User Guide

User Guide
Troubleshooting: PowerEdge� Expandable RAID Controller 2/SC

Troubleshooting: PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller 2/SC

General Troubleshooting Problems | BIOS Boot Error Messages | Other BIOS Error Messages | Other Potential Problems

General Troubleshooting Problems

Problem/Question Suggested Solution/Explanation
Some operating systems do not load in a computer with a PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller 2/SC (hereafter referred to as "PERC 2/SC") adapter. Check the system BIOS configuration for PCI interrupt assignments. Make sure that a unique interrupt is assigned for PERC 2/SC. Initialize the logical drive before installing the operating system.
One of the hard-disk drives in the array fails often. Check the drive error counts using PERC Console.

Format the drive.

Rebuild the drive.

If the drive continues to fail, replace the drive with another drive of the same capacity.
You pressed <Ctrl><m>, ran Dellconf.exe, and tried to make a new configuration. The system hangs when scanning devices. Check the drive IDs on each channel to make sure that each device has a different ID.

Check the termination. The device at the end of the channel must be terminated.

Replace the drive cable.
Multiple drives connected to PERC 2/SC are using the same power supply. There is a problem spinning the drives all at once. Set the drives to spin on command. This will allow PERC 2/SC to spin 2 devices simultaneously.
Pressing <Ctrl><m> or running Dellconf.exe does not display a menu. These utilities require a color monitor.
At system start-up with the PERC 2/SC installed, the screen display is garbled or does not appear at all. PERC 2/SC cache memory may be disabled or missing.
Cannot flash or update the EEPROM. You may need a new EEPROM. Contact Dell support.
Firmware Initializing... appears and remains on the screen. Make sure that TERMPWR is being properly provided to each peripheral-device-populated channel.

Make sure that each end of the SCSI channel chain is properly terminated using the recommended terminator type for the peripheral device. The channel is automatically terminated at the PERC 2/SC card if only one cable is connected to a channel.

Make sure (on a channel basis) that only 2 types of cables are connected at any one time.

Make sure that the PERC 2/SC controller is properly seated in the PCI slot.
Why does a failed logical array still get a drive assignment? To maintain the MS–DOS path statement integrity.

 

BIOS Boot Error Messages

Message Problem Suggested Solution
Adapter BIOS Disabled. No Logical Drives Handled by BIOS The PERC 2/SC BIOS is disabled. Sometimes the BIOS is disabled to prevent booting from the BIOS. Enable the BIOS by pressing <Ctrl><m> at the boot prompt to run the PERC 2/SC BIOS Configuration Utility.
Host Adapter at Baseport xxxx Not Responding The BIOS cannot communicate with the adapter firmware. Make sure that PERC 2/SC is properly installed.
No PERC 2/SC Adapter The BIOS cannot communicate with the adapter firmware. Make sure that PERC 2/SC is properly installed.
Configuration of NVRAM and drives mismatch. Run View/Add Configuration option of PERC 2/SC BIOS Configuration Utility.

Press any key to run the Configuration Utility.

 The configuration stored in the PERC 2/SC adapter does not match the configuration stored in the drives. Press a key to run PERC Configuration Manager. Select View/Add Configuration from the Configure menu. Select View/Add Configuration to examine both the configuration in NVRAM and the configuration stored on the disk drives. Resolve the problem by selecting one of the configurations.
1 Logical Drive Failed A logical drive failed to sign on. Make sure that all physical drives are properly connected and are powered on. Run PERC Configuration Manager to find out if any physical drives are not responding. Reconnect, replace, or rebuild any drive that is not responding.
X Logical Drives Degraded x number of logical drives signed on in a degraded state. Make sure that all physical drives are properly connected and are powered on. Run PERC Configuration Manager to find if any physical drives are not responding. Reconnect, replace, or rebuild a drive that is not responding.
1 Logical Drive Degraded A logical drive signed on in a degraded state. Make sure that all physical drives are properly connected and are powered on. Run PERC Configuration Manager to find out if any physical drives are not responding. Reconnect, replace, or rebuild any drive that is not responding.
Insufficient memory to run BIOS. Press any key to continue… Not enough PERC 2/SC memory to run PERC 2/SC BIOS. Make sure that PERC 2/SC cache memory has been properly installed.
Insufficient Memory Not enough memory on the PERC 2/SC adapter to support the current configuration. Make sure that PERC 2/SC cache memory has been properly installed.
The following SCSI IDs are not responding:

Channel x:a.b.c

 The physical drives with SCSI IDs a, b, and c are not responding on SCSI channel x. Make sure that the physical drives are properly connected and are powered on.

 

Other BIOS Error Messages

Message Problem Suggested Solution
Following SCSI disk not found and no empty slot available for mapping it The physical disk roaming feature did not find the physical disk with the displayed SCSI ID. No slot is available to map the physical drive. PERC 2/SC cannot resolve the physical drives in the current configuration. Reconfigure the array.
Following SCSI IDs have the same data y, z

Channel x: a, b, c

 The physical drive roaming feature found the same data on 2 or more physical drives on channel x with SCSI IDs a, b, and c. PERC 2/SC cannot determine which drive has the duplicate information. Remove the drive or drives that should not be used.
Unresolved configuration mismatch between disks and NVRAM on the adapter The configuration stored in the PERC 2/SC NVRAM does not match the configuration stored on the drives. Press a key to run PERC Configuration Manager. Select View/Add Configuration from the Configure menu. Select View/Add Configuration to examine both the configuration in NVRAM and the configuration stored on the disk drives. Resolve the problem by selecting one of the configurations.

 

Other Potential Problems

Topic Information
Physical Drive Errors To display the PERC Configuration Manager Media Error and Other Error options, press <F2> after selecting a physical drive under the Physical Drive menu (selected from the Objects menu). A media error is an error that occurs while actually transferring data. An Other Error is an error that occurs at the hardware level because of a device failure, poor cabling, bad termination, signal loss, and so on.
Virtual Sizing The Virtual Sizing option enables RAID expansion. Virtual sizing must be enabled to increase the size of a logical drive or add a physical drive to an existing logical drive. Run PERC Configuration Manager by pressing <Ctrl><m> to enable Virtual Sizing. Select the Objects menu and then select the Logical Drive menu. Select View/Update Parameters. Set Virtual Sizing to Enabled.
PERC 2/SC Power Requirements 15 W at 5 V and 3 A.
Windows NT� Installation When Windows NT is installed via a bootable CD, the devices on the PERC 2/SC are not recognized until after the initial reboot. Microsoft's documented workaround is in setup.txt on diskette 2 or on the CD.

Install drivers when Setup recognizes one of the supported SCSI host adapters without making the devices attached to it available for use as follows:

  1. Restart Windows NT Setup.
  2. When Windows NT Setup displays Setup is inspecting your computer's hardware Configuration..., press <F6> to prevent Windows NT Setup from performing disk controller detection. This allows you to install the driver from the driver disk you created. All SCSI adapters must be installed manually.
  3. When Windows NT Setup displays Setup could not determine the type of one or more mass storage devices installed in your system, or you have chosen to manually specify an adapter, press <s> to display a list of supported SCSI host adapters.
  4. Select Other from the bottom of the list.
  5. Insert the drivers diskette you made when prompted to do so and select PERC 2/SC from this list. In some cases, Windows NT Setup will repeatedly prompt you to swap disks. Windows NT will now recognize any devices attached to this adapter. Repeat this step for each host adapter not already recognized by Windows NT Setup.

 

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