Acer AW2000H, AW170HQ, AW170HD, AW170H User Manual

AW2000h Series

User Guide

AW170h F1/ AW170hd F1/ AW170hq F1

Copyright © 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Acer AW2000h Series
User Guide

Acer AW2000h -AW170h F1/AW170hd F1/AW170hq F1

Model Number :

Serial Number:

Purchase Date:

Place of Purchase:

Information for your safety and
comfort

Visit http://registration.acer.com and discover the benefits of being an Acer
customer.

Safety instructions

Read these instructions carefully. Keep this document for future reference.
Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product.

Turning the product off before cleaning

Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not use liquid
cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for cleaning.

CAUTION for plug as disconnecting device

Observe the following guidelines when connecting and disconnecting power to
the power supply unit:

• Install the power supply unit before connecting the power cord to the AC
power outlet.

• Unplug the power cord before removing the power supply unit from the
computer.

• If the system has multiple sources of power, disconnect power from the
system by unplugging all power cords from the power supplies.

iii

CAUTION for accessibility

Be sure that the power outlet you plug the power cord into is easily accessible
and located as close to the equipment operator as possible. When you need to
disconnect power to the equipment, be sure to unplug the power cord from the
electrical outlet.

Warnings

• Do not use this product near water.

• Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand or table. If the product
falls, it could be seriously damaged.

iv

• Slots and openings are provided for ventilation to ensure reliable
operation of the product and to protect it from overheating. These
openings must not be blocked or covered. The openings should never be
blocked by placing the product on a bed, sofa, rug or other similar surface.
This product should never be placed near or over a radiator or heat
register, or in a built-in installation unless proper ventilation is provided.

• Never push objects of any kind into this product through cabinet slots as
they may touch dangerous voltage points or short-out parts that could
result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind onto or into
the product.

• To avoid damage of internal components and to prevent battery leakage,
do not place the product on a vibrating surface.

• Never use it under sporting, exercising, or any vibrating environment
which will probably cause unexpected short current or damage rotor
devices, HDD, Optical drive, and even exposure risk from lithium battery
pack.

• This product is not suitable for use with visual display workplace devices
according to B2 of the German Ordinance for Work with Visual Display
Units.

Using electrical power

• This product should be operated from the type of power indicated on the
marking label. If you are not sure of the type of power available, consult
your dealer or local power company.

• Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord. Do not locate this
product where people will walk on the cord.

• If an extension cord is used with this product, make sure that the total
ampere rating of the equipment plugged into the extension cord does not
exceed the extension cord ampere rating. Also, make sure that the total
rating of all products plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed the fuse
rating.

• Do not overload a power outlet, strip or receptacle by plugging in too
many devices. The overall system load must not exceed 80% of the branch
circuit rating. If power strips are used, the load should not exceed 80% of
the power strip's input rating.

• This product's power supply is equipped with a three-wire grounded plug.
The plug only fits in a grounded power outlet. Make sure the power outlet
is properly grounded before inserting the power supply plug. Do not insert
the plug into a non-grounded power outlet. Contact your electrician for
details.

Warning! The grounding pin is a safety feature. Using a power outlet that is
not properly grounded may result in electric shock and/or injury.

Note: The grounding pin also provides good protection from unexpected
noise produced by other nearby electrical devices that may interfere with
the performance of this product.

• Use the product only with the supplied power supply cord set. If you need
to replace the power cord set, make sure that the new power cord meets
the following requirements: detachable type, UL listed/CSA certified, VDE
approved or its equivalent, 4.6 meters (15 feet) maximum length.

Product servicing

Do not attempt to service this product yourself, as opening or removing covers
may expose you to dangerous voltage points or other risks. Refer all servicing to
qualified service personnel.

Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to qualified service
personnel when:

• the power cord or plug is damaged, cut or frayed

• liquid was spilled into the product

• the product was exposed to rain or water

• the product has been dropped or the case has been damaged

• the product exhibits a distinct change in performance, indicating a need
for service

• the product does not operate normally after following the operating
instructions

v

Note: Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating
instructions, since improper adjustment of other controls may result in
damage and will often require extensive work by a qualified technician to
restore the product to normal condition.

CAUTION: Danger of explosion if battery is incorrectly replaced. Replace only
with the same or equivalent type recommended by the manufacturer. Dispose
of used batteries according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

vi

Additional safety information

Your device and its enhancements may contain small parts. Keep them out of
the reach of small children.

Disposal instructions

Do not throw this electronic device into the trash when discarding.
To minimize pollution and ensure utmost protection of the global
environment, please recycle. For more information on the Waste
from Electrical and Electronics Equipment (WEEE) regulations, visit
http://www.acer-group.com/public/Sustainability/sustainability01.htm.

Mercury advisory

For projectors or electronic products containing an LCD/CRT monitor
or display: Lamp(s) inside this product contain mercury and must be
recycled or disposed of according to local, state or federal laws. For
more information, contact the Electronic Industries Alliance at www.eiae.org.
For lamp-specific disposal information, check www.lamprecycle.org.

Tips and information for comfortable use

Computer users may complain of eyestrain and headaches after prolonged use.
Users are also at risk of physical injury after long hours of working in front of a
computer. Long work periods, bad posture, poor work habits, stress,
inadequate working conditions, personal health and other factors greatly
increase the risk of physical injury.

Incorrect computer usage may lead to carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis,
tenosynovitis or other musculoskeletal disorders. The following symptoms may
appear in the hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, neck or back:

• numbness, or a burning or tingling sensation

• aching, soreness or tenderness

• pain, swelling or throbbing

• stiffness or tightness

• coldness or weakness

If you have these symptoms, or any other recurring or persistent discomfort
and/or pain related to computer use, consult a physician immediately and
inform your company's health and safety department.

The following section provides tips for more comfortable computer use.

vii

Finding your comfort zone

Find your comfort zone by adjusting the viewing angle of the monitor, using a
footrest, or raising your sitting height to achieve maximum comfort. Observe
the following tips:

• refrain from staying too long in one fixed posture

• avoid slouching forward and/or leaning backward

• stand up and walk around regularly to remove the strain on your leg
muscles

• take short rests to relax your neck and shoulders

• avoid tensing your muscles or shrugging your shoulders

• install the external display, keyboard and mouse properly and within
comfortable reach

• if you view your monitor more than your documents, place the display at
the center of your desk to minimize neck strain

Taking care of your vision

Long viewing hours, wearing incorrect glasses or contact lenses, glare, excessive
room lighting, poorly focused screens, very small typefaces and low-contrast
displays could stress your eyes. The following sections provide suggestions on
how to reduce eyestrain.

Eyes

• Rest your eyes frequently.

• Give your eyes regular breaks by looking away from the monitor and
focusing on a distant point.

• Blink frequently to keep your eyes from drying out.

Display

• Keep your display clean.

• Keep your head at a higher level than the top edge of the display so your
eyes point downward when looking at the middle of the display.

• Adjust the display brightness and/or contrast to a comfortable level for
enhanced text readability and graphics clarity.

• Eliminate glare and reflections by:

• placing your display in such a way that the side faces the window or

any light source

• minimizing room light by using drapes, shades or blinds

• using a task light

• changing the display's viewing angle

viii

• using a glare-reduction filter

• using a display visor, such as a piece of cardboard extended from the
display's top front edge

• Avoid adjusting your display to an awkward viewing angle.

• Avoid looking at bright light sources, such as open windows, for extended
periods of time.

Developing good work habits

Develop the following work habits to make your computer use more relaxing
and productive:

• Take short breaks regularly and often.

• Perform some stretching exercises.

• Breathe fresh air as often as possible.

• Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy body.

Warning! We do not recommend using the computer on a couch or bed. If
this is unavoidable, work for only short periods, take breaks regularly, and
do some stretching exercises.

Regulations and safety notices

FCC notice

This device has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A
digital device pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed to
provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential
installation. This device generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause
harmful interference to radio communications.

However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular
installation. If this device does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the device off and on, the
user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the
following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the device and receiver.

• Connect the device into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which
the receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/television technician for help.

Notice: Shielded cables

All connections to other computing devices must be made using shielded cables
to maintain compliance with FCC regulations. In compliance with FCC
regulations, use shielded cables to connect to other computing devices. A dual­link cable is recommended for DVI output.

ix

Notice: Peripheral devices

Only peripherals (input/output devices, terminals, printers, etc.) certified to
comply with the Class A limits may be attached to this equipment. Operation
with non-certified peripherals is likely to result in interference to radio and TV
reception.

Caution

Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could
void the user's authority, which is granted by the Federal Communications
Commission, to operate this computer.

x

Operation conditions

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference,
and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.

Notice: Canadian users

This Class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

Remarque à l'intention des utilisateurs canadiens

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B est conforme a la norme NMB-003 du
Canada.

Compliant with Russian regulatory certification

Notice for Australia

For safety reasons, only connect headsets with a telecommunications
compliance label. This includes customer equipment previously labelled
permitted or certified.

Notice for New Zealand

1 The grant of a Telepermit for any item of terminal equipment indicates

only that Telecom has accepted that the item complies with minimum
conditions for connection to its network. It indicates no endorsement of
the product by Telecom, nor does it provide any sort of warranty. Above
all, it provides no assurance that any item will work correctly in all respects
with another item of Telepermitted equipment of a different make or
model, nor does it imply that any product is compatible with all of
Telecom's network services.

2 This equipment is not capable, under all operating conditions, of correct

operation at the higher speeds for which it is designed. Telecom will accept
no responsibility should difficulties arise in such circumstances.

3 Some parameters required for compliance with Telecom's Telepermit

requirements are dependent on the equipment (PC) associated with this
device. The associated equipment shall be set to operate within the
following limits for compliance with Telecom's Specifications:

a There shall be no more than 10 call attempts to the same number

within any 30 minute period for any single manual call initiation, and

b The equipment shall go on-hook for a period of not less than 30

seconds between the end of one attempt and the beginning of the
next call attempt.

4 Some parameters required for compliance with Telecom's Telepermit

requirements are dependent on the equipment (PC) associated with this
device. In order to operate within the limits for compliance with Telecom's
specifications, the associated equipment shall be set to ensure that
automatic calls to different numbers are spaced such that there is not less
than 5 seconds between the end of one call attempt and the beginning
of another.

5 This equipment shall not be set up to make automatic calls to Telecom's

111 Emergency Service.

6 This device is equipped with pulse dialing while the Telecom standard is

DTMF tone dialing. There is no guarantee that Telecom lines will always
continue to support pulse dialing.

7 Use of pulse dialing, when this equipment is connected to the same line as

other equipment, may give rise to bell tinkle or noise and may also cause a
false answer condition. Should such problems occur, the user should NOT
contact the telecom Fault Service.

8 This equipment may not provide for the effective hand-over of a call to

another device connected to the same line.

9 Under power failure conditions this appliance may not operate. Please

ensure that a separate telephone, not dependent on local power, is
available for emergency use.

Notice: BSMI

xi

Laser compliance statement

The CD or DVD drive used with this computer is a laser product.
The CD or DVD drive's classification label (shown below) is located on the drive.

CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT
CAUTION: INVISIBLE LASER RADIATION WHEN OPEN. AVOID EXPOSURE
TO BEAM.

Appareil à laser de classe 1
Attention : Radiation laser visible et invisible en cas d’ouverture. Éviter toute
exposition aux rayons.

Laserprodukt der Klasse 1
Achtung: Beim Öffnen werden unsichtbare Laserstrahlen freigelegt. Setzen Sie
sich diesen Strahlen nicht aus.

xii

Prodotto laser di classe 1
Attenzione: Radiazioni laser invisibili in caso d’apertura. Evitare l’esposizione ai
raggi.

Producto láser de Clase 1
Precaución: Cuando está abierta, hay radiación láser. Evite una exposición al haz
de luz.

Produto Laser de Classe 1
Precaução: Radiação laser invisível quando aberto. Evite exposição ao feixe.

Laserproduct klasse 1
Voorzichtig: Onzichtbare laserstraling indien geopend. Voorkom blootstelling
aan straal.

Digital audio output statement

The optical connector contains no laser or light emitting diode (LED) more than
Class I.

Radio device regulatory notice

Note: Below regulatory information is for models with wireless LAN and/or
Bluetooth only.

General

This product complies with the radio frequency and safety standards of any
country or region in which it has been approved for wireless use. Depending on
configurations, this product may or may not contain wireless radio devices (such
as wireless LAN and/or Bluetooth modules). Below information is for products
with such devices.

Declaration of Conformity for EU countries

Hereby, Acer, declares that this system is in compliance with the essential
requirements and other relevant provisions of Directive 1999/5/EC.

List of applicable countries

This device must be used in strict accordance with the regulations and
constraints in the country of use. For further information, please contact local
office in the country of use. Please see
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/rtte/implem.htm for the latest country list.

Information for your safety and comfort iii
Regulations and safety notices ix

1 System tour 1

System notes 2

Nodes 2
System power 2
SATA backplane, drives and RAID 2

External and internal structure 3

Front panel 3
Rear panel 5
Internal components 7

Mainboard 8

2 System setup 15

Setting up the system 16

Pre-installation requirements 16
Connecting peripherals 17
Turning on the system 18

Power-on problems 19
Configuring the system OS 20
Turning off the system 21

xiii

3 System upgrades 23

Installation precautions 24

ESD precautions 24

Pre-installation instructions 24

Post-installation instructions 25
Configuring the storage devices 26

Accessing the drive bays 26

Hard disk drive configuration guidelines 26
Installing and removing the power supply 30

Power supply failure 31
Replacing a server node 33
Installing an expansion card 34

Installing a PCI add-on card 34
Opening the server 36

Installing and removing the air duct 37
Replacing a system fan 38
Replacing the processor and heatsink 39

Removing the heatsink 40

Installing a heatsink 41

xiv

Upgrading the processor 43

Upgrading the system memory 46

System memory interface 46
Memory population guide 46

4 System BIOS 55

Introduction 56

The BIOS setup utility 56
Changing configuration data 57

Main setup 57

System Overview 57

Advanced Settings 58

Boot Features 59
Power configuration 59
Processor & Clock Options 59

Advanced Chipset Control 62
Security Settings 75
Server Management Settings 77

Product Information 77

IP Address 78

Remote Access Configuration 78

Event Log Configuration 79
Boot 80

Boot Device Priority 80

Hard Disk Drives 81

Removable Drives 81

CD/DVD Drive 81

Retry Boot Devices 81
Exit Options 82

5 System troubleshooting 83

Resetting the system 84
Initial system startup problems 84
Initial troubleshooting checklist 85
Hardware diagnostic testing 86

Checking the boot-up status 86

Verifying the condition of the storage devices 87

Confirming loading of the operating system 87
Specific problems and corrective actions 88

Appendix A Server management tools 93

Server management overview 94
RAID configuration utilities 95

Intel onboard SATA RAID Creation 95
Adaptec onboard SATA RAID Creation 96

Appendix B Rack mount configuration 99

Rack installation information 100

System rack installation 102
Vertical mounting hole pattern 103

Installing the system into the rack 104

Appendix C: Acer Smart Console 111

Using Acer Smart Console 112

Software requirements 112
Accessing Acer Smart Console 113
Acer Smart Console user interface 114

System Information 114

Server Health 115

Configuration 117

Remote Control 127

Launch SOL 129

Virtual Media 130

Maintenance 132

KVM function description 133

Exit 139

xv

Index 147

xvi

1 System tour

2

1 System tour

System notes

The AW2000h is a 2U twin server system. With four mainboards
incorporated into a single chassis acting as four separate nodes, there
are several points you should keep in mind.

The server has an integrated dual-port Gigabit Ethernet which
supports Intel I/O Acceleration Technology (IOAT), iSCSI boot, Virtual
Machine Device Queues (VMDq) and PCI-SIG SR-IOV implementation.

Each node can be installed with one or two CPUs, different memory
capacities, different number and capacities of HDDs.

Nodes

Each mainboard acts as a separate node in the system. As independent
nodes, each may be powered off and on without affecting the others.
In addition, each node is a hot-pluggable unit that may be removed
from the rear of the chassis. The nodes are connected to the server
backplane by means of an adapter card.

System power

A single power supply provides the power for two serverboards. Each
serverboard however, can be shut down independently of the other
using the power button on its own control panel. An additional power
supply module is needed for a fully configured system with four
serverboards.

SATA backplane, drives and RAID

As a system, the AW2000h supports up to twelve SATA drives. There
are three hard drives per node in the system. A single SATA backplane
works to apply system-based control for power and fan speed
functions, yet at the same time logically connects a set of three SATA
drives to each serverboard. Consequently, RAID setup is limited to a
three-drive scheme (RAID cannot be spread across all twelve drives).

External and internal structure

Front panel

The illustration below shows the system front panel.

Item Icon Component

1 Power button/indicator

2 LAN activity indicator

3

3 Status/fault indicator

4 System ID button/indicator

5 Three 3.5-inch hot-plug drive bays (A0 to A2) for node A

6 Three 3.5-inch hot-plug drive bays (B0 to B2) for node B

7 Three 3.5-inch hot-plug drive bays (C0 to C2) for node C

8 Three 3.5-inch hot-plug drive bays (D0 to D2) for node D

9 Hot-plug HDD activity indicator

10 Hot-plug HDD status indicator

11 Server node D control panel

12 Server node C control panel

4

Item Icon Component

13 Server node A control panel

14 Server node B control panel

15 Thumbscrews for securing server to rack

Front panel LED indicator status

LED indicator LED color LED state Status

1 System tour

Power
indicator

Status/fault
indicator

LAN
activity
indicator

System ID
indicator

Green On S0: Power ON

Green Blinking (1 Hz at

50% duty cycle)

N/A Off S4

N/A Off S5

Red On Overheat

Red Flashing 1 Hz Fan fail

Red Off Normal

Green On LAN Link / No Access

Green Blinking LAN Access

N/A Off Disconnect / Idle

Blue On System ID button

Blue Blinking IPMI-activated system

S1: Sleep

pressed

ID

Rear panel

No. Component

1 Server node module handle

2 Server node D

3 Server node release tab

4 Power supply module release latch

5 Dummy power supply module

6 Power supply module handle

7 Server management port (RJ-45) (10/100 Mbps)

8 PCI expansion slot

9 Server node B

10 Server node A

11 System ID switch

12 InfiniBand port QSFP connector (only available for AW170hd F1

and AW170hq F1)

13 Monitor port

14 Serial port (COM 1)

15 Gigabit LAN ports (10/100/1000 Mbps)

16 USB 2.0 ports

17 Power socket

18 Server node C

19 Server node D

5

6

1 System tour

Rear panel LED indicator status

LED indicator LED color LED state Status

System ID LED N/A Off Normal

Blue On System ID button pressed

Blue Blinking IPMI-activated system ID

LAN port LED indicators

LED indicator LED color LED state Status

RJ45 LED (Left) N/A Off No connection or 10 Mbps

Green On 100 Mbps

Amber On 1000 Mbps

RJ45 LED (Right) Yellow On Active connection

Yellow Blinking Transmit/Receive activity

Internal components

No. Component

7

1 Hard disk drives

2 System fan modules

3Memory modules

4 Air duct

5 PCI riser board bracket assembly

6 Mainboard

7 Power supply module

8

1 System tour

Mainboard

Both the AW170hd F1 and AW170hq F1 include an InfiniBand port at
DDR (dual data rate) and QDR (quad data rate) speeds, respectively.
InfiniBand is a scalable serial communications link intended for
connecting processors with high-speed peripherals. (InfiniBand
requires a QSFP connector.)

Model Variations

AW170h F1 AW170hd F1 AW170hq F1

InfiniBand Connector No Yes Yes

DDR InfiniBand No Yes No

QDR InfiniBand No No Yes

The mainboard becomes accessible once you open the system. It should
look like the figure shown below.

9

10

No. Connector Description

1 SW1 Unit identifier switch

2 JRST1 Alarm reset header

3 InfiniBand InfiniBand connector QSFP connector (only

available for AW170hd F1 and AW170hq F1).

4 VGA Video port

5 JPSK1 Internal speaker/buzzer header

6 COM1 COM1 serial port

7 LAN1/2 Gigabit Ethernet (RJ45) ports

1 System tour

8 USB0/1,

USB 2/3

9 IPMI LAN Dedicated IPMI LAN port

10 JPL1/JPL2 LAN1/2 Enable/Disable

11 JPG1 VGA Enable/Disable

12 IPMB IPMB header (for an IPMI card)

13 JBAT1 CMOS battery

14 P2 DIMM1B,

P2 DIMM1A,
P2 DIMM2B,
P2 DIMM2A,
P2 DIMM3B,
P2 DIMM3A,

15 FAN 1 Cooling fan header

16 CPU1 Processor 1 socket

Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports 0/1, 2/3

DDR3 sockets for processor 2

No. Connector Description

11

17 P1 DIMM1B,

P1 DIMM1A,
P1 DIMM2B,
P1 DIMM2A,
P1 DIMM3B,
P1 DIMM3A,

18 JWR 12 V 20-pin power connectors

19 JF2 Proprietary slot for power, FP control and

20 CPU2 Processor 2 socket

21 Slot 1 PCI expansion slot

22 JNMI1 NMI (Non-Masked Interrupt) header

23 JWD1 Watch Dog Enable/Disable/Reset

DDR3 sockets for processor 1

I-SATA connections

12

Mainboard jumper settings

No. Jumper Description Default Setting

1 System tour

1 JWD1 Enable/Disable/

Reset Watch Dog

2 JBT1 Clear CMOS Instead of pins, this jumper consists

3 JPG1 Enable/Disable VGA Pins 1-2 (Enabled)

4 JPL1/

JPL2

Note: Jumpers not indicated are for test purposes only.

Enable/Disable
LAN1/2

Pins 1-2 (Reset)

of contact pads to prevent
accidental clearing of the CMOS
contents. To clear CMOS, disconnect
the power and short the CMOS
pads with a metal object such as a
small screwdriver.

Pins 1-2 (Enabled)

Mainboard LEDs

13

No. LED Description

1 LE4 System ID LED indicator (rear)

2 LEB1 InfiniBand link LED indicator (only available for

3 LEB2 InfiniBand activity LED indicator (only available for

4 LE2 BMC Heartbeat LED Indicator

5 LE3 HDD/SATA LED Indicator

6 LE1 Onboard standby PWR warning LED Indicator

AW170hd F1 and AW170hq F1)

AW170hd F1 and AW170hq F1)

14

1 System tour

2 System

setup

16

2 System setup

Setting up the system

Pre-installation requirements

Selecting a site

Before unpacking and installing the system, select a suitable site for
the system for maximum efficiency. Consider the following factors
when choosing a site for the system:

• Near a grounded power outlet.

• Clean and dust-free.

• Stable surface free from vibration.

• Well-ventilated and away from sources of heat.

• Protected from electromagnetic fields produced by electrical
devices such as air conditioners, radio and TV transmitters, etc.

Package contents

Ensure you have the following items:

• Acer AW2000h system.

• Acer AW2000h accessory box.

If any of the above items is damaged or missing, contact your dealer
immediately.

Save the boxes and packing materials for future use.

Connecting peripherals

Caution! The server operates on 100-127/200-240 VAC only. Do
not connect the system to an incorrect voltage source.

Refer to the illustration below for specific connection instructions on
the peripherals you want to connect to the system.

Note: Consult the operating system manual for information on
how to configure the network setup.

17

18

2 System setup

Turning on the system

After making sure that you have properly set up the system and
connected all the required cables, you can now power on the system.

To power on the system:

After plugging in the power cord, press the power button for each
node. Each node can be powered on or powered off independently.
You can turn on each node at any sequence.

The system starts up and displays a welcome message on the monitor.
After that, a series of POST messages appears. The POST messages
indicate if the system is running well or not.

Note: If the system does not turn on or boot after pressing the
power button(s), go to the next section for the possible causes of
the boot failure.

Aside from the POST messages, you can determine if the system is in
good condition by checking if the following occurred.

• The power indicator on the front panel lights up green.

• The Num Lock, Caps Lock, and Scroll Lock indicators on the
keyboard light up.

Power-on problems

If the system does not boot after you have applied power, check the
following factors that might have caused the boot failure.

• The external power cord may be loosely connected.
Check the power cord connection from the power source to the

power supply module AC input connector on the rear panel. Make
sure that the power cord is properly connected to the power
source and to the AC input connector.

• No power comes from the grounded power outlet.
Have an electrician check your power outlet.

• Loose or improperly connected internal power cables.
Check the internal cable connections. If you are not confident to

perform this step, ask a qualified technician to assist you.

Warning! Make sure all power cords are disconnected from the
electrical outlet before performing this task.

Note: If you have gone through the preceding actions and the
system still fails to boot, ask your dealer or a qualified technician
for assistance.

19

20

2 System setup

Configuring the system OS

Acer Smart Setup assists you to conveniently install your choice of
operating system.

Note: To purchase the Acer Smart Setup software, contact your
local Acer representative.

To start using Acer Smart Setup, follow the steps below.
1 Locate the Acer Smart Setup included in the system package.
2 Connect an external DVD drive to your system. Press the Stop/Eject

button on the DVD drive to eject the disc tray.

3 When the disc tray slides open, insert the DVD containing Acer

Smart Setup with the label or title side of the disc facing upward.

Note: When handling the disc, hold it by the edges to avoid
smudges or fingerprints.

4 Gently press the disc down to make sure that it is properly

inserted.

Caution! While pressing the disc, be careful not to bend the disc
tray. Make sure that the disc is properly inserted before closing
the disc tray. Improper insertion may damage both the disc and
the CD-ROM drive.

5 Gently press the drive Stop/Eject button again to close the disc

tray.
6 On the Acer Smart Setup setup window, select OS Installation.
7 Follow all onscreen instructions.

For more information, refer to the Acer Smart Setup Help file.

Note: The Windows or Linux OS disc is needed when you install
the OS with the Acer Smart Setup.

21

Turning off the system

There are two ways to turn off the server — via software or via
hardware. The software procedure below applies to a system running
the Windows operating system. For further operating system
shutdown procedures, refer to the related user documentation.

To turn off the system via software:

1 Press <Ctrl> + <Alt> + <Delete> on the attached keyboard or click

Start on the Windows taskbar.
2 Select Shut Down.
3 Select Shut down from the drop-down window then click on OK.

To turn off the system via hardware:

If you cannot shut down the server using the software, press and hold
the power button for at least four seconds. Quickly pressing the button
may put the server in a Suspend mode only.

22

2 System setup

3 System

upgrades

24

3 System upgrades

Installation precautions

Before you install any server component, we recommend that you read
the following sections. These sections contain important ESD
precautions along with pre-installation and post-installation
instructions.

ESD precautions

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage the processor, disk drives,
expansion boards, mainboards, memory modules and other server
components. Always observe the following precautions before you
install a server component:

• Do not remove a component from its protective packaging until
you are ready to install it.

• Do not touch the component pins, leads, or circuitry.

• Components with a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) assembly should
always be laid with the assembly-side down.

• Wear a wrist grounding strap and attach it to a metal part of the
server before handling components. If a wrist strap is not
available, maintain contact with the server throughout any
procedure requiring ESD protection.

• Keep the work area free of nonconductive materials, such as
ordinary plastic assembly aids and foam packing.

Pre-installation instructions

Perform the steps below before you open the server or before you
remove or replace any component:

Warning! Failure to properly turn off the server before you start
installing components may cause serious damage. Do not attempt
the procedures described in the following sections unless you are
a qualified service technician.

1 Turn off the system and all the peripherals connected to it.
2 Unplug all cables from the power outlets.
3 Disconnect all telecommunication cables from their ports.
4 Place the system unit on a flat, stable surface.
5 Open the system according to the instructions on page 36.

6 Follow the ESD precautions described in this section when

handling a server component.

Post-installation instructions

Perform the steps below after installing a server component.
1 See to it that all components are installed according to the

described step-by-step instructions.

2 Reinstall all components or cable that have been previously

removed.
3 Reinstall the top cover.
4 Reconnect the necessary cables.
5 Turn on the system.

25

26

3 System upgrades

Configuring the storage devices

The system supports up to twelve 3.5-inch hot-plug SATA hard disk
drives. An optional floppy drive or optical drive can also be added to
the server.

Accessing the drive bays

Since SATA drives have hot-plug capability, you do not need to access
the inside of the chassis or power down the system to install or replace
SATA drives. Proceed to the next step for instructions.

Note: The operating system you use must have RAID support to
enable the hot-plug capability of the SATA drives.

Caution! When working around the SATA backplane, do not
touch the backplane with any metal objects and make sure no
cables touch the backplane. Also, regardless of how many SATA
drives are installed, all eight drive carriers must remain in the
chassis to maintain proper airflow.

Hard disk drive configuration guidelines

Observe these guidelines when replacing or installing a hard disk drive.

• Use only qualified SATA HDDs. To purchase a SATA HDD, contact
your local representative.

• Before removing a hard disk drive, make sure to back up all
important system files.

• Check hard disk drive status by checking the status LED indicators
on the HDD carrier.

• The hard disk drive carriers must be installed in the following

Node B control panel

Node D control panel

Node A control panel

Node C control panel

Drive bays for
node A

Drive bays for
node B

Drive bays for
node C

Drive bays for
node D

order:

Bay no. Description

Node A
HDD A0 to A2

Node B
HDD B0 to B2

Node C
HDD C0 to C2

Node D
HDD D0 to D2

Three 3.5-inch hot-plug drive bays controlled by node A

Three 3.5-inch hot-plug drive bays controlled by node B

Three 3.5-inch hot-plug drive bays controlled by node C

Three 3.5-inch hot-plug drive bays controlled by node D

27

Determining drive status

Each HDD carrier features two status LED indicators (see page 4) to
display the hard drive status. If you are replacing a failed HDD,
determine which drive has failed by checking the status LED indicators.

28

Hot-plug HDD carrier LED indicators

3 System upgrades

Description

HDD present no access Off Off

HDD access Blink Off

Blue Red

Removing a hard disk drive with carrier

1 Observe the ESD precautions described on page 24.
2 Remove the carrier with failed HDD.

(1) Unlock the HDD carrier latch.
(2) Slide the HDD carrier latch to release the lever.
(3) Pull the lever and slide the carrier from the chassis.

3 Observe the post-installation instructions described on page 25.

29

Installing a hard disk drive with carrier

1 Slide the HDD carrier all the way into the drive bay.
2 Close the HDD carrier lever and push the HDD carrier until it locks

into place.

3 Lock the HDD carrier.

4 Observe the post-installation instructions described on page 25.

30

3 System upgrades

Installing and removing the power
supply

The server has two power supply module bays on the rear panel that
accept hot-pluggable power supply modules. The system ships out with
only a single power supply module installed. You have the option to
purchase an extra power supply module to provide the system with a
hot-plug power source.

WARNING! To reduce the risk of personal injury or damage to the
equipment, the installation of power supply modules should be
referred to individuals who are qualified to service server systems
and are trained to deal with equipment capable of generating
hazardous energy levels.

WARNING! To reduce the risk of personal injury from hot surfaces,
observe the thermal labels on each power supply module. You can
also consider wearing protective gloves.

WARNING! To reduce the risk of personal injury from electric
shock hazards, do not open the power supply modules. There are
no serviceable parts inside the module.

Caution! Electrostatic discharge can damage electronic
components. Make sure that you are properly grounded before
handling a power supply module.

Caution! Due to chassis airflow disruption, a power supply bay
should never be vacant for more than two minutes when the server
is powered on. Exceeding five minutes might cause the system to
exceed the maximum acceptable temperature and possibly
damage the system components.

Caution! If you only have one power supply installed, before
removing or replacing the power supply, you must first take the
server out of service, turn off all peripheral devices connected to
the system, turn off the system by pressing the power button, and
unplug the AC power cord from the system or wall outlet.

The server has a single 1200-/1400-watt power supply capable of
operating at 100 to 140/180 to 240 input volts (can be upgraded with
second power module for hot-plug capability).

Power supply failure

If the power supply unit fails, the system will shut down and you will
need to replace the power supply unit. Replacement units can be
ordered directly from Acer.

Replacing the power supply

Caution! Power supply hot-plug operations should be performed
only if a failure occurs in the power supply.

Press all main power buttons on the front of the chassis and then
unplug the AC power cord to completely remove power from the
system before removing the power supply.

1 Remove the AC power cord from the power supply.
2 Remove the power supply module.

(1) Press the power supply release latch to release the failed or

dummy power supply module from the chassis.

(2) Use the handle to pull the power supply module out of the

server.

31

3 Install a new power supply module of the exact same model.
4 Push the new power supply module into the power supply bay

until it clicks into place.

32

3 System upgrades

5 Plug the AC power cord back into the module and power up the

server by pushing the power on buttons for all nodes.

33

Replacing a server node

If you need to replace a server node module, follow these steps:
1 Turn off the power to the node module.
2 Press the tabs (1) on both sides and use the handles (2) to pull out

and remove the node module.

3 Insert a new node module into the vacated server node bay.

34

3 System upgrades

Installing an expansion card

Your server has two preinstalled riser cards designed specifically for use
in the 1U rackmount chassis. These riser cards allow two low-profile PCI
Express x16 cards to fit inside the chassis.

Installing a PCI add-on card

A riser card has already been preinstalled into each serverboard.
Perform the following steps to add a PCI add-on card:

1 Remove the server node (see steps 1 and 2 in “Replacing a server

node” on page 33).

2 Open the locking tab (1) on the PCI slot shield.
3 Remove the PCI slot shield (2).

4 Insert the add-on card (3) into the PCI slot.
5 Secure the add-on card with the locking tab (4).

35

36

3 System upgrades

Opening the server

Caution! Before you proceed, make sure that you have turned off
the system and all peripherals connected to it. Read the “Pre­installation instructions” on page 24.

You need to open the server before you can install additional
components or access the system’s internal components. Refer to the
following sections for instructions.

Removing the top cover

Note: Observe the ESD precautions and pre-installation
instructions described on page 24.

1 Remove the two screws securing the cover to the chassis.
2 Lift the cover off the chassis.

3 Put the top cover aside for reinstallation later.

37

Installing the top cover

1 Perform the pre-installation instructions described on page 24.
2 Install the top cover.

(1) Align the top cover tabs with the slots on the chassis.
(2) Close the top cover.

3 Replace the two screws on the top cover.

Installing and removing the air duct

Caution! Always operate your server with the air duct installed to
ensure reliable and continued operation.

You need to remove the air duct to perform the following procedures:

• Removing and installing a processor

• Removing and installing a memory module

Installing the air duct

1 Perform the pre-installation instructions described on page 24.
2 Place the air duct on the chassis so that the tabs on the air duct

align with the slots on the chassis.

Caution! Do not pinch or unplug cables that may be near or under
the air duct.

38

3 System upgrades

Removing the air duct

1 Perform the pre-installation instructions described on page 24.
2 Lift the air duct from the chassis.

Replacing a system fan

The system has a total of four high-performance fans to provide the
cooling for the system. Fan speed may be controlled by a setting in
BIOS (see Chapter 4).

To replace a fan module:

1 Perform the pre-installation instructions described on page 24.

Warning! The system fan becomes very hot when the system is on.
Allow it to cool off first before handling.

2 Remove the top chassis cover while the system is still running to

determine which of the fans has failed.

3 Remove the fan module.

(1) Disconnect the fan cable.
(2) Pull up the fan module and detach it from the chassis.

4 Install the new fan module.

(1) Insert the new fan module into the chassis.
(2) Connect the fan cable.

5 Observe the post-installation instructions described on page 25.

39

Replacing the processor and
heatsink

Notes:

• Always connect the power cord last and always remove it before
adding, removing or changing any hardware components. Make
sure that you install the processor into the CPU socket before you
install the CPU heatsink.

• If you buy a CPU separately, make sure that you use an Intel­certified multidirectional heatsink and fan only.

• Make sure to install the serverboard into the chassis before you
install the CPU heatsinks.

• When receiving a serverboard without a processor pre-installed,
make sure that the plastic CPU socket cap is in place and none of
the socket pins is bent; otherwise, contact your retailer
immediately.

40

3 System upgrades

Removing the heatsink

Warning! We do not recommend that the CPU or the heatsink be
removed. However, if you do need to uninstall the heatsink,
please follow the instructions below to prevent damage to the
CPU or the CPU socket.

1 Remove power from the system and unplug the AC power cord

from the power supply.

2 Using a screwdriver, loosen the heatsink screws from the

mainboard.

3 Lift the heat sink away from the processor.

41

4 Lay down the heat sink in an upright position — with the thermal

patch facing upward. Do not let the thermal patch touch the work
surface.

Installing a heatsink

Caution! The heat sink has a thermal interface material (TIM) on
the underside. Use caution so that you do not damage the TIM. If
a protective film is installed on the TIM, remove it.

1 Remove power from the system and unplug the AC power cord

from the power supply.

2 Do not apply any thermal grease to the heatsink or the CPU die;

the required amount has already been applied.

3 Place the heatsink on top of the CPU so that the four mounting

holes are aligned with those on the (preinstalled) heatsink
retention mechanism.

42

3 System upgrades

4 Screw in two diagonal screws (i.e. the #1 and the #2 screws) until

just snug. Do not fully tighten the screws or you may damage the
CPU.)

5 Add the two remaining screws then finish the installation by fully

tightening all four screws.

43

Upgrading the processor

Processor configuration guidelines

Each server node supports two LGA 1366 processor sockets supporting
dual-core or quad-core Intel Xeon processors. The supplied processors
may be upgraded or additional processors installed.

Observe the following guidelines when replacing or installing a
processor.

• Processor 1 socket must always be populated. If no processor is
installed in this socket, the system will fail to boot.

• Before removing a processor, make sure to back up all important
system files.

• When installing a second processor, make sure it has same
stepping and frequency specifications as the default processor.

• Handle the processor and the heat sink carefully. Damage to either
may prevent the system from functioning properly.

Replacing the processor

Warning! The processor becomes very hot when the system is on.
Allow it to cool off first before handling.

1 Remove the heatsink (see “Removing the heatsink” on page 40).
2 Release then lift the load lever.
3 Open the retention plate to expose the socket body.

44

3 System upgrades

(3) Grasp the installed processor by its edges and lift it out of its

socket.

(4) Store the old processor inside an anti-static bag.
4 Remove the new processor from its protective packaging.
5 Install the new processor.

(1) Hold the processor by its edges. Make sure the alignment tabs

on the socket fit the two notch located on the edge of the
processor. The pins are keyed in such a way that you cannot
install the processor in the wrong orientation without

bending the pins.
(2) Insert the new processor in the socket.
(3) Close the retention plate.

(4) Engage the load lever back into place.

6 Apply the thermal interface material.

(1) Use an alcohol pad to wipe off the old thermal grease from

both the heat sink and the processor socket retention plate.

(2) Apply a thin layer of an approved thermal interface material

before installing the heat sink.
Make sure that only a very thin layer is applied so that both

contact surfaces are still visible.
7 Install the heatsink (see “Installing a heatsink” on page 41).
8 Observe the post-installation instructions described on page 25.
9 Repeat the steps above to replace the second processor.

45

46

3 System upgrades

Upgrading the system memory

System memory interface

Each processor has three memory channels (1, 2 and 3 ) and each
channel has two slots - A (PxDIMM1A, 2A, 3A in blue) and B
(PxDIMM1B, 2B, 3B in black). So, the system has a total of twelve
memory slots. The memory slots support DDR3-1333 registered/
unbuffered ECC memory modules.

The folllowing illustration shows the processor 1 memory slots (1) and
processor 2 memory slots (2).

Memory population guide

Independent mode

• For all memory modes, slot A in each channel should be populated
first and then slot B. If slot A is empty, then slot B cannot be used.

• For a single-processor server configuration, install the processor in
CPU1 socket and the memory modules in slots P1DIMM 1A to
P1DIMM 3B.

• If there is a processor installed in CPU2 socket, the system will
enable the slots P2DIMM 1A to P2DIMM 3B.

• It is recommended to install the DIMM modules in the following
sequence:

For single processor

• Populate slot 1A first, followed by slots 2A, 3A,1B, 2B and 3B.

• The memory slots for processor 2 are not available.

For dual processors

• Populate DIMM slots 1A of each CPU first, followed by slots
2A, 3A,1B, 2B and 3B.

• Install DIMM modules of the same type, size and manufacturer in
the same colored DIMM slots.

Memory population for independent mode

Single processor configuration

Single processor

Processor 1 P1DIMM slots

Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3

Configuration1B1A2B2A3B3A

A X

B XX

C XXX

D XXXX

E XXXXXX

Dual processor configuration

Dual processors

Processor 1 P1DIMM slots Processor 2 P2DIMM slots

Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3 Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3

Configuration1B1A2B2A3B3A1B1A2B2A3B3A

A XX

B XXX

C XX XX

D XXXXXX

E XXXX XXXX

F XXXXXXXXX

G XXXXXXXXXXXX

47

Notes: 1. Place DIMMs in “X” location.

2. DIMM population must correspond to the above tables.

3. DIMM modules support 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB and 8 GB
DIMMS.

4. The size of each DIMM must be the same across the
configuration.

5. Do not mix UDIMMs with RDIMMs.

48

3 System upgrades

Mirroring mode

• For mirroring mode, the memory contains a primary image and a
copy of the primary image. Therefore, the effective size of
memory is reduced by at least one-half.

• Channels 3 has no function and cannot be populated in this mode.

• Follow the population rules described in independent mode.

• DIMM modules installed in channels 1 and 2 must be identical —
1A and 2A should be the same type, size and manufacturer.
1B and 2B memory should be the same type, size and
manufacturer. However, it is not necessary for slot A to have the
same memory module as slot B within a channel.

• The same rule applies to processor 2.

Memory population for mirroring mode

Single processor configuration

Single processor

Processor 1 P1DIMM slots

Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3

Configuration1B1A2B2A3B3A

A X X NA NA

B XXXXNANA

Dual processor configuration

Dual processors

Processor 1 P1DIMM slots Processor 2 P2DIMM slots

Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3 Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3

Configuration1B1A2B2A3B3A1B1A2B2A3B3A

A X X NA NA NA NA

B X X NA NA X X NA NA

C XXXXNANA X XNANA

D XXXXNANAXXXXNANA

Notes: 1. Place DIMMs in “X” location.

2. DIMM population must correspond to the above tables.

3. DIMM modules support 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB and 8 GB
DIMMS.

4. The size of each DIMM must be the same across the
configuration.

5. Do not mix UDIMMs with RDIMMs.

49

Lockstep mode

• In Lockstep Channel Mode, each memory access is a 128-bit data
access that spans Channel 1 and Channel 2. This is done to support
SDDC for DRAM devices with 8-bit wide data ports. The same
address is used on both channels such that an address error on any
channel is detectable by ECC. Lockstep Channel mode is the only
RAS mode that supports x8 SDDC.

• Channel 3 has no function and cannot be populated in this mode.

• Follow the population rules described in independent mode.

• DIMM modules installed in channels 1 and 2 must be identical —
1A and 2A should be the same type, size and manufacturer.
1B and 2B memory should be the same type, size and
manufacturer. However, it is not necessary for slot A to have the
same memory module as slot B within a channel.

• The same rule applies to processor 2.

Memory population for lockstep mode

Single processor configuration

Single processor

Processor 1 P1DIMM slots

Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3

Configuration1B1A2B2A3B3A

A X X NA NA

B XXXXNANA

Dual processor configuration

Dual processors

Processor 1 P1DIMM slots Processor 2 P2DIMM slots

Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3 Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3

Configuration1B1A2B2A3B3A1B1A2B2A3B3A

A X X NA NA NA NA

B X X NA NA X X NA NA

C XXXXNANA X XNANA

D XXXXNANAXXXXNANA

Notes: 1. Place DIMMs in “X” location.

2. DIMM population must correspond to the above tables.

3. DIMM modules support 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB and 8 GB
DIMMS.

4. The size of each DIMM must be the same across the

50

3 System upgrades

configuration.

5. Do not mix UDIMMs with RDIMMs.

Sparing mode (only supported on Intel Xeon
Processor 5600 Series CPUs )

• In this mode, if the system detects degrading memory and did not
crash, the data in the failed channel will be copied to the spare
channel. The failed channel is then isolated and the spare channel
becomes active. However, any uncorrectable error that happens
before the isolation will still cause the system to stop normal
operation.

• Channel 3 is the spare channel. Therefore, the effective size will be
reduced by one-third.

• Follow the population rules described in the independent mode.

• Sparing mode requires that all three channels use identical DIMMs.
1A, 2A and 3A should be the same type, size and manufacturer,
likewise for 1B, 2B and 3B. The same rule applies to processor 2.

• Intel® Xeon® Processor 5500 Series CPUs do NOT support the
memory sparing mode.

Memory population for sparing mode

Single processor configuration

Single processor

Processor 1 P1DIMM slots

Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3

Configuration1B1A2B2A3B3A

A XXX

B XXXXXX

Dual processor configuration

Dual processors

Processor 1 P1DIMM slots Processor 2 P2DIMM slots

Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3 Channel 1 Channel 2 Channel 3

Configuration1B1A2B2A3B3A1B1A2B2A3B3A

A XXX

B XXXXXX

C XXXXXXXXX

D XXXXXXXXXXXX

51

Density

Rank

Bit organization

Speed

Notes: 1. Place DIMMs in “X” location.

2. DIMM population must correspond to the above tables.

3. DIMM modules support 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB and 8 GB
DIMMS.

4. The size of each DIMM must be the same across the
configuration.

5. Do not mix UDIMMs with RDIMMs.

Memory identification

Generally, there are some memory information printed on the label of
the DIMM module. Different vendors may have different formats but
the convention is usually like this:

Item Description

Density 1 GB, 2 GB, 4 GB, 8 GB.

Intel® Xeon® Processor 5500 Series CPUs support DIMM
organized by 1Gb or 2Gb DRAM chips.

Rank 1R = Single Rank

Bit Organization This platform supports x4 and x8.

Speed PC3 - 6400 => DDR3- 800

2R = Dual Rank
4R = Quad Rank
Note: If quad rank DIMM is used, a maximum of only
two DIMMs per channel can be supported.

Note: It is not recommend to mix DIMMs with different
bit organizations in one system.

PC3 - 8500 => DDR3- 1066
PC3 - 10600 => DDR3- 1333
PC3 - 12800 => DDR3- 1600

52

3 System upgrades

Installing a memory module

Warning! Memory of the identical size, speed and organization
must be installed in the same colored DIMM slots.

1 Locate the DIMM slot on the mainboard.
2 Install the memory module.

a Align then insert the DIMM into the socket.
b Push the DIMM to the socket until the retaining clips snap

inward.

Note: The DIMM slot is slotted to ensure proper installation. If you
insert a DIMM but it does not fit easily into the socket, you may
have inserted it incorrectly. Reverse the orientation of the DIMM
and insert it again.

3 Observe the post-installation instructions described on page 25.
4 Reconfigure the system memory. See “To reconfigure the system

memory” on page 53 for more information.

Removing a memory module

Important: Before removing any DIMM from the mainboard,
make sure to create a backup file of all important data.

1 Remove the memory module.

a Press the holding clips on both sides of the DIMM slot outward

to release the DIMM.

b Gently pull the DIMM upward to remove it from the DIMM

slot.

53

2 If you intend to install a new memory module, refer to the

previous section.

To reconfigure the system memory

The system automatically detects the amount of memory installed. Run
the BIOS setup to view the new value for total system memory and
make a note of it.

54

3 System upgrades

4 System BIOS

56

4 System BIOS

Introduction

This chapter describes the BIOS Setup Utility for your server. The AMI
ROM BIOS is stored in a Flash EEPROM and can be easily updated.

This chapter describes the basic navigation of the BIOS Setup Utility
setup screens.

The BIOS setup utility

To enter the BIOS Setup Utility, press the <F2> key while the system is
booting up.

Each main BIOS menu option is described in this manual. The Main
BIOS setup menu screen has two main frames. The left frame displays
all the options that can be configured. Grayed-out options cannot be
configured. Options in blue can be configured by you.

The right frame displays the key legend. Above the key legend is an
area reserved for a text message. When an option is selected in the left
frame, it is highlighted in white. Often a text message will accompany
it.

Note: the BIOS has default text messages built in. Acer retains the
option to include, omit or change any of these text messages.

The BIOS setup utility uses a key-based navigation system called
hotkeys. Most of the BIOS setup utility hotkeys can be used at any time

57

during the setup navigation process. These keys include <F1>, <F10>,
<Enter>, <Esc> and arrow keys.

Changing configuration data

The configuration data that determines the system parameters may be
changed by entering the BIOS setup utility. This setup utility can be
accessed by pressing <F2> at the appropriate time during system boot.

Starting the setup utility normally, the only visible Power-On Self-Test
(POST) routine is the memory test. As the memory is being tested, press
the <F2> key to enter the BIOS setup utility main menu. From the main
menu, you can access the other setup screens. A BIOS identification
string is displayed at the left bottom corner of the screen below the
copyright message.

Warning! Do not upgrade the BIOS unless your system has a BIOS­related issue. Flashing the wrong BIOS can cause irreparable
damage to the system. In no event shall Acer be liable for direct,
indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising
from a BIOS update. If you have to update the BIOS, do not shut
down or reset the system while the BIOS is updating. This is to
avoid possible boot failure.

Main setup

When you first enter the BIOS setup utility, you will enter the main
setup screen. You can always return to the main setup screen by
selecting the main tab on the top of the screen. The main BIOS setup
screen is shown below.

System Overview

System Time/System Date

Use this option to change the system time and date. Highlight System
Time or System Date using the arrow keys. Enter new values using the
keyboard. Press the <Tab> key or the arrow keys to move between
fields. The date must be entered in MM/DD/YY format. The time is

58

entered in HH:MM:SS format. (Note: The time is in the 24-hour format.
For example, 5:30 P.M. appears as 17:30:00.)

BIOS Build Ver: This item displays the BIOS revision used in your system.

BIOS Build Date: This item displays the date this BIOS was completed.

4 System BIOS

Processor

The BIOS will automatically display the status of the processor used in
your system and indicate the CPU type used.

Speed: This item displays the speed of the CPU detected by the BIOS.

Physical Count: This item displays the number of processors installed in
your system as detected by the BIOS.

Logical Count: This item displays the number of CPU cores installed in
your system as detected by the BIOS.

System Memory

This displays the size of memory available in the system as detected by
the BIOS.

Advanced Settings

Use the arrow keys to select Boot Setup and press <Enter> to access the
submenu items:

59

Boot Features

Quick Boot: Skip certain tests during POST to reduce the time needed
for system boot.

Quiet Boot: Allows the bootup screen options to be modified between
POST messages or the OEM logo. Select Disabled to display the POST
messages. Select Enabled to display the OEM logo instead of the
normal POST messages.

AddOn ROM Display Mode: Sets the display mode for Option ROM.

Bootup Num-Lock: Selects the Power-on state for Numlock key.

Wait For 'F1' If Error: Forces the system to wait until the <F1> key is
pressed if an error occurs.

Interrupt 19 Capture: Interrupt 19 is the software interrupt that
handles the boot disk function. When this item is set to Enabled, the
ROM BIOS of the host adaptors will capture Interrupt 19 at boot and
allow the drives that are attached to these host adaptors to function as
bootable disks. If this item is set to Disabled, the ROM BIOS of the host
adaptors will not capture Interrupt 19, and the drives attached to these
adaptors will not function as bootable devices.

Power configuration

Power Button Function: If set to Instant_Off, the system will power off
immediately when you press the power button. If set to
4_Second_Override, the system will power off when you press the
power button for four seconds or longer.

Restore on AC Power Loss: Use this feature to set the power state after
a power outage. Select Power-Off for the system power to remain off
after a power loss. Select Power-On for the system power to be turned
on after a power loss. Select Last State to allow the system to resume
its last state before a power loss.

Watch Dog Timer: If enabled, the Watch Dog Timer will allow the
system to reboot when it is inactive for more than five minutes.

Processor & Clock Options

This submenu displays the status of the processor as detected by the
BIOS, including items such as the processor manufacturer, type,

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4 System BIOS

frequency, CPUID, Microcode Revision, Cache L1/L2/L3, Ratio Status,
and Ratio Actual Value. The submenu also allows you to configure the
processor and clock settings.

Ratio CMOS Setting: This option allows you to set the ratio between
the CPU core clock and the FSB frequency.The default setting depends
on the type of CPU installed on the motherboard. The default setting
for the CPU installed in your motherboard is [18]. Press "+" or "-" on
your keyboard to change this value.

Note: if an invalid ratio is entered, the BIOS will restore the setting
to the previous state.

C1E Support: Select Enabled to use the feature of Enhanced Halt State.
C1E significantly reduces the CPU's power consumption by reducing
the CPU's clock cycle and voltage during a Halt State.

Important: The following feature is only available if supported by
the processor and/or operating system.

Hardware Prefetcher: If set to Enabled, the hardware prefetcher will
prefetch streams of data and instructions from the main memory to
the L2 cache in the forward or backward manner to improve CPU
performance.

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Important: The following feature is only available if supported by
the processor and/or operating system.

Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch: The CPU fetches the cache line for 64
bytes if this option is set to Disabled. The CPU fetches both cache lines
for 128 bytes as comprised if Enabled.

MPS and ACPI MADT Ordering: Allows you to configure the MPS
(Multi-Processor Specifi cations) and ACPI settings for your
motherboard. Select Modern Ordering if Windows XP or newer is used.
Select Legacy Ordering if Windows 2000 or earlier is used.

Important: The following feature is only available if supported by
the processor and/or operating system.

Intel Virtualization Technology: Select Enabled to use Virtualization
Technology to allow one platform to run multiple operating systems
and applications in independent partitions, creating multiple virtual
systems in one physical computer.

Important: The following feature is only available if supported by
the processor and/or operating system.

Execute-Disable Bit Capability: Set to Enabled to enable the Execute
Disable Bit which will allow the processor to designate areas in the
system memory where an application code can execute and where it
cannot, thus preventing a worm or a virus from flooding illegal codes
to overwhelm the processor or damage the system during an attack.

Important: The following feature is only available if supported by
the processor and/or operating system.

Simultaneous Multi-Threading: Set to Enabled to use simultaneous
multi-threading technology, which will result in increased CPU
performance.

Intel EIST Technology: EIST (Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology)
allows the system to automatically adjust processor voltage and core
frequency in an effort to reduce power consumption and heat

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dissipation. Please refer to Intel’s web site for detailed information.
The options are Disable (Disable GV3) and Enable (Enable GV3).

Intel C-STATE Tech: If Enabled, C-State is set by the system
automatically to either C2, C3 or C4.

C-State package limit setting: If set to Auto, the BIOS will automatically
set the limit on the C-State package register.

C1 Auto Demotion: When Enabled, the CPU will conditionally demote
C3, C6 or C7 requests to C1 based on un-core auto-demote
information.

C3 Auto Demotion: When Enabled, the CPU will conditionally demote
C6 or C7 requests to C3 based on un-core auto-demote information.

Clock Spread Spectrum: Select Enable to use the feature of Clock
Spectrum, which will allow the BIOS to monitor and attempt to reduce
the level of Electromagnetic Interference caused by the components
whenever needed.

4 System BIOS

Advanced Chipset Control

The items included in the Advanced Settings submenu are listed below:

CPU Bridge configuration

QPI Links Speed: This feature selects QPI data transfer speed.

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Important: The following feature is only available when QPI Links
Speed is set to Full Speed.

QPI Frequency: This selects the desired QPI frequency.

QPI L0s and L1: This enables the QPI power state to low power. L0s and
L1 are automatically selected by the motherboard.

Memory Frequency: This feature enables you to force a DDR3
frequency slower than what the system has detected.

Memory Frequency: Allows you to force a DDR3 memory module to
run at a frequency other than what the system has detected.

Memory Mode: Set the memory mode.

• Independent - All DIMMs are available to the operating system.

• Channel Mirror - The motherboard maintains two identical copies
of all data in memory for redundancy.

• Lockstep - The motherboard uses two areas of memory to run the
same set of operations in parallel.

Demand Scrubbing: A memory error-correction scheme where the
processor writes corrected data back into the memory block from
where it was read by the processor.

Patrol Scrubbing: A memory error-correction scheme that works in the
background looking for and correcting resident errors.

Throttling - Closed Loop/Throttling - Open Loop: Throttling improves
reliability and reduces power in the processor by automatic voltage
control during processor idle states. If Enabled, the following items will
appear:

• Hysteresis Temperature (For Closed Loop only) - Temperature
Hysteresis is the temperature lag (in degrees Celsius) after the set
DIMM temperature threshold is reached before Closed Loop
Throttling begins.

• Guardband Temperature (For the Closed Loop only) - This is the
temperature which applies to the DIMM temperature threshold.
Steps are in 0.5 °C increments. The default is [006]. Press "+" or "-"
on your keyboard to change this value.

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• Inlet Temperature - This is the temperature detected at the chassis
inlet. Steps are in 0.5 °C increments. The default is [070]. Press "+"
or "-" on your keyboard to change this value.

• Temperature Rise - This is the temperature rise to the DIMM
thermal zone. Steps are in 0.5 °C increments. The default is [020].
Press "+" or "-" on your keyboard to change this value.

• Air Flow - This is the air flow speed to the DIMM modules. Each
step is one mm/sec. The default is [1500]. Press "+" or "-" on your
keyboard to change this value.

• Altitude - This feature defines how many meters above or below
sea level the system is located.

• DIMM Pitch - This is the physical space between each DIMM
module. Each step is 1/1000 of an inch. The default is [400]. Press
"+" or "-" on your keyboard to change this value.

4 System BIOS

NorthBridge configuration

This feature allows you to configure the settings for the Intel
NorthBridge chip.

Intel I/OAT: Significantly reduces CPU overhead by leveraging CPU
architectural improvements, freeing resources for other tasks.

DCA Technology: Uses Intel's DCA (Direct Cache Access) Technology to
enhance data transfer effi ciency.

DCA Prefetch Delay: Used with TOE components to prefetch data in
order to shorten execution cycles and maximize data processing effi
ciency. Prefetching too frequently can saturate the cache directory and

65

delay necessary cache accesses. This feature reduces or increases the
frequency the system prefetches data.

Intel VT-d: Select Enabled to enable Intel Virtualization Technology
support for Direct I/O VT-d by reporting the I/O device assignments to
VMM through the DMAR ACPI Tables. This feature offers fully­protected I/O resource-sharing across the Intel platforms, providing
you with greater reliability, security and availability in networking and
data-sharing.

Active State Power-Management: Uses power management for signal
transactions between the PCI Express L0 and L1 Links. Select Enabled to
configure PCI Express L0 and L1 Link power states.

IOH PCIE Max Payload Size: Some add-on cards perform faster with the
coalesce feature, which limits the payload size to 128 MB. Others
perform better with a payload size of 256 MB, which inhibits the
coalesce feature. Please refer to your add-on card user guide for the
desired setting.

SouthBridge configuration

This feature allows you to configure the settings for the Intel ICH
SouthBridge chipset.

USB Functions: This feature allows you to decide how many onboard
USB ports to enable.

Legacy USB Support: Select Enabled to use Legacy USB devices. If set to
Auto, legacy USB support will be automatically enabled if a legacy USB
device is installed on the motherboard.

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Note: Only available when USB Functions is set to Enabled.

4 System BIOS

USB 2.0 Controller: Select Enabled to activate the onboard USB 2.0
controller.

Note: Only available when USB Functions is set to Disabled.
Otherwise, this item will be set to Enabled by the BIOS.

USB 2.0 Controller Mode: This setting allows you to select the USB 2.0
Controller mode.

BIOS EHCI Hand-Off: Enable or disable BIOS Enhanced Host Controller
Interface support to provide a workaround solution for an operating
system that does not have EHCI Hand-Off support. When enabled, the
EHCI Interface will be changed from BIOS-controlled to OS-controlled.

IDE/SATA configuration

When this submenu is selected, the BIOS automatically detects the
presence of the IDE devices and displays the following items:

SATA#1 configuration: If Compatible is selected, it sets SATA#1 to
legacy compatibility mode, while selecting Enhanced sets SATA#1 to
native SATA mode.

• Configure SATA#1 as - This feature allows you to select the drive
type for SATA#1. The options are IDE, RAID and AHCI.

• ICH RAID Code Base - Select Intel or Adaptec to launch the
appropriate SATA RAID firmware to configure SATA RAID.

SATA#2 configuration: Selecting Enhanced will set SATA#2 to native
SATA mode.

Primary IDE Master/Slave, Secondary IDE Master/Slave, Third IDE
Master, and Fourth IDE Master: These settings allow you to set the
parameters of the IDE slots. Press <Enter> to activate the submenu
screen for detailed options of these items. Set the configurations
accordingly. Items included in the submenu are:

• Type - Select the type of device connected to the system.

• LBA/Large Mode - LBA (Logical Block Addressing) is a method of
addressing data on a disk drive. In the LBA mode, the maximum
drive capacity is 137 GB. For drive capacities over 137 GB, your
system must be equipped with a 48-bit LBA mode addressing. If
not, contact your manufacturer or install an ATA/133 IDE
controller card that supports 48-bit LBA mode.

• Block (Multi-Sector Transfer) - Block Mode boosts the IDE drive
performance by increasing the amount of data transferred. Only
512 bytes of data can be transferred per interrupt if Block Mode is
not used. Block Mode allows transfers of up to 64 KB per interrupt.
Select Disabled to allow data to be transferred from and to the
device one sector at a time. Select Auto to allow data transfer
from and to the device occur multiple sectors at a time if the
device supports it.

• PIO Mode - The IDE PIO (Programmable I/O) Mode programs
timing cycles between the IDE drive and the programmable IDE
controller. As the PIO mode increases, the cycle time decreases.

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Select Description

Auto Automatically detect the PIO mode. Use this value if the IDE disk

drive support cannot be determined.

0 Use PIO mode 0. It has a data transfer rate of 3.3 MBs.

1 Use PIO mode 1. It has a data transfer rate of 5.2 MBs.

2 Use PIO mode 2. It has a data transfer rate of 8.3 MBs.

3 Use PIO mode 3. It has a data transfer rate of 11.1 MBs.

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Select Description

4 Use PIO mode 4. It has a data transfer bandwidth of 32 bits.

Enabled Enable 32-bit data transfer.

4 System BIOS

• DMA Mode

Select Description

Auto Automatically detect IDE DMA mode when the IDE disk drive

SWDMA0 Use Single Word DMA mode 0. It has a data transfer rate of

SWDMA2 Use Single Word DMA mode 2. It has a data transfer rate of

MWDMA0 Use Multi Word DMA mode 0. It has a data transfer rate of 4.2

MWDMA1 Use Multi Word DMA mode 1. It has a data transfer rate of

MWDMA2 Use Multi-Word DMA mode 2. It has a data transfer rate of

UDMA0 Use Ultra DMA mode 0. It has a data transfer rate of 16.6 MBs.

UDMA1 Use Ultra DMA mode 1. It has a data transfer rate of 25 MBs.

UDMA2 Use Ultra DMA mode 2. It has a data transfer rate of 33.3 MBs.

UDMA3 Use Ultra DMA mode 3. It has a data transfer rate of 66.6 MBs.

UDMA4 Use Ultra DMA mode 4. It has a data transfer rate of 100 MBs.

support cannot be determined.

2.1 MBs.

8.3 MBs.

MBs.

13.3 MBs.

16.6 MBs.

It has the same transfer rate as PIO mode 4 and Multi Word
DMA mode 2.

UDMA5 Use Ultra DMA mode 5. It has a data transfer rate of 133 MBs.

UDMA6 Use Ultra DMA mode 6. It has a data transfer rate of 133 MBs.

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• S.M.A.R.T. For Hard disk drives - Self-Monitoring Analysis and
Reporting Technology (SMART) can help predict impending drive
failures. Select Auto to allow the BIOS to automatically detect hard
disk drive support.

• 32Bit Data Transfer - Select Enable to enable the function of 32-bit
IDE data transfer.

IDE Detect Timeout (sec): Use this feature to set the time-out value for
the BIOS to detect the ATA, ATAPI devices installed in the system.

PCI/PnP configuration

Clear NVRAM: This feature clears the NVRAM during system boot. The
options are No and Yes.

Plug & Play OS Selecting: Yes allows the OS to configure Plug & Play
devices. (This is not required for system boot if your system has an
oerating system that supports Plug & Play.) Select No to allow the BIOS
to configure all devices in the system.

PCI Latency Timer: This feature sets the latency timer of each PCI device
installed on a PCI bus.

SR-IOV Supported: Select Enabled to enable Single-Root I/O
Virtualization (SR-IOV) support, which works in conjunction with Intel
Virtualization Technology to allow multiple operating systems to run
simultaneously within a single computer via natively-shared PCI Express
devices in order to enhance network connectivity and performance.

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PCI-E Slot1 Option ROM: Select Enabled to enable PCI Express Slot1
Option ROM. This will boot the computer using a network interface
unless PCI-E Slot 1 is populated with a graphics device.

PCI IDE BusMaster: When Enabled, the BIOS uses PCI bus mastering for
reading/writing to IDE drives.

Load Onboard LAN1 Option ROM/Load Onboard LAN2 Option ROM:
Select Enabled to enable the onboard LAN1 or LAN2 Option ROM. This
is to boot computer using a network interface.

Onboard LAN Option ROM Select: Select iSCSI to use the iSCSI Option
ROM to boot the computing using a network device. Select PXE to use
the PXE Option ROM to boot the computer using a network device.

Boots Graphic Adapter Boot Priority: This feature allows you to select
the graphics adapter to be used as the primary boot device.

4 System BIOS

Super IO Device configuration

Serial Port1 Address/ Serial Port2 Address: This option specifies the
base I/O port address and the Interrupt Request address of Serial Port 1
and Serial Port 2. Select Disabled to prevent the serial port from
accessing any system resources. When this option is set to Disabled, the
serial port physically becomes unavailable. Select 3F8/IRQ4 to allow the
serial port to use 3F8 as its I/O port address and IRQ 4 for the interrupt
address.

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Hardware Health Configuration

This feature allows you to monitor system health and review the status
of each item as displayed.

CPU Overheat Alarm: This option allows you to select the CPU
Overheat Alarm setting which determines when the CPU OH alarm will
be activated to provide warning of possible CPU overheat.

Warning: Any temperature that exceeds the CPU threshold
temperature predefined by the CPU manufacturer may result in
CPU overheat or system instability. When the CPU temperature
reaches this predefined threshold, the CPU and system cooling
fans will run at full speed.

The options are:

• The Early Alarm - Select this setting if you want the CPU overheat
alarm (including the LED and the buzzer) to be triggered as soon
as the CPU temperature reaches the CPU overheat threshold as
predefined by the CPU manufacturer.

• The Default Alarm - Select this setting if you want the CPU
overheat alarm (including the LED and the buzzer) to be triggered
when the CPU temperature reaches about 5 °C above the
threshold temperature as predefined by the CPU manufacturer to
give the CPU and system fans additional time needed for CPU and
system cooling.

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4 System BIOS

CPU Temperature/System Temperature: This feature displays current
temperature readings for the CPU and the System. The following items
will be displayed for your reference only:

CPU Temperature: The CPU thermal technology that reports absolute
temperatures (Celsius/Fahrenheit) has been upgraded to a more
advanced feature by Intel in its newer processors. The basic concept is
each CPU is embedded by unique temperature information that the
motherboard can read. This Temperature Threshold or Temperature
Tolerance has been assigned at the factory and is the baseline on
which the motherboard takes action during different CPU temperature
conditions (i.e., by increasing CPU fan speed, triggering the Overheat
Alarm, etc). Since CPUs can have different Temperature Tolerances’,
the installed CPU can now send information to the motherboard what
its Temperature Tolerance is, and not the other way around. This
results in better CPU thermal management.

Acer has leveraged this feature by assigning a temperature status to
certain thermal conditions in the processor (Low, Medium and High).
This makes it easier for you to understand the CPU’s temperature
status, rather than by just simply seeing a temperature reading (i.e., 25
°C). The CPU Temperature feature will display the CPU temperature
status as detected by the BIOS:

• Low – This level is considered as the normal operating state. The
CPU temperature is well below the CPU Temperature Tolerance.
The motherboard fans and CPU will run normally as configured in
the BIOS (Fan Speed Control).
User intervention: No action required.

• Medium – The processor is running warmer. This is a precautionary
level and generally means that there may be factors contributing
to this condition, but the CPU is still within its normal operating
state and below the CPU Temperature Tolerance. The
motherboard fans and CPU will run normally as configured in the
BIOS. The fans may adjust to a faster speed depending on the Fan
Speed Control settings.
User intervention: No action is required. However, consider
checking the CPU fans and the chassis ventilation for blockage.

• High – The processor is running hot. This is a caution level since the
CPU’s Temperature Tolerance has been reached (or has been
exceeded) and may activate an overheat alarm.
User intervention: If the system buzzer and Overheat LED has
activated, take action immediately by checking the system fans,
chassis ventilation and room temperature to correct any problems.

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Note: The system may shut down if it continues for a long period
to prevent damage to the CPU. The information provided above is
for your reference only. For more information on thermal
management, please refer to Intel’s Web site at www.intel.com.

System Temperature: The system temperature will be displayed (in
degrees in Celsius and Fahrenheit) as it is detected by the BIOS.

Fan1 to Fan 4 Reading: This feature displays the fan speed readings
from fan interfaces Fan1 through Fan4.

Fan Speed Control Modes: This feature allows you to decide how the
system controls the speeds of the onboard fans. The CPU temperature
and the fan speed are correlated. When the CPU on-die temperature
increases, the fan speed will also increase for effective system cooling.
Select Full Speed/FS to allow the onboard fans to run at full speed for
maximum cooling. The FS setting is recommended for special system
configuration or debugging. Select Performance/PF for better system
cooling. The PF setting is recommended for high-power-consuming
and high-density systems.

Select Balanced/BL for the onboard fans to run at a speed that will
balance the needs between system cooling and power saving. The BL
setting is recommended for regular systems with normal hardware
confi gurations. Select Energy Saving/ES for best power effi ciency and
maximum quietness.

Voltage Monitoring: Indicates CPU1 Vcore, CPU2 Vcore, 1.5V, 5V, 12V,
CPU1 DIMM, CPU2 DIMM, 3.3V, 3.3VSB, and VBAT readings.

74

4 System BIOS

ACPI configuration

Use this feature to configure Advanced configuration and Power
Interface (ACPI) power management settings for your system.

ACPI Aware O/S: Select Yes to enable ACPI support for an operating
system that supports ACPI. Select No to disable ACPI support for an OS
that does not support ACPI.

ACPI Version Features: The options are ACPI v1.0, ACPI v2.0 and ACPI
v3.0. Please refer to ACPI's website for further explanation: http://
www.acpi.info/.

ACPI APIC Support: Select Enabled to include the ACPI APIC Table
Pointer in the RSDT pointer list.

Note: Only available when ACPI is enabled on an ACPI-aware
operating system.

APIC ACPI SCI IRQ: When this item is set to Enabled, APIC ACPI SCI IRQ
is supported by the system.

Headless Mode: Enables the system to function without a keyboard,
monitor, or mouse attached.

Note: Only available when ACPI is enabled on an ACPI-aware
operating system.

75

NUMA Support: Uses Non-Uniform Memory Access to improve CPU
performance.

High Performance Event Timer: Select Enabled to activate the High
Performance Event Timer (HPET) that produces periodic interrupts at a
much higher frequency than a Real-time Clock (RTC) does in
synchronizing multimedia streams, providing smooth playback and
reducing the dependency on other timestamp calculation devices, such
as an x86 RDTSC Instruction embedded in the CPU. The High
Performance Event Timer is used to replace the 8254 Programmable
Interval Timer.

General WHEA (Windows Hardware Error
Architecture) Configuration

WHEA Support: Select Enabled to enable Windows Hardware Error
Architecture (WHEA) support, which will provide a common
infrastructure for handling hardware errors on Windows platforms in
order to reduce system crashes due to hardware errors and to improve
system recovery and health monitoring.

Security Settings

The BIOS provides a Supervisor and a User password. If you use both
passwords, the Supervisor password must be set first.

Supervisor Password: This item indicates if a supervisor password has
been entered for the system. Clear means such a password has not

76

4 System BIOS

been used and Set means a supervisor password has been entered for
the system.

User Password: This item indicates if a user password has been entered
for the system. Clear means such a password has not been used and Set
means a user password has been entered for the system.

Change Supervisor Password: Select this feature and press <Enter> to
access the submenu, and then type in a new Supervisor Password.

User Access Level: (Available when Supervisor Password is set as above)
Available options are

• Full Access - grants full User read and write access to the Setup
Utility.

• View Only - allows access to the Setup Utility but the fields cannot
be changed.

• Limited - allows only limited .elfis to be changed such as Date and
Time

• No Access - prevents User access to the Setup Utility.

Change User Password: Select this feature and press <Enter> to access
the submenu , and then type in a new User Password.

Clear User Password: (Available only if User Password has been set) This
item allows you to clear a user password after it has been entered.

Password Check: If set to Setup, a password is required to enter the
Setup Utility. If set to Always, the system will prompt for a password at

bootup.

Boot Sector Virus Protection: When Enabled, the BIOS displays a
warning when any program (or virus) issues a disk format command or
attempts to write to the boot sector of the hard disk drive.

Server Management Settings

Use this feature to configure Server Management settings.

Product Information

This submenu displays the following product information.

• System Product Name

• System Serial Number

• Base Board Product Name

• Base Board Serial Number

• UUID

• NIC1 Mac Address/NIC2 Mac Address

• IPMI Firmware Revision

77

IP Address Source: Select how an IP address is assigned to a client
computer or network device. Select DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration
Protocol) to allow a client (computer or device) to obtain an IP address
from a DHCP server that manages a pool of IP addresses and network
information on a request and grant basis. Select Static (Static
Allocation) to allow the host server to allocate an IP address based on a
table containing MAC Address/IP Address pairs that are manually
entered (such as by a network administrator). Only clients with a MAC
address listed in the MAC/IP Address Table will be assigned an IP
address.

78

4 System BIOS

IP Address

Note: This feature can be changed by the user when the IP Source
is set to Static.

The BIOS will automatically display the IP address of the machine. This
should be in decimal and in dotted quad form (i.e., 192.168.10.253).
The value of each three-digit number separated by dots should not
exceed 255.

Subnet Mask: This item displays the current subnet mask setting for
your IPMI connection. This should be in decimal and in dotted quad
form (e.g., 192.168.10.253). The value of each three-digit number
separated by dots should not exceed 255.

Gateway Address: The BIOS will automatically display the Gateway
address of this machine. This should be in decimal and in dotted quad
form (i.e., 192.168.10.253). The value of each three-digit number
separated by dots should not exceed 255.

Mac Address: The BIOS will automatically enter the Mac address of this
machine. Mac addresses are 6 two-digit hexadecimal numbers (Based
16, 0 to 9, A, B, C, D, E, F) separated by dots. (e.g., 00.30.48.D0.D4.60).

Remote Access Configuration

Remote Access: This allows you to enable Remote Access support. If
Remote Access is set to Enabled, the following items will be displayed:

79

Serial Port Number: This feature allows the user to decide which serial
port to be used for Console Redirection. The options are COM 1 and
COM2.

Base Address, IRQ: This item displays the base address and IRQ of the
serial port used for Console Redirection.

Serial Port Mode: Allows you to set the serial port mode for Console
Redirection.

Flow Control: Allows you to set the flow control for Console
Redirection.

Redirection After BIOS POST: Select Disabled to turn off Console
Redirection after POST or Always to keep Console Redirection active all
the time after POST. Select Boot Loader to keep Console Redirection
active during POST and Boot Loader.

Note: Some settings may not be supported by some operating
systems.

Terminal Type: Allows you to select the target terminal type for
Console Redirection.

VT-UTF8 Combo Key Support: Select Enabled to enable VT-UTF8
Combination Key support for ANSI/VT100 terminals.

Sredir Memory Display Delay: Defines the length of time in seconds to
display memory information.

Event Log Configuration

View Event Log: View the System Event Log.

Mark All Events as Read: Marks all events as read.

Clear Event Log: This option clears the Event Log memory of all
messages.

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4 System BIOS

Boot

This submenu allows you to configure boot settings for the system.

Boot Device Priority

This feature allows you to specify the sequence of priority for the Boot
Device.

• 1st Boot Device

• 2nd Boot Device

• 3rd Boot Device

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Hard Disk Drives

This feature allows you to specify the boot sequence from all available
hard disk drives. The settings are Disabled and a list of all hard disk
drives that have been detected.

• 1st Drive

• 2nd Drive

• 3rd Drive

Removable Drives

This feature allows you to specify the boot sequence from all available
removable drives.

CD/DVD Drive

This feature allows you to specify the boot sequence from all available
removable drives.

Retry Boot Devices

Select Enabled to allow the BIOS to attempt to reboot the system from
all bootable devices after a boot failure.

82

4 System BIOS

Exit Options

Select the Exit tab from the BIOS Setup Utility screen to enter the Exit
BIOS Setup screen.

Save Changes and Exit: When you have completed the system
configuration changes, select this option to leave the BIOS Setup Utility
and reboot the computer, so the new system configuration parameters
can take effect. Select Save Changes and Exit from the Exit menu and
press <Enter>.

Discard Changes and Exit: Select this option to quit the BIOS Setup
Utility without making any permanent changes to the system
configuration, and reboot the computer. Select Discard Changes and
Exit from the Exit menu and press <Enter>.

Discard Changes: Select this option and press <Enter> to discard all the
changes and return to the BIOS Setup Utility.

Load Optimal Defaults: To set this feature, select Load Optimal
Defaults from the Exit menu and press <Enter>. Then, select OK to
allow the BIOS to automatically load optimal defaults to the BIOS
settings. The Optimal settings are designed for maximum system
performance, but may not work best for all computer applications.

Load Fail-Safe Defaults: To set this feature, select Load Fail-Safe
Defaults from the Exit menu and press <Enter>. The Fail-Safe settings
are designed for maximum system stability, but not for maximum
performance.

5 System

troubleshooting

84

5 System troubleshooting

Resetting the system

Before going through in-depth troubleshooting, attempt first to reset
the system using one of the methods below.

To do this Press

Soft boot reset to clear the system memory and
reload the operating system.

Cold boot reset. Turn the system power off and then
on. This clears system memory, restarts POST, reloads
the OS and halts power to all peripherals.

<Ctrl>+<Alt>+<Del>

Power button

Initial system startup problems

Problems that occur at initial system startup are usually caused by an
incorrect installation or configuration. Hardware failure is a less
frequent cause. If the problem you are experiencing is with a specific
software application, see "There is problem with the application
software" on page 90.