Help upgrading the Hp Z420. What are the coolest, but little known features of the HP Z420 series?

[Alpine_B]

Sorry for not posting earlier! I forgot, and just attempted an i7-3930k (For science!), and the rig seemed to boot ok without any light blink codes (I don't have a speaker in the machine), but I was unable to get it to post or even see any display output.

I have the motherboard capable of V1 and V2 CPUs, and I swapped the ECC UDIMMS for regular G.Skill UDIMMS, and nothing yet.

I am on BIOS J61 v03.69- 

Any ideas to troubleshoot to see if it'll work? 

[NonSequitur777]

@Alpine_B,

Fascinating -thank you for following up!

So, to help you get the Intel Core i7-3930K working, here’s a detailed approach I would follow based on my own experience with getting an i7-6900K to work in an HP Z440 Workstation. While the Z420 and Z440 share a similar design philosophy, it has to be admitted that there are distinct differences, so troubleshooting needs to account for these nuances.

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Key Challenges

1. BIOS Microcode Support

   • The Z420 BIOS is optimized for Xeon E5-1600/2600 v1 and v2 processors, and the lack of microcode for consumer-grade Core i7 CPUs (like the i7-3930K) could prevent the system from POSTing or booting.

2. Memory Compatibility

   • The Z420 motherboard is designed for ECC memory, but the i7-3930K does not support ECC, which could create conflicts depending on the memory configuration.

3. Platform Differences

   • Unlike the Z440, which supports Broadwell-E and has a newer chipset, the Z420 uses Sandy Bridge-E/Ivy Bridge-E (v1/v2), which, doggonit, may have stricter firmware requirements for CPU compatibility.

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Action Plan

1. Confirm Basic Compatibility

• Socket Match: The i7-3930K is LGA 2011, matching the Z420 motherboard.
• Chipset Match: The i7-3930K is designed for the X79 chipset, which is close to the C602 chipset used in the Z420. As I observed from the get-go, this suggests potential compatibility at the hardware level.

2. Update BIOS

• Ensure the Z420 is running the latest BIOS version (J61 v03.96 or newer, if available). This increases the likelihood of the motherboard recognizing the i7-3930K.
• The latest BIOS can be downloaded from HP's support site, here: https://support.hp.com/us-en/drivers/hp-z420-workstation/5225033.

3. Test Memory Configurations

• Swap Back to ECC UDIMMs: While you tried G.Skill UDIMMs, the Z420 might behave better with its native ECC memory. Even though the i7-3930K doesn’t use ECC, the system may still initialize properly with ECC modules installed.
• Test Non-ECC UDIMMs: If ECC doesn’t work, try a different set of non-ECC DDR3 modules from a reliable brand. Ensure the memory is seated firmly and matches the i7-3930K’s supported speeds (e.g., DDR3-1600).

4. Reset CMOS

• Reset the CMOS to ensure no residual BIOS settings are interfering with the CPU or memory initialization.
• Steps:
  • Disconnect power, remove the CMOS battery for ~5–10 minutes, and press the power button to discharge residual power.
  • Reinstall the battery and reconnect power.

5. Verify Graphics Output

• Confirm that the GPU is properly seated and connected to power. The Z420 does not have integrated graphics, so the user must rely on a discrete GPU.
• Use a basic, supported GPU (e.g., NVIDIA Quadro or AMD Radeon) to rule out any GPU-related boot issues.

6. BIOS Settings Tweaks (if accessible)

• Disable features like Turbo Boost or SpeedStep to simplify CPU initialization.
• If a "legacy CPU mode" or similar option exists, enable it to broaden compatibility.

7. Test Another CPU First

• If possible, test the Z420 with a known-compatible Xeon E5-1600 or E5-2600 v1/v2 processor to verify the motherboard, BIOS, and other components are functional (I believe you already did this).
• Once the system is verified to work, swap in the i7-3930K.

8. Alternative Firmware Approach

• If the i7-3930K fails to work despite all efforts, we have to consider the possibility that the Z420 BIOS lacks microcode for this CPU, unlike the Z440. Adding microcode to the BIOS (via a custom firmware modification) could solve the issue, though this is an advanced and risky process. If this is of interest, I could provide additional guidance.

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Why the i7-3930K May Not Work

• Unlike my experience with the Z440, the Z420 BIOS is older and might have stricter limitations for non-Xeon CPUs. The i7-3930K might initialize electrically (no blink codes) but fail to POST due to missing microcode or memory incompatibility.

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Recommendations

• If your goal is to run a high-performance CPU in the Z420, consider upgrading to a compatible Xeon processor like the E5-1650 (v1 or v2). These are cost-effective, offer similar performance to the i7-3930K, and are guaranteed to work with the Z420’s BIOS and ECC memory.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[BlindSniper9794]

Unfortunately I do not. I'm not sure why the earlier revision of the board won't run V2 processors, but I presume it's a similar reason that your later revision won't run the i7s. 

Actually, perhaps there's a piece of Hardware on the board that validates older processors but won't validate the i7s or V2 Xeons?

[NonSequitur777]

@BlindSniper9794,

Perhaps, but if there is, I haven't come across it yet whilst scouring the web for information.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[Alpine_B]

I was unable to get the i7-3930k to post and output display, even after following all the suggestions!

With my Xeons, the system powers up, fans spin, and then there is a little boost in fan speed for a second or two, and then the system posts-

It very may well be a microcode issue- with the i7-3930k the system appears to boot, with the gpu fans, system fans, keyboard, ect. all initializing, except that the spin at a low level and the workstation never posts to show the BIOS initialization screen.

Thanks for your help, stay awesome out there! 

[NonSequitur777]

@Alpine_B,

You are welcome and Smooth Sailing to you!

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777