BIOS/GPU/USB 3.0 Compatibility issues with S2600CP Build

[jrittle]

Hello All,

I recently purchased the Natex dual 2670 mobo combo and have encountered a few issues with BIOS compatibility w/ various software and hardware components. I saw that a bunch of people have dealt with similar issues here, but I've never built a server before so I'm definitely a novice here.

With the old BIOS installed on the board from NATEX, I could install RAM, a SSD, HD, GPU (750 ti in the x16 slot nearest the CPU's) and sound card in a lower PCI slot (everything is packaged in an Enthoo pro case with an EVGA 650W PSU). Successful install of Win10 enterprise - GPU works great - dual monitors look beautiful; Ubuntu installs, but freezes on boot. I think this has to do with Linux hardware identification particulars (nomodeset, etc..) but I could be wrong. One quirky thing I've noticed is that on each boot there is 6 rapid beeps from the mb...not sure if thats good/bad but others on this site have noted 'silent boots' with similar setups...

The problems really started when I couldn't get a USB 3.0 PCI hub (Anker 2-port from amazon) to install properly and be identified in Win10. I noticed the BIOS version (i don't remember the exact #) pre-dated 2014 so I figured the mobo simply couldn't identify USB 3.0 properly.

I flashed the latest BIOS to the latest version (2.06.0002) and all hell broke loose. Following reboot the screen hangs w/ 4 lines of text that include the BIOS version. If I remove all of the PCI cards, its OK and I can get to windows, but that's obviously not useful. I downgraded the BIOS to version (2.05.0004) and saw the same results.

If the GPU isn't plugged in, I can get to Windows and the sound card works with all these configurations. The USB card can be plugged in, but windows does not recognize it properly (device manager oddly shows no issues, but if you plug anything in, its not recognized). I've tried a bunch of drivers here including the latest version. I have no idea how to resolve this, so any help here is much appreciated.

The GPU seems to be particularly problematic with later BIOS version. I tried moving it down to the other blue x8 slots that support it but the systems still hangs at POST.

So my questions to people here with the Natex systems: Which version of BIOS are you (successfully) using? Has anyone gotten a gtx 750 Ti to work with such a system? Has anyone gotten a USB 3.0 PCI hub card to work properly?


Thanks for any help!

 

[TType85]

Not sure if it is helpful but:
I ran the latest bios with a GTX 970 plugged in to the first blue slot and a USB 3.1 card. I was running unraid passing through both the video card and usb card through to a windows 10 VM (KVM). Everything worked fine. Unraid console worked fine on the onboard video.

 

[wildpig1234]

I couldn't get a Via USB 3.0 card to work either in win7 or win10. I have same problem like yyou with the win7 device manager showing the usb card good but nothing is recognized correctly. win10 won't even activate the driver for it even though it detect the usb card. An adaptec SAS controller would work fine in the same pcie slot.

Also could not get mine to properly sleep no what bios I tried so far. It would try to enter sleep but then immediate wake up itself and then crash.

About to give up on this ;(

 

[wildpig1234]

If the GPU isn't plugged in, I can get to Windows and the sound card works with all these configurations. The USB card can be plugged in, but windows does not recognize it properly (device manager oddly shows no issues, but if you plug anything in, its not recognized). I've tried a bunch of drivers here including the latest version. I have no idea how to resolve this, so any help here is much appreciated.

The GPU seems to be particularly problematic with later BIOS version. I tried moving it down to the other blue x8 slots that support it but the systems still hangs at POST.

did you try to disable the onboard video?

 

[jrittle]

wildpig: Ultimately I fixed the critical issues with this system. The display issues ended up being purely user error: while i was trying to sort out the PCI configuration, I had the monitor plugged directly into the onboard video jack with the video card installed...if you do this, you see visuals up through POST but then as soon as the OS kicks on, the onboard video automatically shuts off. I just had to plug the monitor into the video card (Duh!).

Currently I have the latest BIOS setup, and overall its OK. When I had Win10 installed, the Sleep functionality worked, but it takes a long time to awaken (~2-3 minutes). I have since moved to a single Linux partition and a Win10-virtualbox, but now the Sleep function leads to crashes. I'm using the system pretty much constantly so this hasn't really bothered me...

I couldn't sort out the Anker USB 3.0 card. As mentioned above, there must be cards that work (Ttype85)....the Anker tech I talked to was more or less useless but I figure there's just some inherent incompatibility.

Despite its problems, this system is a BEAST when it comes to performing scientific calculations, and the price is absolutely ridiculous. If I had the cash, I would buy 3 more of em for the research I do. There just isn't anything else I've seen that comes close in price/performance

 

[wildpig1234]

For the cost it still the lowest but I am disappoint that the sleep function doesn't work at all fir me....

When I boot up I also get the beeping.. wondering if it means anything... I am just up to the point of getting a lenovo d30 but I just wish I could get this to work...

 

[wildpig1234]

I got an insignia usb 3.0 card from bestbuy with a renesas chipset and that works with our board. Also got a asus xonar dgx pcie sound card which works great.

I am thinking about starting a thread to discuss tips/hardware compatibility, what does and doesn't work with the s2600cp MB. it seems to be quite picky...