Sun Fire X4450 Server
 

PLA-Support>Sun Systems>Sun_Other>Sun Collections>SN-OTH: x64-CAP VCAP
 

In this Document

Goal

Solution

Oracle Confidential PARTNER - Available to partners (SUN).
Reason: FRU CAP

Applies to:

Goal

How to Replace a Sun Fire X4450 Motherboard.

Solution

DISPATCH INSTRUCTIONS

WHAT SKILLS DOES THE FIELD ENGINEER/ADMINISTRATOR NEED?:
Sun Fire X4450 Training

TIME ESTIMATE: 75 minutes

TASK COMPLEXITY: 3

FIELD ENGINEER/ADMINISTRATOR INSTRUCTIONS:

PROBLEM OVERVIEW: A Sun Fire X4450 Motherboard needs replacement

WHAT STATE SHOULD THE SYSTEM BE IN TO BE READY TO PERFORM THE RESOLUTION ACTIVITY? :

Use of Solaris FM commands such as :
# fmdump -v
# fmadm clear <UUID> if Solaris is the installed OS and if fmdump -v reports any fault regarding
an internal component of the mainboard.

Also a clean shutdown is required. Leave this to the customer unless agreed otherwise.

WHAT ACTION DOES THE ENGINEER NEED TO TAKE:

A. Note all the BIOS settings, theis information will have to be restored at the very end of the replacement procedure.
B. The best is to make sure you get a table and a chair to perform this replacement.

C. Check front panel and back panel LEDs : are some maintenance LEDs lit ?

D. Connect to the BUI for the ILOM and browse "component" tab to check what is eventually reported faulty. Make note of the "faulty" components.

E. Make sure it is possible to completely pull out the server out of its rack, if racked.
It may imply to remove some network cables or optical fibers.
Best to write down a simple wiring diagram prior to beginning the replacement operation.

1st part : removal of the OLD MainBoard Unit Assembly
1. Shutdown of the host, make sure the host is powered off
2. Remove the power cords.
3. Pull out the server and remove it (best : place it on a table). Attach antistatic wrist strap.
4. Remove its top cover.
5. Remove the memory tray and place it on the ESD mat.
6. Remove the air duct device.
7. Note all PCIe cards locations, and all 3 risers, p/n and s/n, remove them, and place them onto the ESD mat.
8. Unplug the power distribution board ribbon cable.
9. Remove the memory boards support trays
10. Unplug all hard drive SAS cables smoothly !
11. Remove the 4 screws that secure the motherboard to the bus bar.
12. Lift the motherboard tray out of the chassis.
Move the motherboard carefully. Gently slide the motherboard to the rear and
carefully lift it upward.
13. Place the motherboard assembly on an antistatic mat.
14. Remove the CPUs, make sure of the CPU location, as we need to replace them in the same CPU socket as before (see instructions for "how to replace a CPU")

2nd part : installation of the new MainBoard Unit Assembly

A. Install CPUs in their exact same location as they were on the former MBU.
B. Apply thermal grease following the procedure described in "CPU replacement" and install CPU heatsinks.
C. Place the motherboard tray in to the chassis.
C.1 Move the motherboard tray carefully.
C.2 Gently slide the motherboard to the front and carefully set it down.
C.3 The blind mushroom standoffs must engage the keyhole slots in the tray - align the tray before moving the tray forward to latch.
D. Screw the 4 Phillips-2 screws that secure the motherboard unit to the bus bar. Screw the motherboard-front captive screw
E. Plug the power distribution board ribbon cable to the motherboard unit.
F. Plug the hard disk drive SAS cables :
F.1 Be careful when routing the hard drive cables so they are not pinched and are underneath the ribs on the support.
F.2 Ensure that the two cables are placed behind the plastic shield between the CPU and the power supply housing.
G. Put the memory tray back in its location.
H. Loosen the captive retaining screw that holds the front end of the riser to the motherboard.
I. Plug back the PCIe risers and then their corresponding PCIe cards back to their original location.
J. Replace top cover, push in the server into its racks, reconnect all the unplugged cables and then
K. Put back in place the power cords.
L. Observe the boot sequence : recommendation is to enter the BIOS setup, perform a factory default on the saved parameters and then reset the parameters with the configuration that was written down in step 0000.

OBTAIN CUSTOMER ACCEPTANCE
WHAT ACTION DOES THE CUSTOMER NEED TO TAKE TO RETURN THE SYSTEM TO AN OPERATIONAL STATE:

1. Boot up the server.
2. Monitor and check the messages file (if Solaris or Linux) under usual load by the server to check
CPU temperatures are normal. We have been moving around CPUs so we need to make sure that their heatsink are again correctly seated.
3. Use the fmadm/fmdump to clear any previous fault affecting the old mainboard.

4. Connect to the BUI and eventually clearly any remaining faulty component (if, of course, they belong to he mainboard unit assembly).

PARTS NOTE:

REFERENCE INFORMATION: X4450 Server Service Manual
http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/E19150-01/

You may need to reprogram the serial number after a system board replacement.  The way to do is to use sdfru.exe booted from the Tools and Driver iso.  Please see the following MOS docs for more instructions on how to do this.

Doc ID 1380486.1 -- How to reprogram the server serial number on the Sun Fire X2250, X4150, X4250, Netra X4250, X4450, Netra X4450 and X6250 Blade? (https://support.us.oracle.com/oip/faces/secure/km/DocumentDisplay.jspx?id=1380486.1)
and
Doc 1345605.1 -- Sun Fire X4150 and X4250 Current Product Issues (https://support.us.oracle.com/oip/faces/secure/km/DocumentDisplay.jspx?id=1345605.1) issue 44

This solution has no attachment