DL380 G6 Won't boot when second CPU is installed

[DMurphy]

We recently took delivery of a DL380 G6 server, with a single Intel 2.13Ghz CPU installed. The server is running Win2003, and has 64GB of Ram installed. We bought and installed a second CPU, and installed the fans and populated the second memory bank with RAM. However, the server will not boot up once the second CPU is installed. We have swapped bays for both CPU's, and it does not matter.

We installed the new CPU in the original bay, and the system works fine, however whenever we install the second CPU in the second bay, the system starts up, with the fans blowing really hard, but will not boot.

Any ideas what the issue may be?

[Hyperlord]

Hi,

nice, same problem here with my G3 ...

[Daniel Bowers]

Just in case, make sure both CPUs are actually the same (either both E5506 or L5506).

Without the second CPU installed, look closely at the processor *socket* on the motherboard. (Don't touch!!) See if there are any bent pins on the socket.

With just 1 CPU installed, check the BIOS date as it boots, and make sure it's got a recent BIOS.

Just some things to try...

[Fran Garcia]

You might want to update all your firmwares. In the past I've found that similar processors have different stepping numbers and the mb fails to boot when this is encountered.

Latest version of PSP (hpsum) allows to only update firmware, you might want to boot single-processor and do the update before physically installing the second CPU.

[hguindi]

Same exact problem here with same exact system.

The second CPU is identical to the first.  IF I put the new CPU in the original socket by itself, works fine.  Checked pins everything looks ok.  It is almost like something is keeping the system from using a second processor.  It just starts to power on (no post) the fans spin to full speed, then die down again, then it just repeats this indefinetly, no video signal is even output.  No errors, not beeps.  

BIOS/Firmware is latest.  Memory is fine and.  Anyone solve this?

[NickC1]

Take a look in the procesor settings inside of Windows Server 2003. There is actually a setting that if checked, only allows 1 processor to work within the O.S. If that box is checked, un-check it, power off your server, install your second processor and RAM, and reboot.