No Video on Boot

[BetYourBottom]

I've been wanting to build a FreeNAS server for awhile now and after seeing this thread: https://forums.freenas.org/index.php?threads/ode-to-the-dell-c2100-fs12-ty.43665/
I got set on using the C2100.

Flash forward and I have almost all my hardware here ( missing a heatsink from guys I ordered my chassis + MB and extras ).

However, I'm having trouble getting it to boot properly. No matter what I can't get any video. I've tried the VGA port of course but it's also not working on the KVM through the BMC.

I'm at a loss of what to do. I'm not sure if the RAM isn't letting it get past POST or the motherboard is dead or what it could be and I don't know how to lock it down. Any help would be very much appreciated.

 

[BigDave]

I must be misunderstanding you, please tell me you're not trying to boot your motherboard without the heatsink installed on the processor, are you?

 

[BetYourBottom]

I must be misunderstanding you, please tell me you're not trying to boot your motherboard without the heatsink installed on the processor, are you?

There are 2 processor slots and I only got 1 heatsink. So I'm trying to boot with only 1 CPU.

 

[Ericloewe]

Maybe there's a jumper disabling the internal graphics.

 

[BetYourBottom]

Maybe there's a jumper disabling the internal graphics.

I don't know which one that could possibly be. The only ones mentioned in the manual are in the default positions. Also after resetting the CMOS again for another test, I can't even get access to the BMC anymore and the fans are stuck at full tilt.

Despite how nice the sellers have been, I think I'm going to have to get a full replacement. This is ridiculous.

 

[BetYourBottom]

Maybe there's a jumper disabling the internal graphics.

I don't know which one that could possibly be. The only ones mentioned in the manual are in the default positions. Also after resetting the CMOS again for another test, I can't even get access to the BMC anymore and the fans are stuck at full tilt.

Despite how nice the sellers have been, I think I'm going to have to get a full replacement. This is ridiculous.

Okay, good news. I've managed to get it to boot and I'll probably put exactly how up later but for now I've gotten it to work.

However... there is still a problem. While I've managed to boot it, repair the BIOS and upgrade the BMC, I'm no longer able to get it to boot with the CPUs that I bought. I'm currently using an old one that came with the machine.

What's happening now is that with one of the new CPUs installed (heatsink and all :P), it will try to boot for an instant then suddenly shut off. So basically the fans go full speed for a second then just cut off. Nothing happens on screen but in the BMC logs I see repeated instances of "Power Unit sensor, power lost error was asserted". So it seems as it boots it just suddenly loses power or something but only with the CPUs that I bought.

It ends up in a loop, where it tries to boot, fans kick on, it dies, and then tries again. It's very strange and it wasn't happening during my previous tests using the CPUs I bought and trying to fix the screen.

 

[wannabesq]

If the CPU that is working is an E/L55xx series, and the ones that wont work is an E/L56xx then the firmware probably needs to be updated. I had a HP server of the same generation with the same issue. My C2100 came with the L5630s installed so the seller must have done it for me, otherwise I'd tell you how to update it.