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Mobo mystery

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by t.got

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I'm working on a build with the following specs:
SuperMicro X7DAL-E board
Dual Xeon 5400 Quads
4 GB Crucial FB 667 MHz RAM
4 WD Raptor 150 GB HDD
Sapphire Radeon x1650 pro PCIe
Apevia 600W "Dark Power" PSU
Tagan Monolith Full tower case

The problem is I get nothing when I try to power up the system. I've tested PSU in other systems and it's fine. I find it unlikely, although entirely possible, that BOTH brand new Xeons are bad since I've tried starting with just one or the other.

The board requires an 8 pin 12V connector which the PSU has + a standard 4 pin. Got an adaptor to convert a hdd molex to 4 pin cpu.

I've tried the board in the case and outside of it. I've bypassed the switch and just shorted the pins to attempt to start it up.

When I put the PSU on a tester, CPU and GC cooling fans come on.

LEDs are lit up on the board normally. Except for LE1 which lights when power is applied to board. It should be "green" or "off." Depending on the angle you look at it, it's either "red" or "yellow."

Supermicro's tech support has been absolutely no help. "It's either your PSU or your CPUs." I've already RMAd the board once with the exact same result.

This beast was supposed to have been configured and delivered last week. My boss is breathing down my neck and I'm at a complete loss.

Any advice/tips/suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Jack

3 replies

by hal 9000

Side of TR as when someone answerers a question of yours you get notified.

Now here look at CPU 1 on the M'Board and make sure that you have fitted the CPU to this Socket before proceeding. Start off by testing out of the case with 1 Stick of RAM 1 CPU and the bare minimum of devices present so no HDD's and if you have On Board Video no Plug in Video. Just the M'Board CPU and Ram and see if you can get a POST to occur.

Personally I wouldn't be using any adapters on a Board like this I would buy another Power Supply that has the correct plugs to start off with Antec have a good 500 W Power Supply that has the correct plugs for this M'Board I would use one of those.
Lay the M'Board with a CPU and 1 Stick of RAM on some White Paper on the Desk/Work Bench and plug in a Keyboard, Mouse, Video and the Power Supply and Short out the Start Pins with a Screwdriver I use a Phillips to do this but any blade will do. Start off by making sure that you at least get some form of message on the screen and work from there.

If you haven't been fitting a Mouse & Keyboard it's possible that the BIOS is failing to POST and hanging at a Missing Keyboard or Mouse and not reaching the stage where it can display any form of message. Even if you plan to run this Headless you need to start off with a Keyboard, Mouse & Video that can be disabled in BIOS latter.

If you still get nothing try checking your RAM against the Recommended RAM here

http://tinyurl.com/5rbqkn

and just make sure that you have the correct EEC RAM. The 5000X Chip Sets are fairly simple to use and work with but just remember to start off with as little as possible and do not use any of the High Speed PCI Cards initially. If you must use a plug in Video Card try a Known Good PCI Video Card initially so you can set the BIOS and then switch to a PCI Xpress Video Card.

Post back if none of the above is of any use.

Col

by t.got

Thanks for the response. I've used TR for years but just never used the forums. Sorry for the mistake.

I've already tried everything you suggested. Fully Buffered RAM is all that will fit. I have not been able to even get to POST. I get absolutely nothing.

The minimum PSU for this board is 560 and recommended according to tech support is 660 or higher but it's a moot point.

Though I've been building and repairing PCs for a long time, this was my first build of this magnitude (e.g. dual cpu's, etc). Since there was no mention of how to install the heatsink retention backplate in the documentation, I mistakenly thought it did not have to mount to the chassis. That mistake = 1 cooked mobo.

So, as you can see, I'm 2 for 2 for mistakes thus far this week!

I'm just going to go have an anuerism or heart attack and start looking for another board.

Call me petty, but I'm pretty PO'd at SuperMicro so I'm not going to use another of their products.

by hal 9000

Personally with all Dual or more CPU Boards I use either Intel or Tyan they are just easier to work with and have better support.

The 771 Heatsink Mountings is different to the 604 one and can be a problem the first time it is used and should be covered in both the M'Board and Chassis Mounting instructions so it's not entirely your fault that one.

OK so since it's mot [b]Playing Nice[/b] what about any sounds from the M'Board? How about trying it without any RAM and see what if anything happens. You'll need at least 1 CPU in Socket 1 so stay with just the one till you get a POST Display and try it with just the CPU & nothing else connected to the M'Board well a speaker if on is needed at least as I don't use this M'Board I'm not exactly sure what is included on it.

While EEC RAM is the only type that will fit it doesn't mean that the RAM that you have works with the M'Board I had a perfect example of this just this week with SD RAM for a NEC NB. The original RAM was 100 MHZ and the stuff that I got to replace it was 133 MHZ and didn't work in that NB at least. Yep I should have known better & if I had of had the NB in front of me instead of overseas and never seeing it maybe I would have caught on but then again maybe not. These things just happen. :(

Just one more thought if the CMOS Clear jumper is set to clear that will stop the M'Board POSTing.

Col

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