CPU Upgrade in DL160G8 question about VRM/PPM

[waaronb]

Add-on processors should come with the heat-sink... it'll either have a pre-applied layer of thermal compound (a little blue colored pad on the heat sink, protected by the plastic cover until you install it), or it may come with a tube of thermal compound. The tube might only come with a replacement CPU if you're swapping it out under warranty...that's the only time I recall seeing it come with that.

The thermal compound on the heatsink should be fine... if you're really into it and have some lying around you could use it instead, just make sure you wipe off the pre-applied square. This isn't one of those situations where "if some is good, more is better". :) You don't want that stuff squeezing out all over the place when the heatsink is clamped down... just a nice even layer.

[Ivan_Beaute]

Hello,

With the last bad news. I finally contact another HP reseller in my country to find another expert on Proliant server.

He tells me that for my server, the "entry eu" model, the TDP is limited to 80W so also four processor was compatible :

E5-2603

E5-2609

E5-2630L

E5-2650L

VRM seems to be inside the motherboard. Great idea HP, let's change the MB and everything else to just upgrade to a new processor.

Probably the last time I bought a HP proliant.

[waaronb]

I don't know, I think these resellers are wrong. From what I could tell, there's only one part # for the DL160 G8 system board. They don't have different ones for different processors... that really would make any sense for them or the customers.

Even if it had a replaceable VRM, all of the motherboards I've seen with a VRM module use the same one regardless of the wattage used by the CPU. HP just makes them to be able to handle the current demands of the highest rated processor they support, whether it's 40W or 130W.

From HP's point of view it just wouldn't be profitable to design and stock separate modules if the price difference was negligible.

I think even the heatsinks that come with each CPU are the same for that server model, regardless of what the actual processor is.

The only thing I can think of is related to the power supply and cooling you have. If your system has some lower wattage power supplies like a single 460W or something, instead of a pair of 750W supplies, that would make a difference (I'm just using 460W and 750W as examples... i don't know what the options are for a DL160 G8).

And for cooling, that comes into the equation when adding a 2nd processor... HP usually requires that the other optional fans be installed (and some of their 2nd CPU kits come with those fans).

There might be someone who checks the HP forums and has done an upgrade like this that could help.

The closest I've come was a recent update on a DL360 G7 where I upgraded from 4-core to 6-core processors (E5630 to E5649). Those both have a TDP of 80W, but I just know deep down that if I really wanted to install something like an X5690 with a TDP of 130W, it would have worked just as well. How do I know? Because the quickspecs for it say it supports 130W processors, single or dual, including the X5690. :)

If the quickspecs for the DL160 G8 says it supports the processor you want, then your reseller really needs to explain why they say it won't work when HP says it will.