Troubleshooting a Hard Drive
Problem
•Device driver error.
•One or more hard drives not recognized by the system.
Action
CAUTION: Only trained service technicians are authorized to remove the system cover and access any of the components inside the system. See your Product Information Guide for complete information about safety precautions, working inside the computer, and protecting against electrostatic discharge.
NOTICE: This troubleshooting procedure can destroy data stored on the hard drive. Before you proceed, back up all files on the hard drive.
1Run the appropriate online diagnostic test. See "Using Dell PowerEdge Diagnostics" on page 117. Depending on the results of the diagnostics test, proceed as needed through the following steps.
2Remove the bezel. See "Removing and Replacing the Optional Front Bezel" on page 45.
3If you are experiencing problems with multiple hard drives, skip to step 8. For a problem with a single hard drive, continue to the next step.
4Turn off your system, reseat the hard drive, and restart the system.
5If your system has a SAS RAID controller card, perform the following steps.
aRestart the system and press <Ctrl><C> to enter the host adapter configuration utility program.
See the documentation supplied with the controller card for information about the configuration utility.
bEnsure that the hard drive has been configured correctly.
cExit the configuration utility and allow the system to boot to the operating system.
6Ensure that the required device drivers for your controller card are installed and are configured correctly. See the operating system documentation for more information.
NOTICE: Do not perform the following step if you have a SAS RAID controller card.
7If you have the
If the problem is resolved, reinstall the hard drive in the original bay. See "Installing a
If the hard drive functions properly in the original bay, the drive carrier could have intermittent problems. Replace the
If the hard drive functioned properly in another bay but does not function in the original bay, the SAS backplane has a defective connector. See "Getting Help" on page 129.
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Troubleshooting Your System
