Question Server with Supermicro X9SCL-F motherboard not powering on?

[reekinek]

Hello. I recently bought the following parts and assembled them together:

• Motherboard: Supermicro X9SCL-F
• RAM: 4x 4G DDR3 PC3-12800E 1600MHz ECC-Unbuffered UDIMM GOODRAM W-MEM1600E34GSM
• CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1225 3,10GHz SR00G s1155
• HDD: WD 3,5" 500GB 7200rpm 16MB Cache WD5000AAK
• PSU: DELTA DPS-650HB A 650W

After putting everything together, I tried to turn it on by touching both PWR ON pins on the panel with pins, but nothing comes up. The motherboard is clearly receiving power, indicated by the lit up LE4 LED. The LE7 LED is constantly blinking, the LAN activity LED is also on, plus the PSU fans spin,. I should add that after touching both the pins I mentioned earlier, the PSU fans sound a bit different for a minute but then return back to how they were and an any additional fans I connect to the motherboard spin for a brief moment before stopping. Also, I replaced the CMOS battery but nothing has changed. I'd appreciate any help regarding this issue.

 

[Ralston18]

This motherboard?

https://www.supermicro.com/manuals/motherboard/C202_C204/MNL-1270.pdf

[Verify that I found the applicable User Manual.]

Why are the PWR pins being used to turn it on versus the case Power on button?

Or is the setup just a test bench assembly?

What pin numbers are being touched?

From Page 2-24:

"Power Button The Power Button connection is located on pins1 and 2 of JF1. Momentarily contacting both pins will power on/off the system. This button can also be configured to function as a suspend button (with a setting in the BIOS - see Chapter 4). To turn off the power in the suspend mode, press the button for at least 4 seconds. Refer to the table on the right for pin definitions".

Could be that the configuration is not as expected.

Check the BIOS settings.

 

[kanewolf]

Hello. I recently bought the following parts and assembled them together:

• Motherboard: Supermicro X9SCL-F
• RAM: 4x 4G DDR3 PC3-12800E 1600MHz ECC-Unbuffered UDIMM GOODRAM W-MEM1600E34GSM
• CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1225 3,10GHz SR00G s1155
• HDD: WD 3,5" 500GB 7200rpm 16MB Cache WD5000AAK
• PSU: DELTA DPS-650HB A 650W

After putting everything together, I tried to turn it on by touching both PWR ON pins on the panel with pins, but nothing comes up. The motherboard is clearly receiving power, indicated by the lit up LE4 LED. The LE7 LED is constantly blinking, the LAN activity LED is also on, plus the PSU fans spin,. I should add that after touching both the pins I mentioned earlier, the PSU fans sound a bit different for a minute but then return back to how they were and an any additional fans I connect to the motherboard spin for a brief moment before stopping. Also, I replaced the CMOS battery but nothing has changed. I'd appreciate any help regarding this issue.

Look at page 1-6 of the user's manual. Do you have the BMC enabled? Do you have the onboard VGA enabled?

 

[reekinek]

This motherboard?

https://www.supermicro.com/manuals/motherboard/C202_C204/MNL-1270.pdf

[Verify that I found the applicable User Manual.]

Why are the PWR pins being used to turn it on versus the case Power on button?

Or is the setup just a test bench assembly?

What pin numbers are being touched?

From Page 2-24:

"Power Button The Power Button connection is located on pins1 and 2 of JF1. Momentarily contacting both pins will power on/off the system. This button can also be configured to function as a suspend button (with a setting in the BIOS - see Chapter 4). To turn off the power in the suspend mode, press the button for at least 4 seconds. Refer to the table on the right for pin definitions".

Could be that the configuration is not as expected.

Check the BIOS settings.

Yes, the manual you've provided is the correct ones. Currently no power button is attached because I'm now testing it out. I was touching the pins you mentioned, 1 and 2, but the effect is always the same which I already described. (The connected fans spin for a brief moment before stopping) I can't get to BIOS since I'm getting no VGA output, even though from the Intel website is seems that my Xeon(https://ark.intel.com/content/www/u...xeon-processor-e3-1225-6m-cache-3-10-ghz.html) has an integrated GPU.

 

[reekinek]

Look at page 1-6 of the user's manual. Do you have the BMC enabled? Do you have the onboard VGA enabled?

I checked the manual, and I do have both BMC and onboard VGA enabled, since the jumpers are on pins 1 and 2.

 

[kanewolf]

I checked the manual, and I do have both BMC and onboard VGA enabled, since the jumpers are on pins 1 and 2.

The output on the VGA port should be BIOS and BMC independent of integrated graphics on the CPU. The motherboard has a graphics chip.
There is a speaker connection for the motherboard. Have you tried to see if there are any beep codes? Appendix A1 has beep codes.

 

[reekinek]

The output on the VGA port should be BIOS and BMC independent of integrated graphics on the CPU. The motherboard has a graphics chip.
There is a speaker connection for the motherboard. Have you tried to see if there are any beep codes? Appendix A1 has beep codes.

The speaker doesn't give out any beep codes/sounds at all. I also checked the manual, and pins 3-4 have a jumper on them, so it should use the inbuilt speaker by default.

 

[kanewolf]

The speaker doesn't give out any beep codes/sounds at all. I also checked the manual, and pins 3-4 have a jumper on them, so it should use the inbuilt speaker by default.

I would probably pull the CPU and look for bent pins next.
Was this a used CPU? If so, it could be damaged.

 

[reekinek]

I would probably pull the CPU and look for bent pins next.
Was this a used CPU? If so, it could be damaged.

It was, though no pins seem to be damaged. I also swapped it for an Intel Celeron G1610T, but the same issue still occurs.

 

[kanewolf]

It was, though no pins seem to be damaged. I also swapped it for an Intel Celeron G1610T, but the same issue still occurs.

I might pull ALL the RAM jut to see if you get any beeps.
If so, then install just a single DIMM.

 

[reekinek]

N

I might pull ALL the RAM jut to see if you get any beeps.
If so, then install just a single DIMM.

Nope, it doesn't beep at all with all RAM out. I also tested it with one stick inserted and nothing has changed.

 

[kanewolf]

N

Nope, it doesn't beep at all with all RAM out. I also tested it with one stick inserted and nothing has changed.

You have tried multiple CPUs, and no RAM. No beeps for anything.
What about fans? Some server motherboards can be REAL picky about fans.
But generally, I don't have any other ideas. it may be as McCoy said "He's dead Jim" ...

 

[reekinek]

You have tried multiple CPUs, and no RAM. No beeps for anything.
What about fans? Some server motherboards can be REAL picky about fans.
But generally, I don't have any other ideas. it may be as McCoy said "He's dead Jim" ...

Could you specify what do you mean by fans? The CPU only has a passive cooler installed, the fans in the PSU work and I already checked connecting/disconnecting the external fans I have mentioned to no avail.

 

[kanewolf]

Could you specify what do you mean by fans? The CPU only has a passive cooler installed, the fans in the PSU work and I already checked connecting/disconnecting the external fans I have mentioned to no avail.

It might require a CPU fan with an RPM feedback to start. A passive cooler may be interpreted as a CPU fan failure.

 

[reekinek]

It might require a CPU fan with an RPM feedback to start. A passive cooler may be interpreted as a CPU fan failure.

The manual says that it supports passive heatsinks, though I'll try doing what you said.

 

[reekinek]

It might require a CPU fan with an RPM feedback to start. A passive cooler may be interpreted as a CPU fan failure.

Once again, nothing. That probably means something is wrong with the motherboard itself, right?

 

[kanewolf]

Once again, nothing. That probably means something is wrong with the motherboard itself, right?

That is a reasonable assumption. One possible thing is that the motherboard REQUIRES the metal standoffs and metal case to provide continuous ground. But that is unlikely, IMO.

 

[reekinek]

That is a reasonable assumption. One possible thing is that the motherboard REQUIRES the metal standoffs and metal case to provide continuous ground. But that is unlikely, IMO.

Ah, okay then. Thanks for you support though. I reached out to the seller for a possible replacement. Once again, I appreciate your time spent on this.