Hi All,
Seeking Dell Precision T7500 experience for weird problem
My first post here. I've been in electronics and I.T. for over 50 years (showing my age here now) but this seems to be a weird one. A quick online search revealed this "Dell Workstation Owners Club" so I hope this is the right place to ask.
I have a T7500 which works well (fairly well loaded with dual X5687's, 192GB RAM, Quadro, etc) and not given any issues apart from having to re-seat the riser module once. I am loathed to borrow bits from this machine to troubleshoot a second system in case I end up with neither machine running.
Anyway, I bought a second T7500 which initially worked despite complaining about faulty memory stick which turned out to be due to bent pins on the LGA1366, but suddenly it gave me the error on power up of LED's 1 & 2 flashing, the HD LED solid ON, and then after 5 seconds it shuts off. So power is only on for 5 seconds. Let's call this "the error".
So I get another mobo into which I put a X5687 and 3 x 8GB RAM and it powers up. So I run the Diagnostics (on the BIOS menu) and it completes the initial memory tests ok and offers to run further memory tests and I say "Y". During this extended running the power suddenly shuts off. Trying to re-power on I get the error again. Power only on for 5 seconds. Same LED diagnostics as before.
I then change the 1100watt PSU (but not the loom but surely that isn't the problem is it???)(despite the BIST working on the old one) but I still get "the error". No joy.
Now, reading forums I learn that older versions of the BIOS don't support the later faster processors so I get yet another mobo (BIOS A10) and put a E5502 CPU in it and a single 8GB RAM module. The system comes up!!! Then, step-by-step, I update the BIOS from A10 to A18 (which is the latest that I can find). I run the basic memory diags again and it passes. So I remove the E5502 and replace it with a X5687 and increase the RAM to 48GB. I run the first stage memory diags and it passes. Yeah! So I insert a riser with a matching X5687 and a further 48GB RAM (all same manufacturer/speed, etc) and the system comes up again. It boots up Windows 10 and all seems well.
So I decide as a final confidence trick I'll run the BIOS diags. It run the basic memory tests and passes. It gives the option of running the extended additional memory tests so I think "Why not?" and press "Y". The screen shows that it's testing 96GB using 8 CPUs so I walk away and leave it running. When I return the system is dead. When I power on I get "the error" again. Power shuts off after 5 seconds.
I've cleared the BIOS several times whilst working with these 3 mobo but it doesn't get rid of "the error". So unless something is blowing motherboards up or these mobos are somehow weak (P/N: 06FW8P) then the problem is not the motherboard or indeed the PSU. So what the hell is going on??????
I've also read that the front panel can be faulty but haven't yet got another one.
Any of you Dell T7500 experts seen this problem before?? LEDs 1 & 2 flash, HD LED solid on, and power down after just 5 seconds. If so, please tell me what to do next.