Say I want to test each CPU one at a time "or should it be done in pairs" what is the recommended socket/s to use on this board for testing?

Here what I would do. Check the simple stuff.
Do you have additional 6-pin PCI-E power cable running to the video card? You'll need that.
If failed - Remove all cables (SATA, USB) Just need to see BIOS
If failed - I'd pull the GPU and see if the default video 15-pin is work.
If failed - I'd pull any new components (assuming the system was running prior).
If failed - I'd remove everything a start from the begin.
 
Start with Good know cpu in Socket 1 and 1 Dimm in blue 1 slot and boot to bios. Verify bios see part correctly.
Next add next cpu to socket2, NO additional memory and boot to bios. Verify bios see part correctly.
Repeat until bios see all the cpus correctly.
Add half the system memory and run Memtest86+ test, if passes add remainder and rerun test.

Thanks for your post. Found the problem CPU was bad, all four of the ones I just got are DOA.
Put my old CPU back in boot right up, tested each new CPU 4 times green light on the MB
never comes on, put old chip back green light as soon as power is applied can see & enter bios.
Strange is no beeps of any kind with the new CPU's, normal boot beep with old. Even once I put
old chip in and got 5 beeps with 1 long at end, re-seat CPU fix that right up.
All test were ran in CPU1 socket with 1 stick of memory.
 
So I'd say they are dead. What does other think same or something else I should try?
 

Moving was from 6124 8C to the equivalent of 6166, ES chips 12C.
I did all the normal stuff like reseting the bios, cleared at each test, one stick of memory and so on.
Even took it a step futher by putting in one 6124 and 2nd one 6166, single 6124 worked, add 6166
stop getting the green light on the board and nothing on screen, fans spun up was all that happened.
I have over 12 hours testing in now that's enough they go back tomarrow once I set up the RMA.
I have put the rig back as it was and back to the 262 refclock stable folding once again.
 
Just think the wife wanted to wrap them and put them under the tree for my xmas.
Good thing I didn't let that happen or I'd be lost out completely.
 
Edit: sorry yes all 4 have the same numbers on them.
 
Thanks for your input guys!

Used "new to me" FleaBay.
Thanks!
Still no reply from the seller.
Was quick to answer when I was buying making a offer.

I had been having exact same issue as you WOLF, same exact board with spicy chips. Turns out ONE cpu was bad. It killed any hope of booting in BIOS. Luckily I had Bowlinra and tear with tech assistance. The single memory stick goes in the furthest socket from CPU1 when testing.
 
When the bad chip was in board fans would spin, but it would kill the power good LED near the 24 pin, would kill all keyboard and mouse power and it would sit on black screen[and sata as well]. The cmos clear is strange on my board, instead of moving a jumper, you touch a pair of solder "pads". There is no jumper, there is a jumper very close to it, but it's for something else. Once I removed the bad chip everthing was back to "normal".
 
Something I learned in my process is you can put more than one CPU in ,with only one memory stick in P1-1A. But you should test each individually. That is very foreign to me, because I thought each CPU would need a ram stick per CPU.

Honestly, unless you are buying some spiceys from someone here or [H] that are known to work, I would stay away from them. Also, technically spiceys are still property of AMD.