HP Z620 not working after upgrade to Intel Xeon E5-2697 V2

[MikaelKW]

Hi all!

I have a HP Z620. It has worked very well, and about a year a go i upgraded from a Intel Xeon E5-1620 to a 1680 V2, and today i was going to upgrade to the 2697 V2. That did not work. After i replaced the CPU with the 2697 V2, it won't turn on. When i press the power button it shuts off immediately. 

What i have tried so far:

• Go back to the old CPU to see whetever it was a motherboard issue, but the computer turns on as normal.
• Replace RAM.
• Changed CMOS battery.
• Searching on the internet, but can't find something similar, at least not after a CPU upgrade.

Any suggestion would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. 

[SDH · Accepted solution]

That processor was expensive at about $2600.00 USD new from Intel, and it has a single sSpec code of SR19H and I'll assume you ensured that is laser etched on the stainless top cover of the processor.  You can find those on eBay now for about 75.00 each from good US sellers.    It is listed in the later Z620 QuickSpecs as certified for the Z620 v2.

Obvious thing to double check is that you have a v2 version of the motherboard, by checking its boot block date in BIOS.  The fact that you can run a E5-1680 V2 implies it is truly one of the v2 motherboards but I'd still confirm that. You are not the only person who has had an issue with this... here is another Z620 post, LINK . You might want to try to contact that guy through this forum and see if he got a resolution.

Are you running the latest BIOS?  Some processors need a BIOS upgrade to work, and yet an older processor that is in the microcode of an older BIOS will work just fine.

Bad processor? Buying used ones off eBay generally has been a very good experience for me but I don't believe most sellers truly test them before shipping out. Maybe request a return and replacement? I'm assuming you checked the bottom for any missing caps etc.

Please keep us updated on this project... that sounds like an excellent high end processor for the Z620 v2 workstations.  If I get one I'll try it in a Z420 v2 also. There is a nice anandtech review that includes it HERE .

[MikaelKW]

Thanks for your feedback.

I'll add a picture off the CPU. I have checked that i have a V2 motherboard, and the latest BIOS and block date (block date

2013). Im going to take a look at the post you linked here and see if there's anything i've missed. I've never had a problem with buying CPU's from eBay before and the guy had a pretty decent rating on his profile, but you never know. 

I startet to think off one thing. Since I only have 1 E5-2697 V2 processor inserted, and don't have the CPU riser to have a dual socket setup, could it then be that you actually have to run the E5-2697 V2 in dual socket mode?

[SDH]

First, you clearly know what you're doing. No, that is not the issue.  A matched dual QPI link processor can run with a second one but does not need the second one to run just fine. If a dual QPI link processor has two different sSpec codes I always prefer to match the two if I'm adding a second one.

If that is your pic of your processor that is the right type.  If that is from the seller's ad you can't be sure it is of your processor... it might be a generic picture.  There are Intel qualification samples that have a sSpec code starting with a Q that have been sold, and in all the upgrades I've gotten I've only seen one.  That would do the same thing in a HP workstation... simply no response of the workstation to seeing it installed... no partial boot.

Sellers on eBay are generally good people who receive good items and pass them on in good faith.  You can imagine that it would be a big deal to test out each processor or stick of memory before sending it out.  I have received a few bad processors over the years and without an exception I was able to contact the seller and let them know, and they sent me a replacement and did not need me to send the bad one back. I have a good buyer's rating, too.

I'd contact the seller, explain the situation, explain your level of expertise, and give a link to this thread.  I think this was just bad luck especially because your workstation works perfectly when you put back in your original v2 processor. It is pretty easy to find a QuickSpecs HP document with that processor listed as certified for use in the Z620 v2 for the seller, also.

[MikaelKW]

The picture is a generic one, but i just checked the CPU that i got, and it matches, so it's not a qualification sample. I have contacted the seller, and refereed him to this thread, and he asked if i wanted a refund or a replacement. I asked for a replacement, and hopefully this one will actually work. I will keep you posted on this. 

Thanks again for your feedback. 🙂

[MikaelKW]

Hi,

I got the new CPU, and it seems that you was correct about the CPU being defective, thanks!

[SDH]

Good to hear... rare to get a bad one, and sellers have been honorable in general but my guess is that few actually pre-test before they sell.. I think they have you test for them!