Quad P-Pro server, looking for help

[Voodoo_fx]

I have in my possesion a VisionTek Proliant server that my company got from an auction.. I am however having troubles getting it started, it doesn't start at all is the problem.. It has dual 550W hot swap PSU's and the caution ligith blink but the fans won't spin up.. does it just need to set for a bit to get it to start?

[Whistler]

maybe u need to get a new power supply for it. that is odd. sometimes they over heat and die and u have to get a new one for things to work. pain int he butt

[bulk88]

See if the board has a Bios chip on it and that there is something in the socket. Also the light blinking maybe a sign of a short circut in the system. And make sure all the critcal componets are in the system and that the various componets that make up the System board are tight.

On a another note this isn't really the appropriate forum for your problem. You have a fully proprietory system. For compaq products I found this forum (http://forums.itrc.hp.com/cm/1,,,00.html) and also this HP forum (http://bizforums.itrc.hp.com/cm/Home/1,,2,00.html) (all are on HP's site) are beest. They have HP/Compaq "engineers" (what are they?) browsing those forums. But atleast the people that will answer aren't enthusesist like us and will know their proprietory ***p.

Please assign points to the users that replyed to you . It ranges from 0-10, based on how good/helpful the response was. The points are a sort of credibility thing people are trying to get there by having a high point count.

[Voodoo_fx]

that exactly what i was thinking man, something is grounding it out.. hrm.. and if the PSU's are dead the system isn't worth jack because the PSU's themselves are a hot item to have, worth about 700 bucks for just one

[Voodoo_fx]

whats wierd is that the little LCD screen gets power.. :|

[bulk88]

In a PM you sent me you said the machine turns on but no video. Does it beep? and is it's speaker in place. Another thing, check if the MB is in maintenence mode, it is a DIP switch on your MB somewhere. Try putting in a PCI video card, also does the machine currently have a onboard video card, a proprietory card video card (normally also has SCSI ports on it but it looks like a PCI card), or stand alone AGP?

[Voodoo_fx]

I have yet to come accross a speaker, it has onboard vid, all the LED's near the processor glow green, no flashing, I have also tried a other vid card, andI have yet to come accross a maintence mode jumper

[bulk88]

Running REALLY low on ideas.

1. Attach keyboard and hold down insert key and power on machine, make sure you are holding down the insert key for a minute, also if that doesn't work try using the delete key, pageup, pagedown keys, everytime powering off the machine between runs of the keys.

2. Clear bios, take out battery (with power cord out) and replace if can't find bios clear DIP switch or jumper

Do any of the lights on the machine turn off after pressing the power switch, like the HD led, that may indicate you system isn't fully dead. What ram does the system have?

3. I know your machine has xeons in it so it probubly is ECC, anyways find a working computer that can take that kind of ram, and put the prolients ram in (there is a slight possibilty the test machine won't like ECC ram, but if doesn't like it, it will tell you at the POST screen), use
Memtestx86 (http://www.memtest86.com/) and test for errors (I recommend using the floppy version, not the cd, the program is self booting and needs no HD), if 1 error shows up, remove the prolients ram and rerun memtestx86 to see if the test machine has bad ram, if it doesn't, you found your culprit, bad RAM.

4. strip the system, try booting, remove/disconnect as many drives and PCI/ISA cards as you can, and remove as much ram as you can (not sure if GTL (bus protocal used for PPro, P2, P2 celerons, p2 xeons, P3, P3 celerons, P3 xeons) xeons are dual channel, check your manuel) and try booting.

Does the prolient have a soft (small wires like ATX systems) or hard (older AT systems) power switch? And when you turn it on, using the power button, will the system immidiatly power off if you press it again, or do you need to hold it for 4 seconds to power it off, or you have to pull out the power cord to the machine?

[Voodoo_fx]

AT switch, and there P Pro's not xeons.. when I hit the power the green led in the front comes on, the keyboard lights all flash on once then go off, all the fans are running 4 x 120mm's (Load and much tons of air) and then on the mobo itself near the cpu's all LED's are usually green... the hdd lights flash all on just after i press the power when it starts up..

Umm.. I have tried taking it all out.. i don't think its a hardware.. i think it more config problem now.. :| Ill try the holding down various keys.. and it almost seems as if the battery is soldered in or something.. I tried to get it out earlier but to no avail.. I can always solder something on there to make my life easier.. ill check it out..

[Voodoo_fx]

Can't test the SDRAM either.. its SDRAM - EDO.. which at first I was like what in the hell is compaq doing.. lol

[kevmarks]

You really need to get a hold of the service manual for that machine. It sounds like a BIOS issue. Could be anything from a flat BIOS batt to a stuck down reset switch.

Like I said, you really need to get the service manual.

[bulk88]

Originally posted by Voodoo_fx
Can't test the SDRAM either.. its SDRAM - EDO.. which at first I was like what in the hell is compaq doing.. lol
You can run that memory in a 430** based system, most of those mbs have one SDRAM-EDO slot.