New z640_New problem

[BambiBoomZ]

Hewlett-Packardians,

A  z640 was purchased for use for music recording and production. Here is the spec with the Passmark Performance Test 9.0 results:

HP z640_1 (2018) (R1) E5-1650 v3 (6C @ 3.5/3.8GHz) / 16GB ECC / GTX 1060 3GB/ Samsung M.2 512GB NVMe / SATAIII 1TB / Windows 10 64-bit (HP OEM 20H2) > Dell 24" LCD Monitor / 9.7.22
[Passmark System Rating: = 4556 / CPU = 11957 / 2D = 596 / 3D = 8553 / Mem = 2116 / Disk = 13751 / Single Thread Mark = 2258 ] (9.7.22)

The boot drive is an HP ZTurbo.  The performance is satisfactory for the intended use, but an odd problem occurred when trying to set up the Ethernet connection: nothing I tried made it work. This was tried connecting to the same Netgear GS108 8-port switch as the system (HP z620_2) being used now. The errors have included Ethernet port not configured, no valid IP, and etc.  With every other system I've ever had, the Ethernet was very easy, sometimes just plugging it in was enough to have it work. A tp-link AC1300 USB WiFi adapter worked immediately.

I've tried auto detection, many settings, multiple restoring defaults, different ports on the switch, different cables, & etc., but seem to be still  missing the magic button.

Ideas?

BambiBoomZ

HP z620_2 (2017) (R11) > Xeon E5-1650 v2 (6C@ 4.6GHz) / z420 Liquid Cooling / 64GB (HP/Samsung 8X 8GB DDR3-1866 ECC registered) /GTX 1070 Ti 8GB / Samsung SM951 M.2 512GB AHCI + Samsung 970 EVO M.2 NVMe 500GB + HP/HGST Enterprise 6TB / Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 sound interface + 2X Mackie MR824 / 825W PSU / Windows 7 Prof.’l 64-bit (HP OEM) > 2X Dell Ultrasharp U2715H (2560 X 1440)
[ Passmark Rating = 6525 / CPU rating = 16256 / 2D = 882 / 3D= 12816 / Mem = 3123 / Disk = 14408 / Single Thread Mark = 2548 [6.8.22]

HP z420_3: (2015) (R12) Xeon E5-1650 v2 (6C@ 4.6GHz) / z420 Liquid cooling / 64GB (HP/Samsung 8X 8GB DDR3-1866 ECC registered) / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB/ Samsung SM951 M.2 256GB AHCI + Samsung 860 EVO 500GB + HGST 7K6000 4TB / ASUS Essence STX + Logitech z2300 2.1 / 600W PSU > Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (HP OEM ) > Samsung 40" 4K
[Passmark System Rating: = 6337 CPU = 15851 / 2D = 862 / 3D = 11147 / Mem = 3072 Disk = 13629 /Single Thread Mark = 2540 [11.29.21]

HP ZBook 17 G2: (2015 ) i7-4940MX Extreme (4C@3.1/ 4.0GHz) / 32GB / Quadro K3100M 4GB / Kingston 480GB SATA SSD > 17.3" LCD 1920 X1080 panel > HP docking station> video externally to HP 2711x 27" LCD + Dell 17" (2007) / Logitech 533 _2.1 speaker system
[Passmark System Rating: = 3980 / CPU = 10140 / 2D = 618 / 3D = 2779 / Mem = 2559 Disk = 4662 / Single Thread Mark = 2387 [1.3.20]

Network: Netgear GS108-400NAS

[DGroves]

do you get a link light on the z640 network port and switch?

if not determine if the  issue is on the switch, the z640 or the network cable

since the switch is a unmanaged one, it has no config options

i would connect the z620 using the same switch port and cable if that works you have narrowed the issue to the z640 gigabit lan port (check both z640 ports) one z640 is a normal lan port, the other is a  lan/AMT port and if enabled for AMT it can prevent normal lan functions on that port

[BambiBoomZ]

DGroves,

1. do you get a link light on the z640 network port and switch?

__Yes, but it is a steady light whereas the other ports blink rapidly. I've tried the z640 connection in every port with the same result.

2. if not determine if the  issue is on the switch, the z640 or the network cable.

__I've tried 4X cables, same result.

3. since the switch is a unmanaged one, it has no config options

__ True.

4. i would connect the z620 using the same switch port and cable if that works you have narrowed the issue to the z640 gigabit lan port (check both z640 ports) one z640 is a normal lan port, >

__I have tried connecting to every port, same result. I've taken the connection from the z620 directly to the z640 and it doesn't work.

--the other is a  lan/AMT port and if enabled for AMT it can prevent normal lan functions on that port.

__There is only one LAN port on the z640,

__The z620 does have both LAN/AMT and a separate AMT port.

Mysterious. The problem is the extent of arcane settings for obscure protocols; I'm reluctant to change anything if I'm not reasonably aware that I'm not making the problem worse. . I'm still surprised that the default settings do not mean a quick connection.

Thanks.

BambiBoomZ

[DGroves]

you posted:

__The z620 does have both LAN/AMT and a separate AMT port.

my reply:

the z640 has a COMBINED LAN/AMT port and a normal Lan port, your reply is incorrect the z640 has two AMT ports

you want to connect the lan cable into the z640's lan only port, not the lan/AMT one

the green link light on the z640 (and the switches port light) indicates, a valid/correct network cable between the z640 and the switch, the lack of any flickering light indicates that there is absolutely NO DATA being transmitted between the switch/z640

if you have a PCI-E based network card, install that and see if that works, if so then the issue is on the z640 and if a full CMOS reset does not restore connectivity then the motherboards onboard networking has failed

for a full cmos reset, shut down remove power cord then press pwr button till pwr light on front goes out and beeping stops

then open case and press cmos reset button for 7 sec, you can also remove cmos batt for 5 min and then replace to bypass any cmos button related issues

replace side panel, pwr cord and boot system, enter bios and only set time/date then reboot and check onboard nic(s)

[SDH]

I like the idea to get BIOS back to factory default settings. Someone may have messed with them in the past. The more complex way to reset CMOS DGroves provides is better than pressing the motherboard's CMOS reset little yellow button because this more complex way should clear corrupted CMOS too.

The Z620 has two LAN ports... AMT and non-AMT. The Z420 has one... AMT only. DGroves, I think you're remembering the Z840 backplane, not the Z640 one. Two pics below:

[DGroves]

would you believe I've never worked on the z4xx/6xx systems, all of my hp work has been on the big z8xx systems and now that I'm semi retired  the  z8 G2/z4 G2 systems

"SDH" is correct i forget the lower end boxes usually only have one network/AMT port

I'm currently playing at home with the z240 tower/sff boxes and their weird Bios structure

I've found out that some z240 bios changes cause the system to display a black screen for over 5 min while it near silently reboots 5 or 6 times before displaying video again. and the steps to modify the VT setting is convoluted

based on the above you would think i have a low opinion of these systems, not so,.......!! once you understand the bios quirks, the boxes are a solid platform and considering the current pricing on eBay of 60.00 for the tower (skip the sff box if possible) as a bare bones system (you add ram/CPU) they are one of the best buys and are solid improvements over the z600/400/z420 systems and possibly the z620 if you can live with the z240's 4 cores + hyperthreading limit

[BambiBoomZ]

SDH,

Following the clear DGrove's CMOS clearing wit battery removed 20 minutes, the system will not start at all, there is a flashing red light and beeping only, no display.

Suggestions?

BambiBoom

[SDH]

Bambi,

Good to hear from you again. This is odd behavior from all angles. I've worked with quite a few Z440s and Z640s and have not seen this before. You could try a known-good video card and a single stick of HP DDR4 RAM, and a press of the reset CMOS button and try booting again. This sounds like a bad motherboard issue to me...

I'd contact the seller to return and it that is not possible I'd look at buying a used motherboard from eBay. There is no version 1 vs version 2 on these ZX40 workstations and someone with your hardware skills can swap in a new used on in under an hour.

PITA, for sure...

p.s. BIOS upgrade may be needed for a new MB... There is that special way to do it from a thumb drive and having the .bin file nested down inside of a series of 3 properly named folders. This ZX40 BIOS is smart enough to make a net connection from BIOS and download the latest and install that from within BIOS. I still like more control, with a thumb drive and the now-required nesting down in a short stack of folders.

[BambiBoomZ]

SDH,

Yes, good to be in touch again and thanks for your replies.

I am increasingly thinking of a return, but am waiting a bit:

1.  This particular z640 has quite  good specification including a Quadro K2200 4GB GPU, a single 16GB RAM module, meaning it can have a 64GB configuration, a 512GB NVMe HP ZTurbo and in general it's very clean.

2.  So much time and effort has been expended,it seems a shame to give up.

3. In it's position as a dedicated music recording station in a room with no wired connection, anyway, a WiFi connection is the only practical connection. 

However, I have an HP ZBook 17 G2 -with a a 4GHz Turbo CPU and Good level Quadro Mobile.  The motherboard was ruined by improper seating in the docking station.  I have another MB in hand and it's probably better to put the effort and cost into that.  It's so much more compact as well.

It's very frustrating to have to spend so much time on this, especially as the fault is at a near fundamental level and one I've never encountered or even heard about.

I'm spending as much time on this system currently  I'm actually working.

Thanks again

BambiBoomZ

[SDH]

That Z640 will be worth getting going... maybe you can get the seller to refund some of the cost? There is an eBay seller posting over 10 of the Z640 motherboards available, 60.00 including shipping.

A few Z640 build tips:

1. I think you know this... there is a thin rectangular plastic tab sticking up near the motherboard's center you rotate 90 degrees to get the lateral motion needed to slide it over then then up from the case attachments. It took me some time to figure that out the first time for Z620 motherboards and the same is the case for the Z640.

2. The ZX40 family workstations that were Windows licensed usually {if not always} came with W7Pro64 loaded but they are one of the first to also use the HP Cloud Recovery Tool system to provide download of an official W10Pro64 installer from the net. It will auto-license itself, and that build includes all the HP-subselected drivers, and then you use Windows Update to update the install from that older HP W10 version to the most recent. This assumes that the motherboard is Windows "branded" (not originally for Linux). If the motherboard was Linux branded there even is a way to use that HP download plus the digital W10 licensing via the Microsoft W10/W11 licensing servers assuming that the motherboard had been running W10 sometime in the past.

3. There is no version 1 vs version 2 motherboard issue with the Z440/Z640.

4. While the ZX40 workstations are not officially W11-eligible they in fact can take the W10 to W11 upgrade perfectly. I posted on that recently... credit to Paul_Tikkanen for finding that resource. I've been upgrading even old Dell laptops here to experiment with. Not a single failure and these builds are getting all the W11 upgrades. the process is pretty slow in 2016 laptops, but so is everything else!

5. The Z640 came with a smaller heatsink/fan because they had to have space to add a mini-motherboard riser for a second processor. If you're like me I prefer to run only a single processor in the Z620/Z640 form factor. If you do that too you can fit in the significantly more capable heatsink/fan from the Z440 as a perfect fit... it has almost exactly twice the cooling fin surface area, a bigger fan, and same exact wiring/plug end. Look up 749554-001 on eBay. There are two builds of this number... the first had two attachment screws both only at the rear. The newer better one has two screws too, but one front and one back... a bit better engineering. That is my favorite and here is a pic with the front screw visible. About 15.00-20.00 (!). I know you'll try overclocking so having some extra cooling for that cost will be tempting.

6. I'll try to send on a couple of zipped folders, for how to get HP Performance Advisor and Intel Driver and Support Assistant properly running on these workstations.

Keep us posted!