S5000VSA on SC5299BRP won't post

[idata]

Hi,

I have a problem with a system based on S5000VSA motherboard, two CPUs compatible with the board, 8 GB of RAM , SC5299BRP with Hipro power module HP-Q6100XC and Hipro HP-R650FF3 psu.

The server was working fine for a long time until now. When the AC power is connected to the server status led on the board blinks several times green and amber, after that stays green. When power button is pressed system starts, fans start, diagnostic leds start to blink as normal start, disks start spinning, there is no beeps, monitor detects input but there is nothing showing on monitor.

I tried booting from lower BIOS bank, clearing cmos, PCI graphic card, but the problem is the same.

I disconnected everything from the motherboard and rebuild the system form scratch but the problem still exists.

I tried with different ram modules, CPUs, power modules, but there is nothing on the screen.

I also tried to remove all RAM modules and then I get 3 beeps which is normal !!!

Does anyone have some idea what could be wrong?

[DSilv11]

Three Questions.

1) Does anything show on the monitor during POST?

2) Have you tried a different monitor?

3) When the POST LED stop, what light pattern is displayed?

[idata]

Here are the answers:

1. There is nothing on the monitor(blank screen), monitor simply says input is detected, monitors led shows green light.

2.Yes, I have tried with different monitor.

3.When I press the power button diagnostic leds start to blink very fast, at a time they show this colors G R G R ( according to board manual this is Resetting PATA/SATA bus and all devices)and after that they all turn off and status led is green. But if I press F2 they show R G OFF R (which according to manual is Clearing keyboard input buffer), after a while they all turn off again and status led is green.

[Edward_Z_Intel]

Start with one CPU and one DIMM, and disconnect all other devices.

Do the LEDs keep flashing, or do that stop after some time? if they stop flashing, what's the combination?

[idata]

Everything is disconnected from the motherboard except CPUs, power supply, memory and one memory cooler.

I tried with one CPU and when system is powered on status led blinks amber, I guess because of the hardware changes, but yet there is nothing on the monitor.

I can't try with one DIMM because board's manual says at least two DIMMs should be populated. I tried with no RAM and the boards beeps 3 times.

[Edward_Z_Intel]

I don't know which board's manual you're reading, but one DIMM on A1 is supported.

You mentioned all diagnostic LEDs goes off after a while. Normally it means POST completes and OS is booting. Did you try if keyboard is functional at that moment? (try Num Lock or Caps Lock) Also, can you try an add-in PCI video card?

[idata]

http://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/s5000vsa/sb/d36978010_s5000vsa_tps_r1_8.pdf http://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/s5000vsa/sb/d36978010_s5000vsa_tps_r1_8.pdf

page 11, covers DIMM population.

I tried, Num and caps lock work, tried with add-in PCI video card, but it's the same problem.

[DSilv11]

Like Edward said, your POST LED's indicate a a normal start-up sequence and OS boot.

The BIOS does have options for disabling the video and may be possiable to disable both the on-board and external video.

I would try clearing CMOS. (Page 34 of the TPS you linked to in last posting)

AC Power off

Set Jumper

AC on

Press on button (nothing will happen)

Remove power

Reset Jumper

Apply AC and press power button (and cross fingers)

(P.S. Single DIMM is covered in the "NOTE" on page 12)

[Edward_Z_Intel]

Did you also read the first paragraph on page 12?

Now this issue is getting weird... First I thought the onboard video was broken but an add-on VGA card should work... Does your monitor, along with the VGA cable, work on another PC?

[idata]

@Doc_SilverCreek

Like I wrote before, I tried clearing the CMOS.

I only have 1GB memory modules, but I don't think they are the problem because I tried with memory modules from another server.

@Edward @ Intel

Yes the monitor and VGA cable work fine.

[DSilv11]

very very strange,

BIOS recovery?

I am out of ideas. All the data say the server has booted and is running fine,

POST would show on the monitor even is the OS was se to a higher resolution than the monitor can display.

I am out of ideas.

[idata]

How can I perform BIOS recovery?