Dual CPU doesn't boot on Supermicro X8DTN+-F

Hardware Motherboards
1

So i have the strangest problem.

I bought a Supermicro mobo (X8DTN+) for my nas with dual Xeon X5670 cpu’s and 12x2Gb ECC reg. ram from Samsung/Hynix @1333MHz preinstalled. Before i first booted it i installed new thermal compound and inspected the sockets for damage. After i reinstalled the cpu’s and applied new thermal compound i booted the machine and it worked fine. I also bought 6x4Gb Nanya 1333MHz ECC reg. ram which also worked as expected.

A month later i bought a different Supermicro mobo (X8DTN±F) with dual Xeon E5620 cpu’s and 18x4Gb ECC reg. ram from Hynix @1333MHz preinstalled. I also installed new thermal compound and checked the sockets reseating the cpu’s in the process. I booted it and it worked.

Now for the weird part.

When i went to change the cpu’s to the two X5670 it wouldn’t boot anymore. When i went to press the power button the fans spun up and then nothing happend anymore, no screen output no beeps no nothing. Then i changed the cpu’s back to the two E5620 it wouldn’t boot anymore aswell, no screen output no beeps no nothing.

I then tried the following configurations all on the X8DTN±F:

#1 E5620 in socket 1 with any ram booted

#2 E5620 in socket 1 with any ram booted

#1 E5620 in socket 2 with any ram booted

#2 E5620 in socket 2 with any ram booted

#1 E5620 in socket 1 #2 E5620 in socket 2 with any ram in any slots no boot

#1 E5620 in socket 2 #2 E5620 in socket 1 with any ram in any slots no boot

#1 E5620 in socket 1 #2 E5620 in socket 2 with any ram in any slots no boot

#1 E5620 in socket 2 #2 E5620 in socket 1 with any ram in any slots no boot

#1 X5670 in socket 1 with any ram booted

#2 X5670 in socket 1 with any ram booted

#1 X5670 in socket 2 with any ram booted

#2 X5670 in socket 2 with any ram booted

#1 X5670 in socket 1 #2 X5670 in socket 2 with any ram in any slots no boot

#1 X5670 in socket 2 #2 X5670 in socket 1 with any ram in any slots no boot

#1 X5670 in socket 1 #2 X5670 in socket 2 with any ram in any slots no boot

#1 X5670 in socket 2 #2 X5670 in socket 1 with any ram in any slots no boot

While i tested i only had the cpu’s and ram installed, i used the onboard graphics and used usb keyboard and mouse which worked fine when the machine was booted. No other devices were attached. I also tried running each config with only one and both 1200watt psu installed. The system is installed in a Supermicro SC745TQ-R1200B.

I’m at a complete and utter loss. Any help is welcomed.

I’m happy to hear from you

2

Update the BIOS? I had issues with new ram on my supermicro x8dtl board before updating the BIOS.

3

I guess i cloud try that but i dont see why it should change anything because the board was working with two cpus installed before i went to change to the X5670 cpu’s.
I’ll definately try it though

4

Sadly this didn’t fix it, the system is still stuck with the fans pinned at 100% but with no post, no screen output and no error beeps.

5

No idea then, sorry.

6

Ah well thank you anyway for the suggestion. ::

7

If the CPUs work separately, and both sockets work separately, I’d 1st check that all power connectors are fully inserted & making good contact.
I’d then check & reseat all memory.

If that doesn’t solve it, maybe boot with 1 CPU & look for any hardware faults reported by the OS?

Context:
I have an x8dah, but thankfully the only hardware related problem I’ve encountered with it (besides its raid card not properly supporting all sleep states) was one dimm randomly disappearing, but that was resolved with a simple reseat.

8

Yeah, I’d go with this.

Also, before upgrading were you sure that those CPU’s were compatible with that revision of the motherboard? it is not uncommon for vendors to ship different revisions of CPU’s in that era since the X56xx line needed more power draw than the regular or L variants.

9

These were all steps i’ve taken while troubleshooting but nothing worked. I tried numerous ram combinations, like only one DIMM per cpu from different vendors (Hynix, Samsung, Nanya), three channel by one DIMM per CPU, all DIMM’s populated and so forth.
I also removed the motherboard and reinstalled it at one point.
None of those steps changed the behavior of the machine.

As for checking for hardware faults reported by the OS, how would i check for that on unRaid or should i use another OS like an Ubuntu live install?

10

The Xeon X5670 are listed as compatible under:

  • Supports up to two Intel® 64-bit Xeon® processor(s) of the same type below:
  • Intel® Xeon®Processor 5600 Series (Westmere)

on the Supermicro productpage.

Both X5670 also worked in dual cpu config on the X8DTN+ which i was using before i got the X8DTN±F. Both of these motherboards are virtually identical besides the pcie layout and other features like ide ports and such.

That leads me to believe it shouldn’t be a compability problem.

11

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