Author: friolator
Subject: X99 Extreme 4 doesn't POST
Posted: 03 May 2017 at 3:37am
We have several X99 Extreme 4-based systems in our office. All have been working fine for the past few years. A couple weeks ago, one of them shut down spontaneously and won't boot up. We've removed it from the server rack and I think I have a theory as to what's going on:
Subject: X99 Extreme 4 doesn't POST
Posted: 03 May 2017 at 3:37am
We have several X99 Extreme 4-based systems in our office. All have been working fine for the past few years. A couple weeks ago, one of them shut down spontaneously and won't boot up. We've removed it from the server rack and I think I have a theory as to what's going on:
The CPU Cooler's fan didn't spin when I powered it on. Also, the two 80mm case fans were clearly dying - one wouldn't spin at all unless you gave it a push, and the other was making a terrible whining sound. My guess is that the system overheated somehow and shut down.
I've replaced the CPU Cooler fan, as well as the two case fans. Now when I power the system on, the CPU cooler fan spins, and the case fans are both working. But the system still doesn't get to POST. We've tried alternate GPUs as well, on the chance that the problem is actually the graphics card and not the motherboard or CPU.
So now I'm wondering if it's possible that this overheated so badly that it fried the CPU and/or motherboard in some way.
When we power on, we get a solid red light near the two chips with the BIOS version printed on them. Fans power on, including fans connected to the motherboard. But that's it.
I've checked all the RAM and reseated all 8 sticks.
Any idea what might be happening here? I'd hate to buy a new CPU if the motherboard is clearly fried, or vice versa. But we'd like to get this machine back up and running soon.
Thanks!