Activate your Lenovo ThinkStation S20 board
Activate your Lenovo ThinkStation S20 board
Hello. I recently purchased a Lenovo ThinkStation S20 motherboard with a pre-installed Xeon W3550 processor. I need to get it running but have run into several problems: 1. The slots for SPEAKER, FRONT_PANEL and FRONT_USB don’t match standard desktop configurations. How can I connect them using regular desktop cases? I’ve checked the forums on Lenovo but haven’t found a solution. 2. The manual confirms the Xeon W3550 is supported. My machine uses an Xeon L5640 with two extra cores, yet it isn’t listed. Why isn’t it recognized as compatible? 3. The motherboard only supports 24 GB total (4 GB per slot), while the Xeon X5660 can handle up to 288 GB. Is this why I’m limited to smaller RAM sticks? 4. It includes a 4-pin “AUX_12V” connector, but I don’t have a PSU with matching cables. My current setup has a Dell PSU with two separate cables for two processors (two 4+4 EPS). Can I use half of it? I’ll keep the images inside the spoiler. Spoiler Obs.: the manual was available, but the documentation is missing. I’m very doubtful about the details—like whether it supports non-ECC RAM or SLI. Thanks ahead.
I discovered this on Lenovo forums regarding an S30 model, which seems quite similar and might function. It appears to be intended for a real speaker rather than a BIOS buzzer. There appear to be several 2-pin Lenovo speakers available. It could be useful to check consumer or business machines released by Lenovo around that period—they likely use the same speakers, which might simplify the search. I don’t think it’s essential, but it might help. It seems like a typical front panel with two missing pins; possibly there’s no hard drive activity LED on the ThinkStation S20. You might want to test it manually and see if it works. However, it would be wise to run the machine with supported components first before proceeding further. The AUX 12V is probably extra power for the PCIe slots, though it’s unlikely you need it. The system should start without it, and since it has a standard 4-pin EPS CPU connector, you can use half of it—just align the clip correctly so the protrusion faces the same side. If needed, you could connect an additional PSU.
When Bloomfield and Gulftown began, there were no 8 GB unbuffered DIMMs in stock. Therefore the system was exclusively tested and approved using 4 GB DIMMs. Typically, 8 GB DIMMs function well, supporting up to 48 GB of RAM. 288 GB is only offered on registered memory systems (server applications). The L5640 seems compatible.
Thanks for your input. Your responses were useful, and I hope they assist others in this discussion. I updated the topic but still faced an issue. The "CPU_12V" uses 10 pins, not 8. I located several adapters that change the ATX_12V (24-pin) to Lenovo's standard (10-pin). Using a PSU with two EPS connectors seemed like a coincidence, but I’d need two PSUs—one for the 24-pin and another to switch to 10-pin. I also found an adapter that adds extra 12V and ground pins: https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-pin-to-10-pin...4194598024. I’m not sure it’s safe to use an EPS cable, though. EDIT: The PSU works with both the "CPU_12V" and "AUX_12V" without any adapter. The CPU cooler spins briefly and then stops. The CPU gets a bit hot. I tested the PSU on another PC, and it functioned properly.
You're still unsure about getting the motherboard to function properly. The challenge lies with the 10-pin connector, as only adapters exist for the 24-pin version. Since the EPS to a 10-pin adapter isn't available from Brazilian sellers, you're stuck with the 24-pin option. Adding an extra PSU via an adapter might help, but it's unclear if both devices will power on simultaneously. The seller mentioned both connectors are present in the original PSU, so your choices seem limited.