Server Downtime - July 5th, 2010 - BIOS Update
Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2010 4:40 pm
Hi everyone!
Well, I have to take the server down again, this time to do a long-overdue BIOS update. The downtime is scheduled for 9:00PM EST, and should not last more than 15-30 minutes, as I am just doing a BIOS update. However, depending on how back-asswards the BIOS install is, it could take more. If you're wondering why I need to do this crap, read on.
You see, when Dell sold the Inspiron 530, at the time, they only sold it with Windows Vista, and only the 32-bit version. Since 32-bit Windows Operating Systems do not support more than roughly 3.2GB of RAM, they figured, "Why bother putting more than 3GB in the Inspiron 530?" And, since they figured that anyone buying a Dell was a fucktard, they figured, "Why bother having the BIOS for the 530 support more than the 32-bit addressable RAM that Windows can see?"
So, you can imagine my shock when I upgraded the server to 4GB of RAM and found out it wouldn't see more than 3.2GB. I even questioned myself whether I actually installed 64-bit or 32-bit Linux for a minute. After a few seconds of Googling, I found out Dell is just that plain lazy when it comes to their BIOS programming. However, enough angry customers and a few BIOS updates later, the issue is reparable with a simple BIOS update. So, here's what my system memory profile looks like right now:
Once I'm done, hopefully, we can see all the memory I stuck in this thing.
Well, I have to take the server down again, this time to do a long-overdue BIOS update. The downtime is scheduled for 9:00PM EST, and should not last more than 15-30 minutes, as I am just doing a BIOS update. However, depending on how back-asswards the BIOS install is, it could take more. If you're wondering why I need to do this crap, read on.
You see, when Dell sold the Inspiron 530, at the time, they only sold it with Windows Vista, and only the 32-bit version. Since 32-bit Windows Operating Systems do not support more than roughly 3.2GB of RAM, they figured, "Why bother putting more than 3GB in the Inspiron 530?" And, since they figured that anyone buying a Dell was a fucktard, they figured, "Why bother having the BIOS for the 530 support more than the 32-bit addressable RAM that Windows can see?"
So, you can imagine my shock when I upgraded the server to 4GB of RAM and found out it wouldn't see more than 3.2GB. I even questioned myself whether I actually installed 64-bit or 32-bit Linux for a minute. After a few seconds of Googling, I found out Dell is just that plain lazy when it comes to their BIOS programming. However, enough angry customers and a few BIOS updates later, the issue is reparable with a simple BIOS update. So, here's what my system memory profile looks like right now:
- Code:
eaglerock@delorean:507:~$ free
total used free shared buffers cached
Mem: 3342800 3088120 254680 0 419752 1153784
-/+ buffers/cache: 1514584 1828216
Swap: 6291448 5520 6285928
eaglerock@delorean:508:~$ linuxlogo
_sudZUZ#Z#XZo=_ DDDD EEEEEE BBBB IIIIII AAAA NN NN
_jmZZ2!!~---~!!X##wa DD DD EE BB BB II AA AA NNN NN
.<wdP~~ -!YZL, DD DD EEEEE BBBBB II AAAAAA NNNN NN
.mX2' _%aaa__ XZ[. DD DD EE BB BB II AA AA NN NNNN
oZ[ _jdXY!~?S#wa ]Xb; DDDD EEEEEE BBBBB IIIIII AA AA NN NN
_#e' .]X2( ~Xw| )XXc
.2Z` ]X[. xY| ]oZ( Linux Version 2.6.32-5-amd64
.2#; )3k; _s!~ jXf` Compiled #1 SMP Tue Jun 1 04:34:03 UTC 2010
1Z> -]Xb/ ~ __#2( Four 1.6GHz Intel Core2 Quad Processors, 3.2GB RAM
-Zo; +!4ZwaaaauZZXY' 19151 Bogomips Total
*#[, ~-?!!!!!!-~ delorean
XUb;.
)YXL,,
+3#bc,
-)SSL,,
~~~~~
eaglerock@delorean:509:~$
Once I'm done, hopefully, we can see all the memory I stuck in this thing.