New build isn't booting, but powers on and enters standby with no error codes

[nunzi0]

So I bought a Xeon E3-1275 and S1200BTS second hand from eBay for a home server project, to pair with some working DDR3 (UDIMM non-ECC but it shouldn’t require ECC) I had laying around and a brand new EVGA PSU. When everything got here, I put it all together outside the case and pressed the case’s power switch, it would turn on, Standby LED would come on, cpu fan would spin, and the cpu would get warm, but there was no video signal via the VGA port (the only video port on the board) I tried resetting the CMOS, changing out memory sticks and trying different slots, messing with the jumpers, but nothing worked for me.
So I assumed it was the board, since with Xeons it’s the board with onboard graphics and not the cpu. I contacted the seller and they agreed to replace it.
After 3-5 business days the new board came in, and I tested it again, same result. Tried all of my previous troubleshooting, same result.
So I assumed it was the CPU, if this had happened on two boards that were described as ‘pulled from working machines.’ Same spiel, contacted the seller, got a new one sent.
3-5 days later, now today, the second chip comes in. I put it in, same result. Same troubleshooting, same result. I relocate my 1070ti from my desktop, same result but this time over HDMI. Tested on two different monitors. So I figure maybe it’s a PSU issue because I’ve tried replacing literally every other component. So I rip the PSU out of my desktop, hook it up the the board and miscellaneous components that’ve been sitting on my desk for two weeks now, and nada.
I genuinely have no idea what the problem could be. The only thing I can possibly think to try next is trying a third monitor. At this point, I’m tempted to just eat the $200 I spent on everything and start over with all brand new parts and end up spending several times more than I wanted to. I could try to resell all the used parts I got so that I lose less money, but I have no means of making sure any of them actually work before I sell them.
Is there anything else that I could try to troubleshoot, or anything really small that I might have missed that could explain what’s wrong?
Thanks so much!

 

[COLGeek]

MERGED QUESTION
Question from nunzi0 : "Machine won't boot but powers on and enters standby without any error codes"

So I bought a Xeon E3-1275 and S1200BTS second hand from eBay for a home server project, to pair with some working DDR3 (UDIMM but it shouldn’t require ECC) I had laying around and a brand new EVGA PSU. When everything got here, I put it all together outside the case and pressed the case’s power switch, it would turn on, Standby LED would come on, cpu fan would spin, and the cpu would get warm, but there was no video signal via the VGA port (the only video port on the board) I tried resetting the CMOS, changing out memory sticks and trying different slots, messing with the jumpers, but nothing worked for me.
So I assumed it was the board, since with Xeons it’s the board with onboard graphics and not the cpu. I contacted the seller and they agreed to replace it.
After 3-5 business days the new board came in, and I tested it again, same result. Tried all of my previous troubleshooting, same result.
So I assumed it was the CPU, if this had happened on two boards that were described as ‘pulled from working machines.’ Same spiel, contacted the seller, got a new one sent.
3-5 days later, now today, the second chip comes in. I put it in, same result. Same troubleshooting, same result. I relocate my 1070ti from my desktop, same result but this time over HDMI. Tested on two different monitors. So I figure maybe it’s a PSU issue because I’ve tried replacing literally every other component. So I rip the PSU out of my desktop, hook it up the the board and miscellaneous components that’ve been sitting on my desk for two weeks now, and nada.
I genuinely have no idea what the problem could be. The only thing I can possibly think to try next is trying a third monitor. At this point, I’m tempted to just eat the $200 I spent on everything and start over with all brand new parts and end up spending several times more than I wanted to. I could try to resell all the used parts I got so that I lose less money, but I have no means of making sure any of them actually work before I sell them.
Is there anything else that I could try to troubleshoot, or anything really small that I might have missed that could explain what’s wrong?
Thanks so much!

 

[COLGeek]

MERGED QUESTION
Question from nunzi0 : "Machine won't boot but will power on and enter standby without any error codes"

So I bought a Xeon E3-1275 and S1200BTS second hand from eBay for a home server project, to pair with some working DDR3 (UDIMM but it shouldn’t require ECC) I had laying around and a brand new EVGA PSU. When everything got here, I put it all together outside the case and pressed the case’s power switch, it would turn on, Standby LED would come on, cpu fan would spin, and the cpu would get warm, but there was no video signal via the VGA port (the only video port on the board) I tried resetting the CMOS, changing out memory sticks and trying different slots, messing with the jumpers, but nothing worked for me.
So I assumed it was the board, since with Xeons it’s the board with onboard graphics and not the cpu. I contacted the seller and they agreed to replace it.
After 3-5 business days the new board came in, and I tested it again, same result. Tried all of my previous troubleshooting, same result.
So I assumed it was the CPU, if this had happened on two boards that were described as ‘pulled from working machines.’ Same spiel, contacted the seller, got a new one sent.
3-5 days later, now today, the second chip comes in. I put it in, same result. Same troubleshooting, same result. I relocate my 1070ti from my desktop, same result but this time over HDMI. Tested on two different monitors. So I figure maybe it’s a PSU issue because I’ve tried replacing literally every other component. So I rip the PSU out of my desktop, hook it up the the board and miscellaneous components that’ve been sitting on my desk for two weeks now, and nada.
I genuinely have no idea what the problem could be. The only thing I can possibly think to try next is trying a third monitor. At this point, I’m tempted to just eat the $200 I spent on everything and start over with all brand new parts and end up spending several times more than I wanted to. I could try to resell all the used parts I got so that I lose less money, but I have no means of making sure any of them actually work before I sell them.
Is there anything else that I could try to troubleshoot, or anything really small that I might have missed that could explain what’s wrong?
Thanks so much!

 

[COLGeek]

MERGED QUESTION
Question from nunzi0 : "Xeon E3-1275 & Intel Server Board won’t boot, and I’ve tried everything I know"

So I bought a Xeon E3-1275 and S1200BTS second hand from eBay for a home server project, to pair with some working DDR3 I had laying around and a brand new EVGA PSU. When everything got here, I put it all together outside the case and pressed the case’s power switch, it would turn on, Standby LED would come on, cpu fan would spin, and the cpu would get warm, but there was no video signal via the VGA port (the only port on the board) I tried resetting the CMOS, changing out memory sticks and trying different slots, but nothing worked for me.

So I assumed it was the board, since with Xeons it’s the board with onboard graphics and not the cpu. I contacted the seller and they agreed to replace it.

After 3-5 business days the new board came in, and I tested it again, same result. Tried all of my previous troubleshooting, same result.

So I assumed it was the CPU, if this had happened on two boards that were described as ‘pulled from working machines.’ Same spiel, contacted the seller, got a new one sent.

3-5 days later, now today, the second chip comes in. I put it in, same result. Same troubleshooting, same result. I relocate my 1070ti from my desktop, same result but this time over HDMI. Tested on two different monitors. So I figure maybe it’s a PSU issue because I’ve tried replacing literally every other component. So I rip the PSU out of my desktop, hook it up the the board and miscellaneous components that’ve been sitting on my desk for two weeks now, and nada.

I genuinely have no idea what the problem could be. The only thing I can possibly think to try next is trying a third monitor when I get home from work around 10. At this point, I’m tempted to just eat the $200 I spent on everything and start over with all brand new parts and end up spending several times more than I wanted to. I could try to resell all the used parts I got so that I lose less money, but I have no means of making sure any of them actually work before I sell them.

Is there anything else that I could try to troubleshoot, or anything really small that I might have missed that could explain what’s wrong?

Thanks so much!

 

[COLGeek]

Please don't start another thread to ask the same question. Have some patience, please.

All four threads have now be merged into one.

Thank you.

 

[COLGeek]

Have you swapped the memory used, during any of your troubleshooting? Are you getting any beep patterns when starting the system?

 

[nunzi0]

Have you swapped the memory used, during any of your troubleshooting? Are you getting any beep patterns when starting the system?

Unfortunately I've tried four different memory sticks from two different kits, and get no beep codes when I attempt to boot with one installed, At this point I feel like I've tried almost everything except testing ECC memory, which I don't have around, and shouldn't be required

 

[COLGeek]

Have you reset the BIOS on the motherboard itself (pull battery method)? Does anything ever appear on the display?

 

[COLGeek]

This implies that ECC memory is required:

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/motherboards/server/sb/g20487003_s1200bts_qsug_back.pdf

 

[nunzi0]

Have you reset the BIOS on the motherboard itself (pull battery method)? Does anything ever appear on the display?

I've tried clearing the CMOS by both pulling and replacing the battery, as well as using the jumper on the board to clear it, but even afterwards, it would give no signal

 

[COLGeek]

Does having no memory installed change the boot behavior? Do you have access to any ECC memory?

 

[nunzi0]

This implies that ECC memory is required:

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/motherboards/server/sb/g20487003_s1200bts_qsug_back.pdf

That's odd. Guess I'll give it a try before I go all in and buy all new components. This is my first foray into server hardware, but all of my previous research into it before I got everything said that ECC is almost never explicitly required over non-ECC

 

[COLGeek]

Track down some ECC memory (not the registered type) and try that before throwing in the towel.

 

[nunzi0]

Does having no memory installed change the boot behavior? Do you have access to any ECC memory?

I get three beeps with no memory installed, the code for a memory error. I do not have access to ECC ram without having to order some

 

[nunzi0]

Track down some ECC memory (not the registered type) and try that before throwing in the towel.

Will do, guess I'll have to look into ordering some. Thank you for the help, and apologies for repeating the question

 

[COLGeek]

The beeps are a good sign. Tells you the system is detecting changes (and likely okay). Just need some ECC memory to verify.