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Hardware - Dell Poweredge 1850.

So here is the sequence of events so far:

Take 1: Powered On: Dell Logo screen shows up with progress bar. On the same screen BIOS version A01 can be seen.

The screen changes to a black screen Right top corner has three options: F2 = Setup F10 = Utility Mode F12 = PXE Boot

Screen shows a paragraph in the center: PowerEdge Expandable RAID Controller BIOS H418 (Build May 03, 2004) Copyright(c) 2004 LSI Logic Corp. Prss to Run Configuration Utility

So Basically this screen gives 4 options F2, F10, F12 or

Upon pressing: F2: the right top changes to entering setup waited 45 minutes with that screen and nothing

Take 2:

reboot and tried: F10: the right top changes to entering Utility mode waited 25 minutes with that screen and nothing

Take 3:

reboot and tried: F12: there's no PXE setup but still screen updates right top corner since I have no PXE setup, waited for any other screen to show up and nothing

Take 4:

reboot and tried: After pressing it, every 6 minutes, the same 3 lines ending with Press shows up repeatedly filling up the screen.

Looking for your advice. Here is what I need to accomplish: - install Centos (CD drive already has centOS disc) - update BIOS to A7 by USB - no Floppy Disk available

Very sorry for the long question. But I have burnt a solid 3 hours behind this repeating the steps above in vain. Hoping to learn from others who has crossed this path.

Mugambo
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    Since this is [potentially a ten year old server](http://www.dell.com/downloads/global/products/pedge/en/1850_specs.pdf), I'm assuming you have no warranty. Was it sold to you as a working box? – Katherine Villyard Apr 12 '15 at 23:03
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    Yeah your server sounds pretty hosed I'm afraid. – Mark Henderson Apr 13 '15 at 06:18
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    @KatherineVillyard : yes, it was a working box. But it was working very very long ago (say untouched since 3 years). I am a student trying to practice networking and Linux between this machine and a Raspberry Pi I picked up recently. – Mugambo Apr 13 '15 at 12:37

2 Answers2

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Unplug it, unrack it, and throw it away. It's so old that Dell won't support it.

You should replace it with a more modern R320 or similar, which would also be way more power efficient.

Tom O'Connor
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    I am a student and this server is available to me to learn some networking and setting up Linux. – Mugambo Apr 13 '15 at 12:34
  • @Mugambo Grab an old desktop and install CentOS on that instead. Tom's right, that box is toast. Sorry. – Katherine Villyard Apr 13 '15 at 14:03
  • I was broke and started a $1m company using old discarded servers like this that I had to fix myself... so... thanks to people like you giving advice like this, I guess. – Dagelf Dec 23 '16 at 09:23
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After a certain sequence of re-seating the components, the options on the black screen changed to reflect "press F1 to retry boot or strike F2 to Setup".

The sequence of reseating is:

pull out power cord from the unit not from wall

  1. disconnect SCSI cables going into Riser (blue long flat facing railing)
  2. unscrew and remove the riser board (beware of clamp and another assembly)
  3. re-seat riser board (didn't care to put the screws back)
  4. connect SCSI cables
  5. plug in power cord

Now, F1 to retry, F2 to setup will come Press F2 here to enter BIOS.

in BIOS Change:

  1. USB to show up as Hard Disk
  2. change boot order
  3. SWITCH OFF OS Install mode = yes switch OFF (not ON).

you need centOS image dd'd into a USB Stick -- choose Netinstall.iso

  • dd if=centOS-netinstall.iso of=/dev/diskX (choose your disk, unmount beforehand using 'diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX')
  • plug in ethernet cable from server to router
  • plug in the USB stick with net install image
  • reboot (power plug method)

cross fingers hard and wait for the CentOS installation to show up and work your way to providing a NetInstall mirror link via Http and viola!!

now running CentOS-7 Server with GUI on it right now.

Thank you everybody for your help and answers.

Mugambo
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