The goal was simple: add another enterprise-grade server to my rack and rent out GPUs on AI workloads (similar to my 3090 and 3060 rigs that are already earning daily with low power usage). But things did NOT go as planned…
After powering it on, the server wouldn’t boot, no VGA signal, flashing motherboard LEDs, and hours of troubleshooting including:
Reseating RAM (256GB DDR4)
Resetting CMOS
Removing expansion board
Swapping CPUs (Xeon E5 v3)
Testing different RAM configs
Checking NVMe drive
Inspecting motherboard & power connections
I even pulled the CPUs and noticed heavy thermal paste and possible wear, which raises the question: is the motherboard dead? Power issue? Or shipping damage?
Now I’m at a crossroads:
Should I attempt a full motherboard swap… or troubleshoot further in a future video?
Also — once this server is working — I need your help deciding the GPU setup:
Option 1: RTX 3070s (better compatibility, 8GB VRAM)
Option 2: CMP 170HX (HBM2E, compute focused, possible driver issues)
My current AI rigs (3090 & 3060) are mostly rented while barely being utilized, which makes AI rentals far more power-efficient than traditional crypto mining right now.
Let me know in the comments:
Would you run 3070s or CMP 170HX in this server?
Thanks to Custom Computing for the server and note — go check out his channel!
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Timestamps:
0:00 New Server Unboxing
2:50 Octominer Overview & Specs
6:26 Inside the Server (Dual Xeon + 256GB RAM)
8:30 Future 4090 Server Plans
8:33 3070 vs CMP 170HX Debate
12:00 First Boot Attempt (No Signal)
16:30 Troubleshooting Begins
17:40 CPU Inspection & Swap
21:00 More Testing (Still No Boot)
23:00 Final Thoughts & Next Steps
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DISCLAIMER: Red Panda Mining is not a financial advisor nor an expert. This is not financial advice. Everything said in this video is an opinion. The statements in this video are not investment advice. This video is intended solely for educational and/or entertainment purposes only. Always do your own research before investing in Crypto Mining. Never invest more than you can afford to lose. Red Panda Mining is not responsible for your losses or gains as a result of buying, selling, trading, or mining cryptocurrencies.
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