Used S2600CP Board - On-Off, Amber flashing, no BIOS Screen - Help needed

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jan2ooo

New Member
Mar 20, 2019
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Hey Folks.

I just bought a S2600CP Mainboard in eBay. From an official Dealer, so the Board should be fine. I bought this, because my ASUS Z9PE-D8 WS died (I hope it was the Board).
Now the Workstation should work as Server with two 2696 V2 and 128GB RAM installed.
I moved CPU and RAM (filled all the blue Slots) to the new Board and tried to start. Without Luck.
The Fans start, but everything turns off after a few seconds. Then it start again and turns off. Over and over. The A LED is flashing amber.
Maybe its the same Issue? https://forums.servethehome.com/ind...j-no-post-no-vga-blinking-amber-status.12514/
I have no Idea which BIOS Version is flashed. Should I buy a small V1 CPU (E5 2603) to check it? Or do you have aother Idea on that?

Thank you!
 

mb300sd

Active Member
Aug 1, 2016
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Log in through IPMI. You should be able to see POST codes and flash BIOS there even without a CPU.
 

marcoi

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2013
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Gotha Florida
Log in through IPMI. You should be able to see POST codes and flash BIOS there even without a CPU.
I have the same board and i checked my intel server IPMI and dont see an option for bios loading via IPMI. I always had to put the bios on an usb and boot into the EFI bios to run the update tool.

I dont know if the MB would post without a CPU to bios update, so i would just get one of the v1 CPU selling for 3 dollars from the great buys section, have it post and update the bios then you should be set.

link -https://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-Xeon-E5-2603-CPU-1-8GHz-4-Core-Processor-10MB-6-4GTs-LGA2011-SR0LB/123644440179
 

jan2ooo

New Member
Mar 20, 2019
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I have the same board and i checked my intel server IPMI and dont see an option for bios loading via IPMI. I always had to put the bios on an usb and boot into the EFI bios to run the update tool.

I dont know if the MB would post without a CPU to bios update, so i would just get one of the v1 CPU selling for 3 dollars from the great buys section, have it post and update the bios then you should be set.

link -https://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-Xeon-E5-2603-CPU-1-8GHz-4-Core-Processor-10MB-6-4GTs-LGA2011-SR0LB/123644440179
Yeah, maybe thats the way. Hopefully. Or is there another point I missed? Forgot to connect additional Fans or Hardware?
 

marcoi

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2013
1,532
288
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Gotha Florida
Yeah, maybe thats the way. Hopefully. Or is there another point I missed? Forgot to connect additional Fans or Hardware?
i dont think that would stop it from posting.
See if you can access the ipmi screen and see what version bios is reported. Then you will know how old the bios is and if it supported v2 cpu at that level.
depending on the IPMI settings, it might be static or dhcp, which you need to figure out. then it would be
http://ip/index.html to access.

then under summary look for the highlighted value for bios version
upload_2019-7-15_11-48-4.png
you can compare to intel lates using the below link

Support for Intel® Server Board S2600CP Family

I dont know if you can update the bios with CPU- that might be something you will need to google research on. else just get the 3 dollar cpu- plop it in, bios update then put in your v2 cpu
 

jan2ooo

New Member
Mar 20, 2019
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But the System turns off after six Seconds and turn on again for six Seconds. The turns off and so on. So I think there is no chance on accessing the IPMI with this Status?
Update: I removed all the RAM except one for every CPU and installed them on E2 and A2. Same problem.

Could it be the PSU?
 
Last edited:

mb300sd

Active Member
Aug 1, 2016
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IPMI runs with the board off. It's a separate controller that lets you power on/off the board through the network. I'm personally more familiar with supermicro boards, didn't know intel didn't offer bios update.
 

jan2ooo

New Member
Mar 20, 2019
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Nice. So I just need the IP. Ill give it a try!
Got it, but now I need User/Password. Found nothing on the manual. Combinations fromt the Internet wont work (Admin/Admin; Admin/Password; admin/password; root/root; Root/Root; ....)
What a mess o_O
 
Last edited:

Rand__

Well-Known Member
Mar 6, 2014
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Usually you need to create a user in the bios first and set a password (iirc)

Catch22 it seems:(

The more recent Intel servers allow diagnostic via the LEDs as well, there should be a mapping table in the manual. Not sure on your v1 board though, but I have it on my v3
 

PeterF

Member
Jul 28, 2014
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Hey Folks.

I just bought a S2600CP Mainboard in eBay. From an official Dealer, so the Board should be fine. I bought this, because my ASUS Z9PE-D8 WS died (I hope it was the Board).
Now the Workstation should work as Server with two 2696 V2 and 128GB RAM installed.
I moved CPU and RAM (filled all the blue Slots) to the new Board and tried to start. Without Luck.
The Fans start, but everything turns off after a few seconds. Then it start again and turns off. Over and over. The A LED is flashing amber.
Maybe its the same Issue? https://forums.servethehome.com/ind...j-no-post-no-vga-blinking-amber-status.12514/
I have no Idea which BIOS Version is flashed. Should I buy a small V1 CPU (E5 2603) to check it? Or do you have aother Idea on that?

Thank you!
Unfortunatly I think that the E5-2696 v2 is not supported by the MB! Look at the intel site

Also the S2600CP has requirements on the PSU to have at least 0.5A on the -12v line

Have you tries to reset CMOS and password to get into the ipmi? Instructions are in the manual

BR
Peter
 

jan2ooo

New Member
Mar 20, 2019
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Thank you for all your answers! Great Community.

I tired CMOS and password reset without any changes.
The PSU should be fine, it has 0.6A on -12V. Even a V2 CPU shoukd work with an updated BIOS: Prozessorkompatibilität für Intel® S2600CP Server-Mainboards...
But you are right, the E5-2696 v2 is not listed. I think because it was an OEM CPU only, not for resale?
I don't know.. is it easier to get a V1 CPU and try to Update the BIOS (I read somthing about bricked boards if something goes wrong) or is it easier to send it back and get a more user friendly one thats working oob.

A force bios update also sounds a little bit scary on my background. Once I bricked a ASUS Board when I tried to downgrade the BIOS with DOS startup disk and a batch script :rolleyes:
 

jan2ooo

New Member
Mar 20, 2019
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Got answer from the dealer. They tested the board with an E5-2620 v2 CPU. So the BIOS is fine. I just changed the PSU, same same. So maybe the CPU(s) are damaged or the board is extremly picky and does not work with E5-2696 v2 like @PeterF said. Now I also found this topic on the Intel forum: Forums
The final answer from Intel is missing, but this could be the reason.
 

cookiesowns

Active Member
Feb 12, 2016
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are your e5-2696v2's QS/OE CPUs or are they engineering samples?

If they are ES you might be hosed.

I have seen board failures take out CPUs also.. maybe try a diff PSU?
 

jan2ooo

New Member
Mar 20, 2019
8
0
1
Thanks for the feedback. I'll send the board back to the dealer and try to get a more "friedly" board from Asus. But it is not that easy on ebay Germany if you dont want to pay 400EUR.