Solved Windows 7 x64 OS hibernation failed problem due to VgaSave on Dell Precision T7600 workstation (Rev: 1.3)


The Dell Precision T7600 workstation [2 x Intel Xeon E5-2687W (8 cores) 3.1 Ghz CPU, 256 GB RAM] has
  • a Nvidia Quadro 5000 video card
    [default installed at the top expansion card (#15) slot 1 (CPU2_PCIe3x16) by Dell]
    and
  • a Nvidia Tesla C2075 GPU card
    [default installed at the PCIe3x16 slot 2 (blue) by Dell]. 

Reallocated the position of the 2 Nvidia video cards by me in the Dell Precision T7600 workstation


The Dell U2412M 24" LCD monitor (recommended resolution is 1920x1200) was connected to the Nvidia Tesla C2075 GPU card DVI video port. If we connect the monitor to the Nvidia Quadro 5000 video card DVI video port, the monitor will show a blank black screen because it did not receive any video signal from the Nvidia Quadro 5000 video card.

Although the Windows 7 Professional SP1 x64 Operating System (OS) can detect both the Nvidia Quadro 5000 video card and Nvidia Tesla C2075 GPU card in the Device Manager, it can only use the generic VgaSave display drivers (maximum resolution is only 1600x1200) and generic monitor drivers. As a result, the text and images shown are a bit blur and not sharp. The VgaSave display drivers is used because there is no suitable video drivers for the Nvidia Tesla C2075 GPU card in the Windows 7 Professional SP1 x64 OS. Generic monitor drivers is used because Windows 7 Professional SP1 x64 OS cannot detect the Dell U2412M LCD monitor which is caused by the VgaSave display drivers.

At "Display" -> "Screen Resolution" -> "Advanced settings", under "Adapter" tab -> "Properties", under "VgaSave Properties" -> "Resources" tab, you will see the below conflict VgaSave resource settings:

Input/Output Range 03B0 - 03BB used by:
  Intel(R) Xeon(R) Processor E5 Product Family/Core i7 IIO PCI Express Root Port 2a - 3C04

Input/Output Range 03C0 - 03DF used by:
  Intel(R) Xeon(R) Processor E5 Product Family/Core i7 IIO PCI Express Root Port 2a - 3C04

Memory Range 00000000000A0000 - 00000000000BFFFF used by:
  Intel(R) Xeon(R) Processor E5 Product Family/Core i7 IIO PCI Express Root Port 2a - 3C04


If you installed the latest Nvidia Tesla C2075 version 296.88 (release date: 2012.06.11) drivers, Windows 7 Professional x64 OS still use the generic VgaSave display drivers and generic monitor drivers. You cannot added the Dell U2412M LCD monitor drivers because the generic monitor drivers properties is grey out which prevent you from changing the generic monitor drivers.

The generic VgaSave drivers prevent the turning off of the hibernation feature (using powercfg.exe command as shown below) which we do not use and waste about 151 GB of hardisk space that is used in the hibernation:

# powercfg -h off
Hibernation failed with the following error: The request is not supported.

The following items are preventing hibernation on this system.
        There are one or more legacy drivers installed:
                VgaSave
        An internal system component has disabled hibernation.


Steps to solve the Windows 7 Professional x64 OS hibernation failed problem due to VgaSave 
  1. Please power off the Dell Precision T7600 workstation. Kindly unplug the power connectors (6 pins and 8 pins types) that are connected to the Nvidia Tesla C2075 GPU card. Please took out the Nvidia Tesla C2075 GPU card that is installed at the PCIe3x16 slot 2 (blue) and leave it aside on the table.

  2. Kindly unplug the power connector (6 pins type) that is connected to the Nvidia Quadro 5000 video card. Please took out the Nvidia Quadro 5000 video card from the top expansion card (#15) slot 1 (CPU2_PCIe3x16) and installed it to the PCIe3x16 slot 2 (blue) which is the standard PCIe3x16 video slot use in the motherboard.

  3. Kindly connect the Dell U2412M LCD monitor to the Nvidia Quadro 5000 video card. Please power on the Dell Precision T7600 workstation and it will boot normally to the Windows 7 Professional x64 OS. Please update the Nvidia Quadro 5000 video card drivers to the latest version 296.88 (release date: 2012.06.11).

    With the Nvidia Quadro 5000 video card installing at the PCIe3x16 slot 2 (blue) of the Dell Precision T7600 workstation, Windows 7 Professional x64 OS did not use the generic Vgasave display drivers and will automatically detected the Dell U2412M 24" LCD monitor. The resolution is also automatically set to the recommended 1920x1200 resolution. As a result, the text and images shown are sharp and not blur.

     I can turn off the hibernation feature by issuing the below command in the Command Prompt:
    # powercfg -h off

  4. After powered off the Dell Precision T7600 workstation, I installed the Nvidia Tesla C2075 GPU card to the top expansion card (#15) slot 1 (CPU2_PCIe3x16). With the left side cover not close yet, the Dell Precision T7600 workstation boot up normally to Windows 7 Professional x64 OS. Generic Vgasave display drivers are not use and the display text and images shown are sharp and not blur.

However, by placing the Nvidia Tesla C2075 GPU card on the top expansion card (#15) slot 1 (CPU2_PCIe3x16), the left side cover cannot be completely closed because the workstation handle cover is blocked by the side 6 pins power connector (due to not enough casing width spacing) that is connected to the Nvidia Tesla C2075 GPU card. I think that is the reason why Dell placed the Nvidia Tesla C2075 GPU card at PCIe3x16 slot 2 (blue) so that they can close the left side cover of the Dell Precision T7600 workstation.


Comment/Note on very noisy power supply fans (faulty)

When the Dell Precision T7600 workstation is using about 10% of the CPU power (low usage), the 2 power supply fans run normally and quietly. However, when we run simulations using 100% of the CPU power (high usage), the 2 power supply fans will runs at full blast speed that produce very high fans noise. Sometimes, the simulations are completed and the workstation goes back to the low CPU usage stage, but the power supply fans still runs at full blast speed which are very noisy.

According to the Dell Technical Support, the power supply fans should not produce high fans noise. If the power supply fans are noisy, then the fans must be faulty. It is not possible for Dell to change the brands/model of the fans.

Dell had changed the Dell Precision T7600 workstation power supply. When we run simulations using 100% of the CPU power (high usage), the replaced power supply is working at slightly high fans noise which are not very noisy (acceptable).

Reference

[1] Delete hiberfil.sys by disabling Windows Hibernate function

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