quad xeon problem

[Yoblad]

I have a proliant 5500r quad xeon server that I'm trying to run server 2003 on. This was previously behaving normal. Today, I decided I wanted to dust the whole system and start from scratch. I installed windows 2000 adv server and then proceeded to do an upgrade to 2003 server. After it was installed, I wanted to set a cpu affinity and noticed I could not. Quickly heading over to the performance tab I was shocked to find only 1 cpu listed. I checked system information and it too shows only 1 cpu.

Anybody run into this before? I will be reinstalling the whole thing again tomorrow just in case this is a fluke but would like to know if there is something I possibly missed.

To recap: server 2003 doesn't recognize my other 3 processors. The processors initialize fine on boot and are configured correctly in the system configuration utility. It was all working normal this morning. This is an upgrade from a fresh install of 2000 adv server.

 

[ambit]

Are these pII 450's?
Server 2003 won't more than 1 cpu on certain steppings of the pII's. Looks like you've encountered that.
Re-install Server 2000.

 

[Yoblad]

PIII 550's.

this was working perfectly in 2003 server (and has been for 2 years) this morning so I know it's not a hardware limitation or anything like that. I'm currently reintalling win2000 server. hopefully it was just a fluke.

 

[AreEss]

Check the seating on your VRMs and your processor subboards. You probably dislodged something or didn't get it back in perfectly. The 5500R's are very sensitive about seating. Make sure you have the system unplugged when you reseat, as well.

 

[Yoblad]

hmm...I just finished installing 2000 adv server. all 4 procs are detected and work fine.

installing 2003 server now.

thanks for the tip about hte VRM's. i think i've heard that before.

 

[Yoblad]

server 2003 works as well.

strange.

 

[AreEss]

Hrm.. probably a baseboard initialization problem. Win2K3 not doing something Win2K does. It wouldn't surprise me. May want to keep a Win2K bootable CD around next time it happens, and just boot Win2K instead of actually installing it to see if it helps.

 

[ambit]

Since my first idea got shot down :
On the 'motherboard' by the 'system riser' (is that what it's called? has the SCSI/VGA/Mouse/Serial/Front LCD Connector) there should be a bunch of LED's in the row. If there was something wrong with a CPU/VRM/Terminator it should tell you there. The meaning of the lights should be on a sticker on the lid.
Where/are any of them showing something wrong?

 

[Yoblad]

nope


I hate mysteries

Right now I'm leaning more towards the idea that my sys config was not correct. When I redid it the first time I chose new OS installation and set "Other" as my OS of choice because winnt was the closest thing and that wouldn't work. I then proceeded to install 2000 server. I wish I had checked to see if all 4 cpus were there. It's one of those things you assume will be there.

When I blew away the config the second time suddenly I had a whole new set of custom compaq windows 2000 advanced server setup menus. The smartstart cd had me install the files from the disk and then I rebooted and the server took care of the rest. The first time was like a normal install of windows.

I guess the second time, with the guided install, it could've installed some config file telling windows there are 4 cpus.