion submenu lets you specify the appropriate settings for the syst em’ s event handling function. The system event log enables you to record and monitor events that occur in the system (eg., system temper ature changes, fan stops, etc.). Parameter Description System [...]

99 BMC Firmware Ve r s i o n V ersion of the BMC (Baseboard Management Controller) firmware. SDR V ersion V ersion of the SRDR (Spatial Data Repository) firmware. FRU V ersion Displays the field replacement unit information. Parameter Description[...]

4 BIOS setup 100 Power The Power menu allows you to configure the system’ s power management feature. Parameter Description Option ACPI-aware OS Indicates whether the system’s OS supports the ACPI standard of power management. Ye s No Resume on AC Power Loss Defines the power state to resume to after a system shutdown that is due to an interrup[...]

101 Power Button Mode When set to On/Off, the system automati- cally turns off when the power button is pressed for less than 4 seconds. When set to Wake/Sleep, the system enters the suspend mode when the power button is pressed for less than 4 seconds. On/Off Wake/ Sleep Parameter Description Option[...]

4 BIOS setup 102 Boot The Boot menu allows you to set the drive priority during system bootup. It also displays information about the installed storage devices. Press Enter to enter the submenu screen of the parameters shown in the screen below.[...]

103 Boot Settings Configuration The Boot Settings Configuration submenu lets you specify the preferred settings for system bootup. Parameter Description Option Quick Boot Mode Allows the system to boot faster by skipping some POST routine. Enabled Disabled Boot Diagnostic Screen When this parameter is enabled, it allows some OS, such as Windows 95/[...]

4 BIOS setup 104 Boot Device Priority The Boot Device Priority submenu lets you specify the boot search sequence during the POST process. BIOS setup will display an error mess age if the drive(s) specified is not bootable. Parameter Description 1st Boot Device Sets the device from which the system will first attempt to boot up. Press Enter to acces[...]

105 3rd Boot Device Sets the device from which the system will attempt to boot up when the first and second attempts failed. Press Enter to access the Hard Disk Drives submenu. The Hard Disk Drives submenu lets you specify the devices that will be cons idered as the primary and secondary hard drives. 4th Boot Device Sets the device from which the s[...]

4 BIOS setup 106 Security The Security menu allows you to safeguard and protect the system from unauthorized use by se tting up access passwords. Parameter Description Option Supervisor Password Prevents unauthorized access to the BIOS setup utility . Clear User Password Secures the system against unauthorized use. Once you set this password, you h[...]

107 T o set a Supervisor/User password 1 Use the up/down keys to high light a password parameter (Supervisor Password or Us er Password) then press Enter . A password box will appear . 2 T ype a password then press Enter . The password may consist of up to six alphanumeric characters (A-Z, a-z, 0-9). 3 Retype the password to verify the first entry [...]

4 BIOS setup 108 2 Enter the current password then press Enter . 3 Press Enter twice without entering anything in the new and confirm password fields. After doing this, the system automatically sets the User password parameter to Not Installed.[...]

109 Exit The Exit menu displays the various op tions to quit from the BIOS setup. Highlight any of the exit options then press Enter . Parameter Description Exit Saving Changes Saves changes made and close the BIOS setup. Exit Discarding Changes Discards changes made and close the BIOS setup. Load Setup Defaults Loads the default settings for all B[...]

4 BIOS setup 110 Save Changes Saves changes made in the BIOS setup. Parameter Description[...]

5 T r oubleshooting[...]

This chapter provides possible solutions for specific problems. If you cannot correct the problem, contact your local Acer representative or authorized dealer for assistance.[...]

113 Resetting the system Before going through in-depth troubleshooting, attempt first to perform reset the system usi ng one of the methods below . To d o t h i s Press Soft boot reset to clear the system memory and reload the operating system. Ctrl+Alt+Del Cold boot reset. T urn the system power off and then on. This clears system memory , restart[...]

5 T roubleshooting 114 Pr oblems following initial system installation Problems that occur at initial syste m startup are usually caused by an incorrect installation or configurat ion. Hardware failure is a less frequent cause. If the problem you ar e experiencing is with a specific software application, see " There is pr oblem with the applic[...]

115 First steps checklist • AC power available at the wall outlet? • Are the power supplies plugged in? Check the AC cable(s) on the back of the chassis and at the AC source. • Are all cables correctly connected and secured? • Are the processors fully seated in their sockets on the server board? • Are all standoffs in the prope r location[...]

5 T roubleshooting 116 Har dwar e diagnostic testing This section provides a more de tailed approach to identifying a hardware problem and locating its source. Caution! T urn off devices before di sconnecting cables: Before disconnecting any peripheral cables from the system, turn off the system and any external peripheral devices. Failure to do so[...]

117 Confirming loading of the OS Once the system boots up, the operating system prompt appears on the screen. The prompt varies accord ing to the operating system. If the operating system prompt does not appear , see "No Characters Appear on Screen" on page 120. Specific problems and corr ective actions The following contains specific pro[...]

5 T roubleshooting 118 • Make sure the FDD and signal cables are properly connected. • Check that relevant switches and jumpers for the FDD are set correctly . • Check that FDD is properly configured. • If you are using the onboard disket te controller , use BIOS setup on page 79 to make sure that onboard “Floppy A” is set to 1.44 MB, 3[...]

119 CD drive cannot read a CD. Do the following: • Make sure you are using the correct type of CD. • Make sure the CD is properly seated in the drive. • Make sure the disc is unscratched. • Make sure all cables are connected to the CD drive. New memory modules installed are not detected. Do the following: • Make sure the memory modules ar[...]

5 T roubleshooting 120 Server hangs when the drivers are loaded. • Change the PCI interrrupt settings. External device connected to a USB connector does not work. Do the following: • Reduce the number of external devices connected to a USB hub. • Refer to the documentation that comes with the device. There is pr oblem with the application sof[...]

121 • Remove all add-in cares and see if the system boots. If successful, add the cards back in one at a time with a reboot between each addition. • Make sure the memory modules comply with the system requirements. • Make sure the memory modules have been populated according to the system requirements. • Remove the memory modules and reseat[...]

5 T roubleshooting 122[...]

Appendix A: System management utility[...]

This appendix shows you how to install the ASM software package and gives information about the software program and utilities bundled with your server .[...]

125 Y our Altos G5350 server supports the following system management utilities: • ASM (Acer Server Management) This utility allows you to spot er rors or potential trouble spots in the network servers through a single management station. For details go to page 127. • RAID configuration The system may be bundle d with a SCSI RAID configuration [...]

Appendix A: System management utility 126 ASM Acer Server Management is a server management tool. It is specially designed to help spot errors or potential trouble spots in the network servers through a single management station. ASM can send a query to a remote server over the network to request information such as system hardware and software con[...]

127 System setup Make sure that the system meets the requirements listed above before proceeding. Y ou may also want to change your screen resolution to 800 x 600 or higher for optimum viewing. Installing ASM Agent Follow the steps below: 1 Log in to the managed server using the Administrator account. 2 Insert the EasyBUILD Management CD into the s[...]

Appendix A: System management utility 128 T o launch the program, on th e Windows taskbar click on the Start button, point to Programs , select Acer Server Management Suite then click ASM Console .[...]

129 RAID configuration The SCSI RAID configuration utility allows you to change the default RAID configuration, such as the system volume of your hard disk. Caution! Using the RAID Configuratio n utility erases all data previously saved in the hard driv es. Make sure that you backup important files before starti ng the configuration process. For de[...]

Appendix A: System management utility 130[...]

Appendix B: Acer Altos G5350 rack installation guide[...]

This appendix shows you how to set up the Altos G5350 server in a rack mount configuration.[...]

133 Setting up the system rack Important! Observe the electrostatic discharge (ESD) precautions indicated on page 33 when perfo ming the follow ing procedures. Do not attempt the procedures desc ribed in the following sections unless you are a qua lified technician. Equipment rack precautions Follow the rack manufacturer's safety and installat[...]

Appendix B: Acer Altos G5 350 rack installation guide 134 • Elevated operating ambient temperature The maximum operating temperature of the system is 35 °C (95°F). Careful consideration should be gi ven to installing the system in an environment compatible with the 35 °C (95°F) maximum ambient temperature. • Reduced airflow The amount of ai[...]

135 System rack installation The Altos G5350 server system can also be mounted in a rack-model position. A rack mount kit is av ailable for customers who want to convert a tower-mounted system to rack-model design. T o purchase a rack mount kit, contact your local Ac er representative or order directly from http://www .acer .com/ . The figure below[...]

Appendix B: Acer Altos G5 350 rack installation guide 136 V ertical mounting hole patter n The four vertical rails of the sy stem rack contain mounting holes arranged in a manner shown in the figure below: The system occupies 5U in the ra ck. Count the U positions and hole numbers from the bottom up. The distance from the center of tw o holes with [...]

137 Screw types used The following screws are used in the assembly of the Altos G5350 system and bundled rack-mountable components: Screw type and part number Figure Usage #8-32 x 0.25 inch Securing th e inner mounting rails to the system Hex head #6-32 0.25 inch Securing the side handles to the server M4 x L8 M4 nut Securing the mounting brackets [...]

Appendix B: Acer Altos G5 350 rack installation guide 138 Installing the system into the rack Caution! T o minimize the chances of injuries, make sure that two or more people help in installing the server . T o install the system into a four -post rack 1 Remove the foot stands from the server . (1) Lay the server on its side on a flat, stable surfa[...]

139 2 Remove the inner rails from the mounting rails. Note: The rack mount kit contains a pack of screws, two sets of side handles, rack brackets and mounting rails. The side handles are attached to the sides of the server . The rack brackets attach the mounting rails to the serv er . The mounting rails allow the server to slide in and out of the r[...]

Appendix B: Acer Altos G5 350 rack installation guide 140 3 Attach the inner rails to the mounting shelf. (1) Align the inner rails to both sides of the mounting shelf (1) . (2) Secure the rails to the mounti ng shelf using ten #8-32 screws (see page 137) (2) . 4 Install the server into the mounting shelf. Caution! T o avoid personal injury , care [...]

141 (2) Tighten the four thumbscrew s on the rear of the mounting shelf (2) . 5 Install the rack brackets to th e rack by following the steps below: (1) Align the rack brackets to the mounting rail until the six screw holes become visible. (2) Secure the rack brackets to the mounting rails using six M4 x L8 metal screws and nuts (see page 137). T i[...]

Appendix B: Acer Altos G5 350 rack installation guide 142 6 Install the M6 cage nuts (see page 137) into the rail. (1) Insert the lower lip of the cage nut over the bottom of the opening at the back of a rail. (2) With your fingers, pinch the ca ge nut rack fastener and push in until the top lip locks into position. (3) Repeat this process to insta[...]

143 7 Install the mounting rails to the ra ck by using four M6 x L10 metal screws (see page 137) for each mounting rail. 8 Extend the middle sliding piece of each mounting rail forward until you hear a click sound.[...]

Appendix B: Acer Altos G5 350 rack installation guide 144 9 Install the server shelf assembly into the rack. Caution! T o avoid personal injury , care should be taken when pressing the inner rail release latches and sliding the component into the rack. (1) Carefully align the inner rails attached to the mounting shelf with the fully extended mounti[...]

145 (1) Attach the cable arm to the re ar of the system using two M4 x L8 metal screws and nuts (see page 137). (2) Install two cage nuts into the rail to which the cable arm is to be attached. (3) Extend the cable arm enough to a ttach it to the rail using two M6 x L10 metal screws (see page 137).[...]

Appendix B: Acer Altos G5 350 rack installation guide 146 (4) Connect the power , periphera l and networking cables into their appropriate ports (1) . Refer to “Connecting peripherals” on page 24 for detailed instructions. (5) Bundle all cables to the cable arm using the cable clamps (2) .[...]

Appendix C: SCSI RAID configuration[...]

This appendix shows you how to create a RAID volume in your SCSI drives.[...]

149 Configuring the SCSI/SCSI RAID HBA This section shows how to create a RA ID 1 (mirror) volume. This feature requires the installation or presen ce of a LSI Logic 53C1030 SCSI controller . Using the SCSI HBA setup utility During bootup, press Ctrl+C to enter the LSI Logic Configuration screen. Loading the HBA default settings 1 In the LSI Logic [...]

Appendix C: SCSI RAID configuration 150 If you change the settings in th e Hot Spare field, the following messages appear: WARNING: Data on driv e will be LOST! Press DELETE if data loss OK or any other key to cancel. 6 Press the Delete key to ignore. 7P r e s s Esc , then select Save changes then exit this menu . 8 T o close the utility and reboot[...]

151 Creating a RAID 1 volume 1 After rebooting the server , press Ctrl+M to enter the MegaRAID Configuration screen. The Management menu appears. 2S e l e c t Configuration . The Configuration menu appears. 3S e l e c t New Configuration , then select YES . An array selection window displays the devices conne cted to the current controller . 4 Use [...]

Appendix C: SCSI RAID configuration 152 5 When initialization is complete , press any key to continue. 6 Press Esc to return to the Management menu. 7 T o exit the utility and reboot the server , follow the steps below: (a) In the Management menu, press Esc . (b) Select YES . (c) Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to reboot the server . 8 Install an Operating Syst[...]

153 Index A Acer Server Management (ASM) system requirements ASM Agent 126 ASM Console 126 Acer Server Manager (ASM) system setup 127 install ASM Agent 127 install ASM Console 127 B BIOS setup 79 Advanced 84 Chipset 93 CPU 85 Floppy 92 I/O Device 94 IDE 88 Memory 87 PCI 96 Server Management 98 USB 97 Boot 102 Boot Device Priority 104 Boot Settings [...]

154 load default 150 load default settings 149 SCSI RAID HBA utility 149 create RAID 1 149 rear panel 11 S SCSI module installing 71 setting up the system 23 preinstallation requirements 23 specification additional media storage 3 SATA HDD cage 3 SCSI HDD cage 3 baseboard management controller 4 chipset 3 graphic interface 4 I/O ports 4 media stora[...]