Any Server Experts Here?

[yhelothar]

I'm helping my boss set up this Xeon 1U server.
We have the MSI X2-103A barebone
with a 3GHz Irwindale Xeon, and kingston ECC DDR2700 ram.
I put in the CPU into CPU1(first CPU slot), and put in the memory(only 1 stick), and tried to start up the system and the system won't display anything nor have any beeps.
How do I get this to work?
We've tried two different barebones and two different CPUs with no luck so they can't be broken.

 

[GrammatonJP]

Should have bought dells...

Check the psu.. i know some psu shipped as 220 instead of 120

that looks like a regular mobo plugged into a 1u server.. are you sure theres a speaker or speaker hooked up to it ?

would the mobo work outside that 1u case ? if you have a spare PSU or something else to test it with...

 

[pkrush]

First of all, you might want to make sure that the CPU is in the socket you're supposed to use for a single processor system and that the memory is in one of the slots controlled by that CPU. Also, is that RAM ECC Registered?

 

[Minerva]

That chipset REQUIRES REGISTERED ECC memories. ECC does not mean registered. Sounds like you have unbuffered ECC in there. That will do it every time.

 

[yhelothar]

I'm back at home now, but I just checked mwave(the place my boss bought all the stuff), and they don't sell unbuffered ECC ram there. It seems like unbuffered ECC ram is quite rare.
Yes we've tried socket one and two, and both at the same time with no success.

 

[JEDIYoda]

bet thats embarrasing helping the boss and not knowing what your doing..lolol

 

[mechBgon]

Typically, the first CPU socket isn't CPU1, it's CPU0. Check on that.

 

[RebateMonger]

MSI Technical Support Contact Information
It might be time to call them.

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Typically, the first CPU socket isn't CPU1, it's CPU0. Check on that.

Nope there's CPU1 and CPU2.. no CPU0

 

[yhelothar]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
MSI Technical Support Contact Information
It might be time to call them.

Was going to call them tomorrow, but my boss got pissed off and decided to just return the mofo.

 

[GrammatonJP]

If you can give us a pic of the ram you got.. we can tell if its reg or not..

 

[RichUK]

Do the fans even start up, i mean can you actually ascertain whether there is any power going to the motherboard.

Is the processor heatsink getting hot?

No beeps at all?

You might have DOA motherboard, or it might be being shorted out on the stand offs which can cause this issue (only if the fans are the only things operating). Could also be bad PSU. Very unlikely a fault with the actual processor, once again check the heatsink.

Try one stick of mem, just use the bare minimum to try and boot to the BIOS screen. Also try and remove the battery and clear the CMOS etc.

 

[yhelothar]

Yeah the fans start up.. no beeeps at all.
I don't think it's possible we have two DOA mobos at once, especially considering it's a server barebone. I mean, quality control for servers should be top notch, and barebones minimalize user error. It just seems highly improbable to receive two DOA's, or MSI really seriously sucks.
Anyways, my boss called MSI this morning, and they did not pick up. He sent an email, and they gave him BS responses like asking him if he put the CPU in the right slot.
He got pissed and just returned the mofo.
We got a 2U case with an Asus mobo, and it starts up perfectly, but we had 4 hours of headaches trying to install everything into the case. It is probably the worst designed case you can possibly encounter. It seems like it was built from someone's rough sketch and was never tested before. Incompatibility problems EVERYWHERE. The mobo was about 3mm too big, the fan blocks it. Then the power supply only has 2 screws on one side to support it, so that the other side can wobble around. The power cable that hooks up to the PSU in the case has an L shaped end that protrudes high above the case, making it difficult to put the top lid on without bending the cord down with some force. The padding for the CPU motherboard mounting(this is native to servers) was too thick so we had to trim it with an exacto knife. Worst case I've ever encountered.

 

[RebateMonger]

I'm curious why you are choosing MSI and ASUS servers over Dell or HP? There can't be a price advantage over a Dell. I'm not saying that MSI or ASUS makes bad servers. (Well, maybe you are....). But I can't imagine that the Support is very strong.