SmartServer, FrustratedSysadmin

June 21, 2006 2:24 PM

Due to circumstances, my department has inherited a 1U server that, after a firmware update, the fans are blowing much, much louder than they were originally. Normally, I would call/write to support or look it up on their site. Here's the M. Night Shyamalan twist: it is a server only sold and supported in Korea ("What a twist!"). It is the Samsung SmartServer ZSS100 and I was able to Google my way to the official list of drivers and firmware updates, but the one driver/firmware update that affects the fan (here) has corrupt download links. I need help on a few fronts:

1) I need that Fan Boosting update. Because this is going to be used for demos in front of customers, I need to quiet those fans down! I am considering simply disconnecting the fans if nothing works, since even a firmware rollback did not fix it.
2) Since we inherited it with no software, does someone have the CDs/software that originally comes with this series (drivers, utilities, SmartInstall and SmartManage software)? Any other software that allows for direct control of the fan would also be welcome (SpeedFan did not work).
3) We inherited it barebones, so does someone know where I can get a faceplate and/or rail kit for this? Can I possibly use generic for either?
4) Is there someone in Samsung that I can contact to get help with this directly? I do not speak or read Korean, so I can't even find the "Contact Us" link on the site.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

posted by JLobster to Computers & Internet (3 answers total)

So I googled around for info, and it seems like you're right -- the server, by its 'SmartServer' name is only supported and sold in Korea. You might want to try to email Samsung, however, since the server might be sold as a different name overseas.

Just to let you know, the Fan Boosting update says it's a solution to when 'after system boot, the Fan periodically alternates between high-speed mode/low-speed mode'.

The official list of drivers you have seems to be no longer linked from http://www.sec.co.kr. Instead, Korean Samsung business products seem to get their support from http://www.samsungb2b.co.kr/. The site is Flash and Javascript-full and pretty much semi-broken on anything but IE on Windows. The product page is here, and they do seem to have drivers and information manuals for download. (The drop-down menu above the two orange boxes lets you choose between 'Driver' or user manuals.)

But get this -- in order to download drivers from their site, you have to register and create an account with a valid Korean social security number (or alien registration number), and then have to search and select from a long, long list what specific business you work for.

I would download the drivers for you myself, but was somewhat reluctant to assign myself to a random business, and there was no option for 'other'. I suggest you either email Samsung US, asking if they have an alternate name for the model, or email Samsung Korea and ask for help. Near the bottom of the first page you linked to, there are about eight links, and the second-to-last link says 'SITEMAP'. Click the link on the right to it, which says 'email inquiry' in Korean, and that should pop-up a email submission form.

Good luck!
posted by provolot at 3:30 PM on June 21, 2006

You could try splicing a resistor into the fan's power cables to reduce the voltage load and slow down the fan. I don't know if that would work or not, though.
posted by delmoi at 5:52 PM on June 21, 2006

It looks to me like the OM_P045 file is okay from that site - that looks like the BIOS updater, and its release notes mention the fan boost and control functionality in English. I grabbed it and uploaded a copy to another site in case you can't fetch it from the SEC site. The other files both seem trashed to me.

Alternatively, they make fan controllers that go in a PCI slot or a drive bay, depending on how the fans hook up. That would be a quick way of forcibly slowing them down.

Alternatively alternatively, if a 1U server is going to embarrass you in front of your clients, why not pitch it and replace?
posted by pocams at 6:51 AM on June 22, 2006