Servers won't Shutdown

Had a weird problem I've never come across before. Was doing a datacentre move at the weekend, used altiris to shutdown all the servers and was doing a visual check of the racks to make sure and found one whole rack still powered up. Thought i'd just clicked restart instead, so tried again and they still powered up.

Tried from the console of the server, clicked shutdown, windows closed down and the server then rebooted and powered up again. Just wouldn't power off short of pulling the lead.

The problem affected 20 Dell 1950 servers. After a bit of headscratching and searching on the web, tried disabling the onboard Broadcomm Nic's in the BIOS and the servers powered off, enabled the NIC's again and they just restarted. I've never came across this before with any other type of server.

They have been in for about a year but this was the first time i've ever had to power them off. I will raise a call with Dell to see if they can resolve, guessing it will be a firmware update?

Just wondered if anyone had seen anything similar before?

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Comments

undomiel

Any WOL implemented? It sounds like it to me if it isn't a bug requiring a BIOS update.

bencairney

undomiel wrote:

Any WOL implemented? It sounds like it to me if it isn't a bug requiring a BIOS update.

Thanks for the quick response. Never thought of that - Not sure if we have WOL enabled. I'll check this out. i'm not sure if its enabled by default?

I think its disabled, the only changes in the setup we made were to the boot order and the DRAC card.

Thanks.

stupidboy

I've seen this on a much smaller scale (only a couple of servers) BIOS upgrade did the trick.

I recommend the Dell Server Update DVD (http://support.euro.dell.com/support/downloads/format.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=gen&deviceid=16823&libid=36&releaseid=R187638&vercnt=3&formatcnt=0&SystemID=PWE_1950&servicetag=&os=WNET&osl=en&catid=-1&impid=-1) as it covers all your drivers and firmware is one easy to use package (I high suggest you extract the DVD locally via something like 7Zip and run it from the file system, unless you can get a DVD locally into the drive)

Hope this helps.

bencairney

stupidboy wrote:

I've seen this on a much smaller scale (only a couple of servers) BIOS upgrade did the trick.

I recommend the Dell Server Update DVD (http://support.euro.dell.com/support/downloads/format.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=gen&deviceid=16823&libid=36&releaseid=R187638&vercnt=3&formatcnt=0&SystemID=PWE_1950&servicetag=&os=WNET&osl=en&catid=-1&impid=-1) as it covers all your drivers and firmware is one easy to use package (I high suggest you extract the DVD locally via something like 7Zip and run it from the file system, unless you can get a DVD locally into the drive)

Hope this helps.

Cheers for that - I'll give this a try. I have another 20 of the same spec servers in another data centre, they may have issue as well

Should keep me busy for a while

This problem only affected ones with Dual Quad core CPU's, have some others bought at the same time with dual - dual core CPU's along with some 2950's which are fine.

stupidboy

If you have Gold or Platinum support with Dell, I'd still get that call logged with them.

I am really enjoying the Platinum support, it makes a real difference to the turn around time on issues and general quality of support

5 years as a Compaq/HP man and I have been turned to the Dell site after my recent experience with Platinum support. Conversely HP have really dropped in my opinion, it has been a real grind getting things sorted with them (even when I tell them what the problem is and the part they need to send)

bencairney

We have Platinum Support. I've never used it yet but some of the other guys have and are pretty impressed.

I'll give it a go tomorrow see what they can come up with.
Cheers.