Apple xserve early 2008 User Manual

							Xserve (Late 2006) Take Apart — Hard Drive Module 11
Apple Drive Module
Xserve (Late 2006) includes three hard drive bays on the front panel. Hard drives come as 
modules, known as Apple drive modules (ADMs), attached to carriers; they are removed from or 
installed in the Xserve as a unit. ADMs have been available from Apple in various capacities for 
all Xserve and Xserve RAID models, and in multiple interface types. Xserve G4 and Xserve RAID 
use parallel ATA (PATA) ADMs, and Xserve G5 uses serial ATA (SATA) ADMs. Xserve (Late 2006) can 
use SATA ADMs, and ADMs with a new, third interface type known as serial attached SCSI (SAS). 
It is important to understand ADM forward compatibility and backward compatibility with older 
Xserve models, since some combinations of ADM and Xserve or RAID work properly while other 
combinations do not. The following table summarizes this compatibility.
Xserve G4Xserve RAID Xserve G5Xserve 
(Late 2006) Xserve (Early 
2008)
PATA ADM for 
Xserve G4 OK
OK NO*NO* NO*
SATA ADM for 
Xserve G5 NO*
NO* OKOK (but not 
supported) OK (but not 
supported)
SATA ADM for 
Xserve (Late 2006) NO*
NO* OK (but 
not 
supported)OK
OK
SAS ADM for Xserve 
(Late 2006) NO†
NO† NO††OK OK
* PATA connector is physically different from SATA connector so this ADM will not fit completely 
into slot.
† PATA connector is physically different from SAS connector so this ADM will not fit completely 
into slot.
†† Will fit completely into slot but ADM will not work or be recognized by the Xserve. Installing 
the SAS ADM should not damage the drive, however. 
Note: Blank drive carriers, which may fill some of the hard drive bays, follow the same take-apart 
procedure as hard drives. If you are replacing a blank carrier with a drive module, instruct the 
Xserve’s administrator to keep the blank for possible future use. Blank carriers must be installed in 
all empty bays to maintain proper airflow through the Xserve.
Tools
No tools are required for this procedure. 
						

							Xserve (Late 2006) Take Apart — Hard Drive Module 12
Backing Up Your Data
Warning: Before replacing the hard drive, make sure you back up all data on the drive.
Preliminary Steps
Before you begin, make sure the drives are in the unlocked position. Also, make sure the drive 
being replaced is not in use by any application and is not being shared by the Xserve. (See the 
Mac OS X Server documentation for information about shared drives.)  To do this, you may need 
to first unmount the drive by using the command-line tools or by dragging the disk icon to the 
Trash.
You can replace or install hard drives while the Xserve is running; you do not need to shut down 
or open the Xserve first.
Note: There are two LED indicators on the front of each drive.
Drive module ac tivity light (blue)
Driv
e module status light (green)
The upper LED shows drive status: a green light indicates the drive is good; a yellow or red 
• 
light indicates the drive should be replaced.
The lower LED shows drive activity: when the blue light is blinking, the system is reading 
• 
from or writing to the drive. To avoid losing data, never remove a drive when the lower LED 
is blinking.
Warning: Drives must be in the unlocked position before you attempt to remove a drive. If the 
drives are locked, pulling on the drive to remove it could damage the drive handle. 
						

							Xserve (Late 2006) Take Apart — Hard Drive Module 13
Part Location
Drive bay  1D rive bay  2D rive bay  3
Procedure
Make sure the drive being replaced is not in use by any application and is not being shared 
1.  
by the Xserve. (See the Mac OS X Server documentation for information about shared drives.)
Unmount the drive (by using the command-line tools or by dragging the volume icon to the 
2.  
Trash).
Press the handle on the front of the drive module so that the handle pops out. Wait for the 
3. 
upper LED on the drive to go out. Then grasp the drive handle, and pull the drive module 
out of the Xserve.
Replacement Note: Press and release the handle on the replacement drive to open it, and slide 
the module into the bay until it is firmly seated. Then press the handle in flush with the front 
panel. The disk status light will turn green to indicate normal operation. 
						

							Xserve (Late 2006) Take Apart — Hard Drive Module 14
Formatting the Hard Drive
If you replaced the hard drive with a new one, format the new hard drive by following the steps 
presented here:Start up from the Install Disc that came with your server, and choose the language.
1.  
From the menu bar, choose Utilities > Disc Utility.
2.  
To format the primary drive, use the Disc Utility on the Install disc.
3. 
Click the Partition tab.
4.  
Click on Options, and verify GUID is selected if this is the startup drive.
5. 
Name the volume “Macintosh HD.”
6.  
Apply the change by clicking the Partition tab.
7.  
Leave the Disc Utility application open, and restore the backed up files from the image you 
8.  
created before removing the hard drive. 
						

							Xserve (Late 2006) Take Apart — Power Supply 15
Power Supply
You can replace or install a power supply from the back panel without removing the server from 
the rack. If the Xserve has two power supplies, they are hot-swappable; the Xserve will continue 
to operate using only one supply while the second is removed.
Tools
No tools are required for this procedure.
Preliminary Steps
There are no preliminary steps for this procedure.
Part Location
Power supply
bay  2 Po
wer supply
bay  1 
						

							Xserve (Late 2006) Take Apart — Power Supply 16
Procedure
Unplug the power cord from the power supply you are removing.
1.  
Pull the handle to release the power supply and slide it out of the bay.
2.  
Pull the handle to unlatch th e
power supply and remove it.
Replacement Procedure
Press and release to open the handle on the new power supply, slide it all the way into the 
1.  
bay, and then press the handle to seat the power supply and lock it in place.  
Slide the power supply in an d
press the handle to seat it.
Connect the power cord to the power supply.  
2.  
Note: If the Xserve is already running on a second power supply, the status light on the new 
supply turns green to indicate normal operation as it starts sharing the load. If the Xserve is 
not turned on, the supply status light blinks green when the power cord is plugged in to an 
outlet with power. 
						

							Xserve (Late 2006) Take Apart — Power Supply 17
Power Supply Blank
If the server has only one power supply, the other bay is covered by a removable door. Called 
a power supply blank, this door keeps the empty bay clean. The power supply blank may be 
removed while the server is still in the rack.
Tools
No tools are required for this procedure.
Preliminary Steps
There are no preliminary steps for this procedure.
Part Location 
						

							Xserve (Late 2006) Take Apart — Power Supply 18
Procedure
Pull out the handle to swing open the power supply blank.
1.  
Notice the hook that catches on the inside bottom of the power supply bay. 
2.   
						

							Xserve (Late 2006) Take Apart — Power Supply 19
Open the power supply blank as far as it will go, and then pull out the power supply blank.
3. 
Replacement Note: Align the hook on the power supply blank with the catch inside the power 
supply bay. Close the power supply blank, and press the handle over the bay wall to lock it in 
place.  
						

							Xserve (Late 2006) Take Apart — Opening the Top Cover 20
Opening the Top Cover
The top cover on this Xserve model does not remain installed in the rack as it did in previous 
Xserve G5 models.  The entire Xserve enclosure, including its top cover, must be removed 
from the rack as a unit before the top cover can be removed to gain access to any internal 
components.
Tools
No tools are required for this procedure. You may, however, find a Phillips screwdriver useful in 
releasing the thumbscrews.
Preliminary Steps
Serial Number
Be sure to write down the Xserve’s serial number. If the Xserve’s software must be set up after 
service is complete, the serial number will be required for login.  The serial number is located on 
a pull-out tab at the bottom-center of the rear panel.