Control Fan Speed on S5520SC ??

[idata]

Hi Everyone,

I recently bought a S5520SC MB and also updated its BIOS to version 58 (latest), i selected the other chassis option during the FRU/SDR update phase.

but as soon as i restarted my machine my CPU FAN started running at full speed and did not slow down even when the computer was idle.

A bit googling led me to the following page:

http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/sb/CS-031384.htm http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/sb/CS-031384.htm

It mentions that to solve this problem i will have to run the FRUSDR utility and select on of the following profiles:

• Maximum fan speed
• Server (pedestal) profile
• Data center (rack mount) profile
• Workstation profile

and then further use the Fan PWM Offset settings in the BIOS to control the speed.

Can someone on this forum please guide as to where to download the FRUSDR utility which gives the above four options and how to use the utility ?

Thanks,

[DSilv11]

The most current code stack (BIOS, BMC, ME, FRUSDR is here:

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=20293&lang=eng&OSVersion=OS%20Independent&DownloadType=Firmware http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=20293&lang=eng&OSVersion=OS%20Independent&DownloadType=Firmware

I suspect what is tripping you up is the front panel temperature sensor, but you may want to check the SEL log using SELVIEW to make sure all the fans are connected correctly.

http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=17933&lang=eng&OSVersion=&DownloadType=Utilities%2C%20Tools%20and%20Examples http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=17933&lang=eng&OSVersion=&DownloadType=Utilities%2C%20Tools%20and%20Examples

If you chassis lacks a FP sensor, you should have seen when loading the SDR's::

"Front Panel Temperature sensor device hardware is not found."

"Chassis fan Speed Control (FSC) will not work properly without this sensor!""Do you want to still Continue (Y/N)?"

When you chose Y it loads the control profile assuming a FP sensor will be added. If no sensor, it reads it as a sensor failure and ramps to 100% on all fans. (Great for cooling, bad for ears)

If you chose N, it exits and does not load an SDR assuming you want to fix the lack of FP sensor.

Of course, if your chassis does not have a FP temp sensor, you have a problem.

The best choice is to add a FP temp sensor to get the optimal fan / cooling / noise profile..

The FP temp sensor is used as part of cooling profiles to set the ramp speed based on the inlet room temperature.(ie.the fans can ram less if the room temp is 20C that at 30C).

If you don't have a FP temp sensor, you can work around it with some editing in the SDR's (not the recommend method which is add a FP temp sensor, but better than having the fans running at full speed. Did I mention, edit at your own risk)

The file HC_BMC.SDR can be opened in notepad and some basic editing can get you running.

If you search for 'Front Panel Temp' you will find the SDR that defines this sensor.

Scrolling up you will see that this is Sensor number is 21 (21 // Sensor Number)

Scroll up a little more and you will find the 'Baseboard Temp' SDR which has a sensor number of 20 (20 // Sensor Number)

If you search down for 'Temperature Sensor Number -- (FP Amb)" you will find that sensor number 21 is used.

if you edit this to sensor 20, the system will use the base board temp sensor instead of the front pannel temp sensor.

(21 20 // Temperature Sensor Number -- (FP Amb).

Sounds easy. Keep searching. This sensor is used ~ 101 times in the sdr file and they all have to be edited. (Thank goodness for find and replace.)

After you finish editing and saving the HC_BMC.SDR, you need to reflash the FRUSDR's (select Y at the question above)

Once all of the 'Temperature Sensor Number -- (FP Amb)' have been change the SDR will think the Base Board temp sensor is the FP and ramp based on this sensor. It is not as accurate and subject to wide variations base on HDD placement and usage (BB sensor is on the front edge of the mother board. but usually close to HDD. The BB sensor is always hotter than FP so fans will ramps sooner and harder than they really need to ramp which provides over cooling, but not so much as the 100% full fan speeds and is a lot easier on the ears.

Now that the fan control is working, you have to select

" Slow ramp "

" Medium ramp " " Fast ramp " " Full Speed Fans ".

The faster the fans ramp, the safer (but you don't want Full Speed Fans- You have that now)

You are going to get a faster than normal ramp already because of the using the BB sensor.

I would pick Medium or Slow and then monitor the all the system temperatures under various loads / stress to see if any thing is approaching hot.

If it starts getting hot on Slow, go to medium.

The settings your refering to are in the BIOS set-up (F@ during post) but they also assume a FP temp sensor is present.

Hope this helps.

[idata]

Hi,

Thanks for the detailed explanation.

I wanted to ask a couple of follow up questions, At times i may sound like a begineer please guide me along.

I had upated my BIOS to the latest one ie;

BIOS : S5500.86B.01.00.0059.08232011 1421 Build Date : Aug. 23, 2011

BMC : 57FRUSDR : 30ME : SPS_01.01.02.007.0_Production

and not version 58, as previoulsy stated, my bad for the typo.

I used the intel deployment assistant CD to upate my BIOS using a USB key drive.

I had saved the SDR profile in a USB drive after the BIOS update(as it prompted me to do it),and if i am not wrong the HC_BMC.SDR file is in that zip file.

I had already tried to play with that file earlier but was scared as i did not have any prior information about it until you replied to my post(Thanks).

Now,

do i have to run the entire BIOS setup again OR i can just edit the file and re load the profile using IDA CD.

Can you provide me some bullet pointed steps as to how should i proceed as i have already updated my BIOS to the latest available.

Thanks..

[DSilv11]

Would you believe, I have never used the IDA CD to update the code stack.

EFI, Windows-linux OFU, but never the IDA.

The full update would do the job, but all you need is to reload the frusdr.

The package I linked before has folder named EFIScripts. Which includes FRUSDR30.nsh which is a batch file with the commands.

I tend to like the EFI version as there is no worry about anything else running in the background that might possiably interfere.

To run the EFI:

1) down load package and extract to the ROOT of a USB key

2) Make your SDR edits & save

3) reboot system and press F6 during POST to get the boot selection menu.

4) select EFI

5) system should boot into EFI and start the flash process.

Screen will display :

"This utility will allow you to update the BMC 00.57, BIOS R0059, ME"

"firmware 1.12, and FRUSDR 30 in the Intel(R) Server Boards S5520HC, ""S5500HCV, S5520HCT and Intel(R) Workstation Board S5520SC"

"If you want to do all these functions, press Enter. If not, hit 'q'."

"if you want to update single component like BMC/BIOS separately,"

"please go to the EFIscripts folder and execute the specified scripts""separately, and follow below update process to ensure trouble free update""from BIOS R0045, BMC 00.48:"" 1): BMC firmware update to 00.57;"" 2): BIOS update to R0059;"" 3): Manageability Engine (ME) Firmware update to 01.12;"" 4): FRUSDR update to 30"

"Do NOT reboot during this process until you see Updates completed."

==========================================================================

6) Press Q (you could hit enter and let it flash everything if you want)

7) after hitting Q, type frusdr -cfg master.cfg to just update the FRUSDR.

Someone else may be able to comment on the process using the IDA tool.

[idata]

Hi Doc_SilverCreek,

I finally got some time this weekend and tried the exact steps that you pointed out below, but the CPU FAN is still running at full speed and creating hell lot of noise.

I need to reduce the FAN noise as my mom is planning to throw my machine along with me outside :-)

The FAN speed only increased after i updated the BIOS/SDR to the latest version, can i revert back to the default setting OR are there some other settings that I can tweak.

Please help me out.

thanks..

[Edward_Z_Intel]

By default, when you select "Other" chassis all system fans run at full speed, because the BMC is not aware of the specs of your chassis. If you want to lower the fan speed you may need to modify the SDR file and re-apply the modified SDR. However you need to do your own thermal test to make sure that the temperature is within specs.

For more information about modifying the SDR file, check the following post:

/message/93150# 93150 http://communities.intel.com/message/93150# 93150

[DSilv11]

Checl the SEL log using the SEL viewer tool and see what the system is reporting as critical and causing the full speed fans.

[idata]

After adding a second CPU to my S5520SC the fan speed became too high for the loads and temps the CPUs were reporting. It was always fine with just a single CPU.

I used SEL viewer and there were no temp or sensor errors.

So I thought maybe there was "hot pocket" somewhere and found that disconnected the HDD cage fan that came in my Intel pedestal chassis and sure enough, the fan speeds started coming down (medium ramp) over the new couple minutes.

Now the CPU temps are higher, but it's quite. Intel has some issues with temp reporting errors. Been going on for about 7 years at least. You'd think they'd be able to get it right... but no.

[Edward_Z_Intel]

Did you perform a FRU/SDR update after adding the second CPU?

[idata]

I just did it and it fixed the issue.

And I guess I had chassis intrusion disabled before, because it scared me when I opened the chassis and the fans screamed at me. Lol

This must have been the problem as it's running full CPU load and is acoustically in tune with the CPU temps. aka quieter

As for the HDD fan cage however, because I still haven't hooked it back up (connected with adapter, not to MB), should it be blowing towards the front or the rear (inside) of the chassis? I have had it facing rear, but wasn't sure if it's correct.

(I have six hot drives in it.)

[Edward_Z_Intel]

All fans should keep the airflow in the same direction, normally from front to back.