ASUS ESC8000A-E12 Not Powering On After Assembly

KB 093001 - Asus GPU Server ESC8000A-E12 Failing to Power On

Asus GPU Servers Failing to Power On

During the assembly process, several Asus GPU servers failed to power on. The issue was identified during initial hardware setup and pre-deployment verification.
Further investigation is required to determine whether the cause is related power delivery, motherboard faults, GPU installation, or cabling issues during assembly.



Root Causes

  1. Processor installation issues
  2. Faulty Add-on Devices
  3. Power delivery
  4. Motherboard faults,
  5. GPU installation
  6. Cabling issues during assembly.

Troubleshooting Steps 

Before beginning troubleshooting, it is critical and necessary to upgrade the BMC and BIOS firmware.

Processor installation issues
Here's a description of the procedures we need to take to resolve CPU installation concerns.
  1. Disconnect the power supply and remove all PSUs from the server 
      
  1. Detach the top cover by sliding it 
      
  1. Detach addon components from the server, including PCIe devices(GPUs,Lan card,RAID cards), storages(SSDs,NVME,SAS), and the accompanying SlimPCIe and U.2 cables.
      

  1. To gain access to the CPU, remove the CPU AIR Duct by undoing the four screws.
      
      
  1. When accessing the CPU, ensure that all screws on the CPU cooler (sink) are fully tightened. If the cooler is not properly tightened, the CPU may not be properly fixed as well.
      

  1. Improper CPU installation might cause a BIOS setting error and boot difficulty, thus clearing the CMOS is the only solution. 
      

  1. Disconnect PSUs, CPU, and RAM from the server before clearing the CMOS.
      

  1. CMOS is a battery powered chip that stores the BIOS settings and the system clock.Resetting the BIOS or CMOS settings can clear any corrupted or incorrect configuration that may cause boot errors, compatibility issues, or instability. 
  2. To reset the CMOS, locate the CMOS battery and RTC jumper locations on the motherboard.
      

  1. Once you have found the locations, set the RTC jumper to clear(2 to 3) and remove the battery, leaving it for at least three minutes to clear completely.
      

  1. After three minutes, return the RTC Jumper location to Normal(1to2), the battery to its normal position,
    1. Put the Jumper to its normal position
    2. Put the battery 
  2.  After clearing the CMOS, insert the CPU into the CPU1 socket and test the server with one memory module.
      

  1. If the system is turned on, turn it off and install the remaining components one by one. Make sure the problem is not caused by a component failure.
    1. insert the CPU2 and the memories and turn on
    2. connect the Raid card and the SLIMPCIe cables and turn on 
    3. insert the add-on cards (GPUs and LAN cards) and turn on 
    4. Insert the storages and turn on the server
  1. Finally, ensure that all of the devices are detected.
      
      

Other Root causes 

  1. Faulty Add-on Devices

    If the server fails to power on, follow the diagnostic steps mentioned above.
    A short circuit in any add-on device can cause the BIOS settings to reset and the server to enter standby mode.

    Recommended Steps:

    1. Clear the CMOS to restore the system to its default configuration.

    2. Once the server powers on normally, reinstall add-on components one by one (e.g., GPU, RAID card, NIC, etc.) to identify the faulty device.

    3. Replace the defective component if necessary.

    2. Mainboard Issues

    If the system is detectable in BMC, perform the following steps in order:

    1. Update BIOS and BMC firmware to the latest versions.

    2. If the issue persists, clear the CMOS and retest.

    3. If both actions fail to resolve the problem, raise a support ticket with the ASUS support team via the official website.

    Ensure the ticket includes:

    • Server serial number

    • Current BIOS and BMC firmware versions

    • Detailed component list

    • Complete problem description (symptoms, test results, and any observed behavior)

Critical Notice

These troubleshooting methods are only carried out by a professional.

    • Recent Articles

    • KB-630208 | How to use Find and Locate to search for files in Linux

      Purpose To provide Linux administrators and Field Engineers with guidance on using the find and locate utilities to efficiently search for files and directories within a Linux filesystem based on criteria such as name, type, size, timestamps, ...

    • KB-630164 | How to use rsync to Synchronize Files

      Purpose To provide a clear and practical procedure for using the rsync utility to synchronize files and directories between local systems and remote hosts, including push and pull operations, while preserving file attributes and optimizing data ...

    • KB-630107 | How to create a Linux swap file

      Purpose To provide Field Engineers and Linux administrators with a standardized procedure for creating, configuring, and validating a Linux swap file. This procedure helps ensure sufficient virtual memory is available when physical RAM is exhausted ...

    • MSI All-in-One (AIO) PC – Physical Damage Policy for Warranty Claims

      MSI All-in-One (AIO) PC – Physical Damage Policy for Warranty Claims MSI's standard warranty does not cover physical or accidental damage to an All-in-One (AIO) PC. If the damage is determined to be caused by external factors rather than a ...

    • KB 134833 - Troubleshooting NVSM Alert NV-CPU-XX – Unrecoverable CPU Internal Error

      Purpose This document provides a general troubleshooting procedure for the NVIDIA System Management (NVSM) alert NV-CPU-XX, which indicates that a CPU has reported an internal error. The article outlines how to verify whether the alert represents an ...

    • Popular Articles

    • CP Plus Camera and NVR Configuration

      NVR Configuration The CP Plus Pro Series of NVRs have been meticulously designed for providing you with upgraded performance and higher recording quality in your IP video surveillance solution. The robust processor that has been inculcated in this ...

    • KB 775235 - Kerberos Authentication – Overview

      What is Kerberos? Kerberos is a secure authentication method used in our Active Directory (AD) environment (mbuzztech.com). It allows users to: Access multiple systems without re-entering passwords (Single Sign-On – SSO) Log in once Where We Use It ...

    • How to Remove and Reinstall NVIDIA Drivers on Ubuntu

      This article provides step by step guide to completely remove existing NVIDIA drivers and reinstall specific version of the NVIDIA driver on the Ubuntu system Prerequisites Administrative (sudo) access to the Ubuntu system. Internet access to ...

    • KB 692001 - Personal Computers and Servers - Classification and Point of Contact

      We can classify the computers that MBUZZ handles based on their form-factor as below: Tower Workstations, Desktops, Gaming PCs and SFF (Small form factor) PCs fall under this category. These are computers people would use on a desk and rarely move. ...

    • KB 298031 - M.2 SSD Tier List

      The sequential read and write speeds, which are usually the most advertised number, are not a proper benchmark of real-world performance or the quality of an SSD. This article categorizes and tiers SSDs based on factors like the type of NAND flash, ...