Entering Firmware Boot Commands
from the XServe's Front Panel
You can use the system identifier button on the server's front panel to
initiate a limited number of firmware commands to the system without
connecting a keyboard or monitor to the server. The commands are listed
below; you enter each command with a combination of the system
identifier button and a specific light on the front panel.
Note:
If Open Firmware Security is turned on for the system,
front panel mode is not available. In this situation, the two rows of
lights on the front panel flash twice when you try to enter a boot
command with the system identifier. Then the system resumes its regular
startup sequence.
Follow these steps to
initiate a command from the front
panel.
- With the power button off, hold in the system identifier
button while you press the on/standby button
- Continue holding the system identifier button until the top
row of blue lights blinks sequentially.
- Release the system identifier button. The rightmost light
in the bottom row turns on. Press the system identification button to
light the next light in the bottom row, moving from right to left.
Press the button again to change lights.
The lights in the bottom row indicate (from right to left):
- Light 1
(far right): Start up from a system disk in the
optical drive (on a system with an optical drive). This also ejects any
disc already in the optical drive.
- Light 2:
Start up from a network server
(NetBoot)
- Light 3:
Start up from the internal drive (leftmost
drive if more than one).
- Light 4:
Bypass the current startup disk and startup
from any other available startup disk.
- Light 5:
Begin target disk mode (all drives, including
optical drive, will show up)
- Light 6:
Restore the systems default setting (reset
NVRAM)
- Light 7:
Enter Open Firmware (via the serial port if no
monitor and keyboard are connected.
- When the light for the action you want is on, hold in the
system identifier button for at least 2 seconds, until all the lights
in the top row are on.
- Release the button