stay away from Supermicro: WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!

[tiro_uspsss]

I have had the worst run-around with SM; appalling.

In 2010 I browsed the SM website looking for a single socket 1366 motherboard as part of my server build. I settled with the X8STE - it was listed as compatible with Xeon 5500/5600 CPUs, had the right slot types/amounts that I wanted, plus I had heard nothing but good things about their boards & service.

In July last year I purchased the X8STE brand new, from a seller on Ebay. It wouldn't be till ~2 months ago that I tried using the board for the first time.

When I first tried using the mobo, it would not post. I tried with the following hardware:

Xeon E5640 & E5645
4 different RAM kits: desktop grade stuff, ECC & ECC+REG stuff as well.
at least two reputable PSUs.

It just wouldn't come to life.
I filed for RMA with SM, as well as giving them the above info on hardware that I had tested with. I sent the mobo at my cost to them (my local: Australia, SM in USA). SM sent in back quite quickly: it passed all their tests. On their test report sheet in mentioned the CPU they had used: i7-960. In the time the motherboard was in the USA I had purchased a 930, so I stuck it in & presto! It was alive! But why wasn't it working with my E5640. Could it be that it is an ES? Nope. I had already contacted [H] user LOCO LAPTOP for a modded BIOS, but no response. So I decided to ask SM for a modded BIOS. It was then that they decided to ask me what revision mobo I had: rev.1.1. They then informed me that I needed rev.2.0 to support *any Xeon CPU full stop! I told them what I thought of that. Remember: mobo listed as compatible since 2010, mobo purchased 2011. So they offered RMA to 'repair' - I assumed the support person meant 'replacement' - so just yesterday I filed for a 2nd RMA, stating the mobo needs to be replaced so that it meets SM listed specs... today they wrote back saying warranty period has expired, that is all.

NEVER DEAL WITH THIS DODGY SHADY COMPANY!

[HWaddict]

Sound terrible to say the least.

I'm glad I didn't chose their motherboard when building the workstation.

ASUS was my choice instead, I'm member in the ASUS-forum to get some first hand information and help but so far so good, they have better prices than TYAN and SM.

The only Supermicro products in the workstation are my CPU-coolers, they are small enough to fit in, Noctuas wouldn't work.

Sad to here your effort gone to waste