Supermicro x8dal-i powers on without video

[johnma09]

Help!!!

If anyone has seen this symptom before and know what the problem is and how to fix it, please let me know. I really appreciate it. I'm pulling my hair out because of this problem.

I have a brand new Supermicro board, x8dal-i , which I just installed and got no video when I power it on. Here is the system config:

Motherboard: SUPERMICRO MBD-X8DAL-i-O Dual LGA 1366 Intel 5500 ATX Dual Quad-Core Intel Xeon Processor 5500 sequence (Nehalem-EP processor)

Processor: two x5560

Memory: four 2GB unbuffered DDR3 1333

Videocard: tried both Radeon 4650 and Radeo 4850

When everything is installed, I hit the power button and everything appeard to turn on... CPU fans turned on, case fan turned on, power LED on the motherboard indicated that it's on, but I got no video.. never see the post screen. There was no beep codes either.

I tried to swap out the videocard.. no help. I know the video works fine cuz I just pulled it from another system.

Tried taking memory out one stick at a time until there was none, symptom did not change. No beep code for missing memory even when there is no memory.

Cleared CMOS, no help.

plugged the monitor into a laptop and the monitor works just fine.


If anyone has any idea on what can be causing this, I really appreciate your help.

John

 

[EXT64]

Do you have a speaker hooked up/a speaker built into the board? If the speaker is properly hooked up and the system powers up and there are no beep codes, the board may be dead.

 

[johnma09]

Thanks for the reply.

I did not hook up an external set of speakers. This motherboard does have a speaker built-in.

 

[EXT64]

Speaker built in should do it. I'd recommend taking it apart and carefully putting it back together (I'm not saying you did anything wrong, but sometimes things just don't get seated right) and triple checking all the wiring. If still no luck after that, you ay have gotten a bad board (it happens).

 

[johnma09]

EXT64:
Thanks for the advise. I'll try that tomorrow morning and hopefull that'll take care of it. If not, this one may need to be RMA. I was hoping that would not be the case but oh well...

I do appreciate your input and suggestions very much.

 

[EXT64]

Yeah, unfortunately I do not have any experience building servers, so I do not know what any common stumbling blocks are. All I do know is Supermicro is a good manufacturer, but even the best let things slip through QC or get damaged in shipping.

 

[ghelyar]

Just very quickly, I had the exact same problem with a very similar board on Xeon E5620 CPUs. The problem I had was just that the CPUs were not compatible (in my case, the Tyan S7002AG2NR board says all over it that it takes 5600 series CPUs but it actually only takes 5500 series).

A BIOS update may help but you can't flash a BIOS if you can't even get that far.

I found it ridiculously hard to find this information or even anyone with a similar problem, so I hope this helps you or someone else in the same situation.

I am now attempting to find a SuperMicro X8DAL-I *revision 2.0 or higher* to solve my problem.

 

[spert]

I had the same problem with my SuperMicro 2x 2.8 Ghz cpu server.
It was in production for about 3 years, I had 3 kernal panic's, in about 2 weeks, then I stopped all together.
When I switch it on, I can hear the fans going full (like when you first switch it on) but they never slow down. No Hdd activity, nothing on the screen, just blank.

I tried pulling it apart and putting it back together, same thing...
Even with the CPU's, RAM, CD rom and Hdd's removed, still the same thing, blank screen full fans.

If you come across this issue, the motherboard has blown... no hope.

 

[wobblyrainking]

I have the exact same problem.

Mine will run with 1 CPU in the 1st socket, just not with both. I'm currently trying to update the BIOS and then put the second CPU back in. I'll keep you posted.

-R

 

[T_T]

Wow, resurrecting posts from the dead...

In any event, i'd work through the troubleshooting guide (link in my signature), as it is designed to help with "no boot" or "no display" problems.

 

[wobblyrainking]

So yes, the Supermicro x8dal-3 and x8dal-i shipped saying all over it supports 5600 series Cpus. And that's true. It does but it requires a bios update. Then it works with 2 CPUs. You must boot with 1 cpu to get it to post and update the bios.

Also these boards, beware of overheating northbridge. Put a fan on it. Serious design flaw.

 

[Hap]

from the manual; page 3-2
No Video
1. If the power is on but you have no video, remove all the add-on cards and
cables.
2. Use the speaker to determine if any beep codes exist. Refer to the Appendix
A for details on beep codes.

 

[Hap]

yes a fan will help, but they can run hot, SM knows this and the part spec upper limits is very high.
a copper heatsink such as a pin fin design will work fine with or without a fan, just watch the overhead room if using a fan, being close to the video card or other plug-ins
Micro Center and newegg has these heatsinks. If you find the one that works well with the sticky pad during testing or just running, then I would remove the pad and use thermal epoxy. Do the same for the southbridge as well

understanding pin fin heatsinks
http://www.coolinnovations.com/technology/pin-fin-design

newegg Enzotech heatsinks with fan
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835708006