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Contents
1 About Your System......................................................................................................................8
Front-Panel Features And Indicators....................................................................................................................... 8
Home Screen....................................................................................................................................................12
Back-Panel Features And Indicators..................................................................................................................... 16
NIC Indicator Codes................................................................................................................................................17
Power Indicator Codes...........................................................................................................................................18
Other Information You May Need...........................................................................................................................19
2 Using The System Setup and Boot Manager....................................................................... 20
Choosing The System Boot Mode.......................................................................................................................... 20
Entering System Setup............................................................................................................................................21
Responding To Error Messages.......................................................................................................................21
Using The System Setup Navigation Keys.......................................................................................................21
System Setup Options.............................................................................................................................................21
System Setup Main Screen..............................................................................................................................22
System BIOS Screen........................................................................................................................................22
System Information Screen..............................................................................................................................22
SATA Settings Screen......................................................................................................................................25
Serial Communications Screen........................................................................................................................27
System Profile Settings Screen........................................................................................................................28
System Security Screen...................................................................................................................................29
System And Setup Password Features.................................................................................................................. 30
Assigning A System And/Or Setup Password..................................................................................................30
Deleting Or Changing An Existing System And/Or Setup Password................................................................31
Using Your System Password To Secure Your System....................................................................................32
Operating With A Setup Password Enabled.................................................................................................... 32
Entering The UEFI Boot Manager...........................................................................................................................32
Using The Boot Manager Navigation Keys......................................................................................................33
Embedded System Management............................................................................................................................34
Entering The iDRAC Settings Utility..................................................................................................................34
Changing The Thermal Settings.......................................................................................................................34
3 Installing System Components................................................................................................35
Front Bezel (Optional)............................................................................................................................................. 35
Removing The Front Bezel................................................................................................................................35
Installing The Front Bezel.................................................................................................................................36
Opening And Closing The System...........................................................................................................................36
Opening The System........................................................................................................................................ 36
Closing The System..........................................................................................................................................37
Inside The System...................................................................................................................................................37
Removing The Cooling Shroud.........................................................................................................................39
Installing The Cooling Shroud.......................................................................................................................... 40
System memory...................................................................................................................................................... 40
General Memory Module Installation Guidelines............................................................................................ 42
Hard Drives.............................................................................................................................................................49
Removing A 2.5 Inch Hard-Drive Blank............................................................................................................50
Installing A 2.5 Inch Hard-Drive Blank............................................................................................................. 50
Removing A 2.5 Inch Hard-Drive Blank (Back).................................................................................................50
Installing A 2.5 Inch Hard-Drive Blank (Back)..................................................................................................51
Removing A 3.5 Inch Hard-Drive Blank............................................................................................................51
Installing A 3.5 Inch Hard-Drive Blank............................................................................................................. 52
Removing A Hot-Swap Hard Drive...................................................................................................................52
Installing A Hot-Swap Hard Drive.................................................................................................................... 52
Removing A Hard Drive From A Hard-Drive Carrier.........................................................................................53
Installing A Hard Drive Into A Hard-Drive Carrier............................................................................................54
Removing The Optical Drive.............................................................................................................................54
Installing The Optical Drive..............................................................................................................................55
Removing A Cooling Fan...................................................................................................................................56
Installing A Cooling Fan....................................................................................................................................57
Removing The Cooling-Fan Assembly..............................................................................................................57
Installing The Cooling-Fan Assembly...............................................................................................................58
Internal USB Memory Key (Optional)..................................................................................................................... 58
Replacing The Internal USB Key......................................................................................................................59
Removing The PCIe Card Holder......................................................................................................................59
Installing The PCIe Card Holder.......................................................................................................................60
Opening And Closing The PCIe Card Holder Latch.......................................................................................... 61
Top Cover Lock Latch............................................................................................................................................. 61
Installing The Top Cover Lock Latch................................................................................................................61
Installing A GPU Card.......................................................................................................................................73
Removing A GPU Card......................................................................................................................................75
Replacing An SD vFlash Card...........................................................................................................................77
Removing The vFlash Media Unit.....................................................................................................................77
Installing The vFlash Media Unit......................................................................................................................78
Removing An Internal SD Card.........................................................................................................................81
Installing An Internal SD Card..........................................................................................................................81
Removing A Processor.....................................................................................................................................85
Installing A Processor......................................................................................................................................88
Power Supplies.......................................................................................................................................................90
Hot Spare Feature............................................................................................................................................ 90
Removing An AC Power Supply....................................................................................................................... 90
Installing An AC Power Supply........................................................................................................................ 91
Wiring Instructions For A DC Power Supply.................................................................................................... 92
Removing A DC Power Supply......................................................................................................................... 94
Installing A DC Power Supply.......................................................................................................................... 95
Removing The Power Supply Blank................................................................................................................. 96
Installing The Power Supply Blank.................................................................................................................. 96
System Battery....................................................................................................................................................... 96
Replacing The System Battery.........................................................................................................................96
Removing The Hard-Drive Backplane..............................................................................................................98
Installing The Hard-Drive Backplane.............................................................................................................111
Removing The Optional Hard-Drive Backplane (Back)..................................................................................112
Installing The Optional Hard-Drive Backplane (Back)...................................................................................114
Control Panel Board..............................................................................................................................................115
Removing The Control Panel (PowerEdge R720)............................................................................................115
Installing The Control Panel (PowerEdge R720).............................................................................................117
Removing The Control Panel (PowerEdge R720xd)........................................................................................117
Installing The Control Panel (PowerEdge R720xd).........................................................................................118
Removing The I/O Panel (PowerEdge R720xd)...............................................................................................119
Installing The I/O Panel (PowerEdge R720xd)................................................................................................120
System Board........................................................................................................................................................120
Removing The System Board.........................................................................................................................120
Installing The System Board.......................................................................................................................... 122
4 Troubleshooting Your System...............................................................................................124
Safety First—For You And Your System............................................................................................................... 124
Troubleshooting System Startup Failure.............................................................................................................. 124
Troubleshooting The Video Subsystem................................................................................................................124
Troubleshooting A USB Device............................................................................................................................ 124
Troubleshooting A Serial I/O Device.................................................................................................................... 125
Troubleshooting A NIC..........................................................................................................................................125
Troubleshooting A Wet System............................................................................................................................125
Troubleshooting A Damaged System................................................................................................................... 126
Troubleshooting The System Battery................................................................................................................... 127
Troubleshooting Power Supplies..........................................................................................................................127
Troubleshooting System Memory.........................................................................................................................128
Troubleshooting An Internal USB Key..................................................................................................................129
Troubleshooting An SD Card................................................................................................................................ 129
Troubleshooting An Optical Drive.........................................................................................................................130
Troubleshooting A Tape Backup Unit...................................................................................................................130
Troubleshooting A Hard Drive.............................................................................................................................. 130
Troubleshooting A Storage Controller..................................................................................................................131
Dell Embedded System Diagnostics.....................................................................................................................134
When To Use The Embedded System Diagnostics........................................................................................134
Running The Embedded System Diagnostics.................................................................................................135
System Diagnostic Controls........................................................................................................................... 135
6 Jumpers And Connectors......................................................................................................136
System Board Jumper Settings............................................................................................................................136
System Board Connectors....................................................................................................................................137
Disabling A Forgotten Password.......................................................................................................................... 139
System Error Messages........................................................................................................................................146
Figure 1. Front-Panel Features and Indicators (3.5 Inch Chassis)—PowerEdge R720
1
Figure 2. Front-Panel Features and Indicators (2.5 Inch Chassis)—PowerEdge R720
ItemIndicator, Button, or
Connector
1Power-on indicator, power
button
2NMI button
3System identification buttonThe identification buttons on the front and back panels
8
IconDescription
The power-on indicator lights when the system power is
on. The power button controls the power supply output to
the system.
NOTE: On ACPI-compliant operating systems, turning
off the system using the power button causes the
system to perform a graceful shutdown before
power to the system is turned off.
Used to troubleshoot software and device driver errors
when running certain operating systems. This button can
be pressed using the end of a paper clip.
Use this button only if directed to do so by qualified
support personnel or by the operating system's
documentation.
can be used to locate a particular system within a rack.
When one of these buttons is pressed, the LCD panel on
ItemIndicator, Button, or
Connector
4Video connectorAllows you to connect a VGA display to the system.
5LCD menu buttonsAllows you to navigate the control panel LCD menu.
6Information tagA slide-out label panel which allows you to record system
7LCD panelDisplays system ID, status information, and system error
IconDescription
the front and the system status indicator on the back
flashes until one of the buttons is pressed again.
Press to toggle the system ID on and off.
If the system stops responding during POST, press and
hold the system ID button for more than five seconds to
enter BIOS progress mode.
To reset iDRAC (if not disabled in F2 iDRAC setup) press
and hold the button for more than 15 seconds.
information such as Service Tag, NIC, MAC address and
so on as per your need.
messages. The LCD lights blue during normal system
operation. The LCD lights amber when the system needs
attention, and the LCD panel displays an error code
followed by descriptive text.
NOTE: If the system is connected to a power source
and an error is detected, the LCD lights amber
regardless of whether the system is turned on or off.
8Optical drive (optional)One optional SATA DVD-ROM drive or DVD+/-RW drive.
9Hard drives
10vFlash media card slotAllows you to insert a vFlash media card.
11USB connectors (2)Allows you to connect USB devices to the system. The
3.5 inch hard
drive systems
2.5 inch hard
drive systems
ports are USB 2.0-compliant.
Up to eight 3.5 inch hotswappable drives.
Up to sixteen 2.5 inch hotswappable hard drives.
NOTE: In systems
supporting Dell PowerEdge
Express Flash devices (PCIe
SSDs), hard-drive slots 0
through 3 in hard-drive bay
2 support only PCIe SSDs.
Hard-drive bay 3 does not
support any hard drives and
is installed with a hard-drive
blank.
9
ItemIndicator, Button, or
IconDescription
Connector
12Tape drive slot (optional)One optional 3.5 inch tape backup unit.
Figure 3. Front-Panel Features and Indicators (3.5 Inch Chassis)—PowerEdge R720xd
Figure 4. Front-Panel Features and Indicators (2.5 Inch Chassis)—PowerEdge R720xd
ItemIndicator, Button, or
IconDescription
Connector
1Diagnostic indicatorsThe diagnostic indicators light up to display error status.
2System identification buttonThe identification buttons on the front and back panels
can be used to locate a particular system within a rack.
When one of these buttons is pressed, the system status
indicator on the back flashes until one of the buttons is
pressed again.
Press to toggle the system ID on and off.
If the system stops responding during POST, press and
hold the system ID button for more than five seconds to
enter BIOS progress mode.
To reset the iDRAC (if not disabled in F2 iDRAC setup)
press and hold the button for more than 15 seconds.
3Power-on indicator, power
button
The power-on indicator lights when the system power is
on. The power button controls the power supply output to
the system.
NOTE: On ACPI-compliant operating systems, turning
off the system using the power button causes the
system to perform a graceful shutdown before
power to the system is turned off.
10
ItemIndicator, Button, or
Connector
4NMI buttonUsed to troubleshoot software and device driver errors
5Hard drives
IconDescription
when running certain operating systems. This button can
be pressed using the end of a paper clip.
Use this button only if directed to do so by qualified
support personnel or by the operating system's
documentation.
3.5 inch hard
drive systems
Up to twelve 3.5 inch hotswappable hard drives.
2.5 inch hard
drive systems
6Video connectorAllows you to connect a VGA display to the system.
7USB connectorAllows you to connect USB devices to the system. The
port is USB 2.0-compliant.
8Information tagA slide-out label panel which allows you to record system
information such as Service Tag, NIC, MAC address, and
so on as per your need.
Up to twenty-four 2.5 inch hotswappable hard drives.
LCD Panel Features
NOTE: The LCD panel is present only on PowerEdge R720.
The system's LCD panel provides system information and status and error messages to indicate when the system is
operating correctly or when the system needs attention. See System Error Messages for information about specific
error codes.
•The LCD backlight lights blue during normal operating conditions and lights amber to indicate an error condition.
•The LCD backlight is off when the system is in standby mode and can be turned on by pressing either the Select,
Left, or Right button on the LCD panel.
•The LCD backlight remains off if LCD messaging is turned off through the iDRAC utility, the LCD panel, or other tools.
Figure 5. LCD Panel Features
11
ItemButtonDescription
1LeftMoves the cursor back in one-step
increments.
2SelectSelects the menu item highlighted by
the cursor.
3RightMoves the cursor forward in one-step
increments.
During message scrolling:
•Press once to increase scrolling
speed
•Press again to stop
•Press again to return to default
scrolling speed
•Press again to repeat the cycle
Home Screen
The Home screen displays user-configurable information about the system. This screen is displayed during normal
system operation when there are no status messages or errors. When the system is in standby mode, the LCD backlight
turns off after five minutes of inactivity if there are no error messages. Press one of the three navigation buttons (Select,
Left, or Right) to view the Home screen.
To navigate to the Home screen from another menu, continue to select the up arrow until the Home icon is
displayed, and then select the Home icon.
From the Home screen, press the Select button to enter the main menu.
Setup Menu
NOTE: When you select an option in the Setup menu, you must confirm the option before proceeding to the next
action.
OptionDescription
iDRACSelect DHCP or Static IP to configure the network mode. If Static IP is selected, the available
fields are IP, Subnet (Sub), and Gateway (Gtw). Select Setup DNS to enable DNS and to view
domain addresses. Two separate DNS entries are available.
Set errorSelect SEL to display LCD error messages in a format that matches the IPMI description in the
SEL. This is useful when trying to match an LCD message with an SEL entry.
Select Simple to display LCD error messages in a simplified user-friendly description. See
System Error Messages for a list of messages in this format.
Set homeSelect the default information to be displayed on the LCD Home screen. See View Menu to see
the options and option items that can be set as the default on the Home screen.
View Menu
NOTE: When you select an option in the View menu, you must confirm the option before proceeding to the next
action.
12
OptionDescription
iDRAC IPDisplays the IPv4 or IPv6 addresses for the iDRAC7. Addresses include DNS (Primary and
Secondary), Gateway, IP, and Subnet (IPv6 does not have Subnet).
MACDisplays the MAC addresses for iDRAC, iSCSI, or Network devices.
NameDisplays the name of the Host, Model, or User String for the system
NumberDisplays the Asset tag or the Service tag for the system.
PowerDisplays the power output of the system in BTU/hr or Watts. The display format can be
configured in the Set home submenu of the Setup menu.
TemperatureDisplays the temperature of the system in Celsius or Fahrenheit. The display format can be
configured in the Set home submenu of the Setup menu.
Diagnostic Indicators
NOTE: The diagnostic indicators are present only on PowerEdge R720xd.
The diagnostic indicators on the system front panel display error status during system startup.
NOTE: No diagnostic indicators are lit when the system is switched off. To start the system, plug it into a working
power source and press the power button.
The following section describes system conditions and possible corrective actions associated with these indicators:
Health indicator
ConditionCorrective Action
If the system is on,
and in good health,
the indicator lights
solid blue.
The indicator blinks
amber if the system
is on or in standby,
and any error exists
(for example, a failed
fan or hard drive)
Hard-drive indicator
ConditionCorrective Action
The indicator blinks
amber if a hard drive
experiences an
error.
None required.
See the System Event Log or system messages for the specific issue.
Invalid memory configurations can cause the system to halt at
startup without any video output. See Getting Help.
See the System Event Log to determine the hard drive that has an
error. Run the appropriate Online Diagnostics test. Restart system
and run embedded diagnostics (ePSA). If the hard drives are
configured in a RAID array, restart the system and enter the host
adapter configuration utility program.
13
Electrical indicator
ConditionCorrective Action
The indicator blinks
amber if the system
experiences an
electrical error (for
example, voltage out
of range, or a failed
power supply or
voltage regulator).
Temperature indicator
ConditionCorrective Action
The indicator blinks
amber if the system
experiences a
thermal error (for
example, a
temperature out of
range or fan failure).
Memory indicator
See the System Event Log or system messages for the specific issue.
If it is due to a problem with the power supply, check the LED on the
power supply. Re-seat the power supply by removing and reinstalling
it. If the problem persists, see Getting Help.
Ensure that none of the following conditions exist:
•A cooling fan is removed or has failed.
•System cover, cooling shroud, EMI filler panel, memory-module
blank, or back-filler bracket is removed.
•Ambient temperature is too high.
•External airflow is obstructed.
See Getting Help.
ConditionCorrective Action
The indicator blinks
amber if a memory
error occurs.
PCIe indicator
ConditionCorrective Action
The indicator blinks
amber if a PCIe card
experiences an
error.
14
See the system event log or system messages for the location of the
failed memory. Reinstall the memory device. If the problem persists,
see Getting Help.
Restart the system. Update any required drivers for the PCIe card.
Re-install the card. If the problem persists, see Getting Help.
Hard-Drive Indicator Patterns
Figure 6. Hard-Drive Indicators
1.hard-drive activity indicator (green)2.hard-drive status indicator (green and amber)
NOTE: If the hard drive is in Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) mode, the status indicator (on the right
side) does not function and remains off.
Drive-Status
Indicator Pattern
(RAID Only)
Blinks green two
times per second
OffDrive ready for insertion or removal
Blinks green, amber,
and off
Blinks amber four
times per second
Blinks green slowlyDrive rebuilding
Steady greenDrive online
Blinks green three
seconds, amber three
seconds, and off six
seconds
Condition
Identifying drive or preparing for removal
NOTE: The drive status indicator remains off until all hard drives are initialized after the
system is turned on. Drives are not ready for insertion or removal during this time.
Predicted drive failure
Drive failed
Rebuild aborted
15
Back-Panel Features And Indicators
Figure 7. Back-Panel Features and Indicators—PowerEdge R720
Figure 8. Back-Panel Features and Indicators—PowerEdge R720xd
ItemIndicator, Button, or
Connector
1System identification buttonThe identification buttons on the front and back panels
2System identification
connector
IconDescription
can be used to locate a particular system within a rack.
PowerEdge R720When one of these buttons is
PowerEdge
R720xd
Press to toggle the system ID on and off.
If the system stops responding during POST, press and
hold the system ID button for more than five seconds to
enter BIOS progress mode.
To reset iDRAC (if not disabled in F2 iDRAC setup) press
and hold the button for more than 15 seconds.
Connects the optional system status indicator assembly
through the optional cable management arm.
pressed, the LCD panel on the
front and the system status
indicator on the back flashes
until one of the buttons is
pressed again.
When one of these buttons is
pressed, the system status
indicator on the back flashes
until one of the buttons is
pressed again.
3iDRAC7 Enterprise portDedicated management port.
NOTE: The port is available for use only if the iDRAC7
Enterprise license is installed on your system.
16
ItemIndicator, Button, or
Connector
IconDescription
4PCIe expansion card slots
low–profile (3)
5Serial connectorAllows you to connect a serial device to the system.
6Video connectorAllows you to connect a VGA display to the system.
7USB connectors (2)Allows you to connect USB devices to the system. The
8Ethernet connectorsFour integrated 10/100/1000 Mbps NIC connectors
9PCIe expansion card slots
full height (4) (PowerEdge
R720)
PCIe expansion card slots
full height (3) (PowerEdge
R720xd)
10Power supply (PSU1)
11Power supply (PSU2)
Allows you to connect up to three PCI Express expansion
cards.
ports are USB 2.0-compliant.
or
Four integrated connectors that include:
•Two 10/100/1000 Mbps NIC connectors
•Two 100 Mbps/1 Gbps/10 Gbps SFP+/10 GbE T
connectors
Allows you to connect up to four full-height PCI Express
expansion cards.
Allows you to connect up to three full-height PCI Express
expansion cards.
AC495 W, 750 W, or 1100 W
or
DC750 W, or 1100 W
12Hard drives (2) (back)Up to two hot-swappable 2.5 inch hard drives.
13vFlash media card slotAllows you to insert a vFlash media card.
NIC Indicator Codes
Figure 9. NIC Indicator
link indicator2.activity indicator
1.
17
IndicatorIndicator Code
Link and activity
indicators are off
Link indicator is
green
Link indicator is
amber
Activity indicator is
blinking green
The NIC is not connected to the network.
The NIC is connected to a valid network at its maximum port speed (1 Gbps or 10 Gbps).
The NIC is connected to a valid network at less than its maximum port speed.
Network data is being sent or received.
Power Indicator Codes
Each AC power supply has an illuminated translucent handle and each DC power supply (when available) has an LED
that serves as an indicator to show whether power is present or whether a power fault has occurred.
Figure 10. AC Power Supply Status Indicator
1.AC power supply status indicator/handle
Figure 11. DC Power Supply Status Indicator
1.
DC power supply status indicator
18
Power Indicator
Pattern
Not litPower is not connected.
GreenThe handle/LED indicator lights green indicating that a valid power source is connected to the
Flashing amberIndicates a problem with the power supply.
Flashing greenWhen hot-adding a power supply, this indicates that the power supply is mismatched with the
Condition
power supply and that the power supply is operational.
CAUTION: When correcting a power supply mismatch, replace only the power supply
with the flashing indicator. Swapping the opposite power supply to make a matched pair
can result in an error condition and unexpected system shutdown. To change from a High
Output configuration to a Low Output configuration or vice versa, you must power down
the system.
CAUTION: AC power supplies support both 220 V and 110 V input voltages with the
exception of Titanium power supplies, which support only 220 V. When two identical
power supplies receive different input voltages, they can output different wattages, and
trigger a mismatch.
CAUTION: If two power supplies are used, they must be of the same type and have the
same maximum output power.
CAUTION: Combining AC and DC power supplies is not supported and triggers a
mismatch.
other power supply (in terms of efficiency, feature set, health status, and supported voltage).
Replace the power supply that has the flashing indicator with a power supply that matches the
capacity of the other installed power supply.
Other Information You May Need
WARNING: See the safety and regulatory information that shipped with your system. Warranty information may be
included within this document or as a separate document.
•The
Getting Started Guide
document is available online at dell.com/support/manuals.
•The rack documentation included with your rack solution describes how to install your system into a rack, if
required.
•Any media that ships with your system that provides documentation and tools for configuring and managing your
system, including those pertaining to the operating system, system management software, system updates, and
system components that you purchased with your system.
•For the full name of an abbreviation or acronym used in this document, see the Glossary at dell.com/support/
manuals.
NOTE: Always check for updates on dell.com/support/manuals and read the updates first because they often
supersede information in other documents.
provides an overview of setting up your system, and technical specifications. This
19
Using The System Setup and Boot Manager
System Setup enables you to manage your system hardware and specify BIOS-level options.
The following keystrokes provide access to system features during startup:
2
Keystroke
<F2>
<F10>
<F11>
<F12>
From the System Setup, you can:
•Change the NVRAM settings after you add or remove hardware
•View the system hardware configuration
•Enable or disable integrated devices
•Set performance and power management thresholds
•Manage system security
You can access the System Setup using the:
Description
Opens the System Setup page.
Enters System Services and starts Lifecycle Controller,
which supports systems management features such as
operating system deployment, hardware diagnostics,
firmware updates, and platform configuration, using a
graphical user interface. The feature set available in
Lifecycle Controller is determined by the iDRAC license
purchased. For more information, see Related
Documentation topic.
Enters the BIOS Boot Manager or the Unified Extensible
Firmware Interface (UEFI) Boot Manager, depending on
the system's boot configuration.
Starts Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) boot.
•Standard graphical browser, which is enabled by default
•Text browser, which is enabled using Console Redirection
To enable Console Redirection, in System Setup, select System BIOS → Serial Communication screen → Serial
Communication, select On with Console Redirection.
NOTE: By default, help text for the selected field is displayed in the graphical browser. To view the help text in the
text browser, press <F1>.
Choosing The System Boot Mode
System Setup enables you to specify the boot mode for installing your operating system:
•BIOS boot mode (the default) is the standard BIOS-level boot interface.
•UEFI boot mode is an enhanced 64-bit boot interface based on Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)
specifications that overlays the system BIOS.
20
You must select the boot mode in the Boot Mode field of the Boot Settings screen of System Setup. Once you specify the
boot mode, the system boots in the specified boot mode and you then proceed to install your operating system from that
mode. Thereafter, you must boot the system in the same boot mode (BIOS or UEFI) to access the installed operating
system. Trying to boot the operating system from the other boot mode will cause the system to halt at startup.
NOTE: Operating systems must be UEFI-compatible to be installed from the UEFI boot mode. DOS and 32-bit
operating systems do not support UEFI and can only be installed from the BIOS boot mode.
NOTE: For the latest information on supported operating systems, go to dell.com/ossupport.
Entering System Setup
1.Turn on or restart your system.
2.Press <F2> immediately after you see the following message:
<F2> = System Setup
If your operating system begins to load before you press <F2>, allow the system to finish booting, and then restart
your system and try again.
Responding To Error Messages
If an error message is displayed while the system is booting, make a note of the message. For more information, see
System Error Messages.
NOTE: After installing a memory upgrade, it is normal for your system to display a message the first time you start
your system.
Using The System Setup Navigation Keys
KeysAction
Up arrowMoves to the previous field.
Down arrow Moves to the next field.
<Enter>Allows you to type in a value in the selected field (if applicable) or follow the link in the field.
SpacebarExpands or collapses a drop-down menu, if applicable.
<Tab>Moves to the next focus area.
NOTE: For the standard graphics browser only.
<Esc>Moves to the previous page till you view the main screen. Pressing <Esc> in the main screen
displays a message that prompts you to save any unsaved changes and restarts the system.
<F1>Displays the System Setup help file.
NOTE: For most of the options, any changes that you make are recorded but do not take
effect until you restart the system.
System Setup Options
21
System Setup Main Screen
NOTE: Press <Alt><F> to reset the BIOS or UEFI settings to their default settings.
Menu ItemDescription
System BIOSThis option is used to view and configure BIOS settings.
iDRAC SettingsThis option is used to view and configure iDRAC settings.
Device SettingsThis option is used to view and configure device settings.
System BIOS Screen
NOTE: The options for System Setup change based on the system configuration.
NOTE: System Setup defaults are listed under their respective options in the following sections, where applicable.
Menu ItemDescription
System InformationDisplays information about the system such as the system model name, BIOS version, Service
Tag, and so on.
Memory SettingsDisplays information and options related to installed memory.
Processor SettingsDisplays information and options related to the processor such as speed, cache size, and so
on.
SATA SettingsDisplays options to enable or disable the integrated SATA controller and ports.
NOTE: This setting is not available on the PowerEdge R720xd.
Boot SettingsDisplays options to specify the boot mode (BIOS or UEFI). Enables you to modify UEFI and BIOS
boot settings.
Integrated DevicesDisplays options to enable or disable integrated device controllers and ports, and to specify
related features and options.
Serial Communication Displays options to enable or disable the serial ports and specify related features and options.
System Profile
Settings
System SecurityDisplays options to configure the system security settings like, system password, setup
Miscellaneous
Settings
Displays options to change the processor power management settings, memory frequency,
and so on.
password, TPM security, and so on. It also enables or disables support for local BIOS update,
the power and NMI buttons on the system.
Displays options to change the system date, time, and so on.
System Information Screen
Menu Item
System Model NameDisplays the system model name.
Description
22
Menu ItemDescription
System BIOS Version Displays the BIOS version installed on the system.
System Service TagDisplays the system Service Tag.
System Manufacturer Displays the name of the system manufacturer.
System Manufacturer
Contact Information
Displays the contact information of the system manufacturer.
Memory settings screen
Menu ItemDescription
System Memory SizeDisplays the amount of memory installed in the system.
System Memory Type Displays the type of memory installed in the system.
System Memory
Speed
System Memory
Voltage
Video MemoryDisplays the amount of video memory.
System Memory
Testing
Memory Operating
Mode
Displays the system memory speed.
Displays the system memory voltage.
Specifies whether system memory tests are run during system boot. Options are Enabled and
Disabled. By default, the System Memory Testing option is set to Disabled.
Specifies the memory operating mode. The options available are Optimizer Mode, Advanced
ECC Mode, Mirror Mode, Spare Mode, Spare with Advanced ECC Mode, and Dell Fault
Resilient Mode. By default, the Memory Operating Mode option is set to Optimizer Mode.
NOTE: The Memory Operating Mode can have different defaults and available options
based on the memory configuration of your system.
NOTE: The Dell Fault Resilient Mode establishes an area of memory that is fault resilient.
This mode can be used by an operating system that supports the feature to load critical
applications or enables the operating system kernel to maximize system availability.
Node InterleavingIf this field is Enabled, memory interleaving is supported if a symmetric memory configuration is
installed. If Disabled, the system supports Non-Uniform Memory architecture (NUMA)
(asymmetric) memory configurations. By default, Node Interleaving option is set to Disabled.
Serial Debug OutputBy default, it is set to disabled.
Processor Settings Screen
Menu ItemDescription
Logical ProcessorAllows you to enable or disable logical processors and display the number of logical
processors. If the Logical Processor option is set to Enabled, the BIOS displays all the logical
processors. If this option is set to Disabled, the BIOS only displays one logical processor per
core. By default, the Logical Processor option is set to Enabled.
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Menu ItemDescription
QPI SpeedAllows you to set the QuickPath Interconnect data rate settings. By default, the QPI Speed
option is set to Maximum data rate.
NOTE: The QPI speed option displays only when both the processors are installed.
Alternate RTID
(Requestor
Transaction ID)
Setting
Virtualization
Technology
Adjacent Cache Line
Prefetch
Hardware Prefetcher Allows you to enable or disable hardware prefetcher. By default, the Hardware Prefetcher
DCU Streamer
Prefetcher
DCU IP PrefetcherAllows you to enable or disable Data Cache Unit IP prefetcher. By default, the DCU IP
Execute DisableAllows you enable or disable execute disable memory protection technology. By default, the
Logical Processor
Idling
Dell Controlled Turbo Helps in controlling Turbo engagement. By default, the option is set to Disabled. This feature is
Allows you to allocate more RTIDs to the remote socket increasing cache performance
between the sockets or work in normal mode for NUMA. By default, the Alternate RTID
(Requestor Transaction ID) Setting is set to Disabled.
Allows you to enable or disable the additional hardware capabilities provided for virtualization.
By default, the Virtualization Technology option is set to Enabled.
Allows you to optimize the system for applications that require high utilization of sequential
memory access. By default, the Adjacent Cache Line Prefetch option is set to Enabled. You can
disable this option for applications that require high utilization of random memory access.
option is set to Enabled.
Allows you to enable or disable Data Cache Unit streamer prefetcher. By default, the DCU
Streamer Prefetcher option is set to Enabled.
Prefetcher option is set to Enabled.
Execute Disable option is set to Enabled.
Allows you to enable or disable the OS capability to put logical processors in the idling state in
order to reduce power consumption. By default, the option is set to Disabled.
also referred to as Dell Processor Acceleration Technology (DPAT).
Number of Cores per
Processor
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NOTE: This option is available only on systems installed with an E5-2690 or E5-2600 V2
Xeon series processor and support Turbo. Enable Turbo Boost under System Profile
Settings and set the System Profile to Performance mode when utilizing this
feature. Enabling Dell Controlled Turbo will force fans to run at maximum R.P.M.
NOTE: DPAT works when DPAT is enabled in BIOS setup and either one of the following
settings is available:
•System Profile is set to Maximum Performance. This automatically enables Turbo
mode.
•System Profile is set to Custom and CPU Power Management is set to Maximum
Performance and Turbo is enabled.
NOTE: When DPAT is disabled, fan offset speed does not change and remains high. Set
Fan offset to normal on the iDRAC Thermal Settings page.
Allows you to control the number of enabled cores in each processor. By default, the Number
of Cores per Processor option is set to All.
Menu ItemDescription
Processor 64-bit
Support
Processor Core
Speed
Processor Bus Speed Displays the bus speed of the processors.
Processor 1
Family-ModelStepping
BrandDisplays the brand name reported by the processor.
Level 2 CacheDisplays the total L2 cache.
Level 3 CacheDisplays the total L3 cache.
Number of CoresDisplays the number of cores per processor.
Specifies if the processor(s) support 64-bit extensions.
Displays the maximum core frequency of the processor.
NOTE: The processor bus speed option displays only when both the processors are
installed.
NOTE: The following settings are displayed for each processor installed in the system.
Displays the family, model and stepping of the processor as defined by Intel.
SATA Settings Screen
Menu ItemDescription
Embedded SATAAllows the embedded SATA to be set to Off, ATA, AHCI, or RAID mode. By default, Embedded
SATA is set to AHCI Mode.
Port AAuto enables BIOS support for the device attached to SATA port A. By default, Port A is set to
Auto.
Port BAuto enables BIOS support for the device attached to SATA port B. By default, Port B is set to
Auto.
Port CAuto enables BIOS support for the device attached to SATA port C. By default, Port C is set to
Auto.
Port DAuto enables BIOS support for the device attached to SATA port D. By default, Port D is set to
Auto.
Port EAuto enables BIOS support for the device attached to SATA port E. By default, Port E is set to
Auto.
Port FAuto enables BIOS support for the device attached to SATA port F. By default, Port F is set to
Auto.
NOTE
: Ports A, B, C, and D are used for the backplane drives, port E for the optical drive (CD/DVD), and port F for
the tape drive.
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Boot Settings Screen
Menu ItemDescription
Boot ModeAllows you to set the boot mode of the system.
CAUTION: Switching the boot mode may prevent the system from booting if the operating
system is not installed in the same boot mode.
If the operating system supports UEFI, you can set this option to UEFI. Setting this field to BIOS
allows compatibility with non-UEFI operating systems. By default, the Boot Mode option is set
to BIOS.
NOTE: Setting this field to UEFI disables BIOS Boot Settings menu. Setting this field to
BIOS disables the UEFI Boot Settings menu.
Boot Sequence Retry Allows you to enable or disable the boot sequence retry feature. If this field is enabled and the
system fails to boot, the system reattempts the boot sequence after 30 seconds. By default, the
Boot Sequence Retry option is set to Disabled.
BIOS Boot SettingsAllows you to enable or disable BIOS Boot options.
NOTE: This option is enabled only if the boot mode is BIOS.
UEFI Boot SettingsAllows you to enable or disable UEFI Boot options. The Boot options include IPv4 PXE and IPv6
PXE. By default, the UEFI PXE boot protocol is set to IPv4.
NOTE: This option is enabled only if the boot mode is UEFI.
One-Time BootAllows you to enable or disable a one-time boot from a selected device.
Integrated devices screen
Menu ItemDescription
Integrated RAID
Controller
User Accessible USB
Ports
Internal USB PortAllows you to enable or disable the internal USB port. By default, the Internal USB Port option
Internal SD Card Port Enables or disables the system’s internal SD card port. By default, Internal SD Card Port option
Internal SD Card
Redundancy
Allows you to enable or disable the integrated RAID controller. By default, the Integrated RAID
Controller option is set to Enabled.
Allows you enable or disable the user accessible USB ports. Selecting Only Back Ports On
disables the front USB ports and selecting All Ports Off disables both front and back USB ports.
By default, the User Accessible USB Ports option is set to All Ports On.
is set to On.
is set to On.
NOTE: This option is displayed only if IDSDM is installed on the system board.
If set to Mirror mode, data is written on both SD cards. If any one of the SD card fails, data is
written to the active SD card. Data from this card is copied to the replacement SD card at the
next boot. By default, Internal SD Card Redundancy option is set to Mirror.
26
Menu ItemDescription
NOTE: This option is displayed only if IDSDM is installed on the system board.
Integrated Network
Card 1
OS Watchdog TimerAllows you to enable or disable the OS watchdog timer. When this field is enabled, the
Embedded Video
Controller
SR-IOV Global Enable Allows you to enable or disable the BIOS configuration of Single Root I/O Virtualization (SR-
Slot DisablementAllows you to enable or disable available PCIe slots on your system. The Slot Disablement
Memory Mapped I/O
above 4 GB
Allows you to enable or disable the integrated network card 1. By default, the Integrated
Network Card 1 option is set to Enabled.
operating system initializes the timer and the OS watchdog timer helps in recovering the
operating system. By default, the OS Watchdog Timer option is set to Disabled.
Allows you to enable or disable the Embedded Video Controller. By default, the embedded
video controller is Enabled.
IOV) devices. By default, the SR-IOV Global Enable option is set to Disabled.
feature controls the configuration of PCIe cards installed in the specified slot.
CAUTION: Slot disablement must be used only when the installed peripheral card is
preventing booting into the Operating System or causing delays in system startup. If the
slot is disabled, both the Option ROM and UEFI driver are disabled.
Allows you to enable support for PCIe devices that require large amounts of memory. By
default, the option is set to Enabled.
Serial Communications Screen
Menu ItemDescription
Serial Communication Allows you to select serial communication devices (Serial Device 1 and Serial Device 2) in the
BIOS. BIOS console redirection can also be enabled and the port address can be specified. By
default, Serial Communication option is set to On without Console Redirection.
Serial Port AddressAllows you to set the port address for serial devices. By default, the Serial Port Address option
is set to Serial Device 1=COM2, Serial Device 2=COM1.
NOTE: Only Serial Device 2 can be used for Serial Over LAN (SOL). To use console
redirection by SOL, configure the same port address for console redirection and the serial
device.
External Serial
Connector
Failsafe Baud RateDisplays the failsafe baud rate for console redirection. The BIOS attempts to determine the
Remote Terminal
Type
Allows you to associate the external serial connector to serial device 1, serial device 2, or
remote access device. By default, the External Serial Connector option is set to Serial Device1.
NOTE: Only Serial Device 2 can be used for SOL. To use console redirection by SOL,
configure the same port address for console redirection and the serial device.
baud rate automatically. This failsafe baud rate is used only if the attempt fails and the value
must not be changed. By default, the Failsafe Baud Rate option is set to 11520.
Allows you to set the remote console terminal type. By default, the Remote Terminal Type
option is set to VT 100/VT 220.
27
Menu ItemDescription
Redirection After
Boot
Allows you to enable or disable to the BIOS console redirection when the operating system is
loaded. By default, the Redirection After Boot option is set to Enabled.
System Profile Settings Screen
Menu ItemDescription
System ProfileAllows you to set the system profile. If you set the System Profile option to a mode other than
Custom, the BIOS automatically sets the rest of the options. You can only change the rest of the
options if the mode is set to Custom. By default, the System Profile option is set to Performance
Per Watt Optimized (DAPC). DAPC is Dell Active Power Controller.
NOTE: The following parameters are available only when the System Profile is set to
Custom.
CPU Power
Management
Memory FrequencyAllows you to set the memory frequency. By default, the Memory Frequency option is set to
Turbo BoostAllows you to enable or disable the processor to operate in turbo boost mode. By default, the
C1EAllows you to enable or disable the processor to switch to a minimum performance state when
Allows you to set the CPU power management. By default, the CPU Power Management option
is set to System DBPM (DAPC). DBPM is Demand-Based Power Management.
Maximum Performance.
Turbo Boost option is set to Enabled.
it is idle. By default, the C1E option is set to Enabled.
C StatesAllows you to enable or disable the processor to operate in all available power states. By
default, the C States option is set to Enabled.
Monitor/MwaitAllows you to enable Monitor/Mwait instructions in the processor. By default, the Monitor/
Mwait option is set to Enabled for all system profiles, except Custom.
NOTE: This option can be disabled only if the C States option in Custom mode is disabled.
NOTE: When C States is enabled in Custom mode, changing the Monitor/Mwait setting
does not impact system power/performance.
Memory Patrol Scrub Allows you to set the memory patrol scrub frequency. By default, the Memory Patrol Scrub
option is set to Standard.
Memory Refresh Rate Allows you to set the memory refresh rate. By default, the Memory Refresh Rate option is set to
1x.
Memory Operating
Voltage
Collaborative CPU
Performance Control
Allows you to set the DIMM voltage selection. When set to Auto, the system automatically sets
the system voltage to the optimal setting based on the DIMM capacity and the number of
DIMMs installed. By default, the Memory Operating Voltage option is set to Auto.
When set to Enabled, the CPU power management is controlled by the OS DBPM and the
System DBPM (DAPC). By default, the option is set to Disabled.
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System Security Screen
Menu ItemDescription
Intel AES-NIImproves the speed of applications by performing encryption and decryption using the
Advanced Encryption Standard Instruction Set and is set to Enabled by default.
System PasswordAllows you to set the system password. This option is set to Enabled by default and is read-only
if the password jumper is not installed in the system.
Setup PasswordAllows you to set the setup password. This option is read-only if the password jumper is not
installed in the system.
Password StatusAllows you to lock the system password. By default, the Password Status option is set to
Unlocked.
TPM SecurityAllows you to control the reporting mode of the Trusted Platform Module (TPM). By default, the
TPM Security option is set to Off. You can only modify the TPM Status, TPM Activation , and
Intel TXT fields if the TPM Status field is set to either On with Pre-boot Measurements or On
without Pre-boot Measurements.
TPM ActivationAllows you to change the operational state of the TPM. By default, the TPM Activation option is
set to No Change.
TPM StatusDisplays the TPM status.
TPM Clear
Intel TXTAllows you to enable or disable Intel Trusted Execution Technology (TXT). To enable Intel TXT,
BIOS Update ControlAllows you to update the BIOS using either DOS or UEFI shell-based flash utilities. For
Power ButtonAllows you to enable or disable the power button on the front of the system. By default, the
NMI ButtonAllows you to enable or disable the NMI button on the front of the system. By default, the NMI
AC Power RecoveryAllows you to set how the system reacts after AC power is restored to the system. By default,
AC Power Recovery
Delay
User Defined Delay
(60s to 240s)
CAUTION: Clearing the TPM results in the loss of all keys in the TPM. The loss of TPM
keys may affect booting to the operating system.
Allows you to clear all the contents of the TPM. By default, the TPM Clear option is set to No.
Virtualization Technology must be enabled and TPM Security must be Enabled with Pre-boot
measurements. By default, the Intel TXT option is set to Off.
environments that do not require local BIOS updates, it is recommended to set this option to
Disabled. By default, the BIOS Update Control option is set to Unlocked.
NOTE: BIOS updates using the Dell Update Package are not affected by this option.
Power Button option is set to Enabled.
Button option is set to Disabled.
the AC Power Recovery option is set to Last.
Allows you to set how the system supports staggering of power up after AC power is restored
to the system. By default, the AC Power Recovery Delay option is set to Immediate.
Allows you to set the User Defined Delay when the User Defined option for AC Power Recovery
Delay is selected.
29
Miscellaneous Settings
Menu ItemDescription
System TimeAllows you to set the time on the system.
System DateAllows you to set the date on the system.
Asset TagDisplays the asset tag and allows you to modify it for security and tracking purposes.
Keyboard NumLockAllows you to set whether the system boots with the NumLock enabled or disabled. By default
the Keyboard NumLock is set to On.
NOTE: This option does not apply to 84-key keyboards.
Report Keyboard
Errors
F1/F2 Prompt on Error Allows you to enable or disable the F1/F2 prompt on error. By default, F1/F2 Prompt on Error is
In-System
Characterization
Allows you to set whether keyboard-related error messages are reported during system boot.
By default, the Report Keyboard Errors option is set to Report.
set to Enabled.
This option enables or disables In-System Characterization. By default, In-System
Characterization is set to Enabled.
System And Setup Password Features
You can create a system password and a setup password to secure your system. To enable creation of the system and
setup password, the password jumper must be set to enabled. For more information on the password jumper settings,
see System Board Jumper Settings.
System passwordThis is the password that you must enter before you can boot your system.
Setup passwordThis is the password that you must enter to access and make changes to the BIOS or UEFI
settings of your system.
CAUTION: The password features provide a basic level of security for the data on your system.
CAUTION: Anyone can access the data stored on your system if the system is running and unattended.
NOTE: Your system is shipped with the system and setup password feature disabled.
Assigning A System And/Or Setup Password
NOTE: The password jumper enables or disables the System Password and Setup Password features. For more
information on the password jumper settings, see System Board Jumper Settings.
You can assign a new System Password and/or Setup Password or change an existing System Password and/or Setup
Password only when the password jumper setting is enabled and Password Status is Unlocked. If the Password Status
is Locked, you cannot change the System Password and/or Setup Password.
If the password jumper setting is disabled, the existing System Password and Setup Password is deleted and you need
not provide the system password to boot the system.
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