SuperMicro X10DRi and AMD FirePro W7000 -> No video output

Question

Just received a shiny SuperMicro SuperServer for our NOC. The unit comes with a SuperMicro X10DRi motherboard and two AMD FirePro W7000; they are NOT CrossFired or otherwise linked.

At this point, even though I've set the JPG1 jumper to 2-3 (which disables onboard GPU), I get no video output on any of one of the 4 outputs each FirePro has.

Any ideas on how to resolve this? Ironically, if you disable the onboard GPU, you do not have IPMI Console Redirection... I wonder if there is a way to keep onboard GPU, get the standalone GPUs to work AND keep console redirection...

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

I may be wrong, but I thought the presence of the IPMI (server) feature on the mobo in itself prevents both CPU-based onboard GPU and discrete cards' functionality. Maybe disabling IPMI completely (including its rudimentary mobo GPU) is sufficient to allow for other chips' graphics to work, but at least with SuperMicro server boards, I didn't even know that was possible.

Source: discussions online regarding quick sync transcoding also being disabled by the presence of ipmi.

Answer 2

Yes, there is probably a simple way to get video output on discrete GPUs with this setup. It worked for me at least, from a similar situation, just different hardware:

1. Enable the onboard GPU again by setting the jumper correctly.
2. Enter the BIOS setup utility.
3. Navigate to "Advanced" -> "PCIe/PCI/PnP Configuration" -> "VGA Priority" and set it to "Offboard".
4. Done. You should now get video output from discrete GPUs, and can disable the onboard graphics again.