rp3440/rp3410 CPU downgrade?

[PDP-Fan]

Hello forum

I'm a bit confused with those rp34xx servers. It seems there are 16 different CPU setups for them: PA8800 800/1000MHz and PA8900 800/1000MHz and each version with 1,2 or 4 cores activated (3440 only)

We provide hardware service to our customers and I don't want to buy every possible configuration to have in stock.

My question is... if I have a PA8900 mainboard and want to use it as replacement for an PA8800 it will not work. Is there a possibility to DOWNGRADE the board? Upgrade is no problem if you buy the license from HP, but how about the opposite direction???

[Torsten.]

The system board is always the same, as a spare part it is usually preconfigured as a rp3410 board. You need hp support to change this or at least you need to apply a license. This board can have a single PA8800 or PA8900 (both are dual-core CPUs) with a single core enabled (minimum) or up to 2 dual core modules (maximum).

[PDP-Fan]

Thanks Torsten for your answer.... the problem is that I don't want to call a HP technician every time to change the board to whatever I need. I want to do that myself... at least the downgrade.

How do these licenses work? Are they tied to the serial number of the system, or can they be used for more than one system?

[Torsten.]

The spare board is preconfigured for a rp3410 with a single CPU core enabled - the smallest possible - so there is really no way to downgrade.

If you have a brand new fresh and clean spare part, you can set the values on your own (caution: this is a one time shot!).

Service Menu: Enter command > init

The system will promt you for the product number, serial number and key certificate.

All of them are printed on the chassis.

Once written, there is no way for you to change it!

[Andrew Rutter]

hi,

this topic has been mentioned here before, search the forums for similar posts.

I have seen this before, where once the system has had the PA8900 cpu's installed then you cannot get the system to work backards with PA8800 cpu's and usually gives a warning on startup that the cpu's are wrong.

I assume you are using "refurbed" or second user boards and not replacement parts from HP.

I suppose the theory been that once they have been upgraded they would never be downgraded? not a normal user scenario

There probably is a way for HP to do it, but nothing most engineers could do, or would have the tools to do.

As already stated for the number of cores configured? that again is a licencing issue with regard to HP and how they sell the servers. Understanable otherwise everyone would buy RP3410's and then just "upgrade" freely to an RP3440.

Unfortunatly you really probably have no choice but to buy a refurb board that is guaranteed to have come out of the same spec server, if you dont want HP's help

thats my opinion anyway

Andy

[PDP-Fan]

Andy, your theory about refurbished boards is totally correct... :-)