Disabled memory DIMMs display POST 289 errors - IBM BladeCenter

Resolving The Problem

Source

RETAIN tip: H19184

Symptom

Memory errors in POST and a Memory bank is disabled:

No Video in BladeCenter system configured with two DIMMs.

Error LED is lit on the control panel of the BladeCenter system.

Memory DIMM pair disabled in BIOS Setup.

Light Path Diagnostics identify a disabled Memory bank.

Error messages in Management Module:

Affected configurations

The system may be any of the following IBM servers:

• BladeCenter Chassis, type 8677, any model
• BladeCenter H, type 8852, any model
• BladeCenter LS20, type 8850, any model
• BladeCenter T, type 8720, any model
• BladeCenter T, type 8730, any model

This tip is not option specific.

This tip is not software specific.

Solution

1. Update the LS20 blade BIOS to version 1.22 (21N) or higher from the IBM System x Support web site at the following URL: http://www.ibm.com/systems/support/
2. Boot the system
3. Press F1 during POST to access the BIOS Setup.
4. Go to Advanced Setup, go to Memory Settings, and enable the disabled memory bank.
5. If DIMMs are larger than 512 MB, then enable the Memory ChipKill.
6. If the memory issues continue, contact IBM Service and Support at the IBM xSeries HelpCenter at 1-800-772-2227.

Additional information

This BIOS changed a bit setting in the memory controller to improve signal margin on the memory bus to help eliminate false Multi-bit errors (POST 289 errors).