From wikipedia:

"Updated socket generations are physically similar to LGA 2011, but different electrical signals, ILM keying and integration of DDR4 memory controller rather than DDR3 prevent backward compatibility with older CPUs."

I guess there's my answer. I'm actually not so sure I plugged the cpu upside down. I tried it again and it seems horrible to do.

So they did the whole media gx/socket 7 thing all over again? Made a socket that fits cpus that will break it?

Sphere478 wrote on 2022-03-10, 07:06:

So they did the whole media gx/socket 7 thing all over again? Made a socket that fits cpus that will break it?

Well no, the socket is the same numbering but the V1, V2 and V3 sockets have different CPU keys that prevent insertion of the wrong CPU, much like 775/771 use, you can modify the socket but thats a silly thing to do.

Something is screwy. I may not have plugged it in upside down, can't actually see how that could be done. But I'm not sure what I did. I ordered another cpu, should be here Monday. It seems unlikely all 3 are dead. Unlikely but not improbable.

A guy made a video, says these have single channel memory, and if the description says use a particular memory slot (there are 2), it's single channel (?). Oftentimes you have to populate specific slots first. Anyway I thought that may have been the problem. But I think I already tried a stick in each slot. I'll try it all again Monday with the "new" cpu.

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-03-10, 07:28:

Sphere478 wrote on 2022-03-10, 07:06:

So they did the whole media gx/socket 7 thing all over again? Made a socket that fits cpus that will break it?

Well no, the socket is the same numbering but the V1, V2 and V3 sockets have different CPU keys that prevent insertion of the wrong CPU, much like 775/771 use, you can modify the socket but thats a silly thing to do.

775/771 that was the whole core 2/xeon thing right? Weren’t you able to get xeons working on 775 using a pin mod and a file on the cpu pcb

In OP’s case it’s different ram types leading to more of a pinout inpossibility?

Sphere478 wrote on 2022-03-10, 08:46:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-03-10, 07:28:

Sphere478 wrote on 2022-03-10, 07:06:

So they did the whole media gx/socket 7 thing all over again? Made a socket that fits cpus that will break it?

Well no, the socket is the same numbering but the V1, V2 and V3 sockets have different CPU keys that prevent insertion of the wrong CPU, much like 775/771 use, you can modify the socket but thats a silly thing to do.

775/771 that was the whole core 2/xeon thing right? Weren’t you able to get xeons working on 775 using a pin mod and a file on the cpu pcb

In OP’s case it’s different ram types leading to more of a pinout inpossibility?

You couldn't put a 771 CPU into a 775 socket with out either modifying the socket physically or cutting notches into the substrate of the CPU, so even with the sticker mod for the pads you still had to damage hardware to get it working. What the OP is having issues with is that they likely have dead/wrong CPUs, there is no way to put a V2 or V3 CPU into a V1 board, the socket itself has physical keying preventing it, that said . .its Chinese refab junk so its possible they removed the keys so you could then shove the wrong CPU into the board and likely nuke the CPU since the VCC pads would move about between the DDR3 and DDR4 models.

Being Chinese refab boards they could also be using server class northbridges which may not even work with normal LGA 2011 CPUs and may need Xenon class CPUs to get the boards working, I have seen them use server northbridges before in refabbed 2011 boards.

No this socket is appropriate for v3 xeons. Being I was having issues, I recalled taking a photo of the chip while socketed, as I stated I have 2 different family 2011 cpus here. Now I could have rotated the photo, can't remember. But if I didn't, I managed to screw up. Can't say it makes sense, because I always check a fit by the presence of a slight wiggle (before clamping obviously). I never bypass that check. I was very tired, I could have mussed up. I at least have.to allow for it. I haven't touched the 4th mobo. I'll plug the new cpu and ram when it arrives and see what happens.

chris2021 wrote on 2022-03-10, 09:25:

No this socket is appropriate for v3 xeons. Being I was having issues, I recalled taking a photo of the chip while socketed, as I stated I have 2 different family 2011 cpus here. Now I could have rotated the photo, can't remember. But if I didn't, I managed to screw up. Can't say it makes sense, because I always check a fit by the presence of a slight wiggle (before clamping obviously). I never bypass that check. I was very tired, I could have mussed up. I at least have.to allow for it. I haven't touched the 4th mobo. I'll plug the new cpu and ram when it arrives and see what happens.

Have you checked to see what northbridges the boards are using, them Chinese Refab boards can be really screwy and claim to be one thing but are something else entirely, Linus did a video on them and even he had issues due to the northbridge the boards were using.

I'm guessing you have also checked the sockets for damaged pins ?

I left the cpu socketed in the 3rd board I guess. I pulled it out, 1 pin seemed questionable. The 1st board's pins seem fine, the board where I could have installed the cpu wrong. I didn't and don't have magnification, I packed a lot of stuff away. I'll check all that before proceeding.

I currently have a case open and the seller has now questioned what I mean by the boards "don't work". I'll just need to check w/a new cpu. I suppose I could check the chipset. Assuming it's even labeled appropriately. They'll obviously need to work or not.

I had tested w/a xeon and non ecc ddr4
I have some rdimms, but it may be this board doesn't use registered ram? Oi no manual and no drivers included. I'm flying blind.

Keep in mind that these refab boards often have their sockets pre-modified to fit stuff that normally wouldnt. I got a socket 775 board that also fits 771 and has a jumper to switch CPU types.

which cpus do you have exactly ?

The only one that pertains to these boards is an e5-2603 v3. I have an e5-2620 v3 on the way.

Munx wrote on 2022-03-10, 13:55:

Keep in mind that these refab boards often have their sockets pre-modified to fit stuff that normally wouldnt. I got a socket 775 board that also fits 771 and has a jumper to switch CPU types.

I have't scoped anything out yet, but I suspect these are rotm sockets.

There were a select few specialized Xeon E5-26xxv3 processors for OEM, that use DDR3 memory instead of DDR4. LGA2011-3 motherboards with DDR3 slots do exist for these particular CPUs.

EDIT: It seems the boards are indeed DDR4 and the CPUs in question are also that. Personally I did not realize these LGA2011 sockets are quite different until now.

Sorry I'm still not entirely sure what exactly is going on. Are the boards themselves okay? Do you have a POST card to check it? If the board itself has LEDs that can output POST information it will also be helpful.

LSS10999 wrote on 2022-03-11, 02:05:

There were a select few specialized Xeon E5-26xxv3 processors for OEM, that use DDR3 memory instead of DDR4. LGA2011-3 motherboards with DDR3 slots do exist for these particular CPUs.

EDIT: It seems the boards are indeed DDR4 and the CPUs in question are also that. Personally I did not realize these LGA2011 sockets are quite different until now.

Sorry I'm still not entirely sure what exactly is going on. Are the boards themselves okay? Do you have a POST card to check it? If the board itself has LEDs that can output POST information it will also be helpful.

I'm thinking that since they are Chinese Refab boards they are using server northbridges which will cause issues, I've seen Linus Tech do a video on these types of boards from Ali Express and they had one they couldn't get working at all and it was due to a repurposed server northbridge on the board.

Might take some fanagling and certain Xeon CPUs to get it to post.

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-03-11, 07:13:

I'm thinking that since they are Chinese Refab boards they are using server northbridges which will cause issues, I've seen Linus Tech do a video on these types of boards from Ali Express and they had one they couldn't get working at all and it was due to a repurposed server northbridge on the board.

Might take some fanagling and certain Xeon CPUs to get it to post.

I think these so-called X79/X99 boards do use server chipsets as the boards may be able to use RDIMMs.

True X79/X99 boards almost never supported RDIMM, and options for ECC may not be trivially accessible when using a Xeon processor instead of i7.

LSS10999 wrote on 2022-03-11, 08:00:

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-03-11, 07:13:

I'm thinking that since they are Chinese Refab boards they are using server northbridges which will cause issues, I've seen Linus Tech do a video on these types of boards from Ali Express and they had one they couldn't get working at all and it was due to a repurposed server northbridge on the board.

Might take some fanagling and certain Xeon CPUs to get it to post.

I think these so-called X79/X99 boards do use server chipsets as the boards may be able to use RDIMMs.

True X79/X99 boards almost never supported RDIMM, and options for ECC may not be trivially accessible when using a Xeon processor instead of i7.

I wonder if OP has tried a ECC Xeon with Rdimms, ECC might just be the reason it wont post with normal LGA20111 CPUs

TrashPanda wrote on 2022-03-11, 08:02:

I wonder if OP has tried a ECC Xeon with Rdimms, ECC might just be the reason it wont post with normal LGA20111 CPUs

I'm not sure about ECC Xeon. AFAIK all Xeon CPUs should be able to use ECC. Core i7 CPUs cannot. It's possible that ECC RAMs will not POST with an Intel CPU that can't do ECC.

Did the OP use an LGA2011 (or 2011-3) Core i7 CPU? I did not see him mentioning about which CPU exactly he initially tried at all.

On the other hand, UDIMMs should work, but probably only up to 1 stick per channel (4 max), and the total capacity might be severely limited compared to RDIMMs.

LSS10999 wrote on 2022-03-11, 08:00:

I think these so-called X79/X99 boards do use server chipsets as the boards may be able to use RDIMMs.

since OP clearly said cheap chinese boards for $18 you can bet your ass that it won't be a true X99 chipset yet some other one that sort of supports 2011-3 cpus
also I asked OP which cpus and only mentioned 2603v3 and awaiting a 2620v3

on youtube, channel Miyconst

https://www.youtube.com/c/Miyconst

has tested many of these boards, most have problems with either usb3, sata3, pciechannels&version&layout, wrong chipset, memorysupport...