Supermicro H11SSL-I-O only heartbeat light, no system power light

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Root.ed

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Feb 6, 2020
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Hello everyone!

So i've built around 5-6 of these same exact setups with the exact same parts and all of a sudden after shipping them out, a few of them are having issues. Its important to note that some were just fine that were shipped in the same box.

So here is the issue, we are using the Supermicro H11SSL-I-O with AMD EPYC 7551 and 2-8 sticks of memory, M2 SS2, and a 650W-750W power supply. The system worked fine, powered on, and everything was installed/setup prior to shipping out.

After landing, when they plug it into the power supply, all they're getting is the heartbeat LED light (blinking). There is no system power LED going on. There is no spinning on the CPU fan at all.

We already tried reseating the CPU a few times, but the problem is, they don't have the exact spec'd torque tool (the one thats supposed to be torque'd at 16.1 kgf-cm (14.0 lbf-in) - only a normal torque screwdriver w/T20 bit. Obviously this isn't ideal, but is this possibly the reason why reseating the CPU isn't helping?

Secondly - in the same shipment, there is a working machine there, so I am trying to figure out how we can utilize the machine that we know works, to narrow down the problem on the 2 that do not work. (Total of 3 in that shipment - 2 out of 3 are giving the same heartbeat blinking LED and one is working just fine).

I was praying that reseating the CPU would work, but since they don't have the tool, I am wondering if its the reason why it wont power on. Possibly the CPU got moved during shipment just a tad? I'm just wondering if its an absolute 100% requirement to torque it to those exact specs to get it work. Problem is, that tool (some kind of 1/4 adjustable measurement torque wrench w/the T20 bit) isn't readily available at the moment and would take a week+ to get to them during the current conditions and due to product availability.

Things I know:
- There's no damage to the motherboard pins.
- Tried swapping power supplies to rule that out.
- Motherboard is installed on a case, so it should be grounded properly?
- Heartbeat LED is blinking at normal pace.

Possible Problems:
- CPU needs reseated with the proper torque? Is it really that sensistive?
- CPU is dead :(
- Motherboard is dead :(
- My life sucks right now.

As a note, we do have one of the same exact setups working from that same shipment... so I was thinking about MAYBE trying to reseat that one and see if it stops working, if it stopped working, then maybe it points to the torque'ing issue/tightening issue since we know the machine works as is right now. That would be best case scenario... but if we do that and it works, then that leads me to believe maybe the CPU is dead on both? So then I would take the working CPU out of the working machine and try the 2 CPUs from the dead machine. If that works... then we have a motherboard issue potentially?

I wish this was as simple as just reseating it without needing a specific torque to atleast help identify the issue but im up FOR ALL SUGGESTIONS as im PULLING MY HAIR OUT AS WE SPEAK!

Sourcing a tool is something we are trying to do, but im looking at other options and ideas... reseating CPU has worked in the past on the same parts when I had the issue locally, but I also have the torque tool to get it torque'd just right.

Any help is appreciated.
 
Last edited:

Root.ed

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Feb 6, 2020
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Part 2:

Making this a separate post as we still have issues with the above testing, which is testing the same CPU/motherboard that was shipped together (and was working 100% fine prior to shipping) and isn't working right now on 2/3 machines.

We decided to take the working CPU from the only machine that works, take it out, reseat it, and see if the 'tightening' was maybe the culprit here. This would confirm that on a machine that came and was working when it landed that if after reseating the CPU it didn't work... that likely tightening it with a regular t20 screw driver (without the torque specification) was the issue... it was not, it got motherboard LED power light on (LED1) i think it is.

So next I suggested we take the all of the CPUs and plug them into the working motherboard.... - 1 got 1 blinking light for heartbeat, and other 1 got no heartbeat. Bad sign.

So after that I suggested taking the WORKING CPU and stick it into the motherboard of one of the ones that WASNT working... and for some strange reason, the heartbeat light is working.... and the CPU fan spins? but no motherboard system power LED on it... but with the working CPU, the fan is spinning, why is that? I haven't ran across this ever.

So now we have the following:

1) 3 computers were shipped with 3 cpus, 3 motherboards. 1 is working after coming out of the boxes and 2 are not. Tested the CPU/Motherboards together and unsure of which is the failure. Both tested in a case. This is the first post.
2) Switch up the 2 CPUs from the non-working combination of motherboard/CPU and stick them in the one that does work. One lights up heartbeat wise, One doesn't light up heartbeat. Possibly bad CPU?
3) Finally, I said take the working CPU and stick it in the non-working motherboard (one of them only so far) and blinking light works and the CPU fan is spinning which wasn't happening when we tested the non-working combination out of the box.

All testing is being done with no memory, no ssd installed, no graphics card, we're just trying to get the damn motherboard power light LED to turn on... as it should be able to turn on without any of those parts installed from my experience.

My likely conclusion as of this moment is somehow the motherboard and CPU on 2 out of the 3 machines is fried somehow, and that seems so farfetched to believe...
 

yesoos

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Mar 10, 2020
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Hi,I got H11SSL rev1 (and other EPYCs mobos aswell) as this is System on Chip it will not power on without CPU in socket , BMC will also not boot. I had damaged 7601 cpu (hit the ground) but even if it wont boot (stayed on error bios post code) still could power on and access BMC. Maybe that could help a bit.
 

Root.ed

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Feb 6, 2020
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Hi,I got H11SSL rev1 (and other EPYCs mobos aswell) as this is System on Chip it will not power on without CPU in socket , BMC will also not boot. I had damaged 7601 cpu (hit the ground) but even if it wont boot (stayed on error bios post code) still could power on and access BMC. Maybe that could help a bit.
Hi thanks for your response!
By power on you mean LED1 ("System Power") was STILL powering on? Because we are not getting that to come on at all on any of the motherboards that are "broken".

Also when putting the same CPUs in the WORKING motherboard still no LED1 (System Power) light.
And lastly, when sticking a WORKING CPU in the non-working motherboard, still no LED1 (System Power) light....

If you're saying even with a broken CPU (7601) that it should still get System Power... then I am confused what is my problem here.
 

tesla100

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Jun 15, 2016
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Hi. Did you ship the systems with heatsinks installed? Have you inspected the CPU sockets?
 

yesoos

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Mar 10, 2020
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By power on you mean LED1 ("System Power") was STILL powering on? Because we are not getting that to come on at all on any of the motherboards that are "broken".
Yes, standby "le1" led should light up (standby, power ok no matter of there is cpu or not) and the second led "ledm1" (BMC heartbeat) , should starts blinking after BMC firmware will come up and it will not come up if there is missing connection with some part of CPU (probably some ID pin only but I could be wrong). By power on I mean hitting PS ON , without CPU (or fried cpu / motherboard) hitting PS on give no result.
 

Root.ed

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Feb 6, 2020
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Hi. Did you ship the systems with heatsinks installed? Have you inspected the CPU sockets?
Yes, standby "le1" led should light up (standby, power ok no matter of there is cpu or not) and the second led "ledm1" (BMC heartbeat) , should starts blinking after BMC firmware will come up and it will not come up if there is missing connection with some part of CPU (probably some ID pin only but I could be wrong). By power on I mean hitting PS ON , without CPU (or fried cpu / motherboard) hitting PS on give no result.
Currently we are not getting the LED1 at all... I'm going to see if we can get power on it without CPU as well, good idea as you are saying it SHOULD get LED1 (power) without any CPU in it?

The heartbeat is working on one of them (CPU installed)... will check again the other as it wasnt popping up. If the heartbeat doesnt pop up with the CPU in it, what does that mean? Or what could it mean? As one shows heartbeat and one wasn't.
 

yesoos

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Mar 10, 2020
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If heartbeat is working you should be able to access webgui and checks some logs.
Are you sure all the PSU cables are connected , (of course main ATX) and extra 12V?
Let me check this LE1 behaviour...
 
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Root.ed

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Feb 6, 2020
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If heartbeat is working you should be able to access webgui and checks some logs.
Are you sure all the PSU cables are connected , (of course main ATX) and extra 12V?
Let me check this LE1 behaviour...
Can you tell me how to access the webGUI and check those logs? I've never had to use it unless you mean IPMI... but what is the default login for newer supermicro boards? The boxes say something about "unique passwords" on them? Any guidance on this would be great!

And i am pretty sure they have both the 24-pin and 8-pin connected properly... I can have them double/triple check. I know ONE of the power supplies they used/tested on was working on the Epyc that IS working... will check again. For testing just the motherboard by itself (no CPU), do we need the 24-pin and 8-pin both connected? Or just 24-pin? I want to do a check on that if you say you can get the LED1 (system power) to turn on without any CPU installed. Do we need jump it as well when testing just the 24 PIN ATX plugged into the motherboard? Sometimes this motherboard will automatiocally turn on the LED1 light.. sometimes it wont. Excuse the dumb question(s), we're just not seeing the "normal expected behavior" so just trying to confirm some stuff...

And thanks for checking on your end regarding the LED1 behavior....

Appreciate all the help so far.
 
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freebitflow

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Dec 31, 2019
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I guess he means the IPMI. Plug in the top ethernet port (on top of the 2 USB 2.0 ports). You need to have DHCP configured. Check the IP that the BMC gets from the DHCP, then access it on port 80 on your webbrowser. User: ADMIN, Password: ADMIN (both capital letters). In webgui you can then go to "Miscellaneous" --> "Post Snooping" to debug the boot process.
 
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tesla100

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Jun 15, 2016
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The last two Supermicro X11 LGA3647 motherboards I laid my hands on had a different default password for the IPMI. It was printed on a sticker which was on the CPU plastic cap. But I don't know if that would apply to SP3 socket SM motherboards as well.
 

yesoos

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Mar 10, 2020
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Hi, Connect Ethernet to the middle ethernet port (there are 3 ports) , check DHCP IP on your router and access http:[IP] default access as you mentioned.
I was wrong regarding leds. LE1 will light up after PS ON , but LEDM1 should light up and after few moments starts blinking (BMC initialized)
 

Root.ed

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Feb 6, 2020
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I guess he means the IPMI. Plug in the top ethernet port (on top of the 2 USB 2.0 ports). You need to have DHCP configured. Check the IP that the BMC gets from the DHCP, then access it on port 80 on your webbrowser. User: ADMIN, Password: ADMIN (both capital letters). In webgui you can then go to "Miscellaneous" --> "Post Snooping" to debug the boot process.
The last two Supermicro X11 LGA3647 motherboards I laid my hands on had a different default password for the IPMI. It was printed on a sticker which was on the CPU plastic cap. But I don't know if that would apply to SP3 socket SM motherboards as well.
Is this the username/password? Or is it just the password? I see the following (blocked some of it out). I see "BMC" and then "PWD" -- is BMC = username and PWD = Password?
 

freebitflow

New Member
Dec 31, 2019
22
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1
The last two Supermicro X11 LGA3647 motherboards I laid my hands on had a different default password for the IPMI. It was printed on a sticker which was on the CPU plastic cap. But I don't know if that would apply to SP3 socket SM motherboards as well.
On my board there was a non-default password set as well (but no sticker on the board!). I had to boot linux via USB key first, download the IPMI tool from Supermicro and reset the password and user to ADMIN/ADMIN
 
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Root.ed

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Feb 6, 2020
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Hi, Connect Ethernet to the middle ethernet port (there are 3 ports) , check DHCP IP on your router and access http:[IP] default access as you mentioned.
I was wrong regarding leds. LE1 will light up after PS ON , but LEDM1 should light up and after few moments starts blinking (BMC initialized)
One does the blinking just fine... other doesn't. I also tested trying to get System power with no CPU but was unsuccessful on my home machine. It seems that we must have a *WORKING* CPU in there to get System Power? Or does anyone know if a broken CPU would work? Don't suppose it would but just confirming.
 

freebitflow

New Member
Dec 31, 2019
22
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Is this the username/password? Or is it just the password? I see the following (blocked some of it out). I see "BMC" and then "PWD" -- is BMC = username and PWD = Password?
Guess I gave not seen the sticker on my board, so I have reset the password with the IPMI tool from Supermicro. Maybe you try "ADMIN" and the password that is provided on the sticker and then try as username the one printed after "BMC", if ADMIN is not working.
 

tesla100

Active Member
Jun 15, 2016
273
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Is this the username/password? Or is it just the password? I see the following (blocked some of it out). I see "BMC" and then "PWD" -- is BMC = username and PWD = Password?
Yep, that's the password for IPMI. The username should be ADMIN.
 

tesla100

Active Member
Jun 15, 2016
273
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28
On my board there was a non-default password set as well (but no sticker on the board!). I had to boot linux via USB key first, download the IPMI tool from Supermicro and reset the password and user to ADMIN/ADMIN
That really sucks, because if you can't get your motherboard to boot and don't have the default IPMI password, there's not much you can do, is there?
 

yesoos

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Mar 10, 2020
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One does the blinking just fine... other doesn't. I also tested trying to get System power with no CPU but was unsuccessful on my home machine. It seems that we must have a *WORKING* CPU in there to get System Power? Or does anyone know if a broken CPU would work? Don't suppose it would but just confirming.
Without CPU it will simply not power on at all, so if your system won't power on with CPU in socket , consider bad contact,bad cpu,bad psu