Hi all,
I've been recommended to this forum from someone on the german HP community forum. I'm looking for technical understanding of a compatibility issue I've blundered into recently.
I run a HP Z400 workstation (VS933AV) with a Xeon X5675 and 24GB (6x 4GB) RAM, Bios is updated to 3.60A. To enhance my local network I had ordered a new NIC, a HP361T through the german HP Online Store. This store features a compatibility list where my Z400 model indeed is listed. This NIC is a 1Gb 2-port adapter based on Intel's I350 Controller and complies to PCIe v2.1 standard. Well, but after hardware installation something strange happened.
During boot process errorcodes 203, 204, 209 where reported for dimm slots 3 and 4. Obviously these 8GB where deactivated, and booting went on up to windows desktop without further issues. NIC driver installed and NIC works fine, only system memory was down to 16GB.
So far I've undertaken these steps in analyzing the issue:
- tried plugging the NIC in every available PCIe slot:
error remains on dimm slots 3 and 4. - swapping dimm modules around the slots:
error remains on dimm slots 3 and 4. - reduce memory to 1module (4GB) in slot 1:
error reported on dimm slot 4 (even though unpopulated),
bios and os reporting 4GB memory (out of 8GB) - 2 dimm modules populated (slot 1 and 3, according to HP spec):
error reported on slots 3 and 4 (even though slot 4 still unpopulated),
bios and os reporting 4GB memory (out of 12GB) - NIC unplugged, memory again fully populated with all 6 dimm modules:
no error during boot, bios and os reporting 24GB memory again
Of course I did file a support case with HP Online support Manager. After some discussion they just came up with a technical note stating Z400 workstation is NOT compatible with HP361T adapter. Information presented within HP Online Store should be incorrect. No further technical details can be given.
This is very unsatisfying, especially because without understanding this incompatibility I might face similiar trouble again with any other extension card, be it NIC, audio or storage controller.
So I don't hope for a solution, but I'd appreciate every hint which will shed some light on the problem described.
Thanks.