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Preface: Dell PowerEdge 8450 Systems Installation and Troubleshooting Guide
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Preface: Dell™ PowerEdge™ 8450 Systems Installation and Troubleshooting
Guide
About This Guide • Other Documentation You May Need
• Notational Conventions • Typographical Conventions
This guide is intended for anyone who wants to upgrade or troubleshoot a Dell PowerEdge
8450 computer system. Before calling Dell for technical assistance, follow the recommended
procedure(s) in this guide to solve most hardware and software problems yourself. The
chapters and appendixes are summarized as follows:
- Introduction — overview of the system's service features.
- Checking the Basics — initial checks and procedures used
to solve basic system problems and information on more detailed troubleshooting procedures
to solve more complex problems.
- Messages and Codes — system messages, system codes, warning
messages, diagnostics messages, alert log messages, and small computer system interface
(SCSI) hard-disk drive indicator codes.
- Finding Software Solutions — software-related problems or
problems after testing the computer's hardware.
- Running the Dell Diagnostics — hardware-related problems.
- Checking the Equipment and Checking Inside
the Computer — troubleshooting procedures for equipment connected to the
input/output (I/O) panel of the computer and components inside the computer, respectively.
Checking Inside the Computer also provides information on removing the computer covers.
- Installing System Options and Installing
Drives — installation or removal of system components, such as dual in-line
memory modules (DIMMs), microprocessors, expansion cards, and SCSI devices.
- Getting Help — help tools Dell provides to assist with
computer problems and explanations on how and when to call Dell for technical assistance.
Also includes a Diagnostics Checklist that
you can copy and fill out as you perform the troubleshooting procedures. If you need to
call Dell for technical assistance, use the completed checklist to tell the Dell technical
support representative what procedures you performed to better help the representative
give you assistance. If you must return a piece of hardware to Dell, include a filled-out
checklist.
- Jumpers, Switches, and Connectors — jumper or switch
settings to change when troubleshooting the system or adding internal options.
- Rack Installation Instructions — detailed instructions for
installing the system in a rack.
- Abbreviations and Acronyms — abbreviations and acronyms
used throughout this guide and in other Dell documentation for the system.
Besides this Installation and Troubleshooting Guide, the following documentation is
included with your system:
- The Dell PowerEdge 8450 Systems User's Guide, which describes system features and
technical specifications, video and SCSI device drivers, the system setup program,
software support utilities, and the System Setup Utility.
- The HP OpenView NNM Special Edition With Dell OpenManage HIP
User's Guide, which describes the features, requirements, installation, and basic
operation of the server management software. Refer to the software's online help for
information about the alert messages issued by the software.
You may also have one or more of the following documents.
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NOTE: Documentation updates are
sometimes included with the system to describe changes to the system or software. Always
read these updates before consulting any other documentation because the updates often
contain information that supersedes the information in the other documents. |
- Operating system documentation is included with the system if you ordered the operating
system software from Dell. This documentation describes how to install (if necessary),
configure, and use the operating system software.
- Documentation is included with any options you purchase separately from the system. This
documentation includes information that you need to configure and install these options in
your Dell computer.
- Technical information files—sometimes called "readme" files—may be
installed on the hard-disk drive to provide last-minute updates about technical changes to
the system or advanced technical reference material intended for experienced users or
technicians.
Notational Conventions
The following subsections list notational conventions used in this document.
Notes, Cautions, and Warnings
Throughout this guide, blocks of text may be accompanied by an icon and printed in bold
type or in italic type. These blocks are notes, cautions, and warnings, and they are used
as follows:
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NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you
make better use of your system. |
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CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either
potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid the problem. |
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WARNING: A WARNING indicates the potential
for bodily harm and tells you how to avoid the problem. |
Some warnings may appear in alternate formats and may be unaccompanied by an icon. In
such cases, the specific presentation of the warning is mandated by regulatory authority.
Typographical Conventions
The following list defines (where appropriate) and illustrates typographical
conventions used as visual cues for specific elements of text throughout this document:
- Interface components are window titles, button and icon names, menu names and
selections, and other options that appear on the monitor screen or display. They are
presented in bold.
Example: Click OK.
- Keycaps are labels that appear on the keys on a keyboard. They are enclosed in
angle brackets.
Example: <Enter>
- Key combinations are series of keys to be pressed simultaneously (unless
otherwise indicated) to perform a single function.
Example: <Ctrl><Alt><Enter>
- Commands presented in lowercase bold are for reference purposes only and are not
intended to be typed when referenced.
Example: "Use the format command to . . . ."
In contrast, commands presented in the Courier New font are part of an instruction and
intended to be typed.
Example: "Type format a: to format the diskette in
drive A."
- Filenames and directory names are presented in lowercase bold.
Examples: autoexec.bat and c:\windows
- Syntax lines consist of a command and all its possible parameters. Commands are
presented in lowercase bold; variable parameters (those for which you substitute a value)
are presented in lowercase italics; constant parameters are presented in lowercase bold.
The brackets indicate items that are optional.
Example: del [drive:] [path] filename [/p]
- Command lines consist of a command and may include one or more of the
command’s possible parameters. Command lines are presented in the Courier New font.
Example: del c:\myfile.doc
- Screen text is a message or text that you are instructed to type as part of a
command (referred to as a command line). Screen text is presented in the Courier
New font.
Example: The following message appears on your screen:
No boot device available
Example: "Type md c:\programs and press
<Enter>."
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