Can't get VGA or IPMI out of X7SPA-HF

[Benoire]

Hi

 

Hoping someone might be able to assist. I've just taken possession of an X7SPA-HF (Not the D525 version) to try some stuff but I can't get it to work. It's the mITX form factor and I've set the jumpers up as per the manual for internal VGA, IMPI etc. I plug in power and it boots up and the lan links are flashing but there is no output from the VGA and while the router picks up the max address of the IPMI, no IP address is ever granted.

 

At the moment, I can't get access to the BIOS as there is no vga output and I can't access the IPMI aspects either. The memory is just some apacer sodimm stuff, could that affect the ability for the system to boot?  If I take the memory out, then the on-board speaker beeps.

 

There is currently a little green LED flashing about a 1/3rd up from the bottom of the motherboard.

 

Any thoughts? Thanks

 

Chris

[Ford Prefect]

...AFAIR that light indicates that IPMI is active.

 

Normally, the board will beep during POST when there is an issue.

I'd pull the battery and check / replace that and reset CMOS.

Maybe the previous owner did set a static IPMI address, outside of your network.

Default is to revert to DHCP.

The first boot after reset can take some time, when IPMI gets re-initialised....wait at least a minute.

Check your router's log...try both Ethernet ports.

 

You could also prepare a LIVE-OS Stick, like ubuntu...check that the stick works on another system and then boot the SM with it.

Another line of resort is to put a spare GPU card into the PCIe slot and see what comes out of that, but you'll need a PCIe x4 or x1.

[demonmaestro]

Lan1 is (The one closest to your VGA connector) is used for IPMI.

 

"The X7SPA-L, X7SPA-H, X7SPA-HF, X7SPE-H and X7SPE-HF supports up to

4GB of unbuffered Non-ECC DDR2 SODIMMs (667/800 MHz in 2 SO DIMM

slots)" Manual

 

There is a 4 pin power connector on the mobo by the sata slots. Do NOT connect your PSU to this port. That port is for power exiting the mobo. So example is powering your SSD from the mobo.

 

http://www.supermicro.com/manuals/motherboard/ICH9/MNL-1166.pdf

Page 2-24 will tell you how to enable your Lan1 port

Page 2-25 will tell you how to clear your CMOS

Page 2-29 will tell you how to enable your VGA

 

Page 4-2 will show you your BIOS. (So you maybe be able to do it (Blind))

To enter Bios hit your Delete Key

The IPMI setting under the BIOS is under Advanced tab

[Benoire]

Cheers Guys,

 

It appears that this motherboard is picky about the RAM it can use.  I've got some more stuff on order to see if that works.