Acer R710 User Manual

Acer Altos R710

User’s Guide

Copyright © 2004 Acer Incorporated
All Rights Reserved.

Acer Altos R710
User’s Guide

1st Issue: September 2004

Changes may be made periodically to the information in this publication without obligation
to notify any person of such revision or changes. Such changes will be incorporated in new
editions of this manual or supplementary documents and publications. This company makes
no representations or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the contents
herein and specifically disclaims the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a
particular purpose.

Record the model number, serial number, purchase date, and place of purchase information in
the space provided below. The serial number and model number are recorded on the label
affixed to your computer. All correspondence concerning your unit should include the serial
number, model number, and purchase information.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of Acer Incorporated.

Model Number : _________________________________

Serial Number: ___________________________________

Purchase Date: ___________________________________

Place of Purchase: ________________________________

Acer and the Acer logo are registered trademarks of Acer Inc. Other company’s product
names or trademarks are used herein for identification purposes only and belong to their
respective companies.

iii

Notices

FCC notice

Class A devices do not have an FCC logo or FCC IDE on the label. Class
B devices have an FCC logo or FCC IDE on the label. Once the class of
the device is determined, refer to the following corresponding
statement.

Class A equipment

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 when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. 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.
Operation of this device in a residential area is likely to cause harmful
interference in which case the user will be required to correct the
interference at his own expense.

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

Shielded cables

All connections to other computing devices must be made using
shielded cables to maintain compliance with FCC regulations.

iv

Peripheral devices

Only peripherals (input/output devices, terminals, printers, etc.)
certified to comply with the Class A or Class B limits may be attached to
this equipment. Operation with noncertified 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 server.

Use conditions

This part 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.

Canadian users

This Class A/Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the
Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.

Laser compliance statement

The CD-ROM drive in this server is a laser product. The CD-ROM 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.

Important safety instructions

Read these instructions carefully. Save these instructions for future
reference.

1 Follow all warnings and instructions marked on the product.
2 Unplug this product from the wall outlet before cleaning. Do not

use liquid cleaners or aerosol cleaners. Use a damp cloth for

cleaning.
3 Do not use this product near water.
4 Do not place this product on an unstable cart, stand, or table. The

product may fall, causing serious damage to the product.
5 Slots and openings on the back or bottom side of the chassis 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.
6 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.
7 Do not allow anything to rest on the power cord. Do not locate

this product where persons will walk on the cord.
8 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.
9 Never push objects of any kind into this product through chassis

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 on the product.
10 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.
11 Unplug this product from the wall outlet and refer servicing to

qualified service personnel under the following conditions:

v

vi

a When the power cord or plug is damaged or frayed
b If liquid has been spilled into the product
c If the product has been exposed to rain or water
d If the product does not operate normally when the operating

instructions are followed. 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.

e If the product has been dropped or the cabinet has been

damaged

f If the product exhibits a distinct change in performance,

indicating a need for service.

12 Replace the battery with the same type as the product's battery we

recommend. Use of another battery may present a risk of fire or
explosion. Refer battery replacement to a qualified service
technician.

13 Warning! Batteries may explode if not handled properly. Do not

disassemble or dispose of them in fire. Keep them away from
children and dispose of used batteries promptly.

14 Use only the proper type of power supply cord set (provided in

your accessories box) for this unit. It should be a detachable type:
UL listed/CSA certified, type SPT-2, rated 7A 125V minimum, VDE
approved or its equivalent. Maximum length is 15 feet (4.6
meters).

Notices iii

FCC notice iii
Class A equipment iii
Shielded cables iii
Peripheral devices iv
Use conditions iv
Canadian users iv
Laser compliance statement iv

Important safety instructions v

1 System information 1

Product briefing 3

Processor 3
Memory subsystem 3
Storage 4
Graphics interface 4
Networking 4

I/O ports 4
Caring features 6
Product specification summary 7

2 System tour 9

System board 11

Connector and Header Locations 11

Back Panel Connectors 13
SCSI Backplane 15

External and internal structure 16

Front view (with bezel) 16
Front view (w/o bezel) 16

Front panel 18

Front Panel LED and Buttons description 18
Control Button Functions 19

LED Indicator Status 19
Rear view 21
Optional Peripherals 22
Internal components 23

Contents

3 Getting Started 25

Setting up the system 27

Preinstallation requirements 27

Selecting a site 27

Checking the package contents 27

System startup 28

Turning on the system 28
Turning off the system 28
Power-on problems 29

4 Configuring the system 31

Upgrading the system 33

Installation precautions 34

ESD precautions 34
Preinstallation instructions 34
Post-installation instructions 35

Opening the server 36

Before opening the server 36
Removing the Chassis Cover 37
Installing the Chassis Cover 38

Removing and Installing the Processor Air Duct 39

Removing the Processor Air Duct 39
Installing the Processor Air Duct 39
Removing the Processor Air Dam (if required) 41
Removing the Processor Air Dam 41

Installing and removing a hard disc drive 42

Removing a hard disc 42

Installing a hard disc 43
Installing or Removing a Floppy, CD-ROM, or DVD-ROM
Drive 45

Install a Slimline Floppy Drive into Altos R710 45

Removing a Floppy Drive from the Slim Line Drive

bay with Altos R710 47

Installing a Floppy Drive into the Converted Hard

Drive Bay on Altos R710 Server System 48

Removing a Floppy Drive from the Converted Hard

Drive Bay 52

Installing the SCSI 6th HD upgrade kit in Altos R710 53

Installing a Tape Drive in Altos R710 55

Install a Slimline Optical drive into Altos R710 59

Removing a Slim line Optical Drive from Altos R710 61

Removing and Installing the PCI Riser Assembly 62

Removing the PCI Riser Assembly 62
Installing the PCI Riser Assembly 63
Replacing the PCI Riser Board 64
Installing a PCI Add-in Card 65
Replacing a System Fan 67
Connecting peripherals 67

Hard Disk Drives 68
Floppy / CD-ROM / DVD-ROM Slimline Cages 68
Rack-Mounted Systems 69
Configuration Jumpers 70
Hardware Requirements 71
Processor 71
Memory 72
Power Supply 75

Optional Hardware 76

Hard Disk Drives 76
Intelligent Management Module 76

Upgrading the CPU 77

Installing a CPU 77
Removing a CPU 79

Upgrading the system memory 80

To remove a DIMM 80
To install a DIMM 81

Reconfiguring the system memory 81

5 BIOS setup 83

Before You Begin 85
Tools and Supplies Needed 85
Installing and Removing Memory 85
RJ45 Serial Port Configuration 85

Replacing the Backup Battery 86
BIOS Setup Utility 89
Main 93
Advanced 95
Upgrading the BIOS 139

Preparing for the Upgrade 139

Recording the Current BIOS Settings 139

Obtaining the Upgrade 139

Upgrading the BIOS 140
Clearing the Password 141
Clearing the CMOS 142

6 Troubleshooting 143

Resetting the System 145

Problems following Initial System Installation 145

First Steps Checklist 145
Hardware Diagnostic Testing 147

Verifying Proper Operation of Key System Lights147

Confirming Loading of the Operating System 148

Specific Problems and Corrective Actions 148
Power Light Does Not Light 148
No Characters Appear on Screen 149
Characters Are Distorted or Incorrect 150
System Cooling Fans Do Not Rotate Properly 150
Diskette Drive Activity Light Does Not Light 150
CD-ROM Drive or DVD-ROM Drive Activity
Light Does Not Light 151
Cannot Connect to a Server 151
Problems with Network 151
System Boots when Installing PCI Card 152
Problems with Newly Installed Application
Software 152
Problems with Application Software that
Ran Correctly Earlier 153
Devices are not Recognized under Device
Manager (Windows* Operating System) 153
Hard Drive(s) are not recognized 154
Bootable CD-ROM Is Not Detected 154
BIOS POST Beep Codes 156

Appendix A: Management software installation

159

Installing ASM 161

System requirements 161

ASM Agent 161
ASM Console 161

System setup 161

Installing ASM Agent (Windows version) 162
Installing ASM Console (Windows version) 162
Installing ASM Agent (Linux version) 163

Appendix B: Tool-less rail kit installation 165

Tool-less rail kit installation 167

Setting the Multi-Pin Adapters for Rack Type 167
Installing the Slide Rails into the Rack 168
Installing the Component into the Slide Rails 170

Cable Management ARM installation 171

Required Installation Position of the CMA 172

Installing the CMA on the Slide Rails 173
Placing and Securing Cabling Within the CMA 174

General Safety Information 175

Appendix C: RAID Configuration 177

Configuring the SCSI/SCSI RAID HBA 179

How to use SCSI HBA setup utility 179

Loading HBA Default Settings 179
How to use SCSI RAID HBA setup utility 179

How To Create RAID 1 (Mirror) volume with a

Hot Spare Disk 179

RAID Volume Initialization 180

Exit and Restart the server 180

MegaRAID Configuration Utility 180

Load RAID Card Default Setting 180

Create RAID1 Volume 181

Assign Hot Spare Disk 181

Initialize RAID Volume 181

Save And Exit MegaRAID Configuration Utility 182

Appendix D: BIOS POST Checkpoint Codes 183

BIOS POST Checkpoint Codes 185

Index 201

1 System

information

The Acer Altos R710 is a high density, rack
optimised dual processor system loaded
with features. The system offers a new
standard for flexible productivity ideal for
local or wide area networks and multiuser
server environments.

Product briefing

This section provide basic information concerning the configuration of
your Altos R710 system.

Processor

• Single or dual Intel® XeonTM processor with 800 MHz FSB

TM

• CPU Hyper-Threading

• Supports Extended memory 64bit technology (EM64T)

Memory subsystem

• Six (240 - pin) DIMM slots

• DDR-2 400 MHz registered memory modules supported

• Maximum upgrade - 12 GB

• 2-way memory interleave

• SDDC (Single Device Data Correction) for memory error detection
and correction of any number of bit failures in a single x4 memory
device

• Memory sparing technology

• When memory sparing is enabled, the spare DIMM will not be
detected by OS

• The sparing DIMM will be reserved for the standby purpose and
cannot be accessed by the system

• Memory mirroring technology

• When memory mirroring is enabled, only half of the memory
capacity will be detected by the OS.

• Please refer to page115 "Memory Configuration Sub-menu
Selections" for more information about configuring the memory
sparing or mirroring in the BIOS Setup utility

Technology support

1

3

1

For example, if six 1GB DIMMs are installed (6 GB memory) only
4GB of memory (in DIMM 1B, 1A, 2B, 2A) can be accessed by the
system. Memory in DIMM 3B and DIMM 3A would be reserved as
spare DIMMs

4

Caution! When using multiple memory modules it is
recommended that you AVOID using modules from different
manufacturers or that run at different speeds from each other.

Warning! Functionality issues may be encountered if mixed
memory types are installed on the same server board. DIMM
modules of identical type, banking and stacking technology, and
vendor should be installed in the Altos R710.

Storage

• Slim-type IDE CD-ROM drive

• Slim-type 3.5 inch Floppy disk drive (optional)

• Support for six (max) hard disk drives

Warning: If FDD and Tape Drive are installed, R710 would support
4 hard disk drives only.

1 System information

Graphics interface

• On-board ATI Rage XL video controller with 8MB SDRAM

Networking

• Dual port, Intel® 82546GB 10/100/1000 NICs

I/O ports

•Front

• One USB 2.0 port

•Rear

• Two USB 2.0 ports

• Two PS/2 ports (keyboard/mouse)

• Two LAN port (RJ-45)

• One SVGA video port

• One serial port

• One external SCSI connector

Serial ATA ports

• Two SATA ports

Management Controller

• Onboard National Semiconductor PC87431 management
controller

• IPMI 1.5 compliant

• Optional IMM (Intelligent Management Module) can be upgraded
to support IPMI 2.0

SCSI Controller

• Onboard LSI Logic 1030 dual-channel U320 SCSI Controller

• One internal SCSI channel, one external SCSI channel

• Supports RAID1

Service ID

• Front service ID button

• Front and rear service ID LED

Operating Systems supported

5

• Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003

• Microsoft

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3

• Novell NetWare 6.5

• SCO OpenServer

• SCO Unixware 7.1.4

® Windows® 2000

TM

5.0.7

Zero Channel RAID (Optional)

• Must be installed on the top slot of the full-height PCI riser card.

6

1 System information

Caring features

Part of Acer’s mission, as a company that cares about its end users, is to
provide features that make operation, maintenance, and upgrading
your system simpler and faster. The Altos R710 is no exception to this
rule. The following features and options are provided.

• Cost efficient operation in a value oriented package

• Tool-less design

• Front accessible USB port

TM

• Acer EasyBUILD

• Acer Server Manager (ASM) suite of comprehensive management
tools

for efficient system setup and installation

Product specification summary

Highlighted below are the system’s key features:

• Single or dual Intel
Technology

• 800 MHz FSB supports processor speeds from 2.8 GHz to 3.6 GHz

®

•Intel

•Intel

E7520 chipset consisting of:

®

E7520 Memory Controller Hub (MCH)

•PXH

•Intel® 82801ER I/O Controller Hub 5-R (ICH-5R)

• One Low profile riser slot

• Three 64-bits/100MHz/3.3V PCI-X slots

• One full height riser slot supporting one of three riser card
options:

• Option 1: Three 64-bits/100MHz/3.3V PCI-X slots

• Option 2: One 64-bits/100MHz/3.3V PCI-X slot + Two 64-bits/
133MHz/3.3V PCI-X slots

• Option 3: One 64-bits/100MHz/3.3V PCI-X slot + Two x4 PCI­Express slots with x8 connectors

• Six DIMM sockets supporting DDR-2 400 registered ECC modules
for a maximum memory capacity of 12 GB

• Media storage

• Optional slim-type 3.5 inch 1.44 MB floppy drive or Optical drive

• Additional media storage capacity

• Support for five 3.5 Inch ATA, or SCSI hard disk drives

• External ports

• PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports • Two LAN (RJ-45) ports

• Three USB ports (1 front, 2 rear) • SVGA video port

• One external SCSI port

®

XeonTM processor supporting Hyper-Threading

7

• Power supply unit (PSU)

• One 700W powers supply

• Optional hot swap redundant 700W power supply kit

• Internal I/O controller connections

• Two USB port headers

• One DB9 Serial A header mounted on motherboard

• One Ultra320 80-pin SCSI connector (Channel A)

• Two SATA-150 connectors

• One ATA-100 connector

8

1 System information

• SSI-compliant 34-pin, high-density 100-pin, and alternate 50-pin
control panel headers

• Intelligent Management Module 120-pin connector, supporting
the optional Professional server management modules

• Chassis Intrusion

• Lockable front bezel

• Chassis intrusion switch

• Lock attach point for chassis cover

• Up to eight system fans

• Four system fans in default configuration

• Two non-redundant fans in each power supply

•LEDs

• Standard Control Panel: NIC1 Activity, NIC2 Activity & Power /
Sleep

• System Status (with optional light pipe kit, system status LEDs
can be viewed with bezel closed)

•Service ID

• Power subsystem: Status LED on each power module

• Fault LED for each system fan

• Server Management / Diagnostics

• On-board Platform Instrumentation using the National
Semiconductor* PC87431M mini-Baseboard Management
Controller (mBMC) (Default).

• Support for optional Intelligent Management Module ­Professional Edition

• Support for Acer Altos Server Management 6.x

• Light-Guided Diagnostics on all field replaceable units (FRUs)

2 System tour

This chapter provides locations of various
components and ports and instructions on
how to set up the system.

System board

Connector and Header Locations

The mainboard becomes accessible once you open the system. The
figure below is provided to help you indentify and locate connectors,
slots and ports.

11

12

Item Description

A Serial Port A

B SCSI Channel B

C 8-pin ARMC connector

D CMOS Battery

E Full-height riser slot

F Low-profile riser slot

G Back panel I/O ports

H DIMM slots 1B, 1A, 2B, 2A, 3B, 3A (from right to left)

I Processor 1 fan header

J Processor socket 1

K Processor socket 2

2 System tour

L Processor 2 fan header

M +12V processor power

N Fan board connector

O Floppy connector

P System fan 3-pin header

Q Secondary IDE channel

R Control panel 100-pin connector

S 24-pin SSI power connector

T 50-pin control panel connector

U 34-pin SSI control panel connector

V SATA port 1

Item Description

W SATA port 2

X Power supply signal cable

Y USB header (DH-10)

Z USB header (1 x 10)

AA IPMB connector

BB IDE power connector

CC SCSI channel A

DD ICMB connector

EE 120-pin connector for optional Acer® Intelligent

Management Module

Back Panel Connectors

13

A

FC D E G HB I

TP00762

14

Item Description

A PS/2 Mouse port

B PS/2 Keyboard port

C Com Port (RJ-45 connector)

D Gigabit LAN # 1 Port (RJ45)

E Gigabit LAN # 2Port (RJ45)

F Video Port

G USB port #1

H USB port #2

I SCSI Channel A external connector

2 System tour

The NIC LEDs at the right and left of each NIC provide the following
information.

LED
Color

Left
LED

Left
LED

Left
LED

Right
LED

Right
LED

Right
LED

LED State Description

Off No network connection

Solid Amber Network connection in place

Blinking Amber Transmit/receive activity

Off 10 Mbps connection

(if left LED is on or blinking)

Solid Amber 100 Mbps connection

Solid Green 1000 Mbps connection

15

SCSI Backplane

The Hot-Swap SCSI Backplane installs on the back side of the hot-swap
drive bay inside the chassis. Alignment features on the chassis and
backplane assembly make for easy tool-less installation. The following
diagram shows the layout of components and connectors on the Hot­swap SCSI Backplane printed circuit board.

Item Description

A Floppy Drive Connector

B IDE Optical Drive Connector

C SCA2 Hard Drive Connectors

D

E Control Panel Connector

Note: To prevent the backplane from flexing when installing or
removing hard drives from the drive bay, the system top cover
must be on the system. Having the top cover installed will ensure
the drives attach securely to the drive connectors on the
backplane.

th

Hard Drive Upgrade Kit

6

16

External and internal structure

Front view (with bezel)

No. Description

1 Name Plane

2Keylock

3LEDs

2 System tour

Front view (w/o bezel)

No. Description

1 Slim CDROM or FDD Bay

No. Description

2 3.5” SCSI HDD bay

3 Tape Device bay / 6th SCSI HDD bay

4 Front VGA output port

5 Front USB port

6 Power Buttion

7 Service ID Buttion

17

18

Front panel

Front Panel LED and Buttons description

Item Description

A Power Button

B LAN #2 Activity LED

2 System tour

C LAN #1 Activity LED

DPower LED

E System Status LED

F Hard Drive Activity LED

G Service ID LED

H Service ID Button

I System Reset Button

JUSB connector

K Recessed NMI Button (Tool Required)

LVGA connector

Control Button Functions

Item Description

19

Power/
Sleep
button

Reset
button

ID button Toggles the front panel ID LED and the baseboard ID LED on

NMI button Puts the server in a halt-state for diagnostic purposes.

Toggles the system power on/off. Sleep button for
ACPI-compatible operating systems.

Reboots and initializes the system.

and off. The baseboard LED is visible from the rear of the
chassis and allows you to locate the server from the rear of a
rack of systems.

LED Indicator Status

Item Description

NIC 1
activity LED

NIC 2
activity LED

Power/
Sleep LED

Continuous green light indicates a link between the system
and the network to which it is connected.

Blinking green light indicates network activity.

Continuous green light indicates the system has power
applied to it.

Blinking green indicates the system is in S1 sleep state (see
Note )

No light indicates the power is off / is in ACPI S4 or S5 state.

Hard disk
drive
status LED

System
Status LED

Random blinking green light indicates hard disk drive activity
(SCSI or SATA).

No light indicates no hard disk drive activity.

Solid green indicates normal operation
Blinking green indicates degraded performance
Solid amber indicates a critical or non-recoverable condition
Blinking amber indicates a non-critical condition
No light indicates POST is running or the system is off (see

Note 1)

20

Item Description

2 System tour

System
Identificati
on LED

Solid blue indicates system identification is active
No light indicates system identification is not activated

Note :If the system is powered down without going through the

BIOS, the LED state that was in effect at the time of the power­down is restored when the system is powered back on or until the
BIOS clears the LED. If the system is not powered down normally,
the Power LED may blink and the System Status LED may be off
due to a failure or configuration change that prevents the BIOS
from running

Rear view

Item Icon Description

A Low Profile PCI Add-in Card Slots

B Full Height PCI Add-in Card slots

C Power Supply Modules (1+1 Configuration Shown)

D PS2 keyboard and Mouse Ports

21

E RJ45 Serial B port

F LAN #1 Connector

G LAN #2 Connector

H Optional DB9 Serial A port Cut out

I Videon Connector

J USB #1 Connector

K USB #2 Connector

L Diagnostic POST code LEDs

M Management NIC connector (Optional)

N External SCSI Channel B connector

22

Item Icon Description

O Cooling fan for Redundant Power Fan Module

2 System tour

Optional Peripherals

Item Description

A Slim-line Device cage, support for floppy drive / DVD / CD-ROM

drive

B

C System Control Panel

D

E Hard Drive Bays (5)

Optional 6

st

1

th

hard drive or Tape Drive Bay

Hard Drive Bay or Optional Floppy drive bay

Internal components

23

Item Description

A Power Supply Modules

B Power Distribution Board

C Riser Card Assembly

DCPU Air Duct

E Fan Module

F Air Baffle

G Slim Line Drive Bay

24

Item Description

HFront Bezel

I Chassis Handles

J Control Panel

K Hard Drive Bays

2 System tour

3 Getting Started

This chapter gives information on setting up and
starting to use your system

Setting up the system

Preinstallation 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

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

Checking the package contents

Check the following items from the package:

• Acer Altos R710 system

• Acer Altos R710 User’s guide

• Acer EasyBUILD

• Acer Altos R710 Accessory box

• System keys

TM

27

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

Save the boxes and packing materials for future use.

28

3 Getting Started

System startup

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, press the power button on the front panel.
Refer to “Front view (w/o bezel)” on page 16, for help locating the
power button.

The system starts up and displays a welcome message. After that, a
series of power-on self-test (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, go to “Power-on problems” on page 29 for
possible causes of boot failure.

Aside from the POST messages, you can determine if the system is in
good condition by checking if the following occur during startup:

• Power indicator on the front panel lights up (green)

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

Turning off the system

To turn off the server, on the Windows task bar click on the Start
button, point to Shut Down..., select Shut down from the drop-down
window then click on OK. You can then turn off all peripherals
connected to your server.

If you are unable to shutdown the server within Windows, press and
hold the power button for at least four seconds to force quit all
applications and shut down.

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 cable may be loosely connected.
Check the power cable connection from the power source to the

power cable socket on the rear panel. Make sure that the cable is
properly connected to the power source and to the power cable
socket.

• 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.

29

30

3 Getting Started

4 Configuring

the

system

This chapter discusses the precautionary
measures and installation procedures you
need to know when upgrading the system.

Upgrading the system

Certain components of the server are upgradeable such as the drives,
the CPU, the memory, and the expansion cards. However, for safety
purposes, we do not recommend that you perform these upgrades
yourself. If you want to replace or upgrade any of these components,
contact your dealer or a qualified service technician for assistance.

Important: Observe the installation precautions described in the
subsequent section when installing or removing a server
component.

33

34

4 Configuring the system

Installation precautions

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

ESD precautions

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage the processor(s),
motherboard, disk drive(s), expansion board(s), or other components.
Always observe the following precautions before you install server
components:

1 Do not remove a component from its protective packaging until

you are ready to install it.

2 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.

Preinstallation instructions

Always observe the following before you install any component:
1 Turn off the system and all the peripherals connected to it.
2 Unplug all cables from the power outlets.
3 Open the system according to the instructions on page 36.
4 Follow the ESD precautions described in this section when

handling a server component.

5 Remove any expansion board(s) or peripheral(s) that block access

to the DIMM socket or other component connector.

See the following sections for specific installation instructions on the
component you want to install.

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.

Post-installation instructions

Observe the following after installing a server component:
1 See to it that all components are installed according to the

described step-by-step instructions.

2 Reinstall any expansion board(s) or peripheral(s) that you have

previously removed.
3 Reinstall the chassis panels.
4 Connect the necessary cables.
5 Turn on the system.

35

36

4 Configuring the system

Opening the server

Caution! Before you proceed, make sure that you have turned off
your system and all peripherals connected to it. Read the
“Preinstallation instructions” on page 34.

You need to open the server before you can install additional
components. The top panel is removable to allow access to the system’s
internal components. Refer to the following sections for instructions.

Before opening the server

Before opening the server, observe the following precautions:
1 Turn off the system and all the peripherals connected to it.

2 Unplug all cables from the power outlets.
3 Place the system unit on a flat, stable surface.

Note: Because of the R710 design specification, the top panel
needs to be removed to access the system board.

Removing the Chassis Cover

The Altos R710 Server must be operated with the top cover in place
to ensure proper cooling. You will need to remove the top cover to
add or replace components inside of the platform. Before removing
the top cover, power down the server system and unplug all
peripheral devices and the AC power cable. None of the components
inside of the platform is hot-swappable.

1 Observe the safety and ESD precautions at the beginning of this

book.

2 Turn off all peripheral devices connected to the server. Turn off

the server.
3 Disconnect the AC power cord.
4 Remove the shipping screw if it is installed.
5 While holding the blue botton at the top of the chassis in, slide

the top cover back until it stops.
6 Lift the cover straight up to remove it from the platform.

37

38

4 Configuring the system

Installing the Chassis Cover

1 Place the cover over the chassis so that the side edges of the cover

sit just inside the chassis sidewalls.
2 Slide the cover forward until it clicks into place.
3 (Optional) Insert the shipping screw at the center of the top cover.
4 Reconnect all peripheral devices and the AC power cord.

Observe the post-installation instructions described on page 35.

Removing and Installing the Processor Air Duct

Always operate your server chassis with the processor air duct in place.
The air duct is required for proper airflow within the chassis.

For instructions on adding or replacing a processor, first remove the
processor air duct and the processor air dam, and then see your server
board User Guide for instructions on processor installations and
removals. Return to these instructions to reinstall the processor air dam
and processor air duct after installing your processor and heat sink.

Removing the Processor Air Duct

1 Remove the chassis cover. For instructions, see "Removing the

Chassis Cover."
2 Lift the processor air duct from its location over the two processor

sockets.

39

Installing the Processor Air Duct

1 If you are installing the processor air duct for the first time after

installing a second processor, break out the airflow tab over on the

side of the processor air duct that will fit over the CPU2 processor

socket.
2 Place the processor air duct over the two processor sockets,

regardless of whether one or two processors is installed. The front

edge of the air duct should contact the front fan module and the

top of the installed air duct should be flush with the top surface of

40

4 Configuring the system

the power supply. Use caution not to pinch or disengate cables

that may be near or under the air duct.

Removing the Processor Air Dam (if required)

If you are using a server board that includes sockets for two processors
and you install only a single processor or remove the second processor,
you must install the processor air dam in the location for processor 2. If
you install two processors, do not install the processor air dam.

For instructions on adding or replacing a processor, first remove the
processor air duct and the processor air dam, and then see your server
board User Guide for instructions on processor installations and
removals. Return to these instructions to reinstall the processor air dam
and processor air duct.

Removing the Processor Air Dam

The air dam is installed only on a server board that supports two
processors but only one processor is to be installed. Remove the air
dam only if you will be installing a second processor.

1 To remove the air dam, disengage the tabs on the air dam to pull

it from under the sides of the retention mechanism as shown.
2 Save the air dam to replace it over the CPU2 socket in case the

second processor is removed.

41

42

4 Configuring the system

Installing and removing a hard disc drive

Up to five hot-swaps SCSI drives can be installed into your chassis. The
number of drives and the drive type allowed depend on the Altos R710
Server system and the add-in components that you are installing.

Removing a hard disc

1 Press in on the green latch at the front of the hard drive carrier.
2 Pull out on the black lever to slide the carrier from the chassis.
3 Remove the four screws that attach the hard drive to the drive

carrier. Lift the drive from the carrier. Store the drive in an anti-

static bag.
4 (optional) Place the plastic retention device into the drive carrier,

using the four screws you removed from the hard drive.
5 Insert the screws that held the drive in the carrier into the screw

locations on the carrier for future use.
6 With the black lever in the fully open position, slide the drive

carrier back into the chassis. The green latch must be to the right.

Do not push on the black lever until the lever begins to close by

itself.
7 When the black lever begins to close by itself, push on it to lock

the drive carrier into place.

Installing a hard disc

1 Press in on the green latch on the front of the hard drive carrier.
2 Pull out on the black lever to slide the carrier from the chassis.

3 Remove the four screws that attach the plastic retention device or

the previously installed hard drive to the drive carrier. Two screws

are at each side of the retention device or the hard drive. Store the

plastic retention device for future use.
4 Remove the hard drive from its wrapper and place it on an

antistatic surface.
5 Set any jumpers and/or switches on the drive according to the

drive manufacturer’s instructions.
6 With the drive circuit-side down, position the connector end of the

drive so that it is facing the rear of the drive carrier.
7 Align the holes in the drive to the holes in the drive carrier and

attach it to the carrier with the screws that were attached to the

plastic retentiWith the black lever in the fully open position, slide

the drive assembly into the chassis. Insert the primary drive in the

right bay. The green latch at the front of the drive carrier must be

to the right. Do not push on the black drive carrier lever until the

lever begins to close by itself. on device.

43

44

4

B

4 Configuring the system

8 When the black drive carrier lever begins to close by itself, push on

it to lock the drive assembly into place.

E

A

C

D

OM1168

Installing or Removing a Floppy, CD­ROM, or DVD-ROM Drive

Floppy, CD-ROM, and DVD-ROM drives are NOT hot swappable.
Before removing or replacing the drive, 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 or
disconnect the DC mains.

Install a Slimline Floppy Drive into Altos R710

1 Power down the server system and unplug all peripheral devices

and the AC power cable.
2 Remove the chassis cover.
3 Remove the front bezel.
4 Align the two holes at the left side of the floppy drive with the

two cutouts in the floppy drive carrier. See letter “A” in the figure

below.
5 Lower the right side of the floppy drive into the carrier until it

clicks into place.

45

A

B

6 Open the connector on the rear of the floppy drive by pulling up

on the connector cover. See letter “A” in the figure below.

46

4 Configuring the system

7 Insert one end of the 26-pin floppy drive data cable end into the

connector.
8 Push down on the connector cover to lock the cable into place.

A

B

C

TP01144

9 Slide the floppy drive assembly into the chassis until it clicks into

place. See letter “A” in the figure below.
10 Open the connector on the backplane by pulling out on the

connector cover. See letter “B” in the figure below.

11 Insert the loose end of the floppy cable into the backplane

connector. See letter “C” in the figure.

12 Push in on the connector cover to lock the cable into place. See

letter “D” in the figure.
13 Install the chassis cover.
14 Install the front bezel.

Removing a Floppy Drive from the Slim Line Drive bay with Altos R710

1 Power down the server system and unplug all peripheral devices

and the AC power cable.
2 Remove the chassis cover.
3 Remove the front bezel.
4 Open the connector on the rear of the floppy drive by pulling up

on the connector.
5 Remove the data cable from the rear of the floppy.
6 Push in on the blue lever at the rear of the drive carrier Remove

the drive carrier at the left side of the chassis to release the drive

carrier.
7 Slide the drive carrier out through the front of the chassis.
8 Press downward on the side of the drive tray and release the drive.
9 Remove the small screw that attaches the interposer board to the

drive.
10 Store the screw and floppy carrier for future use. Suggestion: tape

the screw and backplate to the top surface of the drive bracket.
11 Install the slim line filler panel into slim-line bay.
12 If installing a new floppy drive start from step “Install a Slimline

Floppy Drive into Altos R710”
13 Install the chassis cover.
14 Install the front bezel.

47

48

4 Configuring the system

Installing a Floppy Drive into the Converted Hard Drive Bay on Altos R710 Server System

The floppy drive conversion kit can only be installed into a system that
is using the SCSI backplane. You will know if you have one of these
backplanes installed if you can install hot-swap SCSI drives. The floppy
drive conversion kit must be installed in the left, top hard drive bay,
directly under the slimline drive bay.

1.Power down the server and unplug all peripheral devices and the AC
power cable.

2.Remove the chassis cover.

3.Remove the front bezel if it is installed.

4.Remove the upper left hot-swap hard drive carrier from the chassis.

5.Remove the screws that attach the slide rails to the floppy drive
conversion kit carrier.

TP01307

Figure 1. Removing the Rails from the Floppy Drive Conversion Kit Carrier

6.Slide the floppy drive into the drive carrier, rear of the drive first,
with the underside of the drive facing down.

7.Line up the holes in the side of the drive with the holes in the carrier.
See letter "A" in the figure below.

8

A

A

TP0130

Figure 2. Inserting a Floppy Drive into the Floppy Drive Conversion Kit Carrier

8.Attach the floppy drive to the carrier with the screws that came with
your floppy drive conversion kit. One screw attaches at each side. See
the figure below.

49

Figure 3. Attaching a Floppy Drive to the Floppy Drive Conversion Kit Carrier

50

9

4 Configuring the system

9.Reattach the slide rails onto floppy drive conversion kit carrier. See
the figure below.

TP0130

Figure 4. Installing the Rails onto the Floppy Drive Conversion Kit Carrier

10.Open the connector on the rear of the floppy drive by pulling up on
the connector cover. See letter "A" in the figure below.

11.Insert one end of the flat flex cable end into the floppy drive
connector. See letter "B" in the figure.

12.Push down on the connector cover to lock the cable into place. See
letter "C" in the figure.

C

A

Figure 5. Connecting the Flat Flex Cable to a Floppy Drive

B

TP013

13.Slide the carrier assembly into the upper left hard drive bay until it

10

clicks into place. See letter "A" in the figure below.

14.Open the connector labeled "Floppy Con" on the backplane by
pulling up on the connector cover. See letter "B" in the figure below.
For assistance in locating connectors on the SATA backplane." For
assistance in locating connectors on the SCSI backplane.

15.Insert the loose end of the flat flex cable into the backplane
connector. See letter "C" in the figure.

16.Push in on the connector cover to lock the cable into place. See
letter "D" in the figure.

51

B

C

A

D

TP013

Figure 6. Installing the Floppy Drive into the Chassis

17.Install the chassis cover.

18.(Optional) Install the front bezel.

19.Plug all peripheral devices and the AC power cable back into the
server.

52

4 Configuring the system

Removing a Floppy Drive from the Converted Hard Drive Bay

1.Power down the server and unplug all peripheral devices and the AC
power cable.

2.Remove the chassis cover.

3.Remove the front bezel if it is installed.

4.Open the connector labeled "Floppy Con" on the backplane by
pulling up on the connector cover. Remove the flat flex cable from the
backplane.

5.Push in on the lever at the rear of the floppy carrier and slide the
drive from the front of the chassis.

6.Open the connector cover on the rear of the floppy drive by pulling
up on it. Release the flat flex cable from the drive.

7.Remove the two screws at each side that hold the drive rails to the
drive carrier. Lift the two rails from the carrier.

8.Disconnect the two screws attaching the drive to the converted hard
drive bay carrier.

9.Install an empty hot-swap hard drive carrier into chassis drive bay if
no floppy or hard drive is to be installed into the bay.

10.Store the screws, the converted drive bay carrier, the side rails, and
the flat flex cable for future use.

11.Install the chassis cover.

12.(Optional) Install the front bezel.

13.Plug all peripheral devices and the AC power cable back into the
server.

53

Installing the SCSI 6th HD upgrade kit in Altos R710

The SCSI sixth HD upgrade kit is used when a sixth SCSI hot-swap drive
is needed.

1.Power down the server and unplug all peripheral devices and the AC
power cable.

2.Remove the chassis cover.

3.Remove the front bezel if it is installed.

4.Remove the drive blank from the sixth drive bay by using a long
screwdriver to push it out through the front of the chassis.

TP01366

Figure 1. Remove the Drive Blank from the Chassis

5.Remove the fan module.

6.Hold the SCSI sixth drive board about ?-inch above the opening in
the backplane to allow alignment notches to clear the top of the
backplane bracket. Move the board forward into the opening and set
it into place while lining up the two tabs on the sixth drive kit board

54

4 Configuring the system

with the matching holes on backplane. Be sure the board seats into the
plastic retainer at the bottom of the backplane opening.

TP01084

Figure 2. Installing the Sixth Drive Board

7.Connect the end of the long SCSI cable that is labeled "Backplane" to
the connector on the sixth drive board that is labeled "M/B." Connect
the remaining end of the SCSI connector to the server board or add in
card. See server board or add in card documentation for the
connection location.

8.Connect the end of short SCSI cable that is labeled "Backplane" to
the backplane connector labeled "SCSI CH A." Connect the other end
to the sixth drive board connector.

9.Included with your sixth HDD upgrade kit is a power cable connector
labeled "Drive 5 Pwr." Connect one end of this cable into the
connector labeled "OPT" on sixth drive board. Connect the remaining

55

end of the Drive 5 power cable to the connector on the backplane that
is labeled "OPT CONN."

10.Install the fan module.

11.Install the chassis cover.

12.Install the SCSI hard disk drive into the sixth drive position.

13.Install the front bezel.

Installing a Tape Drive in Altos R710

To install a tape drive into your Altos R710 System, your system must
meet the following requirements:

You must purchase the optional tape drive kit.
You must purchase a 3.5-inch SCSI tape drive.

After purchasing the tape drive kit and the tape drive, use the
instructions below to install them. In addition to these instructions,
refer to the instructions that came with your tape drive for additional
requirements.

1.Observe the safety and ESD precautions at the beginning of this
book.

2.Power down the server and unplug all peripheral devices and the AC
power cable.

3.Remove the chassis cover.

4.Remove the front bezel.

56

4 Configuring the system

5.Push the tape drive filler panel from the chassis by using a long
screwdriver to push it out from the inside of the chassis. See the figure
below to locate the tape drive filler panel.

TP01355

Figure 1. Removing the Tape Drive Bay Filler Panel

6.The sixth drive bay is directly below the tape drive bay in the chassis.
Lift the lever at the rear of the hard drive blank that is installed in the
sixth drive bay to remove the blank from the chassis.

7.Attach the tape drive to the tape drive carrier kit using the four

TP01356

screws that were included with the tape drive kit. See the figure
below.

Figure 2. Inserting a Tape Drive into the Carrier

8.Slide the tape drive carrier with the installed tape drive into the
combined tape drive bay / sixth drive bay until the carrier clicks into
place.

57

Figure 3. Inserting the Tape Drive Carrier into the Chassis

TP01357

58

4 Configuring the system

9.Attach the end of the SCSI cable that is labeled "Tape Drive" to the
SCSI connection on the tape drive.

10.Route the SCSI cable along the front of the fan module and then
through the front and rear openings on the underside of the air baffle.
You may need to remove the air baffle to route the cable.

11.Route the end of the SCSI cable that is labeled "Server Board" to the
server board or add-in card connector. Push the cable through the
opening in the backplane, as shown in the figure below. See your
server board or add-in card documentation to locate the connection
point on the server board or add-in card.

12.Connect the 7-pin tape drive power cable to the backplane
connector that is labeled "OPT CONN".

13.Connect the 4-pin tape power cable to the tape drive.

14.Install the chassis cover.

15.(Optional): Install the front bezel.

Figure 4. Connecting the Tape Drive Cables

TP01358

59

Install a Slimline Optical drive into Altos R710

NOTE:The carrier for the slimline Optical drive was pre-installed in
the slimline drive bay of your Altos R710 Server You will need to
remove it from the chassis before beginning.

1 Power down the server system and unplug all peripheral devices

and the AC power cable.
2 Remove the chassis cover.
3 Remove the front bezel.
4 Align the two holes at left edge of DVD-ROM /CD-ROM drive with

the cutouts in drive carrier. See letter “A” in the figure below.
5 Lower the right side of the DVD-ROM / CD-ROM drive into the

carrier until it clicks into place. See letter “B” in the figure below.
6 Use the two screws indicated in the figure to attach the interpose

board to the DVD-ROM / CD-ROM drive. See letters “C” and “D” in

the figure.
7 Attach the 44-pin CD-ROM drive cable to the exposed side / back

of the interposer board. See letter “E” in the figure.

E

D

D

C

A

B

8 Insert the DVD-ROM / CD-ROM drive into the chassis. See letter

“A” in the figure below.

60

9 Connect the loose end of the CD-ROM drive cable to the backplane

connector. See letter “B” in the figure.

10 Power down the server system and unplug all peripheral devices

and the AC power cable.
11 Install the chassis cover.
12 Install the front bezel.

4 Configuring the system

A

B

TP01086

61

Removing a Slim line Optical Drive from Altos R710

1 Power down the server system and unplug all peripheral devices

and the AC power cable.
2 Remove the chassis cover.
3 Remove the front bezel.
4 Open the connector on the rear of the CD-ROM by pulling up on

the connector.
5 Disconnect the data cable from the rear of the CD-ROM, or DVD-

ROM drive.
6 Push in on the blue lever at the rear of the drive carrier Remove

the drive carrier at the left side of the chassis to release the drive

carrier.
7 Slide the drive carrier out through the front of the chassis.
8 Disconnect the interposer board by removing the two screws for a

CD-ROM or DVD ROM.
9 Press downward on the side of the tray and release the drive from

the tray. Lift the Optical Drive out of the CD-ROM Carrier.
10 Store the tray for future use.
11 Install Slimline filler panel.If installing a new Optical Drive start

from step “Install a Slimline Optical Drive into Altos R710”.
12 Install Slimline filler panel.
13 Install the chassis cover.
14 Install the front bezel.

62

4 Configuring the system

Removing and Installing the PCI Riser Assembly

You will need to remove the PCI riser assembly from the chassis to
replace the PCI riser boards, or to add or remove a PCI add-in card.

Removing the PCI Riser Assembly

Use the following instructions to remove the PCI riser assembly from
the chassis.

1 Remove the chassis cover
2 Remove Processor Air Duct.
3 Disconnect any cables attached to add in cards.
4 Lift up on the two blue levers to lift the PCI Riser assembly from

the chassis.

5 Push back on the blue release lever at the end of one of the riser

boards. While holding the lever back, push firmly on the other

edgo of the board to disengage the board from the riser.

63

Installing the PCI Riser Assembly

Use the following instructions to install the PCI riser assembly from the
chassis.

1 Install any cables into add in cards.
2 Set the riser assembly straight down, matching the hooks in the

back of the riser assembly to the notches in the rear of the chassis.
3 Press firmly to push the riser into the slots on the server board.
4 Install Processor Air Duct.
5 Install the chassis cover.

64

4 Configuring the system

Replacing the PCI Riser Board

Altos R710 have three kinds of PCI riser option ca be choosed. The
default installed riser card for the three PCI-X 66/100MHz slots be
mounted on riser card with your can choice of one of two PCI riser
cards for upgrade options:

• PCI-Express Riser card option: Two 4 lanes PCI-Express slot

(x8 lanes connector mounted) and one PCI-X 66/100MHz slots.

• PCI-X 133 Riser card options: Two 133MHz PCI-X slots and

one 66/100MHz PCI-X slot.

The PCI riser board can be replaced if it fails or if a different option is
required. To replace the PCI riser board, use the following instructions.

NOTE: To eliminate the possibility of installing the replacement
boards on the wrong side of the PCI riser assembly, replace one
board at a time.

1 Remove the chassis cover.
2 Remove Processor Air Duct.
3 Lift up on the two blue levers to lift the PCI Riser assembly from

the chassis.

4 Push back on the blue release lever at the end of one of the riser

boards. While holding the lever back, push firmly on the other
edgo of the board to disengage the board from the riser.

5 Line up the screws on the riser assembly with the slot and the large

hole on the replacement riser board.

6 Push on the riser slot while pulling the card away from the blue

release lever. The blue release lever will click into place.a

Installing board onto PCI Riser assembly. This refers to

the two small boards on the riser assembly itself. The se

are the boards into which an add-in card is inserted

7 Repeat steps 3 – 5 on the other riser card.
8 Install the PCI add-in card(s), if desired.
9 Install the riser assembly into the chassis.
10 Install Processor Air Duct.
11 Install the chassis cover.

65

Installing a PCI Add-in Card

In the slots provided by the PCi riser card, you can install either three or
six PCI add-in cards.

Peripherals and add-in cards are not included in your system and must
be purchased separately. The riser card at the center of the chassis
supports three full-height add-in card or three low profile PCI add-in
card. If a low profile card is installed in the standard full-height riser
card, it must be equipped with a standard full-height PCI mounting
bracket.

66

NOTES: Add-in cards must be attached to a riser card when

4 Configuring the system

the riser card is removed from the chassis.

Remove the chassis cover.

1
2 Remove Processor Air Duct.
3 Remove the PCI Riser assembly.
4 Insert the PCI card edge connector into the PCI slot on the riser

assembly.
5 Install the riser assembly.
6 Install the chassis cover.

NOTE: The Altos R710 has support for Zero Channel RAID (ZCR)
which follows the RUBI2 standard. It will not have support for
zero channel RAID cards that follow the RADIOS standard. See the
Altos R710 AVL for a list of supported ZCR cards. On the Altos
R710 Server, a ZCR card is only supported on the full-height riser
slot. When installing the card, it MUST be populated in the PCI-X
add-in slot furthest from the baseboard. No other add-in card slot
has support for a ZCR card.

67

NOTE: To ensure proper signal integrity on a given PCI bus, add-in
cards must be installed in order starting with the top PCI slot

Replacing a System Fan

The system fans at the front of the Server Chassis can be individually
replaced if one of them fails. The fans that are integrated into the
power supply cannot be replaced separately. If one of these fans fails,
the power supply must be replaced.

To replace a system fan, use the following instructions.
1 Remove the chassis cover.
2 There are no screws to loosen. Grab hold of the fan by the lever

and lift fan from the module..

3 Install new fan by pushing down until the fan is completely

installed into the fan module.

4 Installing the Chassis Cover

.

Connecting peripherals

The system unit, keyboard, mouse, and monitor constitute the basic
system. Before connecting any other peripherals, connect these basic
peripherals first to test if the system is running properly.

68

4 Configuring the system

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, all illustrations showed in this
section show the Altos R710 server chassis.

Hard Disk Drives

The Altos R710 Server system ships with drive brackets for installing
five SCSI Hard Disk Drives for hot-swap configuration available. The
left drive bay can be converted to be used as a floppy bay. To use the
bay for a floppy drive, the Hard Disk Drive must be change to Floppy
converter.

Floppy / CD-ROM / DVD-ROM Slimline Cages

The slimline drive cages can be used with one of the optional floppy /
CD-ROM / DVD-ROM drives. One slimeline cage is included with your
server chassis for installing either a slimline CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
and one is included for installing a slimline floppy drive. The drives
must be purchased separately.

69

The floppy drive / CD-ROM / DVD-ROM cage can be inserted or
removed only when system power is turned off. Drives in the slimline
cage are NOT hot swappable.

Rack-Mounted Systems

The Altos R710 Server SERIES can be mounted into a rack. Acer
provides a tool-less rail kit and a cable management arm to mount this
server chassis into a rack. When installing chassis into a rack, Acer
recommends you install systems from the bottom of the rack to the
top. In other words, install the first system in the rack into the bottom
position of the rack, the second system in the second position from the
bottom, and so on. Instructions for installing your chassis into a rack
are included in the rail kit. The order numbers are as follows:

• Tool-less Rail Kit: (Acer P/N: TC.R0703.006)

• Cable Management Arm (Acer P/N: TC.R0703.007 , requires the
tool-less rail kit installed)

70

Configuration Jumpers

4 Configuring the system

Jumper
Name

Password
Clear (line
“A” in figure
above)

Recovery
Boot (line
“B” in figure
above)

Pins What happens at system reset??

1-2 These pins should be jumpered for normal system

operation.

2-3 If these pins are jumpered, administrator and user

passwords will be cleared on the next reset. These
pins should not be jumpered for normal operation.

1-2 These pins should be jumpered for normal system

operation.

2-3 If these pins are jumpered, the system will attempt

to recover the BIOS by loading the BIOS code into
the flash device from a floppy disk. This jumper is
typically used when the BIOS has become corrupted.
These pins should not be jumpered for normal
operation.

71

Jumper
Name

CMOS Clear
(line “C” in
figure
above)

Pins What happens at system reset??

1-2 These pins should be jumpered for normal system

operation.

2-3 If these pins are jumpered, the CMOS settings will

be cleared on the next reset. These pins should not
be jumpered for normal operation.

Hardware Requirements

To avoid integration difficulties and possible board damage,
your system must meet the requirements outlined below. For a
list of qualified components.

Processor

One or two Intel® Xeon™ processors with an 800MHz front side bus
and a minimum of 2.8 GHz frequency must be installed. The following
table outlines the supported processors. For a complete list of

supported processors.

Processor Family FSB Frequency Frequency

Intel® Xeon™ 800 MHz 2.8 GHz

Intel® Xeon™ 800 MHz 3.0 GHz

Intel® Xeon™ 800 MHz 3.2 GHz

Intel® Xeon™ 800 MHz 3.4 GHz

Intel® Xeon™ 800 MHz 3.6 GHz

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4 Configuring the system

Memory

Altos R710 supports DDR2 400 Registered ECC memory modules. DDR2
400 memory is a new type of memory module providing better
performance using less power, at 1.8 volts, than conventional DDR1
memory. DDR2 400 memory modules have 240-pin DIMM modules and
are not backward-compatible with DDR1.

The Altos R710 provides six DDR2 DIMM slots in dual memory channels.
DIMM 1A, 2A, and 3A are connected to memory channel A. DIMM 1B,
2B, and 3B are connected to memory channel B. The maximum memory
capacity is 12 GB DDR2 400 memory. Memory DIMM technologies
supports 512 MB, 1 GB or 2 GB memory modules.

Note: You should always install the DDR2 memory module in the
DDR2 DIMM slots. Wrong installation may cause damage to the
mainboard. Contact your dealer for qualified DDR2 DIMM
vendors.

DIMM 1BDIMM 1ADIMM 2BDIMM 2ADIMM 3BDIMM 3AMemory

512MB 1-way

1GB 1-way

2GB 1-way

512MB 512MB 2-way

1GB 1GB 2-way

2GB 2GB 2-way

512MB 512MB 512MB 512MB 2-way

1GB 1GB 1GB 1GB 2-way

2GB 2GB 2GB 2GB 2-way

512MB 512MB 512MB 512MB 512MB 512MB 2-way

Interleave

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DIMM 1BDIMM 1ADIMM 2BDIMM 2ADIMM 3BDIMM 3AMemory

1GB 1GB 1GB 1GB 1GB 1GB 2-way

2GB 2GB 2GB 2GB 2GB 2GB 2-way

Interleave

The minimum memory configuration is one DIMM, installed in DIMM
1B slot. However, for optimum performance and 2-way memory
interleave operation, two DIMMs with identical size should be
installed. DIMMs on memory channel A are paired with DIMMs on
memory channel B to configure 2-way memory interleave.

Both DIMM 1B and 1A must be populated before any DIMMs are
installed. DIMM 2B and DIMM 2A must be populated in pairs.

All DIMMs installed must be identical (same manufacturer, CAS latency,
number of rows, columns and devices, timing parameters, etc.).

Warning! Functionality issues may be encountered if mixed
memory types are installed on the same mainboard. DIMM
modules of identical type, banking and stacking technology, and
anufacturer should be installed in the Altos R710 system.

Memory configurations for the DDR2 DIMMs

The memory modules of identical type, banking, stacking and
manufacturer must be installed and removed in the following order:

• DIMM 1B and DIMM 1A

• DIMM 2B and DIMM 2A

• DIMM 3B and DIMM 3A

Altos R710 includes Memory Sparing and Mirroring support.
Thesefeatures prevent a single memory module failure to occur and
result ina system crash.

Important: Four DIMM population of completely identical devices
(two per channel) are required for memory mirroring and sparing
functionality (i.e., DIMM 1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B must be identical) .

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Memory sparing and mirroring configuration cannot be used
simultaneously.

4 Configuring the system

Memory Sparing

To provide a more fault tolerant system, Altos R710 includes
specialized hardware to support fail-over to a spare DIMM device in
the event that a primary DIMM in use exceeds a specified threshold of
runtime errors. One of the DIMMs installed per channel will not be
used, but kept in reserve. In the event of significant failures in a
particular DIMM, it and its corresponding partner in the other channel
(if applicable), will, over time, have its data copied over to the
spareDIMM(s) held in reserve. When all the data has been copied, the
reserve DIMM(s) will be put into service and the failing DIMM will be
removed from service. Only one sparing cycle is supported. If this
feature is not enabled, then all DIMMs will be visible in normal address
space.

Refer to "Memory Configuration Sub-menu Selections" on page 103
for more information about configuring the memory spare or mirror
parameter in the BIOS Setup utility.

Below table lists the suggested memory population for memory
sparing:

Memory Mirroring

The Memory Mirroring feature designates a channel, two DDR2 DIMM
slots, as spare memory and all system memory are sent to both mirrors
by the Intel E7520 MCH chipset. When an uncorrectable error occurs

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from the Primary mirror, the chipset will automatically replace the data
in the defective slot with data from the Secondary mirror.

Below table list the suggested memory population for memory
mirroring:

Power Supply

The Acer Altos R710 server used 700 watt 1 + 0 / 1+1 hot-swappable
redundant power supply. Default one power module installed.

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4 Configuring the system

Optional Hardware

Hard Disk Drives

The Altos R710 Server supports Ultra 320 SCSI, 10K or 15Krpm hard disk
drive options.

Intelligent Management Module

The Intelligent Management Module are available to provide
enhanced server management features.

• The Intelligent Management Module: contains a hardware
mezzanine card that plugs into the server board.

For installation instructions on installing the Intelligent Management
Module, see the instructions provided with the management module.

Upgrading the CPU

This section includes instructions for removing and installing a CPU.

Important! Always observe the ESD precautions when installing or
removing a system component. Refer to page 34.

Installing a CPU

1 Insert the CPU into the mainboard socket, making sure the

indicator on the processor is aligned with the indicator on the
socket(A). Lower the CPU locking lever to secure the processor (B).

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4 Configuring the system

2 Replace the heatsink over the CPU socket and tighten the four

corner screws .

3 Replace the system cover, making sure to observe the post-

installation instructions described on page 35.

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Removing a CPU

1 Remove the AC power cord from the server.
2 Remove the system cover. See “Removing the Chassis Cover” on

page 37.
3 Unplug the processor fan cable from the server board.
4 Loosen the four captive screws on the corners of the heat sink.
5 Twist the heat sink slightly to break the seal between the heat sink

and the processor. Lift the heat sink from the processor.
6 Locate and lift the CPU socket locking lever to release the

processor. Gently pull up on the processor to remove it.

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4 Configuring the system

Upgrading the system memory

To remove a DIMM

Before installing a new DIMM in a socket, remove first any previously
installed DIMM from that socket.

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

1 Observe the ESD precautions and pre-installation procedures

described on page 34.
2 Locate the DIMM sockets on the mainboard.
3 Press the holding clips on both sides of the socket outward to

release the DIMM .
4 Gently pull the DIMM upward to remove it from the socket .

Note: Place your forefingers on the top of the DIMM before
pressing the holding clips to gently disengage the DIMM from the
socket.

To install a DIMM

1 Observe the ESD precautions and pre-installation procedures

described on page 34.
2 Locate the DIMM sockets on the mainboard.
3 Open the clips on the socket.
4 Align and insert the DIMM into the socket .
5 Press the holding clips inward to lock the DIMM in place .

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Note: The DIMM socket 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.

6 Observe the post-installation instructions described on page 35.

Reconfiguring 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.

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4 Configuring the system

5 BIOS setup

This chapter gives information about the system BIOS
and discusses how to configure the system by
changing the settings of the BIOS parameters.

85

Before You Begin

Before working with your server product, pay close attention to the at
the beginning of this manual.

Tools and Supplies Needed

• Phillips* (cross head) screwdriver (#1 bit and #2 bit)

• Needle nosed pliers

• Antistatic wrist strap and conductive foam pad (recommended)

Installing and Removing Memory

The silkscreen on the board for the DIMMs displays DIMM1B,
DIMM1A, DIMM2B, DIMM2A, DIMM3B, DIMM3A starting from
the edge of the board. DIMM3A is the socket closest to the
processor socket.

The DIMMs being installed match the correct version of the server
board. DDR DIMMs will not physically fit into a server board designed
to support DDR2 DIMMs. DDR2 DIMMs will not physically fit into a
server board designed to support DDR DIMMs.

NOTE

RJ45 Serial Port Configuration

The RJ45 serial port connector can be configured to support either a
DSR signal or a DCD signal. As the server board is shipped, it is
configured to support DSR signals. To change the configuration to
support DCD signals a jumper on the board must be changed. Use the
following instructions to configure your server board to support DCD
signals.

1 Observe the safety and ESD precautions at the beginning of this

book.
2 Turn off all peripheral devices connected to the server. Turn off

the server.
3 Disconnect the AC power cord from the server.
4 Remove the server’s cover. See the documentation that

accompanied your server chassis for instructions on removing the

server’s cover.
5 Locate the jumper block for the serial port.

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5 BIOS setup

6 Move the jumper from the default position covering pins 1 and 3

to cover pins 2 and 4.

Replacing the Backup Battery

The lithium battery on the server board powers the RTC for up to 10
years in the absence of power. When the battery starts to weaken, it
loses voltage, and the server settings stored in CMOS RAM in the RTC
(for example, the date and time) may be wrong. Contact your
customer service representative or dealer for a list of approved devices.

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

1 Observe the safety and ESD precautions at the beginning of this

book.
2 Turn off all peripheral devices connected to the server. Turn off

the server.
3 Disconnect the AC power cord from the server.
4 Remove the server’s cover and locate the battery. See the

documentation that accompanied your server chassis for

instructions on removing the server’s cover.
5 Insert the tip of a small flat bladed screwdriver, or an equivalent,

under the tab in the plastic retainer. Gently push down on the

screwdriver to lift the battery.
6 Remove the battery from its socket.

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7 Dispose of the battery according to local ordinance.
8 Remove the new lithium battery from its package, and, being

careful to observe the correct polarity, insert it in the battery

socket.

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5 BIOS setup

9 Close the chassis.
10 Run Setup to restore the configuration settings to the RTC.