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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. Check if AC power LED is lit on or the amber LED is lit on at the PSU rear side.

  5. AC cycle the system.

  6. Remove the CMOS battery for at least ten seconds, then, reinstall the CMOS battery.

  7. Try to power on the system by IPMI command through XCC or by the power button.

  8. Implement the minimum configuration (one processor, one DIMM and one PSU without any adapter and any drive installed).

  9. Reseat all power supplies and make sure that AC LEDs on the PSU rear side are lit.

  10. Replace the each power supply and check the power button function after installing the each one.

  11. If the issue cannot be resolved by above actions, call service to review the issue symptom and see whether the system board replacement is necessary.

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 Opening and Using the XClarity Controller Web Interface section in the XCC documentation compatible with your server at:

    Lenovo XClarity Controller portal page

  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 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 status 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 and perform corresponding operations in different situations:

    • 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 the key according to the on-screen instructions, the LXPM is displayed by default. (For more information, see the “Startup” section in the LXPM documentation compatible with your server at Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager portal page.)You can perform hard drive diagnostics from this interface. From the Diagnostic page, click Run Diagnostic > HDD test/Disk Drive 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 whether the hard disk drive backplane is correctly seated. For details, go to step 4.

    • 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 the key according to the on-screen instructions, the LXPM is displayed by default. (For more information, see the “Startup” section in the LXPM documentation compatible with your server at Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager portal page.) You can perform hard drive diagnostics from this interface. From the Diagnostic page, click Run Diagnostic > HDD test/Disk Drive Test.*

    Based on those tests:

    • If the backplane 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.

U.3 NVMe drive can be detected in NVMe connection, but cannot be detected in Tri-mode​

In Tri-mode, NVMe drives are connected via a PCIe x1 link to the controller. To support Tri-mode with U.3 NVMe drives, U.3 x1 mode must be enabled for the selected drive slots on the backplane through the XCC Web GUI. By default, the backplane setting is U.2 x4 mode.

Complete the following steps to enable U.3 x1 mode:

  1. Log into the XCC Web GUI, and choose Storage > Detail from the navigation tree on the left.

  2. In the window that is displayed, click the icon next to Backplane.

  3. In the dialog box that is displayed, select the target drive slots and click Apply.

  4. Do a DC power cycle to make the setting take effect.

Displayed system memory is less than installed physical memory​

Complete the following procedure to solve the problem.

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.

    • No memory module error LEDs are lit on the system board.

    • Memory mirrored channel does not account for the discrepancy.

    • The memory modules are seated correctly.

    • You have installed the correct type of memory module (see PMEM rules for requirements).

    • After changing or replacing a memory module, memory configuration is updated accordingly 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 PMEMs are installed:

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

      2. Refer to PMEM rules and see if the displayed memory fits the mode description.

      3. If PMEMs are recently set in Memory Mode, turn it back to App Direct Mode and examine if there is namespace that has not been deleted.

      4. Go to the Setup Utility, select System Configuration and Boot Management > Intel Optane PMEMs > Security, and make sure security of all the PMEM units is disabled.

  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. When you start a solution and press the key according to the on-screen instructions, the LXPM interface is displayed by default. (For more information, see the “Startup” section in the LXPM documentation compatible with your server at Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager portal page.) You can perform memory diagnostics with this interface. From the Diagnostic page, go to Run Diagnostic > Memory test or PMEM test.

    Note
    When PMEMs are installed, run diagnostics based on the mode that is set presently:

    • App Direct Mode:

      • Run Memory Test for DRAM memory modules.

      • Run PMEM Test for PMEMs.

    • Memory Mode:

      Run both Memory Test and PMEM Test for PMEMs.

  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 PMEMs are installed, only adopt this method in Memory Mode.

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

  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.

  8. (Trained technician only) Replace the system board.

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 the key according to the on-screen instructions to display the Setup Utility. (For more information, see the “Startup” section in the LXPM documentation compatible with your server at Lenovo XClarity Provisioning Manager portal page.) Whenever memory or any other device is changed, you must update the configuration.

  2. Reseat the device that you have just installed.

  3. Replace the device that you have just installed.

  4. Reseat the cable connection and check there is no physical damage to the cable.

  5. If there is any cable damages, then replace the cable.

Voltage planar 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 DIMMs.

  2. Restart the system.

    • If the system restarts, add each of the removed items one at a time and restart 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.