Server Issues

[TechTiger]

Hi all,

 

I have an Intel server that is having issues

 

Specs:
- Intel server board S1200BTL
- Xeon E3-1230 V2
- Zotac 210 1GB graphics card
- D-link dfe-530tx rev-c2
- Intel FS365HM1-00 Rev.00 PSU

- Seagate Barracuda 500GB

- Writemaster DVD drive

 

When it was removed from service the RAM was removed but was otherwise fully functional, Now it refuses to post and does not send any signal to the display

 

I have tried:
- Two different brands of RAM I have available (3 sticks) together and individually in different slots
- Spare PSU
- Reseating cables
- Reseating CPU and other components
- Spare CPU (seems to register the change but still refuses to post)
- 2 different monitors and cables
- Swapping SATA cables
- Removing CMOS battery
- BIOS recovery jumpers

 

Despite all this it still stalls before post. When starting the diagnostic light shows green (normal) but then after a few seconds begins to flash orange (Manual says: Non-Critical failure: Critical temp/voltage threshold; VDR hot 
asserted; min number fans not present or failed) and the diagnostic lights read:

 

X X X X     O O O X
X=OFF O=ON

 

According to the manual this means that the CPU microcode is not found.

 

Does anyone know a remedy to this situation or anything that I have not tried to possibly get it working again? If more details are needed please let me know

 

All help is appreciated
Thankyou.

[Phas3L0ck]

I have a crazy idea; on older servers, RAM is required to be installed in "banks" which you can learn more about by a simple search (little too tired to explain right now) so maybe try installing only a single module? If not, install only single CPU and single RAM module. Just a quick test thought. Sometime it works for diagnostics...

 

Update:

OH! Also check the how tightly your heatsinks are attached! It's weird but it does cause problems.

 

Another update:

Also check the power connector on your GPU. If that doesn't solve issue then take the GPU out.

[TechTiger]

Thankyou Phas3L0ck for your suggestion,

 

I have installed one stick and also 2 in the paired slots (2 blue and 2 black) and no success there. It is a single CPU board from around 2011-2012 I believe so unfortunately the single CPU idea won't work.

 

I put pressure on the cooler and tried to boot during testing but there was no change.

 

The GPU has no power cable but I did try removing it and still had no luck, I could try removing the network card and GPU and see how that goes.

 

I'll update later when I try it.

[Phas3L0ck]

8 minutes ago, TechTiger said:

Thankyou Phas3L0ck for your suggestion,

 

I have installed one stick and also 2 in the paired slots (2 blue and 2 black) and no success there. It is a single CPU board from around 2011-2012 I believe so unfortunately the single CPU idea won't work.

 

I put pressure on the cooler and tried to boot during testing but there was no change.

 

The GPU has no power cable but I did try removing it and still had no luck, I could try removing the network card and GPU and see how that goes.

 

I'll update later when I try it.

To be clear, I meant make sure there is less pressure on the heatsink than you have now, sometimes that works. Also, I once had a problem where the cooler simply had to be re-aligned because the CPU wouldn't work unless the heatsink was exactly flat on the CPU.

 

And you mentioned trying a spare power supply... Make sure the connectors are properly seated on the board. mid-generation boards have that problem of improper connections for some reason.

 

Oh hey, does the board require any special or proprietary attachments? Intel server boards tend to have extremely weird layouts, so that could be something...

[TechTiger]

1 hour ago, Phas3L0ck said:

To be clear, I meant make sure there is less pressure on the heatsink than you have now, sometimes that works. Also, I once had a problem where the cooler simply had to be re-aligned because the CPU wouldn't work unless the heatsink was exactly flat on the CPU.

 

And you mentioned trying a spare power supply... Make sure the connectors are properly seated on the board. mid-generation boards have that problem of improper connections for some reason.

 

Oh hey, does the board require any special or proprietary attachments? Intel server boards tend to have extremely weird layouts, so that could be something...

I managed to get my hands on some RAM from a fully functional server, slotted it in and away it goes without hesitation, the spare RAM I had must not agree with the board.

 

The only error I have now is a 84FF error that means the system event log is full. All I need to do now is load in a boot drive because it looks as if they have taken the boot drive and left the storage drive for some reason.

 

Thankyou again for your help Phas3L0ck