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Intel Server Board S2600ST extremely slow

TBecker
Beginner
3,932 Views

We have a self-assembled server with an Intel S2600STBR motherboard, 2x Xeon Gold 6146 and 4x Kingston KSM26RD4/32MEI and an LSI 9460-8i raid controller. And BIOS is on the latest rev (02.01.0013).

The problem is: the bios menu and the boot of a operating system is extremly slow. When we switch between menu items in the BIOS, it sometimes takes a few seconds and saving changes in the BIOS itself takes 20-30 seconds.

If we start an operating system for installation, this also takes an extremely long time (sometimes 3 hours until the setup routine is loaded, then you can only start with the actual installation).

What we noticed: The POST screen sometimes displays a message that network cards 3 and 4 are disabled due to an incorrect SFP+ module. We do not have the additional card for network cards 3 and 4.

To rule out other sources of error, we removed the RAID controller. When this also showed no improvement, we removed the second CPU and all RAM bars except for one. After that, we changed the CPUs and tested different RAM bars and RAM banks - also without success.

I have also added the post codes from the boot.

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IntelSupport
Community Manager
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Hello TBecker,


Thank you for posting your question on this Intel® Community.


To better assist you, we would like to have additional information about this behavior.



Also, please run the System Information Retrieval Utility (SysInfo) and attach the logs to this thread. This will allow us to review additional details about the server configuration.


Installation on UEFI


1. Copy the uncompressed .zip file into a local directory (for example, fs0:\sysinfo).

2. Go to the UEFI folder.

3. Run sysinfo.efi.


Sysinfo logs system information in two log files in the LogFiles folder under the current directory (sysinfo_log.txt, PCI_log.txt): sysinfo.efi


Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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IntelSupport
Community Manager
3,895 Views

Hello TBecker,


To better assist you, we would like to have additional information about the server.


If you need any further assistance, please let us know.


Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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TBecker
Beginner
3,889 Views

Hello,

sorry for the late reply, but most of the time I am currently working from home and the server is at the company. Here are the answers for your questions:

- Is this a brand-new system? Did it work before?

Yes, it is a brand-new system and it did not work before.

- What is the number of systems experiencing this behavior?

At this moment, we have purchased one server of this type.

- What is the operating system you are trying to run on the server?

We want to install CentOS (or RockyLinux, a CentOS fork).

- Is this a Data Center Block Integrated System?

No, this is not a Data Center Block Integrated System.

 

Currently, I'm running the sysinfo program. But this takes until now 1 1/2 hour. I will upload the infos when it is finished.

 

Thanks,

Torben

 

 

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TBecker
Beginner
3,883 Views

Hello,

it is now finished (after a long time, around 4 hours).

It is only one CPU and one RAM rank attached. There a no additional PCI-Express devices or storage devices.

Torben

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IntelSupport
Community Manager
3,870 Views

Hello TBecker,


Thank you very much for your update.


Since this is a brand-new system, I analyzed the logs you shared with me, and found the following entries that could shed light on why the server is slow.


  • 04/14/2021-14:13:30 Voltage, VR Watchdog (#0xB) CRITICAL event: VR Watchdog reports it has been asserted.


This entry is related to the power being supplied to the system. 

1. Ensure that all the connectors from the power supply are well seated.

2. Both CPU1 and CPU2 power need to be supplied even if CPU2 is not installed.


The following entry was also present in the logs:

  • 04/14/2021-15:03:59 Voltage, BB +12.0V (#0xD0) CRITICAL event: BB +12.0V reports the sensor is high, critical, and going higher state.


+12 V is supplied by the power supplies.

+12 V is used by SATA drives, fans, and PCI-E cards. In addition, it is used to generate various processor voltages.


My recommendation is that you reseat both the power supplies if using redundant power, and monitor the server. You can also power the server with a single power supply.


Additional recommendations:

1. Ensure all cables are connected correctly.

2. Check connections on the fans and HDDs.


In addition, booting the OS could be slow due to the OS itself: CentOS (or RockyLinux, a CentOS fork). Even though this is a tested operating system for Intel® Server Board S2600ST Family, if you encounter any technical problem or difficulty in installation or usage of the OS, our recommendation is that you contact the corresponding open-source operating system community to obtain additional details about this behavior. You can get additional details about the OSs supported in the below support article:



Have you tried installing another OS for testing purposes?


I would also like to share the following information about the SFP+ module message you are receiving. The following documentation contains useful details and instructions you can follow to address this behavior:



Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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IntelSupport
Community Manager
3,846 Views

Hello TBecker,


This is a follow-up post to know if you were able to review the suggested steps.


If you need any further assistance, please let me know.


Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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TBecker
Beginner
3,836 Views

Hello,

we have reconnected the plugs of the power supply and the error pattern has not changed. It is a redundant power supply and on one power supply the status LED is orange (not really green and not really red). When we remove this PSU, the server does not run any better. We have ordered a new PSU that should arrive tomorrow. Then we will test the new power supply.

However, we also did not connect HDDs / SSDs and fans. The case fans are controlled by the backplate for the SSDs. Can this also be an error, since no other fans are connected to the motherboard except for the CPU fan?

And since we are not using an Intel case, we probably have not set the FRU/SDR correctly so far. Is this a possible source of error?

 

Regards T. Becker

 

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IntelSupport
Community Manager
3,811 Views

Hello TBecker,


Thank you for your response.


As soon as you have an update about the PSU, please let me know.


Could you please let me know the server chassis model you are using with the motherboard? Since you are using a third-party chassis, what I can recommend is that you check the section 10.4 Fan connectors of the Technical Product Specifications to ensure the best cooling and performance.

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/server-products/Intel_S2600ST_TPS.pdf


It is worth mentioning that the baseboard management controller (BMC) is key to make sure all the components of the system are healthy. The Field Replaceable Unit/Sensor Data Record (FRUSDR) helps the BMC firmware in monitoring and managing the server. Incorrectly updating the FRUs or SDRs in a server can lead to the BMC not reporting accurate information. I recommend making sure the board is running the latest updates available.


You can review the section 2.6 The Update Process of the following document:

How to Update FRUSDR (Field Replaceable Unit/Sensor Data Record) for Optimum Server Performance)

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


In the following link, you can also find third-party chassis that has been tested for the Intel® Server Board S2600ST Family.

Chassis Compatibility List for Intel® Server Board S2600ST Family

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000026937/server-products/server-boards.html


Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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TBecker
Beginner
3,810 Views

Hello,

 

we are using the chasis SST-RM22-312 from Silverstone.

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IntelSupport
Community Manager
3,788 Views

Hello TBecker,


Thank you for providing the chassis model. Based on the information provided, kindly share an update with the following details once available:


  • Please let me know if the issue persists after testing another PSU.
  • If possible, please let me know if you can try installing another OS for testing purposes. You can refer to the support article that has a list of tested operating systems.
  • Also, I recommend that you check that the FRUSDR is updated to make sure all the components are working as expected.


Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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TBecker
Beginner
3,771 Views

Hello,

 

After we installed the new PSU, it looked like the POST got faster. However, the setup menu is still very sluggish.

 

We also updated the FRUSDR again, but without improvement. Connecting system fans did not bring any improvement either.

 

As a system I had tested Rocky Linux 8.3. After a longer time and some "failed to start" issues the installation crashed. I had the same behavior with Ubuntu Server 21.04 and 20.04.


I also tested Windows Server 2019 Standard with Desktop. The startup of the setup (from boot manager to the start of the installation including the setup of the SSD) took about 1 1/2 hours. I stopped the setup section "Files are being prepared for installation" after 10 minutes because the percentage there did not increase.

Are there possibly any BIOS settings that can influence the behavior like this?

 

Regards,

Torben

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IntelSupport
Community Manager
3,765 Views

Hello TBecker,


Thank you for your response.


OS installation may fail if the correct boot mode is not selected. For example, it is recommended to use UEFI boot mode and firmware that supports secure boot when installing Windows Server 2019. My recommendation is that you load BIOS default settings and try to install an OS again.


  1. Press F2 during POST.
  2. Then, after you are inside the BIOS, press F9 to load the BIOS default settings.
  3. Reset any customized BIOS settings.
  4. Finally, press F10 to save the changes and exit.


Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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TBecker
Beginner
3,700 Views

Hello,

 

I've tested your recommendation but nothing changes. Meanwhile, we ordered another mainboard from a different manufactor and tested this one. It works like a charm but then I made the huge mistake to connect it to the old psu (because our electrician can't find any misbehavior) and since this it also has a strange behaviour. I've called our hardware seller and we have now an rma.

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IntelSupport
Community Manager
3,696 Views

Hello TBecker,


Thank you for trying out the suggested steps. 


Could you please let me know if you requested a new RMA for the PSU or the Intel® Server Board?


Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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IntelSupport
Community Manager
3,645 Views

Hello TBecker,


This is a follow-up to know if the issues on the system persists. 


Please let me know if you requested a new RMA for the PSU or the Intel® Server Board.


If you need any further assistance, please let me know, and I will be glad to assist you.


Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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IntelSupport
Community Manager
3,519 Views

Hello TBecker,


I hope you found the information provided helpful.


Since I have not heard back from you, I will proceed to close this thread.


If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to update this thread.


Wanner G.

Intel Customer Support Technician


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