Manuals

WARNING: Before installing a new backplane board or host adapter card, you must turn off the computer and disconnect it from its AC power source. For more information, refer to Safety First--For You and Your Computer.

The hard-disk drive bays provide space for up to four 1.6-inch or six 1-inch hard-disk drives. (See Installing Drives in the External Bays for information on installing SCSI CD-ROM drives and SCSI tape drives in the external drive bays.) Three SCSI backplane board options are available, as shown in Table 1.

Figure 1 illustrates the hard-disk drive bays, the 1 x 6 hot-pluggable SCSI backplane board, and the Ultra2/low-voltage differential (LVD) SCSI cable. The Ultra2/LVD SCSI cable has two connectors:

• The connector at one end attaches to the Ultra2/LVD SCSI host adapter connector labeled "SCSI1" on the system board, or to an optional SCSI host adapter card such as the Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller.
• The connector at the other end of the cable attaches to the connector labeled "SCSIA" on the SCSI backplane board.

Table 1. SCSI Backplane Board Characteristics

Backplane Type	Hot-Pluggable Drive Support	Duplexing Support	Hard-Disk Drive Size	Drive Status Indicator Support
2 x 2 backplane board	No	Yes	1.6-inch and 1-inch drives	No
2 x 3 backplane board	No	Yes	1-inch drives	No
1 x 6 backplane board	Yes*	No	1-inch drives	Yes
*Backplane board must be controlled by a Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller

Figure 1. Hard-Disk Drive Hardware (1 x 6 Hot-Pluggable SCSI Backplane Board Shown)

Preparing SCSI Hard-Disk Drives for Installation

SCSI hard-disk drives are supplied by Dell in special drive carriers that fit in the hard-disk drive bays.

NOTES: For maximum performance, install Ultra2/LVD drives exclusively. Although you can install a mixture of Ultra2/LVD and Ultra hard-disk drives, they will operate at the slower Ultra transfer rate. 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 drive must be configured as follows:

• Disable termination on the drive. 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 2.
• Configure the drive so that the drive motor waits for a Start Unit command from the SCSI host adapter before spinning.

Figure 2. SCSI Backplane Boards

Partitioning and Formatting SCSI Hard-Disk Drives

You may need to use different programs than those provided with the operating system to partition and format SCSI hard-disk drives. See Chapter 3, "Installing and Configuring SCSI Drivers," in the Dell PowerEdge 2300 Systems User's Guide for information and instructions.

Formatting High-Capacity SCSI Hard-Disk Drives

When formatting a high-capacity SCSI hard-disk drive, be sure to allow enough time for the formatting to complete. Long format times for these drives are normal. A 9-gigabyte (GB) hard-disk drive, for example, can take up to 2.5 hours to format.

CAUTION: 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.

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Installing and Removing SCSI Hard-Disk Drives

The following subsections describe how to install and remove SCSI hard-disk drives in the computer's hard-disk drive bays.

Hot-Pluggable SCSI Hard-Disk Drives

Dell PowerEdge 2300 systems with a Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller host adapter card and a 1 x 6 hot-pluggable SCSI backplane board installed support hot-pluggable drive installation and removal . Before attempting to remove or install a drive while the system is running, see the documentation for the Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller host adapter card to ensure that the SCSI host adapter is configured correctly to support hot-pluggable drive removal and insertion.

CAUTION: Hot-pluggable drive installation and removal is not supported for systems without a Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller host adapter card. Removing a drive in this situation will result in a loss of data.

Indicator Codes for Hot-Pluggable SCSI Hard-Disk Drives

If a 1 x 6 hot-pluggable SCSI backplane board is installed in the Dell PowerEdge 2300 system, three light-emitting diode (LED) indicators adjacent to each of the six SCSI hard-disk drive bays provide information on the status of the SCSI hard-disk drives (see Figure 3).

Figure 3. Hard-Disk Drive Indicators

Table 2 lists the drive indicator patterns established by the SCSI backplane board firmware. Different patterns are displayed as drive events occur in the system. For example, in the event of a hard-disk drive failure, the "drive failed" pattern appears. After the drive is selected for removal, the "drive being prepared for removal" pattern appears, followed by the "drive ready for insertion or removal" pattern. After the replacement drive is installed, the "drive being prepared for operation" pattern appears, followed by the "drive online" pattern.

NOTE: If you do not have a Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller host adapter card installed, you will see only the "drive online" and "drive bay empty" indicator patterns.

Table 2. SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Indicator Patterns

Condition	Indicator Pattern
Identify drive	All three drive status indicators blink simultaneously.
Drive being prepared for removal	The three drive status indicators flash sequentially.
Drive ready for insertion or removal	All three drive status indicators are off.
Drive being prepared for operation	The drive online indicator is on. The drive activity light may flash briefly.
Drive bay empty	All three drive status indicators are off.
Drive predicted failure	The drive online indicator is on. The drive failure indicator blinks on briefly each second.
Drive failed	The drive online indicator turns off. The drive failure indicator blinks off briefly each second.
Drive rebuilding	The drive online indicator blinks rapidly.
Drive online	The drive online indicator is on.

Installing a SCSI Hard-Disk Drive

Install a SCSI hard-disk drive in an internal drive bay as follows:

1. If the computer does not support hot-pluggable hard-disk drives, shut down the system.

2. Remove the computer's front bezel.

See Removing the Computer Cover for instructions.

3. If a non-hot-pluggable SCSI backplane board is installed in the computer, release the locking bar in front of the hard-disk drive carriers.

4. With the hard-disk drive facing towards the right side of the computer, align the edge of the carrier with the notch in the hard-disk drive bay key and insert the
carrier into the drive bay (see Figure 4) .

Figure 4. Installing a SCSI Hard-Disk Drive Carrier

5. Close the drive carrier handle to lock the drive in place.

6. Close the locking bar (non-hot pluggable backplane board systems only) and replace the front bezel.

7. Install any required SCSI device drivers.

See Chapter 3, "Installing and Configuring SCSI Drivers," in the Dell PowerEdge 2300 Systems User's Guide for information.

8. If the hard-disk drive is a new drive, run the SCSI Devices Test Group in the Dell Diagnostics.

See Running the Dell Diagnostics.

Removing a SCSI Hard-Disk Drive

Remove a SCSI hard-disk drive from an internal drive bay as follows:

1. If the computer does not support hot-pluggable hard-disk drives, shut down the system.

2. Remove the computer's front bezel.

See Removing the Computer Covers for instructions.

3. If a non-hot-pluggable SCSI backplane board is installed in the computer, release the locking bar in front of the hard-disk drive carriers.

4. For hot-pluggable SCSI hard-disk drives, wait until the drive status indicators adjacent to the drive bay signal that the drive may be removed safely.

If the drive has been online, the drive status indicators will flash sequentially as the drive is powered down.

When all indicators are turned off, the drive is ready for removal.

5. Open the drive-carrier handle to release the carrier.

6. Slide the carrier toward you until it is free of the drive bay.

7. Close the locking bar (non-hot-pluggable backplane board systems only) and replace the front bezel.

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Installing a Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller Host Adapter Card

Use the following procedure to install a Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller host adapter card.

CAUTION: See Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge.

1. Unpack the host adapter card, and prepare it for installation.

Refer to the documentation accompanying the host adapter card.

2. Remove the right-side computer cover.

See Removing the Computer Covers.

3. Remove the Ultra2/LVD SCSI cable from the computer.

Detach one end of the cable from the SCSI host adapter connector labeled "SCSI1" on the system board.

Detach the other end of the cable from the connector labeled "SCSIA" on the SCSI backplane board.

4. Install the host adapter card in Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) expansion slot PCI3 or PCI4.

See Installing an Expansion Card.

If you are installing one or more SCSI host adapter cards, the boot order is influenced by the particular expansion slot in which the card is installed. In descending order, the system boot order is as follows: CD-ROM, diskette, PCI1, PCI2, PCI3, PCI4, PCI5, PCI6, and on-board SCSI host adapter (internal drives).

5. Connect the Ultra2/LVD SCSI cable provided in the host adapter card kit to the connector labeled "SCSIA" on the SCSI backplane board (see Figure 5).

Figure 5. Cable Configuration for a Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller Host Adapter Card

NOTES: If you will be attaching external SCSI devices using the external SCSI connection slots on the computer's back panel, follow steps 7 through 10. If you attach a Dell PowerEdge Scalable Disk System 100 (SDS 100) storage system, connect the SCSI cable to the connector on the back of the host adapter card and the server management bus (SMB) cable to the SMB connector on the computer's back panel. See the documentation supplied with the SDS 100 storage system for more information.

7. Connect the SCSI external access cable from the host adapter kit to the Ultra2/LVD SCSI host adapter connector (labeled "SCSI1") on the system board.

See each device's documentation for information on cabling that device as part of a daisy chain.

8. Attach the other end of the SCSI external access cable to the computer's back panel.

If you are attaching multiple external SCSI devices, daisy-chain the devices to each other using the cables shipped with each device.

9. Replace the right-side computer cover, and reconnect the computer and peripherals to their AC power sources.

10. Connect the external device(s) to AC power.

For each external device, plug the socket end of the power cable into the AC power receptacle on the back of the device. Plug the other end of the power cable into an AC power source.

11. Install any required SCSI device drivers.

See Chapter 3, "Installing and Configuring SCSI Drivers," in the Dell PowerEdge 2300 Systems User's Guide for information and instructions.

12. Test the SCSI devices.

Test a SCSI hard-disk drive by running the SCSI Devices Test Group in the Dell Diagnostics. See Running the Dell Diagnostics for information.

To test a SCSI tape drive, also refer to the documentation for the tape drive software to perform a tape drive backup and verification test.

Configuring a 2 x 2 or 2 x 3 SCSI Non-Hot-Pluggable Backplane Board

You can configure a 2 x 2 or 2 x 3 non-hot-pluggable SCSI backplane board as a split backplane board or a single backplane board, depending on how the backplane board is connected. (Figures 3 and 4 in Appendix B, "Jumpers and SwitchesJumpers and Switches," show the location of the connectors on the SCSI backplane boards.)

Configuring a Non-Hot-Pluggable Backplane Board as a Split Backplane Board

To configure a 2 x 2 or 2 x 3 SCSI backplane board as a split backplane, connect the backplane board to two SCSI channels, such as:

• The computer's on-board Ultra2/LVD host adapter and a SCSI host adapter card
• A SCSI host adapter card with two SCSI channels such as the Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller card
• Two SCSI host adapter cards

In split-backplane mode, the drives connected to the backplane board are divided as follows:

• On a 2 x 2 backplane board, the SCSI channel attached to connector SCSIA on the SCSI backplane board supports SCSI slots 0 and 1 (see Figure 2). The SCSI channel attached to connector SCSIB on the backplane board supports SCSI slots 2 and 3.
• On a 2 x 3 backplane board, the SCSI channel attached to connector SCSIA on the SCSI backplane board supports SCSI slots 0, 1, and 2 (see Figure 2). The SCSI channel attached to connector SCSIB on the backplane board supports SCSI slots 3, 4, and 5.

The system automatically configures the backplane board as a split backplane if two SCSI interface cables are connected--no jumper or software changes are required.

Configuring a Non-Hot-Pluggable Backplane Board as a Single Backplane Board

To configure a 2 x 2 or 2 x 3 non-hot-pluggable SCSI backplane board as a single backplane, connect the computer's on-board Ultra2/LVD host adapter to connector SCSIA on the SCSI backplane board.

Installing a 1 x 6 Hot-Pluggable SCSI Backplane Board

The upgrade kit for the 1 x 6 SCSI backplane board includes the following parts:

• 1 x 6 hot-pluggable SCSI backplane board
• SCSI hard-disk drive LED indicator panel
• A hard-disk drive indicator panel data cable
• A control cable that connects the system board and SCSI backplane board

Use the following procedure to install a 1 x 6 hot-pluggable SCSI backplane in your computer.

1. Unpack the 1 x 6 hot-pluggable SCSI backplane board upgrade kit.

CAUTION: See Protecting Against Electrostatic Discharge.

2. Remove the right-side computer cover.

See Removing the Computer Covers.

3. Remove the retention bar securing the hard-disk drives.

4. Remove the hard-disk drives from the system.

CAUTION: Remove all hard-disk drives to avoid damaging the SCSI backplane board when you remove it later in this procedure

5. Disconnect the Ultra2/LVD SCSI cables from the connectors labeled "SCSIA" and "SCSIB" on the non-hot-pluggable SCSI backplane board.

To avoid damage to the cables, use the "pull loop" to disconnect the cable.

6. Disconnect the power cable "P2" from the power connector on the non-hot-pluggable SCSI backplane board.

To release the connector, press the latch on the side of the connector facing the system board.

7. Loosen the captive thumbscrew on the non-hot-pluggable SCSI backplane board.

8. Slide the non-hot-pluggable SCSI backplane board away from the system board approximately a quarter inch (about 1 cm), and then lift the board off of the L-shaped mounting tabs and away from the chassis.

9. Install the hard-disk drive indicator board.

While holding the indicator card by its edges, position the board so that the tabs on the computer chassis wall fit through the corresponding slots in the board (see Figure 6).

Figure 6. Installing the 1 x 6 Hot-Pluggable SCSI Backplane Board and Hard-Disk Drive Indicator Panel

10. If the SCSI backplane board you removed was a 2 x 2 non-hot-pluggable backplane, you must reorient the hard-disk drive bay key that aligns the drives:

1. Remove the hard-disk drive bay key by removing the three screws securing it to the front of the computer chassis.
2. Turn the key so the six drive positioning slots face towards the drive bays, and reinstall the key using the three screws.

11. Connect the end of the new Ultra2/LVD cable to the connector labeled "SCSI1" on the system board.

12. Install the new hot-pluggable backplane board (see Figure 7).

Figure 7. Connectors on the 1 x 6 Hot-Pluggable SCSI Backplane Board

1. While holding the backplane board by its edges, position the board so that the tabs on the computer chassis wall fit through the corresponding slots in the backplane board.
2. Slide the backplane board slightly towards the system board.
3. Secure the backplane board by tightening the captive screw.

13. Connect the wide ribbon cable supplied in the upgrade kit to the connector on the hard-disk drive indicator panel labeled "J1" and the connector labeled "CTRL_PANEL" on the backplane board (see Figure 7).

14. Connect the narrow data cable supplied in the upgrade kit to the connector on the system board labeled "BACKPLANE" (see Figure 1) and the connector on the backplane board labeled "PLANAR."

15. Connect the power cable labeled "P2" to the connector on the backplane board labeled "POWER."

16. Connect the Ultra2/LVD SCSI cable leading from the system board to the connector labeled "SCSIA" on the backplane board.

17. Reinstall the hard-disk drives in the computer.

NOTE: The 1 x 6 SCSI backplane board only accommodates 1-inch hard-disk drives. Do not attempt to reinstall 1.6-inch hard-disk drives in the computer.

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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. The primary controller is automatically determined by the specific system configuration. In descending order of precedence, the system boot order is as follows: CD-ROM, diskette, PCI1, PCI2, PCI3, PCI4, PCI5, PCI6, and on-board SCSI host adapter (internal drives).

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