This new PC workstation isn't recognizing BIOS and displays a black screen.
This new PC workstation isn't recognizing BIOS and displays a black screen.
I assembled my own workstation PC and when powering it up, the screen remained black with no signal and no BIOS display appeared. Despite fans spinning on the CPU, GPU, and case, nothing was visible. I verified all components—monitor, RAM, PSU, SSD, and GPU—functioned perfectly in another machine. The HP Z420 motherboard and Xeon E5-4620 V2 CPU I’m using were sourced from eBay with a 24 Pin to 18 Pin ATX power adapter. There’s a blue light on the board but no flashing or beeping sounds. After about 20 seconds, the CPU fan suddenly increased to full speed. I experimented with different DDR3 RAM types and tried pressing the CMOS clear button while unplugging the PSU, booting the system from both inside and outside the case, but it still didn’t work. The seller mentioned the motherboards had been tested and were fully operational. New components: 8GB DDR3 RAM, 16GB ECC DDR3 PSU (Corsair TX650M), SSD (Samsung 850 Evo 250GB), GPU (EVGA RTX 2060), motherboard (HP Z420 used), CPU (Xeon E5-4620 V2 used). Any suggestions for the problem?
Consider using a v0 (Sandy Bridge) Xeon board. This chipset may require a BIOS upgrade to work with v2 (Ivy Bridge) processors. Some older Zx20 boards don’t support v2 at all—you’ll need to switch off the motherboard, verify the BIOS boot date, and for pre-2013 models, you might have to remove a flash chip and reprogram it externally.
Note: HP workstations can be run with the cover removed; they may display an alarm if the cover was flipped.
Edited February 11, 2023 by Needfuldoer
How long did it take for everything to power up? It could be a slow board. Did you make sure all the power connections were secure? There might be a weak spot in the wiring. Also, do you recall if the board has a "panel closed" indicator? Some OEM models include this to prevent unnecessary delays.
I don’t have access to a CPU for testing, can I try updating the BIOS? I’ve been waiting a few minutes and think this board should boot normally as shown in some YouTube tutorials. The CPU, ATX motherboard is connected, and the GPU power is plugged in. Typically, the motherboard will show a beeping or flashing red light if there’s a power delivery issue. No panel was closed, so I followed the video instructions but chose to use a different Xeon CPU.
Without a chip programmer and the expertise to operate it. BIOS updates used to be rare a decade back. Now it’s simpler to obtain CPUs compatible with any Z420 motherboard. The top options are affordable, though budget chips are cheap. (I enjoy working on older servers and workstations, so I keep a basic processor for most sockets as a testing tool.) I don’t know your location, but here’s an E5-1603 for $5 shipped in the US: https://www.ebay.com/itm/353366368867
You're welcome for the feedback. Since you're in the UK, I checked eBay listings for Z420 workstations and found several prebuilt CPUs. For a complete list of compatible CPUs, you might explore forums or manufacturer websites that specialize in Z420 builds. Also, consider reaching out to local UK tech shops—they often have updated information on compatible parts. If you decide to switch CPUs, testing one you already own is a good idea.
Review eBay UK listings for this CPU under £5 with shipping. Here’s the same information: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174733365635 For official support details, check the HP QuickSpecs PDF: https://www.levnapc.cz/ProductsFiles/hp-...fikace.pdf My estimate is that E5-1600 and E5-2600 should be compatible. If not, it’s likely a firmware restriction, not a chipset issue.
Checked the BIOS updates for the Z420 motherboard. There are patches available for Ivy Bridge-EP processors via the provided link. Updating the BIOS to the newest release should resolve compatibility issues.
It seems you're encountering some confusion about the E5-4xxx Xeon models and Z420 motherboards. From what you've shared, only certain versions like 1xxx and 2xxx appear to be supported. Regarding the Z420, there are indeed two variants—2011 and 2013 models. The 2013 version works with v1 and v2 Xeon chips, while the 2011 model is limited to v1 even after the latest BIOS updates. You mentioned a discrepancy in part numbers between listings, which could indicate a mix-up between the motherboard and CPU. Given these details, switching to an E5-2690-V1 might be a safer choice if you're unsure about compatibility.