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Installing Hard-Disk Drives

Dell™ PowerEdge™ 2550 Systems Installation and Troubleshooting Guide

This section describes how to install and configure small computer system interface (SCSI) hard-disk drives in the system's internal hard-disk drive bays. Instructions are also included for upgrading the system by installing an optional SCSI backplane daughter card for split backplane operation or a Dell™ PowerEdge™ Expandable RAID Controller (PERC) host adapter card.

The hard-disk drive bays provide space for up to four 1-inch hard-disk drives. (You can also install a fifth hard-disk drive in the peripheral bay by purchasing an upgrade kit from Dell. For installation information, see the documentation provided with the upgrade kit.)

Figure 10-1 illustrates the system components associated with the SCSI hard-disk drives.

Figure 10-1. Hard-Disk Drive Hardware

Preparing SCSI Hard-Disk Drives for Installation

NOTE: Dell recommends that you use only drives that Dell has tested and approved for use with the SCSI backplane board.

SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Configuration

The SCSI drives must be configured as follows:

• Disable termination on the drives. The SCSI backplane board provides termination for the SCSI bus.
  
  
• Set the SCSI ID on all drives to 0. All SCSI ID numbers for the drives are set by the SCSI backplane board, as shown in Figure 10-1.
  
  
• Configure the drives so that the drive motor waits for a start unit command from the SCSI host adapter before spinning.
  
  

Partitioning and Formatting SCSI Hard-Disk Drives

You may need to use programs other than those provided with the operating system to partition and format SCSI hard-disk drives. See "Installing and Configuring SCSI Drivers" in the User's Guide for information and instructions.

NOTICE: Do not turn off or reboot your system while the drive is being formatted. Turning off or rebooting your system while the drive is being formatted can cause a drive failure.

When you format a high-capacity SCSI hard-disk drive, be sure to allow enough time for the formatting to complete. Long formatting times for these drives are normal.

General Information on Cabling

The four connectors on the SCSI backplane board are designated as SCSI ID 0 through SCSI ID 3 (see Figure 10-1). If a fifth hard-disk drive is installed in the peripheral bay, it is identified as SCSI ID 4.

To operate the backplane in a 1 x 4 configuration, attach a single host adapter to connector SCSIA on the backplane board (see Figure A-4 in "Jumpers, Switches, and Connectors"). You can operate the SCSI backplane board in a split 2 x 2 mode if a second, optional SCSI backplane daughter card is installed (see "Installing a SCSI Backplane Daughter Card"). In split mode, a host adapter attached to connector SCSIB on the backplane controls slots SCSI 0 and SCSI 1, while the host adapter connected to SCSIA controls slots SCSI 2, SCSI 3, and the fifth drive slot, SCSI 4 (if installed).

Installing SCSI Hard-Disk Drives

SCSI hard-disk drives are supplied by Dell in special drive carriers that fit in the hard-disk drive bays. To install a SCSI hard-disk drive, perform the following steps.

NOTICE: Hot-plug drive installation is not supported for systems without an integrated redundant array of independent disks (RAID) controller or Dell PERC host adapter card.

1. If the system does not have a RAID controller installed, shut down the system.
   
   
2. If the optional front bezel is installed, remove it. See "Removing the Front Bezel" in "Checking Inside the System."
   
   
3. If you have not already done so, unlock and open the system doors (see "Opening the System Doors" in "Checking Inside the System") and remove the hard-disk drive lock from the hard-disk drive bay where you will install the new drive (see Figure 10-2).
   
   

Figure 10-2. Removing a Hard-Disk Drive Lock

4. For systems with RAID controllers, power down the hard-disk drive bay. If a hard-disk drive is currently installed in the bay, wait until all three SCSI hard-disk drive indicators on the hard-disk drive carrier handle are off before proceeding.
   
   
5. Open the drive carrier handle and slide the carrier toward you until it is free of the drive bay (see Figure 10-3).
   
   

Figure 10-3. SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Carrier

6. Open the handle on the new hard-disk drive carrier.
   
   
7. Align the edge of the carrier with the notch in the chassis and insert the carrier into the drive bay (see Figure 10-3).
   
   
8. Close the drive carrier handle to lock the new drive carrier in place.
   
   
9. If you removed the bezel in step 2, reinstall it now.
   
   
10. Install any required SCSI device drivers. For more information, see your operating system documentation.
    
    
11. If the hard-disk drive is a new drive, run the Dell Diagnostics to test the new drive.
    
    

Installing a Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller Host Adapter Card

Follow these general guidelines when you install a Dell host adapter card. For specific instructions, refer to the documentation supplied with the PERC host adapter card.

WARNING: Before you install the host adapter card, you must turn off the system and disconnect it from the electrical outlet. For more information, see "Safety First—For You and Your Computer" in "Checking Inside the System."

1. Turn off the system, including any attached peripherals, and disconnect the system from the electrical outlet.
   
   

WARNING: See "Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge" in the safety instructions in the System Information document.

2. Unpack the host adapter card and prepare it for installation. For instructions, see the documentation accompanying the host adapter card.
   
   
3. Open the system doors (see "Opening the System Doors" in "Checking Inside the System").
   
   
4. Install the controller card in an expansion slot. See "Installing System Board Options" for information on installing the card.
   
   
5. Detach the interface cable from the SCSI host adapter connector on the system board (labeled "SCSIA") See Figure 10-1 for the location of this connector.
   
   
6. Connect the end of the SCSI interface cable to the connector on the host adapter card. To identify the correct connector, see the documentation for the host adapter card.
   
   
7. If you are attaching multiple external SCSI devices, daisy-chain the devices to each other using the cables shipped with each device. See each device's documentation for information on cabling that device as part of a daisy chain.
   
   
8. Close the system doors, and then reconnect the system and peripherals to their electrical outlets.
   
   
9. Connect the external SCSI device(s) to electrical outlet(s).
   
   

For each external device, plug the socket end of the power cable into the power receptacle on the back of the device, and plug the other end of the power cable into an electrical outlet.

10. Install any required SCSI device drivers. For more information, see your operating system documentation.
    
    
11. Test the SCSI hard-disk drive by running the Dell Diagnostics.
    
    

Installing a SCSI Backplane Daughter Card

To operate the SCSI backplane in a 2 x 2 split backplane configuration, you must install a second, optional daughter card. To install the daughter card, perform the following steps.

WARNING: Before you install the daughter card, you must turn off the system and disconnect it from the electrical outlet. For more information, see "Safety First—For You and Your Computer" in "Checking Inside the System."

1. Turn off the system, including any attached peripherals, and disconnect the system from the electrical outlet.
   
   

WARNING: See "Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge" in the safety instructions in the System Information document.

2. Unpack the SCSI backplane board daughter card kit.
   
   
3. Open the system doors (see "Opening the System Doors" in "Checking Inside the System").
   
   

NOTICE: You must remove all hard-disk drives to avoid damaging the SCSI backplane board when you remove it later in this procedure.

4. Remove the two hard-disk drives from the right-hand drive bay (see "Installing SCSI Hard-Disk Drives").
   
   
5. The daughter card fits between the sides of a card guide on the floor of the drive bay. To install the card in the card guide, perform the following steps:
   
   
   1. Hold the daughter card by its edges with the component side facing up and the card connector facing the SCSI backplane board (see Figure 10-4).
      
      

Figure 10-4. Installing a Daughter Card

2. Position the card in the drive bay so that the notches on the left and right edges of the card are aligned with the tabs on the card guide in the drive bay.
   
   
3. Lower the card into the card guide.
   
   

NOTICE: Ensure that the two connectors are aligned before proceeding.

4. Slide the daughter card into the drive bay and align the connector on the card with the corresponding connector on the backplane.
   
   
5. Lock the card into place by closing the retention lever on the card's front edge (see Figure 10-4).
   
   

6. Reinstall the hard-disk drives in the system.
   
   
7. Change the SCSI cable connections to the SCSI backplane as necessary to operate the backplane as a 2 x 2 split backplane.
   
   

To configure the drives in a split 2 x 2 configuration (or 1 x 2 and 1 x 3 in a five-drive system), you must connect two SCSI channels to the SCSI backplane board. The channel attached to connector SCSIB on the backplane board controls slots SCSI ID 0 and SCSI ID 1, while the channel connector to connector SCSIA controls slots SCSI ID 2, SCSI ID 3, and the fifth drive slot (if installed), SCSI ID 4 (see Figure 10-1).

8. Close the system doors, and then reconnect the system and peripherals to their electrical outlets.
   
   

Configuring the Boot Device

If you plan to boot the system from a hard-disk drive, the drive must be attached to the primary (or boot) controller or SCSI host adapter card. You can select the primary controller using the System Setup program. See "Using the System Setup Program" in the User's Guide for instructions.

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