Dell VxRail™ E660, E660F, and E660N

Installation and Service Manual

February 2022
Rev. 5
Notes, cautions, and warnings

NOTE: A NOTE indicates important information that helps you make better use of your product.

CAUTION: A CAUTION indicates either potential damage to hardware or loss of data and tells you how to avoid
the problem.

WARNING: A WARNING indicates a potential for property damage, personal injury, or death.

© 2021 - 2022 Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries. All rights reserved. Dell, EMC, and other trademarks are trademarks of Dell Inc. or its subsidiaries.
Other trademarks may be trademarks of their respective owners.
 Contents
Revision history..........................................................................................................................................................................4

Chapter 1: Introduction................................................................................................................. 5
Dell Technologies Support.................................................................................................................................................5
Register for a Dell Technologies Support account................................................................................................ 5
Where to go for support resources...........................................................................................................................5
Use SolVe Online for VxRail procedures.................................................................................................................. 6
Locate your appliance serial number...............................................................................................................................6
Look up your VxRail serial number in VxRail Manager.......................................................................................... 6
Locate the serial number and service tag number on your appliance...............................................................6

Chapter 2: System overview.......................................................................................................... 7

Front view of the system...................................................................................................................................................7
Rear view of the system.................................................................................................................................................... 8
Inside the system ...............................................................................................................................................................11

Chapter 3: Initial setup and configuration.................................................................................... 12

Chapter 4: Pre-operating system management applications.........................................................13

Options to manage the pre-operating system applications..................................................................................... 13
iDRAC configuration.......................................................................................................................................................... 13
Log in to iDRAC............................................................................................................................................................ 13

Chapter 5: Replacement of hardware components....................................................................... 14

Use SolVe Online for VxRail procedures.......................................................................................................................14
Supported hardware components..................................................................................................................................14
System memory guidelines.............................................................................................................................................. 15
General memory module installation guidelines.....................................................................................................17
Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) installation guidelines .................................................................. 18
Expansion card installation guidelines.......................................................................................................................... 24

Chapter 6: System diagnostics and indicator codes..................................................................... 27

Status LED indicators....................................................................................................................................................... 27
System health and system ID indicator codes........................................................................................................... 28
iDRAC Quick Sync 2 indicator codes............................................................................................................................28
iDRAC Direct LED indicator codes................................................................................................................................ 29
NIC indicator codes.......................................................................................................................................................... 29
Power supply unit indicator codes................................................................................................................................ 30
Drive indicator codes.........................................................................................................................................................31
Using system diagnostics................................................................................................................................................ 32
Dell Embedded System Diagnostics........................................................................................................................ 32

Contents 3
 Revision history
Date Revision Description of change
February 1, 2022 5 Updated for VxRail software version 7.0.320; added support for BOSS-S1.
December 16, 2021 4 Updated for VxRail self-deployment information.
November 4, 2021 3 Updated for VxRail software version 7.0.300, updated the PSU as fault tolerant
redundant, and added the support for 256 GB LRDIMM for VxRail E660 and
E660F.
August 24, 2021 2 Updated to include support for Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) and
minor updates.
July 13, 2021 1 Initial wide release.

4 Revision history
 1
Introduction
The VxRail E660, E660F, and E660N Installation and Service Manual provides an overview about the system, diagnostic tools,
and guidelines describing high-level operations.
The target audience for this document includes customers, field personnel, and partners who want to operate and maintain a
VxRail E660, E660F, or E660N. This document is designed for people familiar with:
● Dell systems and software
● VMware virtualization products
● Data center appliances and infrastructure
For the most up-to-date list of VxRail documentation, see the VxRail Documentation Quick Reference List.

Dell Technologies Support

Create a Support account to access resources for your VxRail. Link your Support account with VxRail Manager to access
resources without a separate login.
If you already have an account, register your VxRail to access the available resources.

Register for a Dell Technologies Support account

Create a Support account to access support resources.

About this task

After you register, you can:
● Obtain product license files and software updates.
● Download VxRail product documentation.
● Access SolVe Online for VxRail, or download the SolVe Desktop application for hardware replacement and upgrade
procedures.
● Browse the VxRail community and support information.
● Link your support account for access to resources from within VxRail Manager.
For Secure Remote Services, link your Support account to VxRail Manager under the same party ID. Verify that your VxRail is in
an installed state in the Install Base.

CAUTION: For Secure Remote Services, the deployment fails if the same party ID is not used.

Steps
1. Go to Dell Technologies Support.
2. Click Sign In and select Create an account.
3. Enter your first name, last name, email address, and preferred password.
4. Select whether you would like to subscribe to email updates.
5. Click Create an Account.
Wait for a confirmation email within 48 hours.

Where to go for support resources

Access support resources for your VxRail system by doing any of the following:
● In the vSphere Client, select VxRail from the menu and use the Support functions on the VxRail Dashboard.

Introduction 5
● Point your Web browser to https://www.dell.com/support.

Use SolVe Online for VxRail procedures

Step-by-step instructions for procedures such as replacing hardware or performing system administrative tasks are available
through SolVe Online.
You must have an online support account to use SolVe Online. Go to SolVe Online for VxRail to access SolVe. For more
information about SolVe for VxRail, see KB 000022572.
To avoid potential data loss, see the VxRail procedures in SolVe Online or the SolVe Desktop application before performing any
hardware replacement or upgrade activity.
CAUTION: Potential data loss may occur if SolVe Online is not used to perform hardware replacements or
upgrades.

Locate your appliance serial number

To get support for your appliance, use the VxRail appliance serial number, also called the Product Serial Number Tag (PSNT).
The PSNT is a 14-digit number used to identify individual appliances on Dell Technologies support.
NOTE: Only use the VxRail appliance serial number to contact Customer Support. Sometimes, you may need to supply the
7-digit service tag number.
The two identification tags on your appliance are located as follows:
● The VxRail appliance serial number tag — You can find the serial number (PSNT) printed on the information tag on your
physical appliance, or you can locate the PSNT using VxRail Manager.
● The service tag — You can find the service tag printed on the physical appliance.

Look up your VxRail serial number in VxRail Manager

Follow these steps to look up your VxRail serial number in VxRail Manager.

Steps
1. On the main page of the vSphere Client click Hosts and Clusters in the left navigation bar.
2. Select your VxRail cluster.
3. Select the Monitor tab.
4. Select VxRail > Physical View from the inner left navigation bar.
5. Observe the VxRail serial number, listed under each appliance ID.
The serial number is also called the "PSNT".

Locate the serial number and service tag number on your appliance
You can identify your VxRail using the unique serial number, service tag number, or express service code located on the
information tag of your appliance. The information tag is located at the front of your appliance. See the System Overview for
the location.
The information tag contains the following:
● Product serial number tag (PSNT), which provides the 14-digit VxRail serial number
● Service tag
To view the PSNT and other labels, pull out the information tag in the front of the appliance. Alternatively, information may be
on a sticker on the chassis of the appliance.
The mini Enterprise Service Tag (EST) is found on the back of the appliance. This information is used by Dell to route support
calls to the appropriate personnel.

6 Introduction
 2
System overview
VxRail E660 and E660F are a 1U server that supports:
● Up to two 3 rd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors, with up to 40 cores per processor
● 32 DIMM slots
● Two fault tolerant redundant (FTR) AC power supply units
● Up to 10 x 2.5-inch drives (with two universal slots to support optional NVMe drives)
VxRail E660N is a 1U server that supports:
● Up to two 3 rd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors, with up to 40 cores per processor
● 32 DIMM slots
● Two fault tolerant redundant (FTR) AC power supply units
● Up to 10 x 2.5-inch all NVMe drives

NOTE: All instances of SAS, SATA, NVMe drives are referred to as drives in this document, unless specified otherwise.

For more information about supported drives, see the Dell VxRail™ E660, E660F, and E660N Technical Specifications.

Front view of the system

Front view of 10 x 2.5-inch drive system

Item Ports, panels, and Icon Description

slots
1 Left control panel N/A Contains the system health, system ID, status LED, and the
iDRAC Quick Sync 2 (wireless) indicator.

NOTE: The iDRAC Quick Sync 2 indicator is available only

on certain configurations.
● Status LED: Enables you to identify any failed hardware
components. There are up to five status LEDs and an overall
system health LED (Chassis health and system ID) bar. For
more information, see the Status LED indicators section.
● Quick Sync 2 (wireless): Indicates a Quick Sync enabled
system. The Quick Sync feature is optional. This feature
allows management of the system by using mobile devices
called as OpenManage Mobile (OMM) feature. Using iDRAC
Quick Sync 2 with OpenManage Mobile (OMM) aggregates
hardware or firmware inventory and various system level
diagnostic and error information that can be used in
troubleshooting the system. For more information, see
the Dell VxRail™ E660, E660F, and E660N Technical
Specifications.

System overview 7
Item Ports, panels, and Icon Description
slots
2 Drive (10) N/A Enables you to install drives that are supported on your system.
3 Right control panel N/A Contains the power button, USB port, iDRAC Direct micro port,
and the iDRAC Direct status LED.
4 VGA port Enables you to connect a display device to the system.

5 Information tag N/A The Information tag is a slide-out label panel that contains
system information such as Service Tag and PSNT. If you
have opted for the secure default access to iDRAC, then the
Information tag will also contain the iDRAC secure default
password.

For more information about the ports, see the Dell VxRail™ E660, E660F, and E660N Technical Specifications.

Rear view of the system

Rear view of VxRail E660 and E660F with 2 x FH PCIe slots

Item Ports, panels, or slots Icon Description

1 BOSS S2 module N/A This slot supports the BOSS S2 module.
2 Power supply unit (PSU Indicates the PSU.
1)
3 PCIe expansion card riser N/A The expansion card riser enables you to connect PCI
(slot 1 - FH) Express expansion cards.
4 PCIe expansion card riser N/A The expansion card riser enables you to connect PCI
(slot 2 - FH) Express expansion cards.
5 USB 2.0 port (1) This port is USB 2.0-compliant.

6 Power supply unit (PSU Indicates the PSU.

2)
7 VGA port (on STD RIO Enables you to connect a display device to the system.
board)
8 USB 3.0 port (1) This port is USB 3.0-compliant.

9 iDRAC dedicated port Enables you to remotely access iDRAC.

8 System overview
Item Ports, panels, or slots Icon Description
10 System identification Press the system ID button:
button ● To locate a particular system within a rack.
● To turn the system ID on or off.
To reset iDRAC, press and hold the button for more than 16
seconds.
NOTE:
● To reset iDRAC using system ID, ensure that the
system ID button is enabled in the iDRAC setup.
● If the system stops responding during POST, press
and hold the system ID button (for more than 5
seconds) to enter the BIOS progress mode.

11 OCP NIC port N/A This port supports OCP 3.0. The NIC ports are integrated
on the OCP card which is connected to the system board.
12 NIC port (2) The NIC ports are embedded on the LOM card that is
connected to the system board.

For more information, see the Dell VxRail™ E660, E660F, and E660N Technical Specifications.

Rear view of VxRail E660, E660F, and E660N with 3 x LP PCIe slots

Item Ports, panels, or slots Icon Description

1 Power supply unit (PSU Indicates the PSU.
1)
2 PCIe expansion card riser N/A The expansion card riser enables you to connect PCI
(slot 1) Express expansion cards.
3 PCIe expansion card riser N/A The expansion card riser enables you to connect PCI
(slot 2) Express expansion cards.
4 USB 2.0 port (1) This port is USB 2.0-compliant.

5 PCIe expansion card riser N/A The expansion card riser enables you to connect PCI
(slot 3) Express expansion cards.
6 Power supply unit (PSU Indicates the PSU.
2)
7 VGA port (on STD RIO Enables you to connect a display device to the system.
board)
8 USB 3.0 port (1) This port is USB 3.0-compliant.

9 iDRAC dedicated port Enables you to remotely access iDRAC.

10 System identification Press the system ID button:

button ● To locate a particular system within a rack.
● To turn the system ID on or off.

System overview 9
Item Ports, panels, or slots Icon Description
To reset iDRAC, press and hold the button for more than 16
seconds.
NOTE:
● To reset iDRAC using system ID, ensure that the
system ID button is enabled in the iDRAC setup.
● If the system stops responding during POST, press
and hold the system ID button (for more than 5
seconds) to enter the BIOS progress mode.

11 OCP NIC port N/A This port supports OCP 3.0. The NIC ports are integrated
on the OCP card which is connected to the system board.
12 NIC port (2) The NIC ports are embedded on the LOM card that is
connected to the system board.
13 BOSS S2 module N/A This slot supports the BOSS S2 module.

For more information, see the Dell VxRail™ E660, E660F, and E660N Technical Specifications.

10 System overview
Inside the system

Figure 1. Inside the system with front mounting fPERC

1. Cooling fan 2. Memory DIMM slot for processor 2 (B2)
3. Riser 3 4. Riser 2
5. Intrusion switch 6. Power supply unit (PSU 2)
7. Power supply unit (PSU 1) 8. BOSS S2 module
9. Processor socket 10. Memory DIMM slot for processor 1 (A6)
11. Drive backplane 12. fPERC
13. Service Tag

System overview 11
 3
Initial setup and configuration
Install, deploy, and configure your VxRail.
To install and deploy VxRail, you have the following options:
● You can purchase deployment services from Dell Technologies. If you are using VxRail deployment services from Dell
Technologies, do not rack the VxRail or connect power. Contact your Dell Technologies account team or reseller to arrange
for deployment by Dell Technologies certified technicians.
● Select the VxRail self-deployment option (no installation services). Go to www.dell.com/installvxrail for deployment
instructions and guidance.

Self-deployment
You must have extensive network experience, understanding of VxRail infrastructure planning, and deployment knowledge to
perform a VxRail self-deployment. If you are uncertain you can complete the end-to-end deployment process, contact your sales
representative for Dell Technologies Services. If you are unable to complete the deployment, contact your sales representative
for Dell Technologies Services.
During the VxRail deployment, iDRAC creates a vxadmin or PTAdmin account. This account provides hardware information
to the VxRail Manager and is required for the VxRail Manager and the cluster to function properly. Ensure that you do not
modify or delete this account.
CAUTION: Do not modify or delete the iDRAC account created during deployment. If the account is modified or
deleted, VxRail Manager and the cluster may not function properly.

12 Initial setup and configuration

 4
Pre-operating system management
applications
You can manage basic settings and features of the VxRail without booting to the operating system by using the system
firmware.
Dell Technologies optimizes your VxRail with the settings during installation and configuration.
CAUTION: Do not change any of the basic settings or features set by Dell Technologies to ensure best
performance.

Options to manage the pre-operating system

applications
VxRail contains options to manage the pre-operating system applications.
The following options are available:
● System Setup
● Boot Manager
● Dell Lifecycle Controller
● Preboot Execution Environment (PXE)
Dell Technologies optimized your VxRail during initial configuration.

NOTE: Do not change any of the basic settings or features set by Dell Technologies to ensure best performance.

iDRAC configuration
The Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) is designed to make appliance administrators more productive and
improve the overall availability of Dell appliances. iDRAC alerts administrators to appliance issues, helps them perform remote
appliance management, and reduces the need for physical access to the appliance.

Log in to iDRAC
You can log in to iDRAC as:
● iDRAC user
● Microsoft Active Directory user
● LDAP user
If you have opted for secure default access to iDRAC, the iDRAC secure default password is available on the back of the
appliance Information tag. If you have not opted for secure default access to iDRAC, then the default user name and password
are root and calvin. You can also log in by using Single Sign-On or Smart Card.
The following prerequisites are a must to log in to iDRAC:
● You must have iDRAC credentials.
● Ensure that you change the default user name and password after setting up the iDRAC IP address.
The iDRAC IP address is pre-configured for DHCP. This can be changed to a static IP address by logging into iDRAC.
● To access iDRAC, connect the network cable to the Ethernet connector 1 on the system board.
● Ensure that you change the default username and password after setting up the iDRAC IP address.

Pre-operating system management applications 13

 5
Replacement of hardware components
You can replace hardware components on your VxRail such as hard disk drives (HDDs), solid-state drives (SSDs), power
supplies, and so on.
See the table in the Supported hardware components section to know the components that you can replace. In addition to
these components, there are some hardware components that require you to contact the Dell Technologies support to arrange
for repair or replacement.
NOTE: Before you proceed with the replacement, go to SolVe and generate the replacement procedure of the component
that you want to replace. For more information about how to use SolVe, see Using SolVe Online for VxRail procedures.

Use SolVe Online for VxRail procedures

Step-by-step instructions for procedures such as replacing hardware or performing system administrative tasks are available
through SolVe Online.
You must have an online support account to use SolVe Online. Go to SolVe Online for VxRail to access SolVe. For more
information about SolVe for VxRail, see KB 000022572.
To avoid potential data loss, see the VxRail procedures in SolVe Online or the SolVe Desktop application before performing any
hardware replacement or upgrade activity.
CAUTION: Potential data loss may occur if SolVe Online is not used to perform hardware replacements or
upgrades.

Supported hardware components

Refer to the online support website or SolVe Online for VxRail for hardware-specific information.

NOTE: The list of FRU and CRU components is not exhaustive.

Hardware Components Customer Replaceable Unit (CRU) Field Replaceable Unit (FRU)
BOSS S2 Module Yes No
M.2 SSD with BOSS S2 Yes Yes
BOSS S1 Adapter No Yes
M.2 SSD with BOSS S1 No Yes
PCIe Network Interface Cards Yes No
Power Supply Unit Yes No
Processor No Yes
Solid State Drive (NVMe) Yes No
Solid State Drive (SAS or SATA) Yes No
Integrated Storage Controller Yes No
Card (HBA355i or H755)
GPU Yes No
Air Shroud Yes No
Cooling Fan Module Yes No

14 Replacement of hardware components

Hardware Components Customer Replaceable Unit (CRU) Field Replaceable Unit (FRU)
System Board No Yes
System Memory Yes No
System Battery Yes No
Right control panel Yes No
Left control panel Yes No
Drive backplane cover Yes No

System memory guidelines

The VxRail E660 Series supports DDR4 registered DIMMs (RDIMMs), Load Reduced DIMM (LRDIMMs) and Intel Persistent
Memory 200 series (BPS). System memory holds the instructions that are started by the processor.
Your system memory is organized into eight channels per processor (two memory sockets per channel),16 memory sockets per
processor and 32 memory sockets per system.

Replacement of hardware components 15

Figure 2. Memory channels

The following table describes memory channels and how the channels are organized:

Processor Channel A Channel B Channel C Channel D Channel E Channel F Channel G Channel H

Processor 1 Slots A1 and Slots A5 Slots A3 and Slots A7 and Slots A2 and Slots A6 Slots A4 and Slots A8 and
A9 and A13 A15 A15 A10 and A14 A12 A16
Processor 2 Slots B1 and Slots B5 Slots B3 and Slots B7 and Slots B2 and Slots B6 Slots B4 and Slots B8
B9 and B13 B15 B15 B10 and B14 B12 and B16

16 Replacement of hardware components

The following table describes the supported memory matrix:

DIMM type Rank type Capacity DIMM rated Operating Speed

voltage and
speed 1 DIMM per 2 DIMMs per
channel (DPC) channel (DPC)
RDIMM 2R 16 GB, 32 GB, 64 DDR4 (1.2 V), 3200 3200 MT/s 3200 MT/s
GB MT/s
LRDIMM 4R 128 GB DDR4 (1.2 V), 3200 3200 MT/s 3200 MT/s
MT/s
8R 256 GB DDR4 (1.2 V), 3200 3200 MT/s 3200 MT/s
MT/s
Intel Persistent 2R 128 GB, 256 GB, DDR4 (1.2 V), 3200 3200 MT/s 3200 MT/s
Memory 200 series 512 GB MT/s
(BPS)

General memory module installation guidelines

To ensure optimal performance of your system, observe the following general guidelines when configuring your system memory.
If your system's memory configurations fail to observe these guidelines, your system might not boot, stop responding during
memory configuration, or operate with reduced memory.
The memory bus operates at a speed of 3200 MT/s depending on the following factors:
● System profile selected (for example, Performance Optimized, or Custom [can be run at high speed or lower])
● Maximum supported DIMM speed of the processors
● Maximum supported speed of the DIMMs
NOTE: MT/s indicates DIMM speed in MegaTransfers per second.

NOTE: Fault Resilient Memory-Non Uniform Memory Access is supported.

The system supports Flexible Memory Configuration, enabling the system to be configured and run in any valid chipset
architectural configuration. The following are the recommended guidelines for installing memory modules:
● All DIMMs must be DDR4.
● x4 and x8 DRAM based memory modules can be mixed.
● If memory modules with different speeds are installed, they operate at the speed of the slowest installed memory module(s).
● Populate memory module sockets only if a processor is installed.
○ For single-processor systems, sockets A1 to A16 are available.
○ For dual-processor systems, sockets A1 to A16 and sockets B1 to B16 are available.
● In Optimizer Mode, the DRAM controllers operate independently in the 64-bit mode and provide optimized memory
performance.
● The following table describes the memory population rules:

Processor Configuration Memory population Memory population

information
Single processor Optimizer (Independent A{1}, A{2}, A{3}, A{4}, A{5}, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 or 16 DIMMs
channel) population order A{6}, A{7}, A{8}, A{9}, are allowed.
A{10}, A{11}, A{12}, A{13},
A{14}, A{15}, A{16}
Dual processor (Start with Optimizer (Independent A{1}, B{1}, A{2}, B{2}, A{3}, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24 and 32
processor1. Processor 1 channel) population order B{3}, A{4}, B{4}, A{5}, B{5}, DIMMs are supported per
and processor 2 population A{6}, B{6}, A{7}, B{7} A{8}, system.
should match) B{8}, A{9}, B{9}, A{10}, NOTE: Optimizer
B{10}, A{11}, B{11}, A{12}, population order is not
B{12}, A{13}, B{13}, A{14}, traditional for 8 and 16
B{14}, A{15}, B{15}, A{16},
B{16}

Replacement of hardware components 17

 Processor Configuration Memory population Memory population
information

DIMMs installations for

dual processor.

● Populate all the sockets with white release tabs first, followed by the black release tabs.
● Memory modules of different capacities can be mixed provided other memory population rules are followed.
● Unbalanced or odd memory configuration results in a performance loss and system may not identify the memory modules
being installed, so always populate memory channels identically with equal DIMMs for best performance.
● Supported RDIMM / LRDIMM configurations are 4, 8, 16, or 32 DIMMs per system.

Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) installation guidelines

The following are the recommended guidelines for installing Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) memory modules:
● Each system supports maximum of one Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) memory module per channel.
NOTE: If two different Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) capacities are mixed, an F1/F2 warning is displayed as
the configuration is not supported.
● Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) can be mixed with RDIMM, LRDIMM, and 3DS LRDIMM.
● Mixing of DDR4 DIMM types (RDIMM, LRDIMM, and 3DS LRDIMM), within channels, for Integrated Memory Controller
(iMC), or across sockets are not supported.
● Mixing of Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) operating modes (App Direct Mode, Memory Mode) is not supported.
● If only one DIMM is populated on a channel, then the DIMM should always be populated in the first slot in that channel
(white slot).
● If a Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) and a DDR4 DIMM are populated on the same channel, always plug Intel
Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) on second slot (black slot).
● If the Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) is configured in Memory Mode, the recommended DDR4 to Intel Persistent
Memory 200 series (BPS) capacity ratio is 1:4 to 1:16 per iMC.
● Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) cannot be mixed with other capacities of Intel Persistent Memory 200 series
(BPS) or with NVDIMMs.
● Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) of different capacities are not allowed.
● VMware ESXi boot takes longer time when higher capacity of Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) are configured in
App Direct Mode, This is Address Range Scrub (ARS). This is expected as background Address Range Scrub (ARS) is going
on the interleave sets and needs to be completed prior the pMem datastore is mounted on ESXi.
● In App Direct Mode (AP), sockets can be populated symmetrically or asymmetrically.
● In Memory Mode (MM), sockets can be populated symmetrically.
● Memory mode is not supported for the 6+1, 8+1 and 12+2 configurations irrespective of DDR to Intel Persistent Memory 200
series (BPS) capacity ratio.
● In VMware ESXI environment, if BPS goal is changed between App Direct Mode and Memory Mode, it is recommended to
sanitize the Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) before creating a new goal.
● Populate Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) in DIMM slot 1, unless Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) is the
only DIMM in that channel, and then populate in DIMM slot 0.
For more information about the supported Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) configurations, see the Dell
EMC Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) User's Guide at https://www.dell.com/support/home/products/server_int/
server_int_poweredge.

NOTE: There are limited configurations available for dual socket servers with only one processor populated.

18 Replacement of hardware components

Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS) - Internal memory channels
Co Sh Nu Nu Nu Mode iMC 2 iMC 3 iMC 1 iMC 0
nfi ort mb mb mb support
gur ha er er er
ati nd of of of Ap Me Channel Channel Channel Channel Channel Channel Channel Channel
on CP RD BP p mo 1 (5/F) 0 (4/E) 1 (7/H) 0 (6/G) 0 (2/C) 1 (3/D) 0/A 1/B
U IM S Dir ry
per M/ per ect Mo A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/
sys LR CP de B7 B1 B3 B11 B8 B16 B4 B12 B1 B2 B14 B6 B9 B1 B13 B5
te DI U 5 0
m M
Ms A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/ A/
per B6 B14 B2 B1 B8 B16 B4 B12 B11 B3 B1 B7 B9 B1 B13 B5
CP 0 5
U
BP 4+4 1 or 4 4 Y NA B - R - B - R - - R - B - R - B
S1 2
BP 6+1 1 or 6 1 Y NA R - R - - - R - - R - B - R - R
S2 2
BP 8+1 1 or 8 1 Y NA R - R - R - R - - R - R B R - R
S3 2
BP 8+4 1 or 8 4 Y Y R - R B R - R B B R - R B R - R
S4 2
BP 8+8 1 or 8 8 Y Y R B R B R B R B B R B R B R B R
S5 2
BP 12+ 1 or 12 2 Y NA B - R R R R R R R R R R R R - B
S6 2 2
BP - 2 28 4 Y NA R B R R R B R R R R B R R R B R
S7

E660 and E660F Single-Socket App-Direct Intel Persistent Memory 200 series
(BPS) configurations
Configuration Total No Total No of 1 RDIMM/ 1 Intel Total Total PM Total Memory
of Intel LRDIMM Persistent Standard Capacity (GB)
RDIMMs Persistent capacity Memory Memory (GB)
/ Memory (GB) 200 series Capacity (GB)
LRDIMM 200 series (BPS)
s (BPS) capacity
DIMMs (GB)
BPS1 4 4 16 128 64 1024 576
4 4 32 128 128 1024 640
4 4 64 128 256 1024 768
4 4 128 128 512 1024 1024
4 4 16 256 64 2048 1088
4 4 32 256 128 2048 1152
4 4 64 256 256 2048 1280
4 4 128 256 512 2048 1536
4 4 16 512 64 4096 2112
4 4 32 512 128 4096 2176
4 4 64 512 256 4096 2304

Replacement of hardware components 19

Configuration Total No Total No of 1 RDIMM/ 1 Intel Total Total PM Total Memory
of Intel LRDIMM Persistent Standard Capacity (GB)
RDIMMs Persistent capacity Memory Memory (GB)
/ Memory (GB) 200 series Capacity (GB)
LRDIMM 200 series (BPS)
s (BPS) capacity
DIMMs (GB)
4 4 128 512 512 4096 2560
BPS2 6 1 16 128 96 256 224
6 1 32 128 192 256 320
6 1 64 128 384 256 512
6 1 128 128 768 256 896
6 1 16 256 96 512 352
6 1 32 256 192 512 448
6 1 64 256 384 512 640
6 1 128 256 768 512 1024
6 1 16 512 96 1024 608
6 1 32 512 192 1024 704
6 1 64 512 384 1024 896
6 1 128 512 768 1024 1280
BPS3 8 1 16 128 128 256 256
8 1 32 128 256 256 384
8 1 64 128 512 256 640
8 1 128 128 1024 256 1152
8 1 16 256 128 512 384
8 1 32 256 256 512 512
8 1 64 256 512 512 768
8 1 128 256 1024 512 1280
8 1 16 512 128 1024 640
8 1 32 512 256 1024 768
8 1 64 512 512 1024 1024
8 1 128 512 1024 1024 1536
BPS4 8 4 16 128 128 1024 640
8 4 32 128 256 1024 768
8 4 64 128 512 1024 1024
8 4 128 128 1024 1024 1536
8 4 16 256 128 2048 1152
8 4 32 256 256 2048 1280
8 4 64 256 512 2048 1536
8 4 128 256 1024 2048 2048
8 4 16 512 128 4096 2176
8 4 32 512 256 4096 2304

20 Replacement of hardware components

Configuration Total No Total No of 1 RDIMM/ 1 Intel Total Total PM Total Memory
of Intel LRDIMM Persistent Standard Capacity (GB)
RDIMMs Persistent capacity Memory Memory (GB)
/ Memory (GB) 200 series Capacity (GB)
LRDIMM 200 series (BPS)
s (BPS) capacity
DIMMs (GB)
8 4 64 512 512 4096 2560
8 4 128 512 1024 4096 3072
BPS5 8 8 16 128 128 2048 1152
8 8 32 128 256 2048 1280
8 8 64 128 512 2048 1536
8 8 128 128 1024 2048 2048
8 8 16 256 128 4096 2176
8 8 32 256 256 4096 2304
8 8 64 256 512 4096 2560
8 8 128 256 1024 4096 3072
8 8 16 512 128 8192 4224
8 8 32 512 256 8192 4352
8 8 64 512 512 8192 4608
8 8 128 512 1024 8192 5120
BPS6 12 2 16 128 192 256 448
12 2 32 128 384 256 640
12 2 64 128 768 256 1024
12 2 128 128 1536 256 1792
12 2 16 256 192 512 704
12 2 32 256 384 512 896
12 2 64 256 768 512 1280
12 2 128 256 1536 512 2048
12 2 16 512 192 1024 1216
12 2 32 512 384 1024 1408
12 2 64 512 768 1024 1792
12 2 128 512 1536 1024 2560

E660 and E660F Dual-Socket App-Direct Intel Persistent Memory 200 series (BPS)
configurations
Configuration Total No Total No of 1 RDIMM/ 1 Intel Total Total PM Total Memory
of Intel LRDIMM Persistent Standard Capacity (GB)
RDIMMs Persistent capacity Memory Memory (GB)
/ Memory (GB) 200 series Capacity (GB)
LRDIMM 200 series (BPS)
s (BPS) capacity
DIMMs (GB)
BPS1 8 8 16 128 128 1024 1152
8 8 32 128 256 1024 1280

Replacement of hardware components 21

Configuration Total No Total No of 1 RDIMM/ 1 Intel Total Total PM Total Memory
of Intel LRDIMM Persistent Standard Capacity (GB)
RDIMMs Persistent capacity Memory Memory (GB)
/ Memory (GB) 200 series Capacity (GB)
LRDIMM 200 series (BPS)
s (BPS) capacity
DIMMs (GB)
8 8 64 128 512 1024 1536
8 8 128 128 1024 1024 2048
8 8 16 256 128 2048 2176
8 8 32 256 256 2048 2304
8 8 64 256 512 2048 2560
8 8 128 256 1024 2048 3072
8 8 16 512 128 4096 4224
8 8 32 512 256 4096 4352
8 8 64 512 512 4096 4608
8 8 128 512 1024 4096 5120
BPS2 12 2 16 128 192 256 448
12 2 32 128 384 256 640
12 2 64 128 768 256 1024
12 2 128 128 1536 256 1792
12 2 16 256 192 512 704
12 2 32 256 384 512 896
12 2 64 256 768 512 1280
12 2 128 256 1536 512 2048
12 2 16 512 192 1024 1216
12 2 32 512 384 1024 1408
12 2 64 512 768 1024 1792
12 2 128 512 1536 1024 2560
BPS3 16 2 16 128 256 256 512
16 2 32 128 512 256 768
16 2 64 128 1024 256 1280
16 2 128 128 2048 256 2304
16 2 16 256 256 512 768
16 2 32 256 512 512 1024
16 2 64 256 1024 512 1536
16 2 128 256 2048 512 2560
16 2 16 512 256 1024 1280
16 2 32 512 512 1024 1536
16 2 64 512 1024 1024 2048
16 2 128 512 2048 1024 3072
BPS4 16 8 16 128 256 1024 1280

22 Replacement of hardware components

Configuration Total No Total No of 1 RDIMM/ 1 Intel Total Total PM Total Memory
of Intel LRDIMM Persistent Standard Capacity (GB)
RDIMMs Persistent capacity Memory Memory (GB)
/ Memory (GB) 200 series Capacity (GB)
LRDIMM 200 series (BPS)
s (BPS) capacity
DIMMs (GB)
16 8 32 128 512 1024 1536
16 8 64 128 1024 1024 2048
16 8 128 128 2048 1024 3072
16 8 16 256 256 2048 2304
16 8 32 256 512 2048 2560
16 8 64 256 1024 2048 3072
16 8 128 256 2048 2048 4096
16 8 16 512 256 4096 4352
16 8 32 512 512 4096 4608
16 8 64 512 1024 4096 5120
16 8 128 512 2048 4096 6144
BPS5 16 16 16 128 256 2048 2304
16 16 32 128 512 2048 2560
16 16 64 128 1024 2048 3072
16 16 128 128 2048 2048 4096
16 16 16 256 256 4096 4352
16 16 32 256 512 4096 4608
16 16 64 256 1024 4096 5120
16 16 128 256 2048 4096 6144
16 16 16 512 256 8192 8448
16 16 32 512 512 8192 8704
16 16 64 512 1024 8192 9216
16 16 128 512 2048 8192 10240
BPS6 24 4 16 128 384 512 896
24 4 32 128 768 512 1280
24 4 64 128 1536 512 2048
24 4 128 128 3072 512 3584
24 4 16 256 384 1024 1408
24 4 32 256 768 1024 1792
24 4 64 256 1536 1024 2560
24 4 128 256 3072 1024 4096
24 4 16 512 384 2048 2432
24 4 32 512 768 2048 2816
24 4 64 512 1536 2048 3584
24 4 128 512 3072 2048 5120

Replacement of hardware components 23

Expansion card installation guidelines
Riser 1A - Full height
1. Slot 1

Riser 2A - Low profile

1. Slot 1
2. Slot 2

Riser 3A - Low profile

1. Slot 3

24 Replacement of hardware components

Riser 4 -Full height
1. Slot 2

The VxRail E660 and VxRail E660F supports the following riser configurations:
● Riser configuration 0-1: R2A + R3A
NOTE: PCIe slot-1 supports single-socket configuration only.

Location Width Length Height Processor 1 Processor 2

Riser 2A Riser 2A Riser 3A
PCIe Slot-1 SW HL LP x16 - -
PCIe Slot-2
DO NOT USE
PCIe Slot-3

● Riser configuration 0-2: R2A + R3A

Location Width Length Height Processor 1 Processor 2

Riser 2A Riser 2A Riser 3A
PCIe Slot-1 SW HL LP x16 - -
PCIe Slot-2 SW HL LP - x16 -

Replacement of hardware components 25

 Location Width Length Height Processor 1 Processor 2
Riser 2A Riser 2A Riser 3A
PCIe Slot-3 SW HL LP - x16

● Riser configuration 3: R1A + R4C + R4D

Location Width Length Height Processor 1 Processor 2

Riser 2A Riser 4C Riser 4D
PCIe Slot-1 SW 3/4L FH x16 -
PCIe Slot-2 SW 3/4L FH - x16

The VxRail E660N supports the following riser configuration:

Table 1. Riser configuration 4: R2A + R3A + R1D Paddle card

Location Width Length Height Processor 1 Processor 2
Riser 2A Riser 2A Riser 3A
PCIe Slot-1 SW HL LP x16 - -
PCIe Slot-2 SW HL LP - x16 -
PCIe Slot-3 SW HL LP - x16

26 Replacement of hardware components

 6
System diagnostics and indicator codes
This section describes the diagnostic indicators on the system front panel that displays the system status during system startup.
The following sections contain information about the chassis LEDs and indicator codes of VxRail E660 Series.

Status LED indicators

NOTE: The indicators display solid amber if any error occurs.

Icon Description Condition Corrective action

Drive indicator The indicator turns solid amber if ● Check the System Event Log to determine if the
there is a drive error. drive has an error.
● Run the appropriate Online Diagnostics test.
Restart the system and run embedded
diagnostics (ePSA).
● If the drives are configured in a RAID array,
restart the system, and enter the host adapter
configuration utility program.
Temperature The indicator turns solid amber if Ensure that none of the following conditions exist:
indicator the system experiences a thermal ● A cooling fan has been removed or has failed.
error (for example, the ambient ● System cover, air shrouds, or back filler bracket
temperature is out of range or has been removed.
there is a fan failure).
● Ambient temperature is too high.
● External airflow is obstructed.
If the problem persists, see the Support section.

Electrical The indicator turns solid amber Check the System Event Log or system messages
indicator if the system experiences an for the specific issue. If it is due to a problem with
electrical error (for example, the PSU, check the LED on the PSU. Reseat the
voltage out of range, or a failed PSU.
power supply unit (PSU) or
If the problem persists, see the Support section.
voltage regulator).
Memory indicator The indicator turns solid amber if a Check the System Event Log or system messages
memory error occurs. for the location of the failed memory. Reseat the
memory module.
If the problem persists, see the Support section.

PCIe indicator The indicator turns solid amber if a Restart the system. Update any required drivers for
PCIe card experiences an error. the PCIe card. Reinstall the card.

System diagnostics and indicator codes 27

Icon Description Condition Corrective action

If the problem persists, see the Support section.

System health and system ID indicator codes

The system health and system ID indicator is located on the left control panel of the system.

System health and system ID Condition

indicator code
Solid blue Indicates that the system is powered on, is healthy, and system ID mode is not active.
Press the system health and system ID button to switch to system ID mode.
Blinking blue Indicates that the system ID mode is active. Press the system health and system ID
button to switch to system health mode.
Solid amber Indicates that the system is in fail-safe mode.
If the problem persists, see the Support section.

Blinking amber Indicates that the system is experiencing a fault. Check the System Event Log
for specific error messages. For information about the event and error messages
generated by the system firmware and agents that monitor system components, go to
qrl.dell.com > Look Up > Error Code, type the error code, and then click Look it up.

iDRAC Quick Sync 2 indicator codes

iDRAC Quick Sync 2 module (optional) is located on the left control panel of the system.

iDRAC Quick Sync 2 indicator Condition Corrective action

code
Off (default state) Indicates that the iDRAC Quick Sync 2 If the LED fails to power on, reseat the left
feature is powered off. Press the iDRAC control panel flex cable and check.
Quick Sync 2 button to power on the
If the problem persists, see the Support section.
iDRAC Quick Sync 2 feature.
Solid white Indicates that iDRAC Quick Sync 2 is If the LED fails to power off, restart the system.
ready to communicate. Press the iDRAC
If the problem persists, see the Support section.
Quick Sync 2 button to power off.
Blinks white rapidly Indicates data transfer activity. If the indicator continues to blink indefinitely, see
the
Support section.

Blinks white slowly Indicates that firmware update is in If the indicator continues to blink indefinitely, see
progress. the
Support section.

Blinks white five times rapidly Indicates that the iDRAC Quick Sync 2 Check if iDRAC Quick Sync 2 feature
and then powers off feature is disabled. is configured to be disabled by iDRAC.

28 System diagnostics and indicator codes

iDRAC Quick Sync 2 indicator Condition Corrective action
code
If the problem persists, see the Support
section. www.dell.com/poweredgemanuals or Dell
OpenManage Server Administrator User’s Guide
at https://www.dell.com/openmanagemanuals.
Solid amber Indicates that the system is in fail-safe Restart the system.
mode.
If the problem persists, see the Support section.

Blinking amber Indicates that the iDRAC Quick Sync 2 Restart the system.
hardware is not responding properly.
If the problem persists, see the Support section.

iDRAC Direct LED indicator codes

The iDRAC Direct LED indicator lights up to indicate that the port is connected and is being used as a part of the iDRAC
subsystem.
You can configure iDRAC Direct by using a USB to micro USB (type AB) cable, which you can connect to your laptop or
tablet. Cable length should not exceed 3 feet (0.91 meters). Performance could be affected by cable quality. The following table
describes iDRAC Direct activity when the iDRAC Direct port is active:

Table 2. iDRAC Direct LED indicator codes

iDRAC Direct LED Condition
indicator code
Solid green for two Indicates that the laptop or tablet is connected.
seconds
Blinking green (on for Indicates that the laptop or tablet connected is recognized.
two seconds and off for
two seconds)
LED Indicator off Indicates that the laptop or tablet is unplugged.

NIC indicator codes

Each NIC on the back of the system has indicators that provide information about the activity and link status. The activity LED
indicator indicates if data is flowing through the NIC, and the link LED indicator indicates the speed of the connected network.

Figure 3. NIC indicator codes

1. Link LED indicator
2. Activity LED indicator

Table 3. NIC indicator codes

NIC indicator codes Condition
Link and activity indicators are off. Indicates that the NIC is not connected to the network.
Link indicator is green, and activity indicator is blinking Indicates that the NIC is connected to a valid network at its maximum
green. port speed, and data is being sent or received.

System diagnostics and indicator codes 29

Table 3. NIC indicator codes (continued)
NIC indicator codes Condition
Link indicator is amber, and activity indicator is blinking Indicates that the NIC is connected to a valid network at less than its
green. maximum port speed, and data is being sent or received.
Link indicator is green, and activity indicator is off. Indicates that the NIC is connected to a valid network at its maximum
port speed, and data is not being sent or received.
Link indicator is amber, and activity indicator is off. Indicates that the NIC is connected to a valid network at less than its
maximum port speed, and data is not being sent or received.
Link indicator is blinking green, and activity is off. Indicates that the NIC identity is enabled through the NIC
configuration utility.

Power supply unit indicator codes

AC power supply units (PSUs) have an illuminated translucent handle that serves as an indicator. The indicator shows if power is
present or if a power fault has occurred.

1. AC PSU handle
2. Socket
3. Release latch

Power indicator codes Condition

Green Indicates that a valid power source is connected to the PSU
and the PSU is operational.
Blinking amber Indicates an issue with the PSU.
Not powered on Indicates that the power is not connected to the PSU.
Blinking green Indicates that the firmware of the PSU is being updated.
CAUTION: Do not disconnect the power cord or
unplug the PSU when updating firmware. If firmware
update is interrupted, the PSUs will not function.

Blinking green and powers off When hot-plugging a PSU, it blinks green five times at a rate
of 4 Hz and powers off. This indicates a PSU mismatch due to
efficiency, feature set, health status, or supported voltage.
CAUTION: If two PSUs are installed, both the PSUs
must have the same type of label; for example,
Extended Power Performance (EPP) label. Mixing
PSUs from previous generations of PowerEdge
servers is not supported, even if the PSUs have the
same power rating. This results in a PSU mismatch
condition or failure to power on the system.

30 System diagnostics and indicator codes

Power indicator codes Condition

CAUTION: If two PSUs are used, they must be of

the same type and have the same maximum output
power.

CAUTION: When correcting a PSU mismatch, replace

the PSU with the blinking indicator. Swapping the
PSU to make a matched pair can result in an error
condition and an unexpected system shutdown. To
change from a high output configuration to a low
output configuration or vice versa, you must power
off the system.

CAUTION: AC PSUs support both 240 V and 120 V

input voltages with the exception of Titanium PSUs,
which support only 240 V. When two identical PSUs
receive different input voltages, they can output
different wattages, and trigger a mismatch.

Drive indicator codes

The LEDs on the drive carrier indicate the state of each drive. Each drive carrier has two LEDs: an activity LED (green) and a
status LED (bicolor, green/amber). The activity LED blinks whenever the drive is accessed.

1. Drive activity LED indicator

2. Drive status LED indicator
3. Drive capacity label
NOTE: If the drive is in the Advanced Host Controller Interface (AHCI) mode, the status LED indicator does not power on.

NOTE: Drive status indicator behavior is managed by Storage Spaces Direct. Not all drive status indicators may be used.

Drive status indicator code Condition

Blinks green twice per second Indicates that the drive is being identified or preparing for removal.
Off Indicates that the drive is ready for removal.
NOTE: The drive status indicator remains off until all drives
are initialized after the system is powered on. Drives are not
ready for removal during this time.

Blinks green, amber, and then powers off Indicates that there is an unexpected drive failure.
Blinks amber four times per second Indicates that the drive has failed.
Blinks green slowly Indicates that the drive is rebuilding.
Solid green Indicates that the drive is online.
Blinks green for three seconds, amber for three seconds, Indicates that the rebuild has stopped.
and then powers off after six seconds

System diagnostics and indicator codes 31

Using system diagnostics
If you experience an issue with the system, run the system diagnostics before contacting Dell for technical assistance. The
purpose of running system diagnostics is to test the system hardware without using additional equipment or risking data loss.
If you are unable to fix the issue yourself, service and support personnel can use the diagnostics results to help you solve the
issue.

Dell Embedded System Diagnostics

NOTE: The Dell Embedded System Diagnostics is also known as Enhanced Pre-boot System Assessment (ePSA)
diagnostics.
The Embedded System Diagnostics provide a set of options for particular device groups or devices allowing you to:
● Run tests automatically or in an interactive mode
● Repeat tests
● Display or save test results
● Run thorough tests to introduce additional test options to provide extra information about the failed device(s)
● View status messages that inform you if tests are completed successfully
● View error messages that inform you of issues encountered during testing

Running the Embedded System Diagnostics from the Dell Lifecycle

Controller
Steps
1. When the system is booting, press F10.
2. Select Hardware Diagnostics → Run Hardware Diagnostics.
The ePSA Pre-boot System Assessment window is displayed, listing all devices detected in the system. The diagnostics
start executing the tests on all the detected devices.

Running the Embedded System Diagnostics from Boot Manager

Run the Embedded System Diagnostics (ePSA) if your system does not boot.

Steps
1. When the system is booting, press F11.
2. Use the up arrow and down arrow keys to select System Utilities > Launch Diagnostics.
3. Alternatively, when the system is booting, press F10, select Hardware Diagnostics > Run Hardware Diagnostics.
The ePSA Pre-boot System Assessment window is displayed, listing all devices detected in the system. The diagnostics
starts executing the tests on all the detected devices.

System diagnostic controls

Table 4. System diagnostic controls
Menu Description
Configuration Displays the configuration and status information of all
detected devices.
Results Displays the results of all tests that are run.
System health Provides the current overview of the system performance.
Event log Displays a time-stamped log of the results of all tests run on
the system. This is displayed if at least one event description
is recorded.

32 System diagnostics and indicator codes