Supermicro and RAM installation

[fagiano]

Hi, I'd like to ask a question to the experts. So, I've built only few servers in my life, most of them using Supermicro boards. Every time I built one I've spent hours doing the RAM shuffle dance trying to make the motherboard Post. Today again for the second time this month I had to build a server and I'm again unable to post(X9SRi). I tried with only 1 stick it posted I then upped to 4 it posted then 8 after few reshuffling and CMOS reset it posted(yay!). Then I put the board in the case and now nothing, it wont post I shuffled the sticks reset the CMOS but nothing.
Now I'm starting to wonder if I'm missing something. Is this normal? Is there a trick to get this stuff working? I assume that not everybody spends 3 hours shuffling RAM every single time.

thank you for your time
Alberto (a very frustrated man)

 

[Chuckleb]

It seems like you have either bad RAM or slots. These systems are supposedly very reusable (I have many) and shouldn't be this picky. Try bios updates and known good RAM?

 

[Patriot]

Generally boards are not that picky... If you have good, matching dimms. You cannot mix Reg and unbuffered. Start with slots farthest from CPUs and populate 1 dpc (dimm per channel) till the channel is filled.

Your particular board should be pretty straight forward given uP and only 8 dimm slots. So blue first, starting farthest from cpu then black.
Make sure they are all seated well.... If you have trouble seating ddr3... you are going to enjoy ddr4.

 

[fagiano]

Well, after dancing with the ram a bit more, I finally managed to get it to post. This time I suspect something in the case was shorting a pin.

It seems like you have either bad RAM or slots. These systems are supposedly very reusable (I have many) and shouldn't be this picky. Try bios updates and known good RAM?

I'm using Samsung "recommended" RAM and this has happened to me with more than one board... I must suck a inserting RAM sticks . Anyway, thank you, I just wanted to know if there some common pitfall or I'm just clumsy. I'm looking forward for my first DDR4 build

thank you for your time
Alberto

 

[Patriot]

ddr4 is harder to seat lol.

 

[T_Minus]

I'm going to guess it's a seating issue.

Firmly push in until it clicks, both sides, then put 2 fingers on the top middle pushing firmly down and rock it a very little to make sure it's seated properly.

I ran into a couple issues like you and made me go "hmmmm" then I started doing the "double check" (rocking mentioned above) and after the last 150 sticks the only issues I've ran into are bad sticks of RAM

You most def. shouldn't be doing that with numerous boards, of even the same board and same RAM when moving

 

[fagiano]

Firmly push in until it clicks, both sides, then put 2 fingers on the top middle pushing firmly down and rock it a very little to make sure it's seated properly.

Thank you, I'll try your technique the next build!

Alberto

 

[Lost-Benji]

Thank you, I'll try your technique the next build!

Alberto

SuperMicro like most other board manufacturers have made the RAM placing easy. It's the Blue ones you fill first. 4x DIMM's in first, POST, then fit other four, if POST then continue. If no POST at first fitting, then clear the CMOS and try again, still no joy, you have issues and need to test with ALL RAM out, no beeping screams means you have issues with board/CPU and not the RAM.

 

[fagiano]

Yep, that's what I've done. Maybe are all those CMOS resets, my experience is mostly with desktop stuff that seems much more forgiving.

 

[coolrunnings82]

I would look for standoffs or other stuff on the bottom shorting things out. I had that before on a damaged Supermicro chassis. It sucked!

 

[Lost-Benji]

The farken Irony.... Now I am doing the RAM shuffle, thanks ya mug for jinxing me!

My issue is suspect RAM as the random issues occurred in my dead G6 DL380 (new board coming).

SM seems to be touchy on speeds with all DIMM slots populated (means I don't have to stress over what slots to use) and will POST and start to boot then hang, hit RESET button and then get a bad DIMM error (same slot every-time).

 

[Diavuno]

Most servers seem to have the dimm slots in a different order than desktops. on top of that you need to stagger them by channel.

Of course, you cannot mix desktop with ecc ram. sometimes if the speeds are too different or 1.3 and 1.5 volt.

Make sure you read the manual.