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6500 Server Configuration Utility Modification

 
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Matthew Collins_1
Occasional Contributor

6500 Server Configuration Utility Modification

I was having a problem with one of my 6500's (Press F1 or F10 at boot) and I made a change to the Server Configuration Utility to enable Network Server Mode and Power On Password by which I chose a default password of my own. When I now power up the server, I receive no notification/asking for a power on password and now my keyboard/mouse have been disabled. I can neither use the machine while I am in front of it, nor can I get into the Server Config Utility to disable this. Luckily, I have remote access which still works, but can someone let me know how to fix this.

thks
9 REPLIES 9
Martin Breidenbach
Honored Contributor
Solution

Re: 6500 Server Configuration Utility Modification

This is exactly what network server mode means - it will NOT ask for a password and boot the system. But the console will be locked until the correct password is entered.

Just enter the password. Then the keyboard should be unlocked.
Matthew Collins_1
Occasional Contributor

Re: 6500 Server Configuration Utility Modification

thnks for the reply, where do I exactly type the password in. When the server boots, a prompt comes up for the F1 or F10, if I hit F1, it goes on to the OS, if I hit F10, it goes to the System Config Utility Screen, (hit any key to continue). Do I enter the password when I see the F1 or F10 or after I hit F10?

thnks again.
Martin Breidenbach
Honored Contributor

Re: 6500 Server Configuration Utility Modification

If network server mode is selected the system will boot with console locked. The console will be unlocked when you enter the password. But the BIOS doesn't really know in which state the system currently is.

This means you can enter the password anytime - when you want to access the server console.

Pressing F1 or F10 at that time should not be possible because the console is locked until you enter the password. Just enter the password (followed by ENTER) and the console should be accessible.

BTW there is a dip switch block of 6 switches on the motherboard where you can disable the password, clear config etc. A description of that jumper block should be on a label inside the server.
Matthew Collins_1
Occasional Contributor

Re: 6500 Server Configuration Utility Modification

Martin, thnks for the info, this must be something else, because here is what happens in order of rebooting, right after it finds the controller, because of a new storage cage that we put in, it give a cabling error message (which is not a problem), it then asks if you want to hit F1 or F10, at this point I still have keyboard access and can either select F1 or F10, but when I select either one, I hear two beeps and that is when I lose keyboard and mouse access physically to the machine. If you have ever heard of this let me know what you think. Before this started happening, I went into the System Config Utility (F10) and enable both Power On Password (selected a password) and Network Server Mode because I read that this was the way to bypass the F1 F10 selection which I now know is not the case.

thnks
mc
Martin Breidenbach
Honored Contributor

Re: 6500 Server Configuration Utility Modification

What happens after pressing F1 or F10 ? You say you added a drive cage. Is there currently a working OS installed ?

===
There is a setting to skip F1 prompt.

Press F10 to boot from system partition (well, if it works again).

Then press CTRL-A to enable advanced options.

Run system setup. Some advanced options should now be visible.

There should be a setting where you can disable F1 prompt.
Matthew Collins_1
Occasional Contributor

Re: 6500 Server Configuration Utility Modification

yes there is a working os installed, and if I hit F1 it goes to the OS and everything is fine, except for the fact that the keyboard and mouse are disabled from the switchbox and I can't do anything physically in front of the server. When I hit F10, it continues but disables the keyboard and mouse, so when the next screen from the System Configuration Utility shows up (where it says hit any key to continue)I can't do anything because both keyboard and mouse have been disabled. It all comes down to trying to get into the System Configuration Utility so I can disable the two variables (Network Server Mode + Boot Up Password enabled) that I changed to cause this to happen. For some reason, when the F1/F10 screen comes up, whichever choice I make automatically disables both keyboard and mouse. I have also unplugged the switchbox cables and tried a direct keyboard and mouse(both verified to work) and those get disabled as well. From my view, it seems as if something at after hitting the F1/F10 choice is disabling the keyboard and mouse, but what?

thnks
Martin Breidenbach
Honored Contributor

Re: 6500 Server Configuration Utility Modification

Hmmm.... what happens if you enter the password after pressing F1 or F10 ?
Matthew Collins_1
Occasional Contributor

Re: 6500 Server Configuration Utility Modification

I can't, the keyboard is disabled
markzz
Advisor

Re: 6500 Server Configuration Utility Modification

My experience with this function was that while a keyboard was pluged in to the server network boot mode was disabled..
Try plugging a real keyboard into the server

otherwise....
maybe this is a rather drastic method...
I'd power down, remove the HDD's and run the system erase util from a diskette or the smart start CD.

Run a quick system hardware discovery and put your disk back in. The controller will find the disk config on the HDD's and your away.
I expect this would take no more than an hour..