Hi Burt,
In message
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, burt
rosenberg <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes
On reboot, one out of 10 times, reboot (from hardware initialization) stops.
This is about a Dell PowerEdge 2950.
I'd start by upgrading the BIOS - and whilst you're at it, I'd bring the
whole machine up to date, as the BMC firmware, backplane firmware and
PERC firmware are all likely to be out of date as well.
The Dell System Build and Update Utility CD with the Server Updates DVD
will handle all the necessary updates. The ISOs are available on the
Dell Downloads site. The current System Build and Update Utility CD is
rather old - I'd use the System Management Tools and Documentation DVD
in its place (which boots into the System Build and Update Utility).
You boot the System Build and Update Utility CD (or System Management
Tools and Documentation DVD), tell the machine that the repository is on
a DVD, and it will prompt you to change disk. Insert the Server Updates
DVD. You will need console access - keyboard, mouse and monitor. I think
I noticed a USB KVM somewhere amongst the information you gave. You
don't have a DRAC 5 in the machine - if you did, you could have used the
DRAC console.
This system handles the correct sequencing of the upgrades (for example,
you should upgrade the BMC firmware before the BIOS - at least, I
believe that's the correct order, but I'd have to check) and carries out
the upgrades in an environment where your hard disks aren't mounted.
You may even find you have hard disk firmware updates outstanding.
The BIOS in the machine is old - version 1.2.0. The next revision,
1.3.7, which is far from the latest, has something that sounds possibly
relevant:
Fixed possible issue of system device re-enumeration after power
failures.
There are also potential updates for your processor microcode and memory
reference code just by updating the BIOS.
Obviously, upgrading all the firmware in your machine is a potentially
dangerous operation. My experience is that all will go well, but I can't
guarantee that you won't hit trouble.
Best wishes,
David
--
David Wood
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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