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System Overview: Dell™ PowerEdge™ 1550 and PowerApp™ 120 Systems Service Manual

	Overview		Service Features
	System Features		Technical Specifications

Overview

The Dell PowerEdge 1550 and PowerApp 120 systems are ultra-slimline, full-featured, high-performance, rack-mounted systems that offer strong availability, serviceability, and manageability features. The systems use one or two Intel® Pentium® III microprocessors and next-generation chip set and memory technology to provide low-cost, high performance hardware platforms for Internet-centered applications such as web hosting and primary domain controller/backup domain controller (PDC/BDC) gateways, as well as file/print and server application environments.

Your PowerApp 120 system may be provided with pre-installed solutions software from Dell and may not include a keyboard, video monitor, or mouse. See the documentation provided with your PowerApp 120 appliance for additional troubleshooting information. A separate Dell PowerApp Resource CD provides diagnostics software for your PowerApp 120 system (you can also activate the Dell Diagnostics installed on the utility partition of your hard-disk drive).

For your PowerEdge 1550 system, a separate Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD is provided that includes diagnostics software that you can download to a set of five diskettes.

This section describes the major hardware and software features of the systems. It also describes hardware features that simplify servicing.

System Features

The system offers the following major features:

• One or two Pentium III microprocessors with an internal operating frequency of at least 866 MHz.
  
  The Pentium III microprocessor includes MMX™ technology designed to handle complex multimedia and communications software. This microprocessor incorporates new instructions and data types as well as a technique called single instruction, multiple data (SIMD) that allows the microprocessor to process multiple data elements in parallel, thereby improving overall system performance.
  
  A secondary level 2 (L2) cache of synchronous random-access memory (SRAM) is included within the microprocessor. Math coprocessor functions are provided by the microprocessor. A separate and external math coprocessor chip is not used or required.
  
  The size of the L2 cache is dependent on the microprocessor installed in the system. The first screen of the System Setup program lists the microprocessor speed, front-side bus (microprocessor bus), and the L2 cache size. For more information, see "Using the System Setup Program."
  
  
• Front side bus with an external bus speed of 133 megahertz (MHz).
  
  
• Support for symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) is available by installing a second Pentium III microprocessor. SMP greatly improves overall system performance by dividing microprocessor operations between the two independent microprocessors. To take advantage of this feature, you must use an operating system that supports SMP, such as Microsoft® Windows 2000 Server (or later version) or Novell® NetWare® 4.2 (or later version).
  
  

NOTE: If you decide to upgrade the system by installing a second microprocessor, you must order a microprocessor upgrade kit from Dell. Not all versions of the Pentium III microprocessor work properly as a second microprocessor. The upgrade kit from Dell contains the correct version of the microprocessor for use as a second microprocessor as well as instructions for performing the upgrade. Both microprocessors must have the same part number and revision (or stepping) code, internal operating frequency, and cache size.

• Support for an optional RAID controller.
  
  
• A minimum of 128 megabytes (MB) of system memory, upgradable to a maximum of 2 gigabytes (GB) by installing combinations of 64-, 128-, 256-, or 512-MB registered SDRAM dual-in memory modules (DIMMs) in the four DIMM sockets on the system board.
  
  
• A flash basic input/output system (BIOS) that can be upgraded if required.
  
  
• Up to three 1-inch Ultra3 SCSI hard-disk drives.
  
  
• A single, 1.44-MB 3.5-inch diskette drive.
  
  
• An IDE CD-ROM drive.

The system board includes the following features:

• Two peripheral component interconnect (PCI) slots.
  
  
• An integrated video graphics array (VGA)-compatible video subsystem with an ATI RAGE XL video controller. This video subsystem contains 4 MB of SDRAM video memory (nonupgradable). Maximum resolutions is 1600 x 1200 x 256 colors (noninterlaced).
  
  
• An integrated National Semiconductor PC97317 super I/O controller that controls a serial port, keyboard, mouse, and the diskette drive.
  
  
• Two integrated Intel 82559 PRO/100+ NICs, which provide two Ethernet interfaces.
  
  
• An integrated Adaptec AIC-7899 Ultra3 SCSI host adapter that supports up to three 1-inch SCSI hard-disk drives via a SCSI backplane board. The SCSI backplane automatically configures SCSI ID numbers and SCSI termination on individual hard-disk drives, greatly simplifying drive installation.
  
  
• Integrated server management circuitry that monitors operation of the system fans as well as critical system voltages and temperatures. The integrated server management circuitry works in conjunction with the Dell OpenManage™ Server Agent software package.`
  
  
• Two PS/2-style keyboard and mouse ports (in front and in back), and dual USB ports.

The following software is included in the system:

• Video drivers for displaying many popular application programs in high-resolution modes. For more information on these drivers, see the User's Guide.
  
  
• SCSI device drivers that allow the operating system to communicate with devices attached to the integrated SCSI subsystem. For more information on these drivers, see "Installing and Configuring SCSI Drivers" in the User's Guide.
  
  
• The System Setup program for quickly viewing and changing the system configuration information.
  
  
• Enhanced security features, including a user password and a supervisor password, are available through the System Setup program.
  
  

Service Features

The system includes the following service features to make troubleshooting and repair easy and effective, in most cases without tools or service aids:

• Dell Diagnostics, which checks for hardware problems (if the system can boot). For the PowerEdge 1550, the Dell Diagnostics can be downloaded to diskettes from the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD. For the PowerApp 120, the Dell Diagnostics can be downloaded to diskettes from the Dell PowerApp Resource CD.
  
  
• Embedded server management hardware, which monitors temperatures and voltages throughout the system and notifies you if the system overheats, if a system cooling fan malfunctions, or if a power supply fails.
  
  

The system chassis simplifies removing and replacing system components. You can replace microprocessors or DIMMs without removing the system board. The Dell-designed SCSI backplane board and hard-disk drive carriers eliminate the extensive cabling and drive configuration usually required for a SCSI subsystem.

Technical Specifications

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