PC-DL (XEON) one long beep troubles,

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nicolas Fitzgerald
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Nicolas Fitzgerald

I've just set up a machine based on the Asus PC-DL mobo, and all I get
is one long BEEP when switched on. The beep does repeat it self for as
long as it's powered on. This type of BEEP is not described anywhere in
the docs.

Another annoying side effect I noticed is that the POWER switch (POWER
on the Case NOT on the PS) wont switch OFF, unless I hold it > 4s.


I've tried 2 diff. types of RAM

CPUs: 2.8 G P4 XEON 533CPU (I think this is called Prestonia)

RAM: Micron REGISTERED EEC DDR333(2.5) 512MBx2

PS: EPS 12V [24 + 8 pin] HIPER 470 (470W HIPER/Power XEON/MP)

All other components were tested in other systems. Tried sever AGP cards
along with a PCI one too.


I'm getting a bit desperate now, as I suspected the original RAM I
bought for the machine to be the culprit (it was normal PC2000 DDR333),
and it seems that I was wrong as the REGISTERED DIMMS haven't made any
diff.


Has anyone had a similar problem, or does anyone know what is causing
this - any suggestions appreciated!

Regards
 
Nicolas Fitzgerald said:
I've just set up a machine based on the Asus PC-DL mobo, and all I get
is one long BEEP when switched on. The beep does repeat it self for as
long as it's powered on. This type of BEEP is not described anywhere in
the docs.

RAM?

Another annoying side effect I noticed is that the POWER switch (POWER
on the Case NOT on the PS) wont switch OFF, unless I hold it > 4s.
Click to expand...

That's normal - it's the default behaviour of the soft-off button. Usually
it can be programmed to instant-off within the BIOS, but once an ACPI
operating system has taken over, the setting will be anyway overriden by
what the OS will program the button to do.
I've tried 2 diff. types of RAM

CPUs: 2.8 G P4 XEON 533CPU (I think this is called Prestonia)

RAM: Micron REGISTERED EEC DDR333(2.5) 512MBx2

PS: EPS 12V [24 + 8 pin] HIPER 470 (470W HIPER/Power XEON/MP)

All other components were tested in other systems. Tried sever AGP cards
along with a PCI one too.


I'm getting a bit desperate now, as I suspected the original RAM I
bought for the machine to be the culprit (it was normal PC2000 DDR333),
and it seems that I was wrong as the REGISTERED DIMMS haven't made any
diff.
Click to expand...

Just get some normal cheap DDR modules and recheck the RAM. I tried to
install a pair of 512 MB PC2100 ECC Registered Kingston modules (Infineon
chips) on a dual PIII board only to get nothing but a black screen. Seems
like the organisation of the RAM chips wasn't supported by the chipset (IIRC
they were 64M x 4, while my current 32M x 8 chip modules work fine).
On micron's site there are three modules that match your description:
MT18VDDF6472G-335 is double-sided (18 chips) and uses 64M x 4 chips.
MT18VDDF6472DG-335 is double-sided (18 chips) and uses 32M x 8 chips, isn't
stated as being in production.
MT9VDDF6472G-335 is single-sided (9 chips) and uses 64M x 8 chips.
Chances are you have the first one.

Now a quote from the specification of the 875 chipset:
"...
Supports 128-Mb, 256-Mb, 512-Mb DDR technologies
Supports only x8, x16, DDR devices with four banks
Registered DIMMs not supported
...."

So even if you have a x8 part, the specifications state that registered
DIMMs are not supported (even though ECC *is* supported).
Has anyone had a similar problem, or does anyone know what is causing
this - any suggestions appreciated!

Regards
Click to expand...

Regards
Nikos
 
Thanks for you reply.

Nikolaos Tampakis said:
That's normal - it's the default behaviour of the soft-off button. Usually
it can be programmed to instant-off within the BIOS, but once an ACPI
operating system has taken over, the setting will be anyway overriden by
what the OS will program the button to do.
Click to expand...

That makes sense, it's only that on all my other ATX machines - this
only applies once the OS is loaded. Not before or during post. But then,
my other Power-Supplies are really basic.
Just get some normal cheap DDR modules and recheck the RAM.
Click to expand...

....Well, I already tried 2 brand new lots of RAM. One the more expensive
REGISTERED, and the other non-R. One was a gig. dimm, while the other
was 512x2 (not that that should make any diff.)
On micron's site there are three modules that match your description:
MT18VDDF6472G-335 is double-sided (18 chips) and uses 64M x 4 chips.
MT18VDDF6472DG-335 is double-sided (18 chips) and uses 32M x 8 chips, isn't
stated as being in production.
MT9VDDF6472G-335 is single-sided (9 chips) and uses 64M x 8 chips.
Chances are you have the first one.
Click to expand...

I can't find any of those markings on my DIMMS! Here's all there is on
my 2 MICRON DIMMs:

MDOWB4F3HB22K1CZZ
DDR333(2.5) 512*18
SCIL-824312828
512Mb Micron PC27000 EEC-R
S/N: 307f3hbth

(these are 18 chip DIMMS)


I'm getting a bit sceptical that it is MICRON at all - as all the chips
have a logo that looks like the old Winbond logo to me. I used to have
Micron SIMMs and DIMMS many times in the past and they always had the
MICRON LOGO, (that MT symbol)...
Now a quote from the specification of the 875 chipset:
Supports 128-Mb, 256-Mb, 512-Mb DDR technologies Supports only x8, x16,
DDR devices with four banks Registered DIMMs not supported
Click to expand...

Now, that is interesting!
I just assumed that it supported REG. ram, as it was a mobo targeting
workstation / low end server functionality etc. And I just re-read the
mobo booklet, and sure it does not mention REGISTERED RAM anywhere...

Asus have published a list of tested ram:

http://www.asus.com/products/server/srv-mb/pc-dl/overview.htm

and it seems I'll have to find a DIMM from that list.


Anyone knows an online retail outlet in the UK that sells any of the RAM
in that list?



One last thing that I've discovered was that if I only leave the CPU's
in and take out the RAM, I'll still get the same BEEP. The warning LED's
i.e.. The CPU voltage etc. never light up, BTW.
So I assume CPU's are fine.

So I don't know if I should get a 3rd DIMM (from that list, this time)
or send the CPU's / Mobo back?

I think 3rd time I may strike lucky, but I'm paying through the nose for
this.

I've used ASUS Mobo's for almost a decade now - but this is the 3rd one
now that's causing me quite lot of grief.
 
Anyone knows an online retail outlet in the UK that sells any of the RAM
in that list?
Click to expand...

I use Crucial .com (click the link to change countries if necessary)
works fine in this board!

Use in pairs (blue OR black slots) for increased bandwidth.
One last thing that I've discovered was that if I only leave the CPU's
in and take out the RAM, I'll still get the same BEEP. The warning LED's
i.e.. The CPU voltage etc. never light up, BTW.
So I assume CPU's are fine.

So I don't know if I should get a 3rd DIMM (from that list, this time)
or send the CPU's / Mobo back?

I think 3rd time I may strike lucky, but I'm paying through the nose for
this.

I've used ASUS Mobo's for almost a decade now - but this is the 3rd one
now that's causing me quite lot of grief.
Click to expand...

Andy.
 
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