CWWK/Topton/ N95/N100/N200/N305 quad NIC router 5 BIOS-error-beeps and black screen error

[RevAngel]

Does someone else encountered issues with the display out on DisplayPort or HDMI on her/his box?

The screen stays black, maybe the monitor does not even recognize it is getting a signal. And shortly after turning on the box it sends out 5 BIOS error beeps (CPU failure OR display not found).

Please share your experience with as much data as possible, like BIOS version, Monitor manufacturer and type, ... etc.

What BIOS-Version do you have? Mine is
American Megatrends (AMI), 5.27, UEFI 2.8; PI 1.7, ADLN 0.01 x64, 04/04/2023 11:42:38.

Can anyone with black screen / 5 BIOS error beep problems please tell us what BIOS version you have?

And what did the support from CWWK / Topton tell you to do?

My answer was just: this is the latest BIOS version. And "pls check the system, dear". Which in my experience is support speech for "we don't know, go f yourself".

So I asked again, in a more detailed way and asked them to get help from their tech dep.

 

[Dev_Mgr]

Is there a pattern to the beep codes?

Having worked on Dell desktops 15+ years ago, I still remember the "1-3-2" beepcode meaning there's a RAM issue.

If your beepcode follows a certain pattern, that may help narrow in on the issue.

 

[RevAngel]

Yes, there is. A lot of information about BIOS error beep codes in the web. But the only summary on wikipedia is in German and French language:

Liste der BIOS-Signaltöne – Wikipedia

de.wikipedia.org

Wait, I found it under POST:

Power-on self-test - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[flips33]

Thanks for starting this thread. I have the same issue, I intermittently either get:

- 1 short beep (boots normally)

or

- No beep (no display)
- 1 short beep (no display)
- 1 short beep + 5 short beeps (no display)

I had assumed it wasn't posting at all, but now that I have an OS installed, I can see it does still boot. I will do more testing later to see if it's booting in all of the above scenarios.

I'm using this for ProxMox at a remote location, so it's critical to me that the device boots properly any time the it's power cycled or restarted.

ps: I have the N200 version with the same case style. My BIOS version and date matches yours.

 

[RevAngel]

@flips33 Thank you for that helpful information. Your issue matches mine with my Phillips 23" nearly exactly. 1 beep (post started), 5 beeps (CPU failure / BIOS-monitor failure).

I doubt it is a CPU issue, because on all our systems the OS boots even with the 5 error beeps. So I guess that it is an issue between BIOS and the monitor, with the middle man of the DP / HDMI out chipset. And that uses legacy modes that are setup by the BIOS POST. So my educated guess would be that the issue is fixable by a BIOS patch. But that is just my guess.

On my second monitor I tested, an LG with 2560x1080p resolution, I had the same issues like your second scenario. Either OK or not OK with the 1-5 short beeps.

I also noticed, that on the monitor with the issue, the OS (Ubuntu 22.04.02 most recent mainline kernel) the powersave function (x minutes for monitor sleep) does not set the monitor into sleep mode but only invokes a black screen. So power savings are negligent.

Also if I use a working monitor, unplug it, wait a while an replug it, no monitor signal is present any more (only way is a turn-off and turn-on again). So probably a botched implementation of legacy functions for monitors on hardware and firmware level... But also, just a guess here.

 

[RevAngel]

@flips33 Can you please contact the manufacturer and report your issue? Maybe with a short and handbrake'd to a small size video?
(On Aliexpress Message Center -> Click on the right order and chat away. Click on the plus symbol for file attachments).

 

[flips33]

Yes, there is. A lot of information about BIOS error beep codes in the web. But the only summary on wikipedia is in German and French language:

Liste der BIOS-Signaltöne – Wikipedia

de.wikipedia.org

Wait, I found it under POST:

Power-on self-test - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There's no standard for BIOS beep codes. When display is disconnected, it does 1 + 5 beeps every single time, so clearly this is a "no display connected" error. It just happens intermittently even when there is a display connected - both on hdmi and displayport.

 

[flips33]

@Becks0815 @RevAngel - could you please provide information about your system here so maybe we can narrow down the issue:

Variation from here:

https://forums.servethehome.com/index.php?threads/cwwk-topton-nxxx-quad-nic-router.39685/

Mine:

Variation: A
CPU: N200
Memory: Crucial 32GB DDR5-4800 SODIMM CT32G48C40S5
BIOS: ADLN 0.01 x64, 04/04/2023

 

[Becks0815]

Mine:

CWWK, case type C, N100
BIOS: ADLN 0.01 x64, 03/18/2023

I have used an LG monitor, both for HDMI and DP. Beeps 5x when connected to HDMI, DP runs fine. Also boots without monitor attached, and beside this detail, the box runs fine.

 

[flips33]

Mine:

CWWK, case type, N100
BIOS: ADLN 0.01 x64, 03/18/2023

I have used an LG monitor, both for HDMI and DP.

Thanks, that confirms that both BIOS versions/dates have the issue. Any detail on memory you're using - was yours included with the device or did you purchase separately?

VVV You are probably right, though the BIOS is doing things like memory training during POST as well as the initialising displays. just trying to find a differentiator as I don't believe everyone is experiencing this issue? It's worth noting that even though these are sold with 32GB memory (and I'm using 32GB), the CPU is only validated by Intel for 16GB.

 

[Becks0815]

The RAM has no influence here. As long as it runs, it is irrelevant, just like the type of SDD. It is an issue in the BIOS.

 

[RevAngel]

The RAM has no influence here. As long as it runs, it is irrelevant, just like the type of SDD. It is an issue in the BIOS.

Yeah, I came to the same conclusion. Legacy initiation of display functions and modes is done by the BIOS, to even show the bootup and BIOS screen. And even that fails. If you had a boot @flips33 and could shuffle above 16GB into your ram without a crash, you have proven that 32GB work with the CPU.

 

[RevAngel]

The next useless answer from Topton support was:
"Please try ubuntu 23.01 desktop"
Yeah, like that fixes anything on BIOS level...
*stretches and growns* This will be a journey...

 

[flips33]

Again, it's entirely possible that it's unrelated, but the memory is literally the only thing different about our systems (given the issue can be reproduced with nothing else attached). If it's not memory, then some copies of this model are just broken and all we can do is hope/pray for a software fix, if it's even possible.

Just because the system ultimately boots and works perfectly, it doesn't mean there couldn't be something about particular memory modules that is confusing the POST process / inducing a BIOS bug. Keep in mind also that the on-board GPU is using shared memory, ie. the display is using system memory for its VRAM. That being the case, I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss it as a possibility.

 

[goh]

Again, it's entirely possible that it's unrelated, but the memory is literally the only thing different about our systems (given the issue can be reproduced with nothing else attached). If it's not memory, then some copies of this model are just broken and all we can do is hope/pray for a software fix, if it's even possible.

Just because the system ultimately boots and works perfectly, it doesn't mean there couldn't be something about particular memory modules that is confusing the POST process / inducing a BIOS bug. Keep in mind also that the on-board GPU is using shared memory, ie. the display is using system memory for its VRAM. That being the case, I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss it as a possibility.

The different screens seem like a decent wildcard here as well. Perhaps some sort of HDMI protocol incompatibility - during BIOS/POST but not after loading of OS display driver? Perhaps try a bunch of different displays and see what happens? Perhaps also try different HDMI cables, these can be very hit-and-miss from my experience, at least at higher resolutions/rates.

 

[RevAngel]

Thank you and welcome Goh. I did that with 3 monitors.

@flips33 Can you please try to get over 16GB RAM filled in your OS? Memory failure always either crashes a system or scrambles it in a way so you cannot open another memory using aplication afterwards (in a stable way). I think that would lead to a good test result. If memory was not detected correctly there would be (to my knowledge) 3 long BIOS beeps. But you can also use a memtest image to proof if the RAM is working OK.

Test Results:
Phillips 234E 5QDAB / 00 (03/2016) HDMI : no detection, 5-beep-error, OS picture, no powersave on OS-level working (blank screen only), unplug means only restart of the system and booting into OS to get picture again.

LG 29UM58 - P (04/2017) HDMI: sometimes detection on cold boot, sometimes not. Better when Monitor turned on recently. Otherwise 5-beep-error. OS picture, powersave works when monitor is detected from BIOS, otherwise only black screen (and the "fix" with a cold boot). Unplug means the need for cold boot to get a picture again. (Can "crash" monitor to a point that no button or LED is working on it by connection with the PC. Only fixable by power cut-off.)

LG 32MP58HQ - P (03/2016) HDMI: same as with other LG, but a more "stable" detection on cold boot.

Tried that with 8 different HDMI cables lying around.

I will edit in (this post) the results of the DP-to-HDMI converter that was delivered today. But later, when I got time.

 

[flips33]

I think we've all tested enough monitors and cables that work fine on other systems to suggest that the issue probably lies elsewhere.

>> If memory was not detected correctly there would be (to my knowledge) 3 long BIOS beeps

I'm not suggesting that memory isn't being detected - clearly it is as the system boots. For some reason - there's an intermittent inabillity for the system to initialise it's display. And that given only some people are experiencing this, either there's a manufacturing defect only affecting some units (that may or may not be fixable with a new firmware), or some level of borderline compatibility issue with memory module used. It could be a timing issue where the display is trying to initialise but the systems hasn't finished its initialisation of memory. Who knows. Intel have not validated 32GB for these systems and while they may generally work we might be pushing some boundary here.

On multiple occasions, TopTon support have mentioned not using Kingston HyperX memory - so clearly they are aware of some memory compatibility issues with this system:

Dear, Barebone bundle had best to use Samsung, Micron, Skhynix etc ORIGINAL brand ram and storage. Suggest DO NOT use Kingston HyperX impact brand ram.

Again, it would be great if you could please post what memory module you are using.

The BIOS codes you have previously posted are IBM PC codes (from memory) and I don't think are valid here. Given this is an American Megatrends BIOS, this might be more relevant:

AMI BIOS Beep Codes Overview - Thomas-Krenn-Wiki-en

Most Thomas-Krenn Servers are equipped with Supermicro or ASUS motherboards with BIOS or UEFI Firmware from AMI. In case of initialization errors during startup, the so-called Beep Codes can help to analyze the underlying issue. In this article you will find information about the meaning of the...

www.thomas-krenn.com

5x	No Console Input or Output Devices are found

This would correspond to what we are seeing.

The latest message I've received from Topton is:

dear， pls remove the bios battery for discharging

 

[RevAngel]

Please try to

But you can also use a memtest image to proof if the RAM is working OK.

MemTest86 - Download now!

Download your free copy of MemTest86 here for USB.

www.memtest86.com

 

[RevAngel]

Given this is an American Megatrends BIOS, this might be more relevant:

AMI BIOS Beep Codes Overview - Thomas-Krenn-Wiki-en

Most Thomas-Krenn Servers are equipped with Supermicro or ASUS motherboards with BIOS or UEFI Firmware from AMI. In case of initialization errors during startup, the so-called Beep Codes can help to analyze the underlying issue. In this article you will find information about the meaning of the...

www.thomas-krenn.com

5x	No Console Input or Output Devices are found

This would correspond to what we are seeing.

The latest message I've received from Topton is:

dear， pls remove the bios battery for discharging

Yes, I know, thank you for clarifying it.

Seems like the Topton help-chat is as helpful as it is to me.
The last suggestion received from them was:

Please update the nuclear Display Driver

a driver for an OS, and for a AMD APU.

 

[flips33]

Please try to

MemTest86 - Download now!

Download your free copy of MemTest86 here for USB.

www.memtest86.com

Mine is already in production now, so not particularly convenient. Even so a successful memtest proves nothing, this is not a memory failure, this is a system initialisation problem. Memory plays a critical role in system initialisation.

If nobody with this issue is even willling to say what memory module they are using then I give up.