Done it! - Nehalem W5590 Octad 3,33 GHz

[Fuzzb]

I had a play around by looking at the diagnostics LEDs and the sequence that they light up during the boot process.

When I have 1x W5590 CPU installed in the CPU-A socket or 2x E5520s, the sequence is as follows:

1. SYS_PG, EFI_Done & GPU_OK light up solid green
2. GPU_OK goes off
3. EFI_Done flashes a couple of times then goes solid green
4. GPU_OK lights up solid green

When I have 2x W5590 CPUs installed, the sequence is:

1. SYS_PG, EFI_Done & GPU_OK light up solid green
2. GPU_OK goes off
3. EFI_Done flashes and never goes solid green
4. GPU_OK lights up solid green

 

[666sheep]

You've said that CPUs are ES. Maybe this series had something messed up with QPI (one disabled for example - just guessing)? If you have bootcamp partition, try: Intel CPU Utility, maybe it can provide more info about these CPUs. Other way is to test processors together on compatible PC board.

Another question: do you have most recent firmware?

 

[0488568]

Are you sure these are D0 stepping?

-Cheers,

P.S. Where can I find a PDF of the service manual?

 

[Fuzzb]

Are you sure these are D0 stepping?

-Cheers,

P.S. Where can I find a PDF of the service manual?

I'm pretty sure they are D0 stepping, that's what they were advertised as at least. I'm going to boot up with only one CPU and run some CPUID type utility to grab the pertinent information and see if it is D0 stepping.

If you search Google for "Mac Pro Service Manual" you'll eventually come across a HotFile / RapidShare link. If you can't find it then I might be able to email you a copy, although it's 30MB so might not be email-able.

 

[Fuzzb]

You've said that CPUs are ES. Maybe this series had something messed up with QPI (one disabled for example - just guessing)? If you have bootcamp partition, try: Intel CPU Utility, maybe it can provide more info about these CPUs. Other way is to test processors together on compatible PC board.

Another question: do you have most recent firmware?

Thanks for the tip, I'll try running that utility later this evening with only one CPU installed.

I think I have the latest firmware. I run the system update utility every couple of weeks or so and install anything that's listed.

 

[Fuzzb]

OK, I've installed a single W5590 into my Mac Pro and have booted into Windows. The CPU seems to be running fine, so I took a few screenshots of a number of applications which identify the processor.

CPU-Z





CoreTemp



Intel Processor Identification Utility







Everything looks in order to me. Can anyone see any problems with the above?

One thing I have noticed is that my CPU fan is running at full speed (very loud), which didn't happen with the E5520. Is this normal, or is there a problem with a temperature diode / heatsink connection?

 

[Fuzzb]

I upgraded the BIOS on my Asus Z8NA-D6 to the latest 1002 version, thinking that a later version might have added support for the W5990. A couple of revisions had 'added Westmere microcode' so I thought I was on to something.

Anyway... I installed one of the W5590s into the Asus, but it still wouldn't post. No beeps, nothing. I then switched it out for an E5220 and it booted fine.

I also tried another PSU just in case the W5990 was drawing a bit too much juice but that didn't work either.

Looks like I'm going to have to return / replace the CPUs!

 

[feins]

If you mention the CPU fan running at full speed that's means something not right. There is either the heatsink or connector are not sit correctly. Have u increase the thermal pad for the regulator or check the ram issit insected firmly? My booster fan hover at 1400rpm during idle and if full load it might goes up to 3k+ but still not notice very loud just humming.

 

[Fuzzb]

Ok quick update.. I never got the W5590s working so I asked the EBay seller to replace them. He advanced shipped me a pair of E5506 CPUs so I could continue using my Mac Pro while I wait for the replacements. The E5506s arrived yesterday so I installed them, but I'm seeing the same problem. The CPUs work fine individually in CPU-A socket, but not together. Exactly the same as the W5590s. I'm starting to think it may be a problem with my board which is weird because it works fine with the original E5520s. I'm at a loss to explain why they're not working for me. The E5506s are OEM retail chips, not ES, so I can rule that out.

 

[feins]

Ok quick update.. I never got the W5590s working so I asked the EBay seller to replace them. He advanced shipped me a pair of E5506 CPUs so I could continue using my Mac Pro while I wait for the replacements. The E5506s arrived yesterday so I installed them, but I'm seeing the same problem. The CPUs work fine individually in CPU-A socket, but not together. Exactly the same as the W5590s. I'm starting to think it may be a problem with my board which is weird because it works fine with the original E5520s. I'm at a loss to explain why they're not working for me. The E5506s are OEM retail chips, not ES, so I can rule that out.

Like to confirm is both Processor are stepping D0? cos as what i've understand that Mac need Stepping D0 to work with.
Secondly did the ebayer send you both E5506 is it ES also?

 

[Fuzzb]

Like to confirm is both Processor are stepping D0? cos as what i've understand that Mac need Stepping D0 to work with.
Secondly did the ebayer send you both E5506 is it ES also?

Yes, both processors are D0 stepping and the E5506 CPUs are not ES, they are retail chips. CPU-z doesn't show the (ES) string after the CPU name, and the Intel processor identification utility does not report them as engineering samples (the W5590s did).

 

[Fuzzb]

Interesting development... I tightened the CPU heatsinks as far as they would go and tried turning on the Mac Pro. As expected, a red LED lit up next to each CPU socket, so I untightened the heatsink on CPU-B and tried again. This time the CPU-A LED was lit, but the LED next to CPU-B was not. I then untightened the heatsink on CPU-A and tried again. To my surprise the system booted perfectly fine and I was able to boot into OSX and Windows. It's been running fine for a few hours now. I've tried turning it off and on several times and it is still up and running.

I'm now going to try the same procedure with the W5590 CPUs to see if I can get them to work, now that I know that EFI_Done flashing might be related to the tightness of the CPU heatsink.

 

[feins]

Interesting development... I tightened the CPU heatsinks as far as they would go and tried turning on the Mac Pro. As expected, a red LED lit up next to each CPU socket, so I untightened the heatsink on CPU-B and tried again. This time the CPU-A LED was lit, but the LED next to CPU-B was not. I then untightened the heatsink on CPU-A and tried again. To my surprise the system booted perfectly fine and I was able to boot into OSX and Windows. It's been running fine for a few hours now. I've tried turning it off and on several times and it is still up and running.

I'm now going to try the same procedure with the W5590 CPUs to see if I can get them to work, now that I know that EFI_Done flashing might be related to the tightness of the CPU heatsink.

One think need to clarify since you are replacing a Retail Intel processor did you cut the power connector securing the Mac Heatsink part because the connector are barely get contact to the socket on the processor board? As i guess you didnt since the original processor compare to the retail processor are different in 2mm in height due to the IHS, secondly as you mention you over tighten the processor and there is a red led appear on the processor board indicate that you over tighten until the pin was not contacting or over stress the pins, try to remove the processor to see is there any pin bent if there is try use a needle to lift the pin up. I did bent 1 pin during the time i try over tighten before and luckily i didn't fried the processor and board.

Lastly as you might notice that there is a row of power regulator and there is a pink thermal pad on the heatsink suppose to transfer heat to the heatsink since you raise the heatsink by 2mm the pink thermal mad wont be touching the power regulator to transfer heat to the heatsink make sure you add additional thermal pad on to it.

Wish you luck.

 

[Fuzzb]

One think need to clarify since you are replacing a Retail Intel processor did you cut the power connector securing the Mac Heatsink part because the connector are barely get contact to the socket on the processor board? As i guess you didnt since the original processor compare to the retail processor are different in 2mm in height due to the IHS, secondly as you mention you over tighten the processor and there is a red led appear on the processor board indicate that you over tighten until the pin was not contacting or over stress the pins, try to remove the processor to see is there any pin bent if there is try use a needle to lift the pin up. I did bent 1 pin during the time i try over tighten before and luckily i didn't fried the processor and board.

Lastly as you might notice that there is a row of power regulator and there is a pink thermal pad on the heatsink suppose to transfer heat to the heatsink since you raise the heatsink by 2mm the pink thermal mad wont be touching the power regulator to transfer heat to the heatsink make sure you add additional thermal pad on to it.

Wish you luck.

Woohoo! Success at last

When I didn't have any other CPUs (apart from the factory E5520s) to test, I assumed that the ES CPUs I obtained from EBay were faulty. Since I now have the E5506s and they weren't working (in the same way as the W5590s weren't), I figured there must be something else wrong. So I went back and re-read the Anandtech article and came across the paragraph where Anand describes that under tightening the heatsinks disabled some memory channels.

I then figured this might also apply to over tightening, so I installed the two W5590 CPUs again, but this time made the heatsinks as loose as possible and tightened in 1/4 turns until the EFI_Done light stopped flashing. I then booted into OSX and verified that both CPUs were recognised, which they were.

The only problem at this point was that the Mac Pro only detected 4GB RAM, when in fact I have 24GB installed. So I went back and tightened the CPUs by 1/4 turns until all memory slots were recognised.

I'm now the proud owner of a fully upgraded early-2009 Mac Pro. Yay!

So to summarise: the tightness of the heatsinks is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL to the proper operation of the processor and memory channels.

I hope this helps anyone else in the same situation that might be experiencing the same problems.

 

[Fuzzb]

FYI, here are some sample temps, voltages etc. for the newly installed W5590s:

Booster 1	1216rpm
Booster 2	1216rpm
Exhaust		599rpm
Expansion Slots	1925rpm
Intake		598rpm
Power Supply	1197rpm

Temps
Ambient		27C
CPU 1		40C
CPU 1 Heatsink	39C
CPU 2		32C
CPU 2 Heatsink	31C

Voltages
CPU 1		0.92V
CPU 1 FSB	1.11V
CPU 2		0.92V
CPU 2 FSB	1.11V

Current
CPU 1		1.78A
CPU 1 FSB	14.56A
CPU 2		1.62A
CPU 2 FSB	14.75A

Power
CPU 1		4.56W
CPU 1 FSB	16.19W
CPU 2		3.38W
CPU 2 FSB	16.31W
PSU		161.25W

 

[feins]

Woohoo! Success at last

When I didn't have any other CPUs (apart from the factory E5520s) to test, I assumed that the ES CPUs I obtained from EBay were faulty. Since I now have the E5506s and they weren't working (in the same way as the W5590s weren't), I figured there must be something else wrong. So I went back and re-read the Anandtech article and came across the paragraph where Anand describes that under tightening the heatsinks disabled some memory channels.

I then figured this might also apply to over tightening, so I installed the two W5590 CPUs again, but this time made the heatsinks as loose as possible and tightened in 1/4 turns until the EFI_Done light stopped flashing. I then booted into OSX and verified that both CPUs were recognised, which they were.

The only problem at this point was that the Mac Pro only detected 4GB RAM, when in fact I have 24GB installed. So I went back and tightened the CPUs by 1/4 turns until all memory slots were recognised.

I'm now the proud owner of a fully upgraded early-2009 Mac Pro. Yay!

So to summarise: the tightness of the heatsinks is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL to the proper operation of the processor and memory channels.

I hope this helps anyone else in the same situation that might be experiencing the same problems.

Gratz

 

[wa5655]

Nice! Where did you guys get your W5590 from?
Are these ebay listings the correct ones?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Intel-Xeon-W559...898?pt=CPUs&hash=item5d2c61036a#ht_2335wt_907

http://cgi.ebay.com/Intel-Xeon-W559...904?pt=CPUs&hash=item1c16cd7cf0#ht_2877wt_953

Many thanks!

 

[feins]

Nice! Where did you guys get your W5590 from?
Are these ebay listings the correct ones?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Intel-Xeon-W559...898?pt=CPUs&hash=item5d2c61036a#ht_2335wt_907

http://cgi.ebay.com/Intel-Xeon-W559...904?pt=CPUs&hash=item1c16cd7cf0#ht_2877wt_953

Many thanks!

Yes those are the W5590 ES processor with Stepping D0 which Fuzzb are using.

 

[wa5655]

Yes those are the W5590 ES processor with Stepping D0 which Fuzzb are using.

Did any of you use a thermal gap pad? If so, where did you get it from?
Thanks!

 

[wa5655]

I bought retail W5590 which highly it's not the processor.
I also cut the connector and I check both heatsink fan are spinning.
I try everything by just test both processor on CPU A socket but no luck .
Anyway to test if it's the back panel board or powesupply issue?

Any guru can help me troubleshoot this as I'm totally lost.
The power indicator light up but no chime and no display.

Do you have a pic that shows how you cut the connector? Everything else on you FB are super helpful!

 

[WardC]

The OP originally reported that after the install of the W5590s, his Mac Pro fans were spinning at full speed and would not stop. I think this was due to the thermal sensors from the processors running at such high temperatures, not due to how tight he had tightened the heatsinks.

 

[Fuzzb]

Did any of you use a thermal gap pad? If so, where did you get it from?
Thanks!

I used this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=140481599286#ht_1876wt_952

I just cut it into ~5mm strips and stuck it onto the existing thermal material on the heatsink to make contact with the chips.

 

[Fuzzb]

Nice! Where did you guys get your W5590 from?
Are these ebay listings the correct ones?
http://cgi.ebay.com/Intel-Xeon-W559...898?pt=CPUs&hash=item5d2c61036a#ht_2335wt_907

http://cgi.ebay.com/Intel-Xeon-W559...904?pt=CPUs&hash=item1c16cd7cf0#ht_2877wt_953

Many thanks!

I got mine from dinsdale_rd on EBay, which is the first link.

 

[wa5655]

I got mine from dinsdale_rd on EBay, which is the first link.

Thanks! Did you have to clip any part of the connector on the heat sink?

 

[Fuzzb]

Thanks! Did you have to clip any part of the connector on the heat sink?

I did, otherwise the connector plug wouldn't reach the socket on the processor board. The plug has around three plastic tabs on its side, which prevent it from coming free of the heatsink. I simply cut these tabs off and pulled the connector through.