Question Jumper Setting Bricked My Server

[evansste]

I own a Dell PowerEdge R910 server. After being in storage, for a while, I decided to start using it again. I put memory into the machine, plugged it in, and received an error message, on the LCD panel, stating "E1234 Memory Riser E Power Failure". I re-seated the riser, and kept getting the same message. I swapped it with another riser, and still got the same message. It was then that I googled the message, and learned that it's a fairly common message.

One forum thread suggested jumping pin "J_DBGCPLD1", on the motherboard, and that this would make the message go away. For the sake of reference, here's a link to that suggestion:

Jumper Suggestion
https://www.dell.com/community/en/c...iser-g-power-failure/647f622df4ccf8a8dedfea99

I followed the instructions, only to find that my LCD panel would no longer light up, or show any messages of any kind, after following the procedure. Also, my computer still wouldn't power up.

I began to wonder if, maybe the computer was going through some sort of process, and I should just be patient --hoping that it would eventually display something. So, I left it plugged in, for several hours, and then days.

One day, I noticed that the LEDs, to all four power supplies, had changed from green to yellow. So, apparently, the system had gone into a different state. Unfortunately, it still didn't show any messages, nor would it power up.

Upon unplugging it, waiting a while, and plugging it back in, I've noticed that the power supplies will, initially, have green LEDs, before they all switch to yellow, about ten seconds later.

So, I, finally, decided to try powering up the system in "Minimum-To-POST configuration"; as discussed in this link:

Minimum-To-Post Configuration
https://www.dell.com/community/en/c...moved-poweredge-r910/647f8ae2f4ccf8a8deae0d2c

Unfortunately, even in this configuration, the machine behaves the same way. The power supply has a green LED, before turning yellow, and I can't power up the machine. Also, the LCD panel continues to remain dark and blank.

Has anyone ever run into anything like this? Is it really possible to destroy a machine, simply by attempting a suggested jumper setting?

Thank you for your time. Any suggestions, or insights, are greatly appreciated.

 

[kerberos_20]

Power Indicator Codes
The power supplies have indicators that show whether power is present or
whether a power fault has occurred.
• Not lit — AC power is not connected.
• Green — In standby mode, a green light indicates that a valid AC source is
connected to the power supply and that the power supply is operational.
When the system is on, a green light also indicates that the power supply is
providing DC power to the system.
• Amber — Indicates a problem with the power supply.
• Alternating green and amber — When hot-adding a power supply, this
indicates that the power supply is mismatched with the other power
supply (a high output power supply and an energy smart power supply are
installed in the same system). Replace the power supply that has the
flashing indicator with a power supply that matches the capacity of the
other installed power supply.

 

[evansste]

Power Indicator Codes
The power supplies have indicators that show whether power is present or
whether a power fault has occurred.
• Not lit — AC power is not connected.
• Green — In standby mode, a green light indicates that a valid AC source is
connected to the power supply and that the power supply is operational.
When the system is on, a green light also indicates that the power supply is
providing DC power to the system.
• Amber — Indicates a problem with the power supply.
• Alternating green and amber — When hot-adding a power supply, this
indicates that the power supply is mismatched with the other power
supply (a high output power supply and an energy smart power supply are
installed in the same system). Replace the power supply that has the
flashing indicator with a power supply that matches the capacity of the
other installed power supply.

Thanks, kerberos_20.

This makes me wonder if that jumper setting destroyed these power supplies. As I've indicated, all four were working fine. They were all showing green lights when I got the original message about the memory riser, and they were all solid green after I performed the jumper procedure. They only started turning yellow after I left the entire system plugged in, for a few days. However, I'm not sure it's uncommon for a server to be plugged in, for days.

If worse comes to worst, my plan is to buy another R910 server. After all, everything else was working fine, with this one, until I put it into storage. When I took it out, that was the first time I've seen the memory error message --which isn't really a critical error message. It's, certainly, possible to run an R910 with two processors, instead of four. In that setup, the memory riser, that the computer was complaining about, wouldn't have been used.

I wish I had done that. I just had no idea that the jumper attempt would cause so much havoc.

If I do end up getting another R910. One of the first things I'll do is try these power supplies in that machine. That way, I'll know, definitively, if this jumper setting destroyed those power supplies, or if they're still good.

Thanks, again, for your input.