HP ProLiant Dl380 G3 Won't display, no POST, CR49 + Proc1&2 Amber - is it MOBO?

[ajthemacboy]

Hey guys. I recently got an old Proliant DL380 G2 server to mess with, but it won't boot. The display never lights up, and the error lights CR49, Proc1 and Proc2 lights, as well as an SVC light in one of the bays. 

I know next to nothing about servers; I mainly got it to learn. 

I am prepared to buy a replacement board on ebay, but I don't want to if the mobo isn't the problem. 

Is there anything else you need to know? Also, is the serial number the one on the side that starts with "3902"? 

I'm actually not even sure that it's a G2, when I googled the "3902" number on the side I found listings on ebay that said G2 - which makes me think it's not the serial because it would be unique, right?

Thanks for any help you can offer. Please ask if you need to know more.

[Suman_1978]

Hi,

Try with basic troubleshooting:

1. Try with minimum configuration, remove any unwanted hardware from the server which is not required for booting.

2. Try with single processor and two sticks of RAM.

3. Remove any additional PCI cards if installed.

4. Make sure all the fans are spinning.

5. Clear NVRAM from system maintenance switch on the system board.

Now coming to identifying the product.

Serial number may start with US or GB or SY or MY or IN, etc, but it will be 10 or 12 digit alphanumeric number.

Generation number like G2 or G3 will be mentioned on the front of the server (Check attached image).

If no number then its G1.

Server will also have a product number sticker with is in format xxxxxx-b21 or something 6-3 digit.

Google or use PartSurfer that number, you will come to know the server model.

Thank You!
I am a HP employee
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[ajthemacboy]

Thanks for your reply. It's actually a G3.. don't know how I missed that. The "3902" number in full is "3902Q002", didn't want to say it before because I didn't know if it was safe to say your serial numbers. 

I have removed all but two sticks of RAM, they are both Samsung and 256MBs, and are in slots 1 and 2. 

As for removing the processor, I don't think I can. The heatsink spans both processors so I can't remove just one.

There were no PCI cards installed, but there was a small chip below the PCI riser. It comes out like laptop RAM, you hold the peices of plastic on both sides apart and it pops up. Should I remove that? I also tried to boot without the PCI riser and it didn't work. 

You didn't say anything about the amber light in one of the bays, so I assume that's not a problem?

Tried clearning VRAM, are there any other maintainance switches I can try?

Edit: Removed Processor 2, no change. 

[Torsten.]

This will help you:

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/public/psi/manualsResults/?sp4ts.oid=316529&spf_p.tpst=psiContentResults&spf_p.prp_psiContentResults=wsrp-navigationalState%3Daction%253Dmanualslist%257Ccontentid%253DService-and-maintenance%257Clang%253Den&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken

ProLiant DL380 Generation 3 Server Maintenance and Service Guide

http://h20565.www2.hp.com/portal/site/hpsc/template.PAGE/action.process/public/psi/manualsDisplay/?sp4ts.oid=316529&javax.portlet.action=true&spf_p.tpst=psiContentDisplay&javax.portlet.begCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken&spf_p.prp_psiContentDisplay=wsrp-interactionState%3DdocId%253Demr_na-c00065010%257CdocLocale%253Den_US&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=com.vignette.cachetoken

by the way, each CPU has its own heatsink.

[ajthemacboy]

Thanks, I've been referring to that for a while. 

This may be a stupid question, but starting on page 92 are led color meanings. How do I know which LED is which?

LED CR49 on my board is amber, but I don't know what that means or how to learn it from the manual.

[Torsten.]

>> How do I know which LED is which?

Isn't it clear from the information at page 92/93?

LEDs for item 12 are in a different manual, by the way.

[ajthemacboy]

No, it's not clear, and I may just be missing something. Here are pictures of the LEDs, perhaps you can tell me what they correspond to by which components are near?

http://i.imgur.com/5DXZEI9.png

http://imgur.com/IoP5EUM

http://imgur.com/2FnqgnE

[Torsten.]

These are the ILO diag LEDs.

Found an advisory which basically tells the following:

ISSUE: Server will not post:

• internal health led is on
• internal led cr49 is on (next to ppm)
• all leds on drives are on.

...

The final solution was to replace the PCI riser card.

[ajthemacboy]

It does help, thanks.  Can you link me to that thread?

Also, is there any way I can test the PCI riser with a multimeter or something?

[ajthemacboy]

I FIXED IT!

I removed the Riser and blew on everything, and now it works!

When it boots, it gives a bunch of stuff about critical system error and fans missing, lots of beeping, then it restarts. I can probably figure it out from here, thanks!