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  1. #1
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    Dell poweredge help

    I just picked up a old Dell poweredge 2650, the price was right > FREE.

    The problem is the hotswap cdrom and floppy drives are missing. I have tried to get it to boot from cd from a usb cdrom but it will not boot. I have checked the Bios and there is no option to to either boot from this device or set a boot order which will cause it to seek out this device.

    Does anyone here have any Exp. with this model and know how to get a OS installed using a external cd rom to load Server 2003?


  2. #2
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    Take the hood off, hook up the cd-rom from a regular computer and do it that way.

  3. #3
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    Interesting, we have never tried booting PowerEdge 2650 off USB CDROM. What is your BIOS version? Try flashing your BIOS with the latest version (at least version A20).

    Also, Dell PowerEdge 2650 comes with DRAC. Through the DRAC, you can reboot the server through remote Floppy Drive. Unfortunately, I don't think DRAC on PE2650 will allow you to boot the server through remote CDROM.

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric HRF
    Take the hood off, hook up the cd-rom from a regular computer and do it that way.
    You don't have experience with Dell Poweredge 2650, do you? It's not that easy.
    Last edited by FHDave; 10-19-2006 at 08:23 PM.
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  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by FHDave
    You don't have experience with Dell Poweredge 2650, do you?

    LOL FHDave is right. You can't, there is no IDE hookups the whole thing is SCSI hotswap. I just went thru the entire BIOS again and it will not boot from a usb device. You got any suggestions Dave?

  5. #5
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    BIOS revision A04
    embedded server mgt firmware 1.06
    primary backplane revision 0.25
    secondary " " 0.25

    Raid bios V 2.7.0 Build 3157


    I guess I am going to be doing alot of reading on this model as I am a supermicro user. All my platforms are SM .


  6. #6
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    Have you been able to boot from that USB CD-Rom drive on other computers? There's some usb cdrom models in my experience that don't don't support boot from cd.

    In any case I did try plugging in a spare Teac CD-210PU USB cdrom supplied by dell for our 1855 blades (which do support boot from cdrom) and the usb drive was detected immediately. I can't shutdown our PE2650 server to test boot from cdrom though.

    I know on the 1855 blades the BIOS has the boot drive option, where you need to put the CDROM drive above the SCSI, and 1 other device in order for the boot from cdrom to work (or disable the other 2).

    If your 2650 BIOS is completely missing that option I'd say your SOL and will need to buy a 2nd 2650 for its CDROM drive, or check with Dell, eBay, or a 3rd Party that resells Dell equipment.

    (as was recommended above, check Dell Support and download/flash the latest BIOS just in case it adds support)

  7. #7
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    Yes the usb CD Rom is bootable as its the one I keep at the DC. I am going to try the DRAC approach and see if i can get it to boot via a remote cdrom. I have also been looking on Ebay but I think my best bet is to just grab a New/replacement module from DELL and install it. I figure that will be my total cost for the server.

    Either way I will consider it a learning experience and be a lil more knowledgeable on this product. I will post back if I have any success with the DRAC remote CD installation.

    Thanks for your inputs.

  8. #8
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    I will have my admin test the USB CDROM boot on our spare PE2650 server tommorow. Hope he cn get something working.

    Another thing you can try is the PXE boot. PSOFT's NocMonkey might be your altnernative solution.
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  9. #9
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    Just checked and A20 is Dell's latest BIOS upgrade for PE2650.

    Get your A20 BIOS upgrade here. Hope that helps.
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  10. #10
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    I tried getting in via the DRAC. The Java applet crashed my browser. LOL The NOC monkey looks like it needs to be installed via a bootup CD . The system has a OS installed (W2K3)but I can't get in as I dont have the admin password. If it was that simple I would have dropped my password crack cd into it and had it racked up by now.

    I called the University that gave it to me and they dont know the password either.

    Let me know if you have any luck Dave.

    Can I access the DRAC via cmd prompt or hyper terminal?

  11. #11
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    Try upgrading your BIOS. I even provided you a link to download the BIOS. If you are too lazy to do this, then I am not what else will help.

    Then, try upgrading your DRAC BIOS. Check out http://support.dell.com/ to get the latest upgrade for your DRAC.
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  12. #12
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    I am not too lazy to update the BIOS. How do I update it when I cant access even DRAC? I am going to try and burn it to a floppy and see if it will detect a usb floppy drive. As I said all t has is the 3 SCSI drives.

    Lazy I am not!

    I appreciate all the direct links. I just can't find a way to get it updated without DRAC access or the rom drives.

  13. #13
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    OK, update.

    Could not access DRAC because of Java crash issues. After doing some research I found articles addressing this and disabling the Java Cache resolved it.

    Then it took me another 20 minutes to find the default password for root is "calvin".

    Logged into DRAC interface and per Dell website updated firmware to V3.35 prior to BIOS update.

    Now I am stuck. I have created the floppy for the A20 BIOS update and found the remote floppy boot section but can not seem to get the BIOS flashed via the DRAC.

    Any help in this area would be appreciated. 2am and the coffee pot is now emtpy.

    Thanks for all your help sofar.
    Last edited by Patrick67; 10-20-2006 at 03:27 AM.

  14. #14
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    May 2002
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    You can buy a replacement CD-ROM from Dell for $35.

    http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/p...4&sku=340-9904

  15. #15
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    It's not the CD rom I need but the tray it mounts to for hotswap. I called DELL and they gave me the wrong part# for it as well . Nothing on Ebay or anywhere else I have contacted.


    see the cd/diskette tray listed in Fig. 4-16 here.

    http://support.dell.com/support/edoc...ve.htm#1041862

  16. #16
    You need the tray to hot swap the cd-rom or a hard drive? If it's for the cd-rom, why do you need the cd-rom to be hot swappable?

  17. #17
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    PE2650's do not have any other way to load a OS. They do not subbort USB boot devices and the only way to connect a device is via the hotswap tray that interfaces with the backplane.

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