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HP Recommended
HP Z400 Base Model Workstation
Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)

Hello All.  I have a Z400 workstation.  I've recently updated the BIOS to the most recent.  I've also recently added another 4GB of RAM: the total is now 20GB (5×4GB).  The DIMM I added is identical in specification to the original 4 DIMMS.  After these changes everything was working well for a few days.  It booted into Win10 which indicated 20GB of RAM.

 

The power supply was the original Delta 475W one.  In anticipation of upgrading the graphics card I bought a second hand 600W Delta power supply (HP spares and assembly part numbers on the label).  (Apparently it was pulled from a working PC.)  I swapped in the 600W power supply, connected the power cord and switch on.

 

Dismay!  5 beeps and the power button showed a red light! 🤔

 

In attempts to fix this I have …
• Removed and re-seated the five DIMMs

• Tried putting just three DIMMS in slots 1,2 & 3

• Tried putting just one DIMM in slot 1, using each of my five DIMMS in turn

• Disconnected all of the power supply's plugs, inspected them and reconnected them

… but I still got the 5 beeps and red light. 🙁

 

In swapped back in the orginal 475W power supply … and still have the 5 beeps and red light. ☹️

 

I give up!  😟  Does anybody have any suggestions?

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

Accepted Solutions
HP Recommended

I'm guessing you had a weak component on the motherboard that finally blew. You could try the long type of reset of the CMOS on your current motherboard (which has been posted about here) hoping that your CMOS got corrupted instead. This will set your BIOS back to factory defaults, which is a good place to start if in fact you can get it to boot after that.

 

We've also posted in here about how to identify a version 2 motherboard if you buy one used off eBay, from the bar code label that is often shown in the eBay ad pictures. On the right-hand side of that label there is a specific HP part number to ensure that you get a v2 one. You can look that up here or via google. Those are going for about 30.00 on eBay currently and hopefully you live in the US. Make sure to be very clear with the seller what you must have. It takes under 45 minutes to swap in a new used motherboard if you're handy.

 

There is an even easier way to ensure getting a v2 in the Z400. Those all have 6 total memory slots. The v1 has only 4. By the way you want to fill all memory slots with same memory for best performance.

View solution in original post

23 REPLIES 23
HP Recommended

I'm guessing you had a weak component on the motherboard that finally blew. You could try the long type of reset of the CMOS on your current motherboard (which has been posted about here) hoping that your CMOS got corrupted instead. This will set your BIOS back to factory defaults, which is a good place to start if in fact you can get it to boot after that.

 

We've also posted in here about how to identify a version 2 motherboard if you buy one used off eBay, from the bar code label that is often shown in the eBay ad pictures. On the right-hand side of that label there is a specific HP part number to ensure that you get a v2 one. You can look that up here or via google. Those are going for about 30.00 on eBay currently and hopefully you live in the US. Make sure to be very clear with the seller what you must have. It takes under 45 minutes to swap in a new used motherboard if you're handy.

 

There is an even easier way to ensure getting a v2 in the Z400. Those all have 6 total memory slots. The v1 has only 4. By the way you want to fill all memory slots with same memory for best performance.

HP Recommended

actually, i suspect it's a ram related issue based on the beep code, 

 

i'll bet either one of the ram nodules is bad, or the wrong type or the ram load out is incorrect IE- ram in wrong slots

 

as i recall the z400 like the z600/z800 requires ram to be installed in sets of 3

 

post pictures of "ALL" of the ram modules labels

 

also, read the z400 service manual

 

https://www.levnapc.cz/ProductsFiles/HP-Z400-manual-en.pdf

 

and the HP z400 ram install guide

 

v1 motherboard (4 dim slots)

https://h20331.www2.hp.com/Hpsub/downloads/Mini-WP_Z400_memory.pdf

 

v2 motherboard (6 dim slots)

https://h20331.www2.hp.com/Hpsub/downloads/HP-Z400-Workstation-memory-configuration-and-optimization...

 

HP Recommended

Thanks.

 

I thought that it could be the motherboard because the Maintenance and Service Guide gives that as a possibility if the DIMMs are okay.  (It seems improbable that all five DIMMS failed at the same time.)

I removed the motherboard to inspect it front and back, and thought I’d found the problem when I discovered a large piece of fluff stuck between the board and the metal plate to which it’s screwed.  It was right under the DIMM sockets and I wondered whether it was causing a slight current leak to ground, perhaps enough to cause the memory error beeps.  I cleaned it out and re-installed the motherboard but the five beeps persisted.

I’ll now try the long CMOS reset.  If that works, I assume that a BIOS update to the latest version (2018) should be next.

 

I’m in the UK.  There are used Z400 V2 motherboards for sale in the UK on eBay.  There are a few that claim to be new but they’re pricey.  There are some new ones on AliExpress too, at half the price of the UK ones.  The Chinglish makes me a little uncertain whether they’re new or refurbished.  If I need one I’ll probably go for AliExpress, even though it’ll take weeks to get here.  (This is a hobby.  I’m resurrecting my interest in MS Flight Simulator after about 25 years away from it, so there isn’t any urgency.)

HP Recommended

Thanks.

 

Thanks for the links to the manuals although I’d already read them.

I have five DIMMs because it came with four (4 x 4GB) and I bought another one of the same make, spec., and with exactly the same latency, etc., codes.  (When I find another one I’ll buy a sixth.)  Photos as requested but they’re not very interesting!

38A4D85F-CCF9-45D4-A9DE-BE9DB8461E37.jpeg56E56706-54E2-4E3C-89E3-B62B1503E772.jpeg4296B568-3611-4A90-BF3B-58B85E9A0DCE.jpeg7B7BDA02-3885-4035-A881-A585100CEBEF.jpeg09BBF328-4646-4E5B-8E92-C7EFA6977FD0.jpeg

HP Recommended

the 4 picts of dimms are  dual rank (2Rx8) and 10600E is unbuffered ECC memory, with timings of 9-11 this is a fairly common spec module

 

while it's highly recommended to match modules, in practice you can use different memory makers modules as long as the actual specs like rank/size/timings match also you can use different spec modules without issue as long as the different modules are installed in separate memory banks

 

the z420 v2 has 6 dimm slots divided into two memory banks so you could put micron in one bank and kingston in the sec bank, the system will detect the slowest dimms and clock all dimms to that speed

 

 

HP Recommended

C78DABD8-03D9-47F1-AFCC-DAD147D6538E.jpeg

HP Recommended

Thanks for that advice.

Peter

HP Recommended

Peter,

 

That 1333 MHz (PC3-10600E ECC unbuffered) is the fastest your Z400 v2 can ever run assuming you have an installed processor that can run that fast. If your processor supports only slower memory it will throttle back your fast memory to a slower speed. In case you were wondering that one stick with "1240" instead of "1214" just means it was made in week 40 of 2012. Since it looks like you're likely headed to buying a new used motherboard you'll have everything apart so now is a good time to think about upgrading your processor depending on what you have currently, which is what?

 

I ended up using a processor that is not on the official HP list of supported processors, but which works fine... the Intel Xeon X5690. It has only one sSPEC code so is easy to search eBay for (SLBVX), and a good seller from China has a bunch of those going for about 40.00 USD currently, free shipping. I use the original version of the Noctua thermal paste (NT-H1) because it spreads so well and is non-conductive, and has worked very well for years now.

 

Other upgrades to consider would be adding in one of the HP Texas Instruments-based "2x2" PCIe cards I've posted about HERE  and HERE  to get you 4 total USB3 ports (2 front and 2 rear). Also, you could upgrade your W10  the latest W11 (I posted on page 2, HERE ,  about my "hybrid" method, and Paul Tikkanen also has a Rufus-based method). That is the workstation I'm typing on right now in our library at home.

 

Here's some pics related to that processor, and good luck on your project. Keep us updated!

 

Fastest memory the Z400 v2 can runFastest memory the Z400 v2 can runThe processor we've used in all Z400 v2 upgradesThe processor we've used in all Z400 v2 upgradesThe X5690 only has 1 version... some have 2 or rarely 3The X5690 only has 1 version... some have 2 or rarely 3

 

 

HP Recommended

Thanks.

 

I have the X5690 on my list of potential upgrades if Flight Sim doesn’t quite work fast enough for me.

Thanks for the advice about thermal paste: I’ve just ordered some Noctua NT-H1 as it seems likely I’ll need it.

I installed a 2x2 Superspeed USB3 board 😇 a couple of weeks ago and have two USB3 ports on the rear and two on the front panel.

As well as my planned return to virtual flying, the machine will be my main one for office productivity and for 4k video editing.  Those video files are huge so I need maximum RAM.  With that in mind I believe that the Z400 V2 board can handle 8GB DIMMs.  Do you have any experience of using them?

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