Intel server system with Intel S5500ur motherboard & Intel Xeon Quad core X5550 2.66Ghz CPU

[qsu]

Deal Intel Support,I'm interested with the Intel server system with Intel S5500ur motherboard & Intel Xeon Quad core X5550 2.66Ghz CPU, advertised in the link http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=678112343 Intel rack mount server, Quad at 2.66Ghz, 12GB | Trade Me1) is it a good high end server system? motherboard supports both VT-X and VTD? 2) it only has one CPU, can both ethernet ports be used simultaneously? 3) support vmware esxi 4/5?Thanks and merry Xmas & Happy New Year !

Thanks & regards,

Q.S.

[Edward_Z_Intel]

Actually S5520UR is the previous generation. If you're looking for latest generation, check https://www-ssl.intel.com/content/www/us/en/motherboards/server-motherboards/server-board-s2400bb4.html Intel® Server Board S2400BB and https://www-ssl.intel.com/content/www/us/en/motherboards/server-motherboards/server-board-s2600gl-gz.html Intel® Server Board S2600GZ and S2600GL.

To answer your questions:

1. Yes it does support VT-x and VT-d.

2. Yes

3. Yes with limitations. See http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/s5520ur/sb/CS-030025.htm Tested operating system list for details.

[qsu]

dear intel community,

thanks for quick reply.

i will use ubuntu 12.04+ server and CentOS 5.10+ server as OS. is there any problem of this server to support/compatible with them?

thanks.

q.s.

[Edward_Z_Intel]

As you see those OSes you mentioned are not in the list, so they're not tested, and Intel doesn't provide technical support. You probably will have problem installing those OSes due to lack of drivers.

Since CentOS is a clone of RHEL, you'll have a good change of getting it installed with no issue, as long as you use the same version as RHEL in the list.

[qsu]

dear intel community,

thanks for the reply.

Even though Ubuntu and CentOS are both open source OSes, but this server is the previous generation product, so the later versions of Ubuntu and CentOS OSes should be backward compatible with the previous generation hardware (it isn't too old), correct?

Thanks,

Q.S.

[Edward_Z_Intel]

I really can't give you a Yes/No answer since it's not tested by Intel. You'll have to test it by your own.

[qsu]

dear intel community,

thanks for your reply.

i use Ubuntu OS for a few years, from my experience, the Ubuntu OS may not work well with the later generation PC system, due to some drivers haven't been developed yet, but it works well with the previous generation PC system.

I'm confident that Ubuntu 12.04+ OS will be compatible with this server, but i will still test it when buy it.

thanks for your reply and advice.

kind regards,

q.s.

[qsu]

Dear Intel Support,

This Intel server system (Intel S5500ur motherboard & Intel Xeon Quad core X5550 2.66Ghz CPU) only has one CPU at the moment, and could be added one more CPU later.

Apart from X5550 CPU, what else models of CPU could be used and compatible with this server system? Can you provide me the tools/sites to acquire the information?

Is the Xeon L5520 a good suitable one, http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=678909792 Xeon L5520 (D0) 2.27 GHz Quad Core 60W LGA1366 X58 | Trade Me?

Happy New Year 2014 !

Kind regards,

Q.S.

[Edward_Z_Intel]

Here you go: http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/sb/CS-030213.htm

But if you plan to add a second CPU, it should be the same model as existing one.

[qsu]

it will be OK if it says "Intel Xeon X5550", right?

[Edward_Z_Intel]

Yes

[qsu]

dear intel support,

when power on, at the beginning it was quiet and can access the BIOS. after switch on & off the switch power button at the front of the rack chassis, it became very noisy when power on. looks like all the fans inside the chassis are on.

moreover, tried to start to install Ubuntu OS and it has no problem to install, but reboot (ctrl + alt + delete) the server after 1 minutes, it gets a black screen and no matter how many times reboot it, it always gets the black screen (there is "no video input" display in the screen for a while and disappear. wonder why got this problem).

was told this server is in good working condition. and it looks clean and tidy.

i haven't used any REAL server so far. do you know what is the problem of this server, why has this problem?

can you send me a link to download the most appropriate manual/guide/info for this type of problem?

thanks.

[Edward_Z_Intel]

Seems you need to apply latest BIOS/Firmware: https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=22287&lang=eng https://downloadcenter.intel.com/Detail_Desc.aspx?agr=Y&DwnldID=22287&lang=eng

For more support information, please visit http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/highlights/server/s5520ur Support for the Intel® Server Board S5520UR

[qsu]

dear intel support,

why is the BIOS update issue? can you give some analysis?

brought the server back home this afternoon, it had been working fine at the first half hour, but it didn't afterwards, as stated in the post.

from the seller, the current version of BIOS is "S5500.86B.01.20.0038". how old is this BIOS?

thanks

[Edward_Z_Intel]

That BIOS version (0038) is really old. If I'm not wrong it was released in 2009. Current version is 0063.

You may try to boot the system with minimal configuration, e.g. one CPU and one DIMM. Check the status of the Post Code LEDs if you still don't get display. Check the board http://www.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/s5520ur/sb/CS-030023.htm Technical product specification for details about the LEDs.

[qsu]

Dear Intel Support,

Thank you very much for your advice. I will try it later.

However yesterday morning (the next day morning after the server got such problems), turned on the server and the blank screen problem was gone, i.e. can see the "...... F2 ...... F6 ......" etc prompt on the screen. the problem was gone by itself over night, why? so weird? is it due to the temperature problem? can't believe it. was told by the seller that the server is in good working condition, but it got those problems in the 1st hour testing after brought it back home.

it is very likely that the server will have those problems again later.

moreover, it is very noisy when the server running. can adjust the BIOS to reduce the noise level? How if yes?

it is much appreciated if you can help on these.

thanks.

[qsu]

dear intel community,

moreover every time when the server starts, the monitor screen flashing for a few times, i.e. the "....... F2 ...... F6 ......" etc text flashing for a few times, then become stable. it was the same when testing it in the seller's workshop. can this illustrate that the video card has problem?

if it is, this might explain the sudden blank screen occurred with no reason.

thanks.

[Edward_Z_Intel]

I believe the flashing is normal. Applying latest BIOS/Firmware may help resolving the noisy fan.

[qsu]

dear intel community,

i played around the BIOS last night, reboot the server, then got blank screen again with "no video input" moving around the monitor screen. What I is to disable the "Onboard Video" under Advanced in BIOS.

Leave it powered off overnight, this morning power on the server, it is still blank screen with "no video input". This time is different from the 1st time got blank screen. This time is after disable the "Onboard Video" in BIOS.

So what can/should I do to get the video display working on the monitor screen again?

I can't update the BIOS at the moment, will do it after this problem is resolved.

One more question, in the seller's ads, it says "Intel S5500ur motherboard", but why you refer to is as "http://www.google.co.nz/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCgQFjAA&url=http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/highlights/server/s5520ur&ei=5QTGUrmGF5CRiQffg4CYDg&usg=AFQjCNHSN31lquUsfW2oA_Z4hvVphPCevQ&sig2=wxWHU7XeiQiazwh22ZBkYQ&bvm=bv.58187178,d.dGI Intel Server Board S5520UR"? is the seller makes a mistake?

Thanks.

[Edward_Z_Intel]

Follow the steps in Chapter 7.1.1 of http://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/s5520ur/sb/e44031012_s5520ur_s5520urt_tps_r1_9.pdf Technical Product Specification (PDF) to restore BIOS defaults. Yes the name of the server board is S5520UR, not S5500UR. The name is based on the 5520 chipset.

[qsu]

Dear Intel Community,

Thanks for the information. Reset the BIOS to default, and then update it to the latest version, the noise level reduce when the server running, only some fans running, not like before all the fans running, which is great ! Now want to install VMware ESXI 5.0 and configure to RAID 1 (only have two SAS drives), however refer to "Technical Product Specification (PDF)", access to BIOS, under Advanced -> Mass Storage Controller Configuration, there is no configuration "Configure Intel Entry SAS RAID Module" with options of "IT/IR RAID/Intel ESRTII". But the configurations "Intel SAS RAID Module", "Onboard SATA Controller" and "SATA Mode" are available.

The comments for configuration "Configure Intel Entry SAS RAID Module" states "Unavailable if the SAS Module (AXX4SASMOD) is disabled or not present", how to identify whether or not the SAS Module (AXX4SASMOD) is disabled?

If there is no configuration "Configure Intel Entry SAS RAID Module" in the BIOS, can still test VMWare ESXi 5.0 under ESRT2 RAID or IT/IR RAID?

Please advice.

Thanks kindly,