The little power supply that couldn't

I write this post only because it falls under the category of "What the Fuck?  Life should not be like this."

I have a beefy VMware server at home.  Read below for the fun I've had there.  This box is a dual proc 2.83 Quad Core  12MB L2, 8GB of RAM, 16 x 750GB SATA II drives, and an Adaptec 16 port card.  8GB was the limit with VMware's Starter Edition, but that limit was raised to 128GB with the recent 3.5 release (again for a good time.... read below).

I had ordered another 8GB of RAM from Pearson/Computerlink.net (they rock) in anticipation of the 3.5 release so I could go to 16.  With VMware, #1 is IO - 16 (actually 12, long story) drives was as best as I could afford do with my raid card.  #2 is RAM even though VMware is particularly good in this arena, it's best to stay off disk, no matter how fast, as often as possible.  The last being network and that is always disk bound somewhere, coming or going.

I went up into my loft.  Let me explain what my "Loft" is.  It is a bit of poorly built, far from code, plywood ontop of the garage rafter that gives some additional storage.  It's supposed to hold suitcases.  The absolute highest point of the "Loft" is 5 feet and effectively, it's about 3, maybe 4.  In my Loft I have 2 half racks with patch panels and servers mounted.  Square hole, yes it's better than round, you are a fool to use round hole.  ;-)  That said, getting this server up into the "Loft" really sucked and then potentially having to get this server down from the "Loft" was something that I was dreading.

So I throw in the additional 8GB of ram, and turned it on. Red lights everywhere, alarm sounds everywhere - the machine was pissed.

I move the additional 8GB of ram - same red light and siren story.

I say "Fuck it" and pull the 8GB to try and go back to 8GB and same crap, sirens and red lights.

I turn off the machine and I'm just bummed.  My Fucking VMware Server - toast.  Data probably OK, but big pain in the ass to get it working.

I work on some other things, even some wine (blech, zin + screwtop = poop).

I go into my office and I just stop and think abount nothing but this problem.  It's not as dumb as bad ram, the original ram was good.  Something else is up.

I go back into the loft and I realize I should re-seat the new ram, but I'm going to pull the power supply so everything is really turned off (ethernet lights were on still).  Then it hits me.  I only have one power supply hooked up.  Normally this is ok but 16GB made it say "I want 2"

I move the memory to where it should be for DDR II and plug in both pwer supplies and wallah, I'm golden..

Big Mystery - why didn't going back to 8GB make things right with a single power supply?  I dont know, I can only guess a BIOS setting got changed.

So, file that under, strange shit happens and remember it for your next upgrade that goes badly.