Memory problems

Use this information to diagnose and resolve memory problems with the blade server.

Follow the suggested actions in the order in which they are listed in the Action column until the problem is solved.

  • See Parts listing, Types 8014, 8028 and 1916 to determine which components are CRUs and which components are FRUs.
  • If an action step is preceded by "(Trained service technician only)," that step must be performed only by a trained service technician.
Symptom Action
The amount of system memory that is displayed is less than the amount of installed physical memory.
  1. Make sure that:
    • You have installed the correct type of memory.
    • If you changed the memory, you updated the memory configuration in the Configuration/Setup Utility program.
    • All banks of memory are enabled. The blade server might have automatically disabled a memory bank when it detected a problem, or a memory bank might have been manually disabled.
  2. Check BMC log for error message 289:
    • If a DIMM was disabled by a systems-management interrupt (SMI), replace the DIMM.
    • If a DIMM was disabled by the user or by POST, run the Configuration/Setup Utility program and enable the DIMM.
  3. Reseat the DIMM, and the optional expansion unit (if one is installed).
  4. Replace the following components one at a time, in the order shown, restarting the blade server each time:
    1. Optional expansion unit (if one is installed)
    2. DIMM
    3. (Trained service technician only) System-board assembly
Multiple rows of DIMMs in a branch are identified as failing.
  1. Reseat the DIMMs; then, restart the server.
  2. Remove the lowest-numbered DIMM pair of those that are identified and replace it with an identical pair of known good DIMMs; then, restart the server. Repeat as necessary. If the failures continue after all identified pairs are replaced, go to step Memory problems.
  3. Return the removed DIMMs, one pair at a time, to their original connectors, restarting the server after each pair, until a pair fails. Replace each DIMM in the failed pair with an identical known good DIMM, restarting the server after each DIMM. Replace the failed DIMM. Repeat step Memory problems until all removed DIMMs have been tested.
  4. (Trained service technician only) Replace the system board.
Parent topic: Troubleshooting tables