Server Products
Data Center Products including boards, integrated systems, Intel® Xeon® Processors, RAID Storage, and Intel® Xeon® Processors
4762 Discussions

New SC5650SCWS / S5520SC based system does not boot with X5680 CPUs

idata
Employee
1,113 Views

Hi everybody,

I seem to be stuck in an old-BIOS trap while trying to build a new system using the Intel workstation system SC5650SCWS, which comes with the board S5520SC with dual Xeon support for 5500 and 5600 series. All components have just arrived.

Configuration:

- 2 X5680 processors (listed as supported by the board)

- 12 RDIMMS -> 96 GB Intel-certified KVR1333D3D4R9S/8GI

- 1 nVidia 480gtx

When I try to boot the machine, I get a solid green front panel LED, solid green rear panel system status LED, all fans running at shop-vac level, but video stays dark, no beeps, and POST gets immediately stuck with just one of the 8 POST diagnostic LEDs lit at position E = # 3 = 00001000 = 08h, which is not documented in the technical specs doc for the board, but its between codes

0x04 Early processor initialization where system BSP is selected

 

0x10 Power-on initialization of the host processor (Boot Strap Processor)

I assume that the new Intel workstation shipped with a BIOS version below 45 (that is almost one year old), which is required to boot with a 5600 series processor. The board says it's "Rev: C". I am not sure how to check the current BIOS version or how to upgrade the BIOS without being able to boot the machine into BIOS setup / EFI.

After spending a lot of money on the new system / components, I cannot simply buy an additional 5500 series Xeon CPU just to check / upgrade the BIOS. I assume the the TIM on the underside of the heatsinks is one-time use only, too.

Any suggestions?

0 Kudos
1 Reply
idata
Employee
262 Views

This discussion may be of some use - /thread/15883?tstart=0# 102091 http://communities.intel.com/thread/15883?tstart=0# 102091

0 Kudos
Reply