2nd CPU Riser Board not recognized

[dnphoto]

Hi,

I've recently purchased a 2nd CPU Riser board for my HP Z620 and I've been having some trouble getting it to run.  I've matched the processors they are the e5 1620 3.6ghz and added 4 more 8gb sticks of RAM for a total of 64gb (already had 32).  When I start the machine I hear the fans on the 2nd riser board spin up but there is no 2nd processor or extra ram found.  The machine runs and gives me no errors but the 2nd riser board seems like its not found at all.  I am wondering if this maybe the riser board itself or an issue with the processor?  I am running windows 10 pro so it should accept 2 processors, either way when I start up the computer at open the system info before Windows boots it doesn't show the 2nd riser board so I don't think its a windows issue.

[DGroves]

note that the z620 had one motherboard revision, and only the revised board supports the ver 1/2 xeons

check your bios bootblock date to determine board rev

12/28/2011 is original board v1 cpu only

03/06/2013 is updated board with v1/v2 cpu support

http://www.usedcomp.de/pdf/HP-Z620-Workstation-QuickSpecs-2014.pdf

[SDH · Accepted solution]

It is more complex than even that.

You state you are running an E5-1620 but you don't state if it is a version 1 or a version 2 processor.  The initial Sandy Bridge release shows up in the Intel "Ark" site as "E5-1620" (not "E5-1620 v1").  The Z620 version that has the 2013 boot block date can also run the next (Ivy Bridge) version, showing up in the Intel Ark site as "E5-1620 v2".

However, you cannot run two of either of those in your improved Z620 with the riser.

Only the processors on HP's Z620 approved list that have dual QPI links can run two matched processors simultaneously.  For example, the E5-2620 has two QPI links, and HERE  is a link to the Intel Ark page for that... "# of QPI Links" = 2.  

A tip:  you can do better than that E5-2620 noted above... if you truly have a Z620 v2 with the 2013 boot block date you can find the latest Z620 QuickSpecs possible and see the dual-QPI-link processors they support for this workstation.  There is a fairly late v39 version  HERE .  Ideally your memory would be 1866 MHz, and the processors would be matching v2 1866 MHz speeds also.   If you want I can dig into my Z620 QuickSpecs stash to find you my very latest version.

You should know that some of the HP approved processors have more than one "stepping" and you should only buy the latest stepping.  For example, the E5-2620 has two steppings.  You can see that from the link above to the Ark site, and on the left go down to the Ordering and Compliance link.  You'll see the C1 stepping with SPECCode SR0H7 and also the C2 stepping with SPECCode SR0KW.  You'd want to only buy the C2 stepping, so you could search eBay for SR0KW.  Again... buy two of something faster if possible with speed of 1866, or possibly 1600.  Hopefully all your memory is 1866, or possibly 1600.  The speeds will automatically downregulate to whatever (memory or processors) is slowest.

Finally, don't forget to upgrade your BIOS to the latest before rather than after a processor upgrade.  You don't want to put in a newer processor that is not supported by an old BIOS version.  It goes on.... you need to learn how to upgrade BIOS from within BIOS if you're running W10.  We can help you with that later if you need it.  Doing it the old fashioned way under W10 is too risky, but it is safe to do from within BIOS.

[dnphoto]

Thank you, I believe it is the V1 the code on it is SR0LC.  I guess it doesn't matter since it is not supported for the 2nd riser board.  I just ordered a 2nd one since that is what came with the machine.  I checked my bios boot block date and confirmed it is 03/06/2013.  I was originally going off the number on the board 708614-001.  I believe this is the problem but is it normal to not get any kind of error when booting up the riser board with a processor that is not compatible?   As when I boot it up the fans spin and the system runs fine but it is not seeing the RAM either (1600 speed unfortunately as it was what was already in the machine) I just wanted to make sure my riser board is working properly before ordering two more processors.  

[SDH]

Hard to help you with that question because I've never put in two processors that are not designed to be dual processors.  I can tell you that I've worked with many of these Z620s with riser boards and not one has ever been bad.  I have worked with bad motherboards but never a bad riser.  That tells you something about their reliability.

Personally I'd be confident in your riser now that you know there was a good reason for the failure of your approach.  Another clue on the QPI link issue is that if you look at the Intel Ark page for your current processor(s) you'll see they list QPI links as zero.  My understanding is that the dual processors (listed as having 2 QPI links) use one so the two processors can coordinate with each other, and the second one to coordinate with the motherboard.  All that overhead does make a single-processor-only processor faster by a bit.

If I was you I'd slow down and read up on input from our friends Brian and Bambi here on what dual processor sets they feel will be best in the Z620 v2.  They are masters of what to choose based on what you'll do with that workstation.  Basically it is raw speed versus speed and number of cores.  Some users need to tilt towards one versus the other.

You now know you have a Z620 v2, so you'd want 2 of the v2 processors that are HP certified for dual processor support.  I'll try to remember to post a copy of the latest Z620 QuickSpecs I have so you can see the most recent generation of v2 processors HP ever listed.  I'm hoping your memory is 1866 speed.... anything less will drop the processor's speed to match.

[SDH]

Attached is the latest Z620 QuickSpecs I have, v46, below.

[dnphoto]

Thank you.  I will order new processors and see how I make out, I was looking at the E5-2637 V2  or the  E5-2643 V2.  I looked up SPECCodes on the intel ark website you provided and both have 2 QPI Links.  There are better processors that I can use but they are a lot more expensive than what I had currently planned on spending.  I think it was about $25 for a 2nd E5-1620.

[SDH]

You'll understand these numbers now:

E5-2643 v2   6 cores   3.5-3.8   25MB cache   1866   SR19X   1552.00   78.00   PM=16869 dual

E5-2637 v2   4 cores   3.5-3.8   15MB cache   1866   SR1B7     996.00   32.00   PM=12894 dual

The more expensive of the two pairs you chose are the ones I'd get.  Look at the price reduction from then to now... over $3100 for two new back then, vs very reasonable cost used now, affordable.  You'll get the extra two cores, for 12 total.  That extra 20MB in total added cache will be noticeable.  Shown are the current eBay prices near the lowest price plus shipping combined, from respected US eBay sellers.  I don't buy processors from China... just too much time and risk involved.  Finally, the extra 4000 total points on the Passmark scores for the more expensive dual processors is quite significant.

If you have 1866 memory sticks you will be up near the full potential, for a very reasonable price.  By the way, never buy a processor that starts with Q in its sSpec code... it is a "qualification sample" and not what you want.

For this build I'd put in a nVidia Quadro K2200 video card used off eBay for about 80.00 unless you have something better/faster already.  The user experience with that will be excellent..

Keep us posted!

[dnphoto]

Thank you. It took a while but I finally got it working with 2 E-5 2643 V2s.  One of them arrived dead so had to wait on a replacement.

[SDH]

Congratulations, and thanks for the update.  It really helps others to know the pathway, and some of the bumps along the road that can happen.  I have had a few bad processors bought used off eBay, but that has been rare, out of over 150.  That is why I don't buy processors from China... only from respected US sellers.  I have had good experiences buying other HP parts from China, but for processors the time lag due to a problem is large, and the cost benefit lately has been low.  And it is hard to put pressure on a seller of a bad product from here to there.  Enjoy your success!