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System Overview

Dell™ PowerEdge™ 1500SC Systems Service Manual

	Overview		Power Protection Devices
	System Features		Other Documents You Might Need
	Service Features		Technical Specifications

Overview

Your system is a high-speed, full-featured server that offers significant service and upgrade features. The system has one or two Intel® Pentium® lll microprocessors to provide high performance hardware platforms for a variety of server application environments. The system is available as a floor-standing tower.  

The hard drive that boots your operating system has a utility partition containing complete diagnostics for your system. Also, a separate CD is provided that includes diagnostics software that you can download to a set of diskettes.

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

System Features

The system offers the following major features:

• One or two Intel Pentium III microprocessors with an external bus speed of 133 MHz and an internal operating frequency of at least 1.13 GHz.
  
  
• Level 2 cache of 512 KB. 
  
  
• Support for SMP, which 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 multiprocessing.
  
  

• Support for up to six 1-inch, internal, hot-pluggable Ultra3 SCSI hard drives.
  
  
• A minimum of 128 MB of system memory, upgradable to a maximum of 4 GB by installing combinations of 64-, 128-, 256-, 512-MB or 1GB registered PC-133 SDRAM memory module pairs in the four memory module sockets on the system board.
  
  
• A single non-redundant 350-watt power supply.
  
  
• An optional power supply distribution board to accommodate up to two independent 350-W power supplies.
  
  
• A diskette drive.
  
  
• An IDE CD drive.

The system board includes the following features:

• Six PCI slots on the system board. PCI slots 1 through 4 are 64-bit, 66 MHz PCI slots (can be used with 33-MHz PCI cards); PCI slots 5 and 6 are 32-bit, 33 MHz slots.
  
  
• An integrated VGA-compatible video subsystem with an ATI RAGE XL video controller. This video subsystem contains 4 MB of SDRAM video memory (nonupgradable). Maximum resolutions are 1600 x 1200 x 64K colors (noninterlaced). In 1280 x 1024-pixel, 1024 x 768-pixel, 800 x 600-pixel, and 640 x 480-pixel resolutions, 16.7 million colors are available for true-color graphics.
  
  
• An integrated National Semiconductor LPC87414 super I/O controller that controls a parallel port, a serial port, keyboard, mouse, and the diskette drive.
  
  
• An integrated Intel Pro/1000 XT NIC capable of supporting 10 Mb/s, 100Mb/s, or 1000 Mb/s data rates.
  
  
• An integrated Adaptec AIC-7899W Ultra3 dual-channel SCSI host adapter that supports up to six 1-inch SCSI hard drives via a SCSI backplane board. The SCSI backplane automatically configures SCSI ID numbers and SCSI termination on individual hard drives, greatly simplifying drive installation. 
  
  
• A secondary SCSI channel, based on the Adaptec 7899W dual channel Ultra3 U160 SCSI controller, supports a SCSI tape backup unit.
  
  
• Enhanced server management circuitry that monitors operation of the system fans as well as critical system voltages and temperatures. The server management circuitry works in conjunction with the system management software.`
  
  
• PS/2-style keyboard and mouse ports, and dual USB ports.

The following software is included in the system:

• A System Setup program for quickly viewing and changing the system configuration information.
  
  
• Enhanced security features, including a user password and a supervisor password, available through the System Setup program.
  
  
• Diagnostics for evaluating your system's components and devices. For more information on using the system diagnostics, see "Running the System Diagnostics." 

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:

• System diagnostics are available on the Utility partition, which checks for hardware problems (if the system can boot). The diagnostics can also be downloaded to diskettes from the Dell OpenManage Server Assistant CD.
  
  
• Optional system management hardware and software, which monitors temperatures and voltages throughout the system and notifies you if the system overheats, if a system cooling fan malfunctions, if a processor overheats, or if a power supply or VRM fails. For information about the system management option, see your system management software documentation.
  
  

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

Devices are available that protect against power problems such as power surges, transients, and power failures. The following subsections describe some of the devices.

Surge protectors are available in a variety of types and usually provide a level of protection commensurate with the cost of the device. Surge protectors prevent voltage spikes, such as those caused during an electrical storm, from entering a system through the electrical outlet. Surge protectors, however, do not offer protection against brownouts, which occur when the voltage drops more than 20 percent below the normal AC line voltage level.

Line conditioners go beyond the overvoltage protection of surge protectors. Line conditioners keep a system’s AC power source voltage at a fairly constant level and, therefore, can handle brownouts. Because of this added protection, line conditioners cost more than surge protectors—up to several hundred dollars. However, the devices cannot protect against a complete loss of power.

UPS systems offer the most complete protection against variations in power because they use battery power to keep the system running when AC power is lost. The battery is charged by the AC power while it is available, so once AC power is lost, the battery can provide power to the system for a limited amount of time—from 15 minutes to an hour or so—depending on the UPS system.

UPS systems range in price from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars, with the more expensive units allowing you to run larger systems for a longer period of time when AC power is lost. UPS systems that provide only 5 minutes of battery power allow you to conduct an orderly shutdown of the system, but they are not intended to provide continued operation. Surge protectors should be used with all UPS systems, and the UPS system should be Underwriters Laboratories (UL) safety-approved.

Other Documents You Might Need

The following documentation is included with your system:

• The System Information document provides important safety and regulatory information. Warranty information might be included within this document or as a separate document.
  
  
• The Setting Up Your System document provides general instructions for setting up your system.
  
  
• The User's Guide, which describes system features and technical specifications and the System Setup Program.
  
  
• The Installation and Troubleshooting Guide provides information about upgrading and troubleshooting your system.
  
  

You might also have one or more of the following documents.

NOTE: Documentation updates are sometimes included with your system to describe changes to your system or software. Always read the updates before consulting any other documentation because the updates often contain the latest information.

• Operating system documentation is included if you ordered your operating system software from Dell. This documentation describes how to install (if necessary), configure, and use your operating system software.
  
  
• Documentation is included with any options you purchase separately from your system. This documentation includes information that you need to configure and install these options in your Dell system. Installation instructions for the options are included in the User's Guide.
  
  
• Technical information files—sometimes called "readme" files—might be installed on your hard drive to provide last-minute updates about technical changes to your system or advanced technical reference material intended for experienced users or technicians.

Technical Specifications

Expansion Bus
Bus type	PCI
Expansion slots	four 64-bit, 66-MHz slots (can be used with 33-MHz PCI cards) two 32-bit, 33-MHz slots

Memory
Architecture	72-bit ECC PC-133 SDRAM, 2-to-1 interleaved
Memory module sockets	four
Memory module capacities	64-, 128-, 256-, 512 MB, or 1 GB
Minimum RAM	128 MB (with one pair of 64-MB modules)
Maximum RAM	4 GB

Drives
Diskette drive	3.5-inch, 1.44-MB diskette drive
SCSI hard drives	six 1-inch, internal, hot-pluggable Ultra3 SCSI hard drive bays
CD drive	IDE CD drive
DVD drive	optional IDE DVD drive
Tape drive	optional internal SCSI tape drive

Ports and Connectors
Externally accessible:
Serial (DTE)	one 9-pin connector; 16550-compatible
Parallel	one 25-pin connector (bidirectional)
Video	one 15-pin connector
PS/2-style keyboard	one 6-pin mini-DIN connector
PS/2-compatible mouse	one 6-pin mini-DIN connector
USB	two USB-compliant 4-pin connectors
NIC	one RJ-45 connector for integrated NIC
Internally accessible:
SCSI channels	two 68-pin Ultra3 SCSI connectors
EIDE channels	two 40-pin EIDE connectors

Video
Video type	ATI Rage XL video controller; VGA connector
Video memory	4 MB

Power
Standard (nonredundant) DC power supply:
Wattage	one 350-W power supply
Input voltage, line frequency	90-240V, 47/63 Hz, autoranging
Output voltages and maximum current	+5 VDC, 28 Amperes (A) +12 VDC, 10 A +3.3 VDC, 25 A -12 VDC, 0.3 A +5 Vfp (Volts flea power), 1.5 A
Heat dissipation	1540 BTU/hr maximum per power supply
Maximum inrush current	under typical line conditions and over the entire system ambient operating range, the inrush current may reach 50 A
Optional hot-pluggable DC power supply (ratings are for each power supply):
Wattage	two 350-W power supplies in a redundant configuration (350 usable watts)
Input voltage, line frequency	90-240V, 47/63 Hz, autoranging
Output voltages and maximum current	+5 VDC, 27 A +12 VDC, 14 A +3.3 VDC, 10 A -12 VDC, 0.3 A +5 Vfp, 1.5 A
Heat dissipation	1540 BTU/hr maximum per power supply
Maximum inrush current	under typical line conditions and over the entire system ambient operating range, the inrush current may reach 50 A per power supply
System battery	CR2032 3.0-V lithium coin cell

Physical
Height	43.9 cm (17.3 inches)
Width	26.1 cm (10.3 inches)
Depth	59.2 cm (23.3 inches)
Weight	30 kg (66 lb), maximum configuration

Environmental
Temperature:
Operating	10° to 35° C (50° to 95° F) (with a 10° C per hour maximum gradient)
Storage	–40° to 65° C (–40° to 149° F) (with a 20° C per hour maximum gradient)
Relative humidity:
Operating	20% to 80% (noncondensing)
Storage	5% to 95% (noncondensing)
Maximum vibration:
Operating	bottom only tested (negative z-axis) at 0.25 G (sinusoidal wave) 0-Peak, at a sweep of 3 to 200 Hz at 0.5 octave per minute
Storage	all six sides tested (positive and negative x, y, and z axes) at 0.5 G (sinusoidal wave) 0-Peak, at a sweep of 3 to 200 Hz at 0.5 octave per minute
Maximum shock:
Operating	bottom only tested (negative z-axis) at half-sine wave shock pulse of 31 G for up to 2.6 milliseconds (ms)
Storage	all six sides tested (positive and negative x, y, and z axes) half-sine wave at 71 G for up to 2 ms all six sides tested ( positive and negative x, y, and z axes) 15 G faired square wave pulse with velocity change at 175 inches/second (445 centimeters/second) or greater
Altitude:
Operating	-15.2 to 3,048 m (-50 to 10,000 ft)
Storage	-15.2 to 10,668 m (-50 to 35,000 ft)

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