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Resolving installation issues

Use this information to resolve issues that you might have when setting up your system.

Use the information in this section to diagnose and resolve problems that you might encounter during the initial installation and setup of your server.

Server does not power on​

Complete the following steps until the problem is resolved:

  1. Check the event log for any events related to the server not powering on.

  2. Check for any LEDs that are flashing amber.

  3. Check the power LED on the system board.

  4. Reseat the power supply.

  5. Replace the power supply.

The server immediately displays the POST Event Viewer when it is turned on​

Complete the following steps until the problem is solved.

  1. Correct any errors that are indicated by the light path diagnostics LEDs.

  2. Make sure that the server supports all the processors and that the processors match in speed and cache size.

    You can view processor details from system setup.

    To determine if the processor is supported for the server, see Lenovo ServerProven website.

  3. (Trained technician only) Make sure that Processor 1 is seated correctly.

  4. (Trained technician only) Remove Processor 2 and restart the server.

  5. Replace the following components one at a time, in the order shown, restarting the server each time:

    1. (Trained technician only) Processor

    2. (Trained technician only) System board

Embedded hypervisor is not in the boot list​

Complete the following steps until the problem is solved.

  1. If the server has been installed, moved, or serviced recently, or if this is the first time the embedded hypervisor is being used, make sure that the device is connected properly and that there is no physical damage to the connectors.

  2. See the documentation that comes with the optional embedded hypervisor flash device for setup and configuration information.

  3. Check Lenovo ServerProven website to validate that the embedded hypervisor device is supported for the server.

  4. Make sure that the embedded hypervisor device is listed in the list of available boot options. From the management controller user interface, click Server Configuration > Boot Options.

    For information about accessing the management controller user interface, see the XClarity Controller product documentation:

    XClarity Controller web interface

  5. Check Lenovo Data Center Support for any tech tips (service bulletins) related to the embedded hypervisor and the server.

  6. Make sure that other software works on the server to ensure that it is working properly.

Server cannot recognize a hard disk drive​

Complete the following steps until the problem is solved.

  1. Observe the associated yellow hard disk drive status LED. If the LED is lit, it indicates a drive fault.

  2. If the LED is lit, remove the drive from the bay, wait 45 seconds, and reinsert the drive, making sure that the drive assembly connects to the hard disk drive backplane.

  3. Observe the associated green hard disk drive activity LED and the yellow status LED:

    • If the green activity LED is flashing and the yellow status LED is not lit, the drive is recognized by the controller and is working correctly. Run the diagnostics tests for the hard disk drives. When you start a server and press F1, the Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager interface is displayed by default. You can perform hard disk drive diagnostics from this interface. From the Diagnostic page, click Run Diagnostic > HDD test.

    • If the green activity LED is flashing and the yellow status LED is flashing slowly, the drive is recognized by the controller and is rebuilding.

    • If neither LED is lit or flashing, check the hard disk drive backplane.

    • If the green activity LED is flashing and the yellow status LED is lit, replace the drive. If the activity of the LEDs remains the same, go to step Hard disk drive problems. If the activity of the LEDs changes, return to step 1.

  4. Make sure that the hard disk drive backplane is correctly seated. When it is correctly seated, the drive assemblies correctly connect to the backplane without bowing or causing movement of the backplane.

  5. Reseat the backplane power cable and repeat steps 1 through 3.

  6. Reseat the backplane signal cable and repeat steps 1 through 3.

  7. Suspect the backplane signal cable or the backplane:

    • Replace the affected backplane signal cable.

    • Replace the affected backplane.

  8. Run the diagnostics tests for the hard disk drives. When you start a server and press F1, the Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager interface is displayed by default. You can perform hard disk drive diagnostics from this interface. From the Diagnostic page, click Run Diagnostic > HDD test.

    Based on those tests:

    • If the adapter passes the test but the drives are not recognized, replace the backplane signal cable and run the tests again.

    • Replace the backplane.

    • If the adapter fails the test, disconnect the backplane signal cable from the adapter and run the tests again.

    • If the adapter fails the test, replace the adapter.

Displayed system memory less than installed physical memory​

Complete the following steps until the problem is resolved:
Note
Each time you install or remove a memory module, you must disconnect the server from the power source; then, wait 10 seconds before restarting the server.
  1. Make sure that:

    • No error LEDs are lit on the operator information panel.

    • Memory mirrored channel does not account for the discrepancy.

    • The memory modules are seated correctly.

    • You have installed the correct type of memory.

    • If you changed the memory, you updated the memory configuration in the Setup utility.

    • All banks of memory are enabled. The server might have automatically disabled a memory bank when it detected a problem, or a memory bank might have been manually disabled.

    • There is no memory mismatch when the server is at the minimum memory configuration.

    • When DCPMMs are installed:

      1. If the memory is set in App Direct or Mixed Memory Mode, all the saved data have been backed up, and created namespaces are deleted before any DCPMM is replaced.

      2. Refer to DC Persistent Memory Module (DCPMM) setup and see if the displayed memory fits the mode description.

      3. If DCPMMs are recently set in Memory Mode, turn it back to App Direct Mode and examine if there is namespace that has not been deleted (see DC Persistent Memory Module (DCPMM) setup).

      4. Go to the Setup Utility, select System Configuration and Boot Management > Intel Optane DCPMMs > Security, and make sure all the DCPMM units are unlocked.

  2. Reseat the memory modules, and then restart the server.

  3. Check the POST error log:

    • If a memory module was disabled by a systems-management interrupt (SMI), replace the memory module.

    • If a memory module was disabled by the user or by POST, reseat the memory module; then, run the Setup utility and enable the memory module.

  4. Run memory diagnostics. Power on the system and press F1 when the logo screen appears, the Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager interface will start. Perform memory diagnostics with this interface. Go to Diagnostics > Run Diagnostic > Memory test or DCPMM test.

    When DCPMMs are installed, run diagnostics based on the current DCPMM mode:

    • App Direct Mode

      • Run DCPMM Test for DCPMMs.

      • Run Memory Test for DRAM DIMMs.

    • Memory Mode and Mixed Memory Mode

      • Run DCPMM Test for App Direct capacity of DCPMMs.

      • Run Memory Test for memory capacity of DCPMMs.

      Note
      DRAM DIMMs in these two modes act as cache, and are not applicable to memory diagnostics.
  5. Reverse the modules between the channels (of the same processor), and then restart the server. If the problem is related to a memory module, replace the failing memory module.
    Note
    When DCPMMs are installed, only adopt this method in Memory Mode.

  6. Re-enable all memory modules using the Setup Utility, and restart the system.

  7. (Trained technician only) Install the failing memory module into a memory module connector for processor 2 (if installed) to verify that the problem is not the processor or the memory module connector.

A Lenovo optional device that was just installed does not work.​

  1. Make sure that:

    • The device is supported for the server (see Lenovo ServerProven website).

    • You followed the installation instructions that came with the device and the device is installed correctly.

    • You have not loosened any other installed devices or cables.

    • You updated the configuration information in system setup. When you start a server and press F1 to display the system setup interface. Whenever memory or any other device is changed, you must update the configuration.

  2. Reseat the device that you just installed.

  3. Replace the device that you just installed.

Voltage system board fault is displayed in the event log​

Complete the following steps until the problem is solved.

  1. Revert the system to the minimum configuration. See Specifications for the minimally required number of processors and memory modules.

  2. Restart the system.

    • If the system restarts, add each of the items that you removed one at a time, restarting the system each time, until the error occurs. Replace the item for which the error occurs.

    • If the system does not restart, suspect the system board.