They've sent me a link to bootable ISOs to do something similar. I'll have to wait until I have an onsite person though as I can't boot from virtual ISOs.
Jon Lewis -----Original Message----- From: Stephen Wimberly [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, June 05, 2008 6:38 AM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: DRAC Issue Not sure if this is relevant since my issue was a PE2650, not a PE2950... they are much different... but if it helps go for it. We had three PE2650 servers and one RAC was flakey from the start, called DELL several times to no avail. The resolution: Upgrade the DRAC firmware via a DOS boot diskette rather than the Windows Update version of the same software. Upgrading it with their "packaged for windows" updater just didn't function. -----Original Message----- From: Jon B. Lewis [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 9:09 AM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: DRAC Issue I have done the flash in BIOS thing both ways. No luck either way. I wasn't at all familiar with the racadm until yesterday. Still don't claim to be an expert but I figured out the firmware update process (even had success with it on a working card so I was sure I was doing it right) but still no luck. I've tried the Windows installer and the command line thing with no luck on either. I'm going to see if my on-site person can swap some cards around and see where I get. Jon Lewis -----Original Message----- From: Miller Bonnie L. [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2008 7:46 AM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: RE: DRAC Issue Sounds like you already checked this, but I know I've had trouble updating the firmware on these if I had disabled the flash in the bios (#3), so you might check that out, along with the USB mention while you're in there. That being said, I've had 2 of these cards fail in the last 9 months, each one in a different way--they were both from a set of 3 servers we purchased around last September/October and we have about 12 PE 2950s total. Neither had partly responded like yours is doing, but I wouldn't rule it out as a symptom. One hung the entire system when rebooting to the point that the card had to come out of the slot to boot at all. Another one I found had quit working when the firmware wouldn't update at all--Noticed that it would quickly report an error shortly after the bios screen during booting, but it blipped right past and booted anyway (unlike the first failure). Went through a similar rigamarole on the phone before they sent a new card on the second one. I'm not very familiar with racadm--I usually do the Windows-based firmware updates, but the Dell tech I spoke with tried updating the firmware with something command-level as well, which would also fail--have they tried that on yours? One thing of note that I mentioned to the tech after the second call is that the DRAC card has two green lights on it inside the case and I noticed the "bad" ones only had one green light that was coming on. Once the good on was in, both lights come on (I think one blinks, but I don't recall exactly). -Bonnie -----Original Message----- From: Jon B. Lewis [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 6:30 PM To: NT System Admin Issues Subject: DRAC Issue Does anyone know why a DRAC (2950 server if that matters) won't display the web interface? I can work on it locally with racadm but I can't connect to it remotely via racadm. I can also SSH into it and run racadm commands. The firmware is outdated but I can't get the firmware to update and I've tried several different ways. We've cut the power to the server and reseated the card. When attempting to update the firmware I get this business. As near as I can tell each of these conditions are met. 1. Appropriate IPMI and managed node drivers must be installed and enabled. 2. On Windows, WMI services must be enabled and running. 3. RAC Virtual Flash must not be in use by the operating system or another application. 4. USB must be enabled. I did a chat with Dell Tech Support earlier and he wasn't much help. Well, no help really. Jon Lewis ~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbelt-software.com/SunbeltMessagingNinja.cfm> ~ ~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbelt-software.com/SunbeltMessagingNinja.cfm> ~ ~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbelt-software.com/SunbeltMessagingNinja.cfm> ~ ~ Upgrade to Next Generation Antispam/Antivirus with Ninja! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbelt-software.com/SunbeltMessagingNinja.cfm> ~
