Non-posting build and Updating BIOS and CPU Microcode

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TheThirdMan

New Member
Sep 17, 2013
24
0
1
London
Hey guys,

I'm currently building a new workstation with a Tyan S7012 and two L5639 xeons. Problem is it won't post. If i turn the power on it will seem to power on for half a second and then turn off. There's a green LED on the motherboard that is flashing every second but there's no mention of it in the manual for the motherboard. I've checked the CPU compatibility list and it lists the L5638 and L5640 as compatible so I can't imagine the L5639 isn't compatible (I understand it was only originally made available to system builders anyway). However it does mention that "Motherboards with older BIOS versions may require a BIOS update before they can support the 5600 Series Xeon listed above.". I have no idea which BIOS version the motherboard has as I can't boot up to see!

My question is would the computer behave like just because it currently has a BIOS version that didn't support the CPU? Is the only way for me to check the BIOS version (and if the BIOS is the issue rather than something else) to buy a xeon 55xx cheap on ebay to see if that will boot?
 

MikeC

Member
Apr 27, 2013
59
11
8
UK
The green LED could be the IPMI heartbeat. The problem with booting could be CPU or memory related. Have you tried using a single CPU and different UDIMM or RDIMM memory? Otherwise a cheap E5504 CPU from eBay would seem to be the way forward.
 

TheThirdMan

New Member
Sep 17, 2013
24
0
1
London
The green LED could be the IPMI heartbeat. The problem with booting could be CPU or memory related. Have you tried using a single CPU and different UDIMM or RDIMM memory? Otherwise a cheap E5504 CPU from eBay would seem to be the way forward.
Hi Mike,

Thanks for the reply. Well I don't have my ECC ram yet, so I'm using some non-ecc unbuffered OCZ ram. The manual says it does support non-ecc ram so I can't imagine that can be the issue, though I'll wait till the ECC ram is delivered!

The first CPU socket also has a couple of bent CPU pins but I have tried with a single CPU in the other socket and it does the same thing. It's a bit frustrating as it's from the US and so i had to pay import charges/tax which I'm not going to get refunded if I do have to end up sending it back. I've found a £30 xeon E5504 which I might order if the ECC ram doesn't fix the issue.
 

britinpdx

Active Member
Feb 8, 2013
367
184
43
Portland OR
My question is would the computer behave like just because it currently has a BIOS version that didn't support the CPU? Is the only way for me to check the BIOS version (and if the BIOS is the issue rather than something else) to buy a xeon 55xx cheap on ebay to see if that will boot?
I've just gone though this very issue with a Tyan 7012 that I recently purchased on eBay. Couldn't get very far with an L5639, so I had to install an L5520 to be able to POST & boot. Once I upgraded the BIOS to whatever is the latest on the Tyan website I was able to re-install the L5639. I've never run esxi before, and this is going to be my learning/test platform.

My setup is with PC3-10600R DIMMs, so I can't comment on the non-ecc unbuffered RAM.

I'm away from home right now (on the road in China) , so I won't be able to assist with troubleshooting on my platform until next weekend.
 

TheThirdMan

New Member
Sep 17, 2013
24
0
1
London
I've just gone though this very issue with a Tyan 7012 that I recently purchased on eBay. Couldn't get very far with an L5639, so I had to install an L5520 to be able to POST & boot. Once I upgraded the BIOS to whatever is the latest on the Tyan website I was able to re-install the L5639. I've never run esxi before, and this is going to be my learning/test platform.

My setup is with PC3-10600R DIMMs, so I can't comment on the non-ecc unbuffered RAM.

I'm away from home right now (on the road in China) , so I won't be able to assist with troubleshooting on my platform until next weekend.
Thanks for the reply, that's a great help! I'll get a 5520 then and see where that gets me. I'm hoping the two bent pins i have on the first CPU socket won't render it unusable.
 

TheThirdMan

New Member
Sep 17, 2013
24
0
1
London
I've just gone though this very issue with a Tyan 7012 that I recently purchased on eBay. Couldn't get very far with an L5639, so I had to install an L5520 to be able to POST & boot. Once I upgraded the BIOS to whatever is the latest on the Tyan website I was able to re-install the L5639. I've never run esxi before, and this is going to be my learning/test platform.

My setup is with PC3-10600R DIMMs, so I can't comment on the non-ecc unbuffered RAM.

I'm away from home right now (on the road in China) , so I won't be able to assist with troubleshooting on my platform until next weekend.
Also wondering what coolers you're using on it? I got two corsair all-in-one watercooling kits. I can fit both in my case easily but it requires the use of it's own backplate and the s7012 has a backplate glued to the motherboard that can't be removed!
 

TheThirdMan

New Member
Sep 17, 2013
24
0
1
London
I'm using the very quiet and efficient Supermicro 4U Active cooler. I have a couple Corsair H60's to install but haven't got to it yet.
Ah looks good. I went for some artic cooling freezer 7 pro V2. They work with the backplate that's there and don't weigh too much (500g each). Do you know if your H60s will work with the board? The h80s need to have their own custom backplate installed which isn't possible on the s7012.
 

Aluminum

Active Member
Sep 7, 2012
431
46
28
Very small coffee straws or similar tubes are good for fixing socket pins, though you need steady hands and no nerves heh.
 

Patrick

Administrator
Staff member
Dec 21, 2010
12,511
5,792
113
I've used a needle for fixing bent socket pins couple of times, it has worked quite well this far.
I bought a Tyan dual AMD G34 board off of newegg that was Open Box which meant bent pins. Ended up using a similar method and a magnifying glass which worked well. Fixed the four pins and everything worked.
 

TheThirdMan

New Member
Sep 17, 2013
24
0
1
London
Very small coffee straws or similar tubes are good for fixing socket pins, though you need steady hands and no nerves heh.
I've used a needle for fixing bent socket pins couple of times, it has worked quite well this far.
I bought a Tyan dual AMD G34 board off of newegg that was Open Box which meant bent pins. Ended up using a similar method and a magnifying glass which worked well. Fixed the four pins and everything worked.
Great, thanks guys! I'll give this a go if the second socket doesn't work, cheers!:cool:
 

TheThirdMan

New Member
Sep 17, 2013
24
0
1
London
Hey guys,

Not sure what to do now. I have the Xeon e5504 (quad core early skt1366) and it's behaving identically. I guess I'll have to send the motherboard back? I don't suppose it could be the PSU? I have a Corsair HX1050...

The ebay listing said it was pulled from a working server and the guy who i purchased it from has good feedback so it doesn't seem that likely he's seen a broken one.

Update: Managed to get it to stay on now but with the POST code saying "FF" which means either the CPU is dead or the motherboard is. I've tried it with 2 different CPUs so I imagine the motherboard must be dead.
 
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