# server building problems



## destramic (Apr 25, 2015)

hey guys,

i had decided to build my own server but after putting all the components together, but I'm getting problems.

Basically when trying to power up the server I get no display to my monitor even though the motherboard has on board graphics...I've reset bios, played around with different ram slot but nothing is displaying through my monitor 

I'm debating whether i have the wrong ram fitted to it, but with me diving into this with not much knowledge i'm now stuck.

can someone please tell me if what i bought is compatible please?

Intel s5500bc motherboard:
http://www.servercase.co.uk/shop/components/motherboards/intel/intel-server-board-s5500bc-s5500bc/

i dont really have better specification for cpu's and ram other than where i bought them from...ebay

2 x Intel L5530 Xeon Quad Core Socket LGA1366
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/131483994963?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

16GB (4x4GB) DEL RAM
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141615038814?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

thanks guys


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## C4C (Apr 26, 2015)

From my research that motherboard uses the CPU for the graphics but the E5530 doesn't have integrated graphics.

You'd have to buy a cheap card.


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## Agent Smith (Apr 26, 2015)

On page 42 of the manual it says:



> 3.7  Video Support
> The Intel
> ® Server Board S5500BC includes a video controller in the onboard ServerEngines*
> LLC Pilot II BMC and 8 MB of video DDR2 SDRAM. The SVGA subsystem supports a variety of
> ...


It has integrated graphics. http://ark.intel.com/products/36601/Intel-Server-Board-S5500BC

What server software are you using?

Since you mentioned RAM it could very well be RAM. With bad RAM or the wrong RAM you would indeed see a black screen on a computer. It's happened to me with ebay bought RAM. The RAM you have is listed as refurbushed so that _may_ be an issue. I would check out Memtest 86+ and test the RAM. It seems the RAM is compatible for your MB.

Just to make sure. Their is a detect button (for lack of a better word) on a monitor. Have you pressed that? It will detect different port settings like VGA or DVI. It looks like your MB is VGA only.


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## destramic (Apr 26, 2015)

thanks for your replies guys...and someone did say to me it could that i need a graphics card, although i have on-board graphics.

yeah well the monitor is on auto detect and i've also tried 2 different vga cables as well as a vga to hdmi.

the man i bought the ram off said it should also fit too...what i think i'll do is buy a cheap graphics card and go from there...

now i've looked to see what card i need and the specifications say that i need a PCI Express 2 card....but the problem with that is if i put a PCI Express 2 card in the ports from the card are facing the wrong way and not out of the case

what is going on? 



Agent Smith said:


> What server software are you using?



no software installed yet...i cant even get bios to show so i can install an OS


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## destramic (Apr 26, 2015)

still trying to sort out the problem...i found a graphics card on amazone that will fit which is a pcie x8...but i noticed a blinking amber light on motherboard which refers to this on the intel manual

Non-fatal alarm – system is likely to fail: 

CATERR asserted. 
Critical temperature threshold asserted. 
Critical voltage threshold asserted. 
Critical fan threshold asserted. 
VRD hot asserted. 
SMI Timeout asserted.

but i have no clue what any of this means


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## beers (Apr 26, 2015)

What kind of heatsinks are you using for the CPUs?
What kind of PSU are you using with the board?


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## destramic (Apr 26, 2015)

beers said:


> What kind of heatsinks are you using for the CPUs?
> What kind of PSU are you using with the board?




Integrator Black 500W ATX PC Power Supply Unit 120mm Fan Active PFC 500 WATT PSU
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111356609603?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

and i got 2 of these, one on each CPU

Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro Rev.2 Quiet CPU Cooler Intel LGA1366/1156/1155/775
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161560142716?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT


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## GooSeSmith (Apr 27, 2015)

Actually that CPU doesn't have the built in graphics. It appears to have built in graphics due to the motherboard but it really doesn't. We jsut went through this same issue with one of our Power Workstations here at work that use that processor.

You will need a video card.


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## beers (Apr 27, 2015)

GooSeSmith said:


> Actually that CPU doesn't have the built in graphics. It appears to have built in graphics due to the motherboard but it really doesn't. We jsut went through this same issue with one of our Power Workstations here at work that use that processor.
> 
> You will need a video card.



Were you using the same board?  Most server boards contain their own off-cpu integrated GPU for console and similar.  They've been made that way for a loooooong time, too.    See here:


> Integrated graphics	Server Engine* LLC Pilot II* Controller with 64 MB DDR2 memory, 8 MB allocated to graphics
> 
> http://www.intel.com/products/server/motherboards/s5500bc/s5500bc-specifications.htm



Plus, socket 1366 didn't have integrated iGPUs on-die.

I'd imagine you have some other issue on your hands.


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## GooSeSmith (Apr 27, 2015)

beers said:


> Were you using the same board?  Most server boards contain their own off-cpu integrated GPU for console and similar.  They've been made that way for a loooooong time, too.    See here:
> 
> 
> Plus, socket 1366 didn't have integrated iGPUs on-die.
> ...




If the processor does not have the iGPU then the intergrated graphics can't be used! He will need a video card.

OP please amuse us and install a video card and tell us what the result is!!

Trust me, I argued with Intel and HP for a week over this!!! I had the same stance you have beers "It has intergrated graphics so it has to work." Unfortunately is doesn't. Intel new CPU design requires the CPU to have the iGPU in it for the intergrated graphics to work. That change happened after the release of the iCores after AMD intergrated all the graphics onto the CPU die.


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## beers (Apr 27, 2015)

GooSeSmith said:


> If the processor does not have the iGPU then the intergrated graphics can't be used! He will need a video card.
> 
> OP please amuse us and install a video card and tell us what the result is!!



That makes absolutely zero sense, especially as this hardware is pre iGPU era.  There were no iGPU to offload to and the video output was handled by the GPU that was integrated into the motherboard.

Please go read the spec sheet.


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## Cromewell (Apr 28, 2015)

GooSeSmith said:


> If the processor does not have the iGPU then the intergrated graphics can't be used! He will need a video card.
> 
> OP please amuse us and install a video card and tell us what the result is!!
> 
> Trust me, I argued with Intel and HP for a week over this!!! I had the same stance you have beers "It has intergrated graphics so it has to work." Unfortunately is doesn't. Intel new CPU design requires the CPU to have the iGPU in it for the intergrated graphics to work. That change happened after the release of the iCores after AMD intergrated all the graphics onto the CPU die.





beers said:


> That makes absolutely zero sense, especially as this hardware is pre iGPU era.  There were no iGPU to offload to and the video output was handled by the GPU that was integrated into the motherboard.
> 
> Please go read the spec sheet.





			
				Intel said:
			
		

> Integrated graphics
> Server Engine* LLC Pilot II* Controller with 64 MB DDR2 memory, 8 MB allocated to graphics


Sounds like it has an integrated controller to me 

That's certainly not referencing the on die stuff the new processors have.

I'm not real current on it, but I believe graphics were added to Xeons starting at the E3 series. I'd have to do some searches to confirm but I'm reasonably sure it was around there.


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## C4C (Apr 28, 2015)

C4C said:


> From my research that motherboard uses the CPU for the graphics but the E5530 doesn't have integrated graphics.
> 
> You'd have to buy a cheap card.



Resolved. This motherboard/CPU combo doesn't have integrated graphics. 

Simple $50 card should do just fine.


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## GooSeSmith (Apr 28, 2015)

C4C said:


> Resolved. This motherboard/CPU combo doesn't have integrated graphics.
> 
> Simple $50 card should do just fine.



Thank you for agreeing. I have the E3 XEON processor in my HP Z workstation with Intel HD onboard graphics and with the E3 CPUs the Intel graphics doesn't work. I will get no display unless I install the PCIe Graphics card.


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## destramic (Apr 28, 2015)

thank you guys for all your replies...well i ordered a graphics card on the weekend which should arrive tomorrow...pcie x8...hope your right and it works ...i'll keep you posted tomorrow


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## destramic (May 8, 2015)

ok well the pci card has arrived...after connecting it all up still no display to the monitor.

the board is still giving off a 1-5-4-2  which means:
*Power unit sensors - power unit
failure offset.*

i after still having on joy, i contacted the seller of the motherboard and he had explained that the psu was incorrect and that i needed to buy one which support  LGA1366

can anyone please help and recommend a psu which is at least 500 watts and support LGA1366?

i'm having no luck finding one


thank you for your help


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## Cromewell (May 8, 2015)

destramic said:


> ok well the pci card has arrived...after connecting it all up still no display to the monitor.
> 
> the board is still giving off a 1-5-4-2  which means:
> *Power unit sensors - power unit
> ...


What supply are you using? You're sure its fully connected?

Should it fit into a rack case or a tower?


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## destramic (Jun 23, 2015)

ok well i bought a graphics card which didnt work...then today i just tried a new power supply (below) which still isn't working

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181090274587?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181390802105?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

the reason i bought a new power supply is because the one i was using kept on throwing a 1-5-4-2 beep code which points to the psu.  Also the board has a blinking amber light

after testing the psu it still comes back with the same error! 

can anyone please help?...i've spent so much money on this thing now


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## Cromewell (Jun 23, 2015)

This seems like a bit of a long shot, but have a read through and try unplugging the aux cable http://download.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/chassis/sc5650/sb/ta0940_01.pdf


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## destramic (Jun 25, 2015)

that article didnt apply to me as my motherboard doesn't have a aux connection and my psu isn't a reconditioned one...but i'm sending the board back...

work of advise for anyone who's about to buy a INTEL S5500BC...don't!

thank you all for your support


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