Proliant 1600 upgrade options

[Ian Baynes]

Hey ive just been given a compaq proliant 1600 server (PL1600 6/450 512 64 EURO) my Manager was going to trash it so i got it for free.

I was wondering what upgrades are posible. I currently have two 4.3 wide-ultra scsi drives, 1 PII 450 and 256Mb ram.

I know it can take two proccesors. Whats the fastest it will take and can it take pentium 3 proccesors?

I undersatnd in order to use an extra Proccessor it will need another VMR (i think that what its called) where do i order one from?

Where can i obtain compatible hard drives and is there a limit to the amount it can take?

Is it possible to upgrade the board the proccesor plugs in to so it can take a newer Proccesor?

Any info you can provide will be most helpful.
If you can think of somthing i need to know but havent asked then please feel free to add this to your replys.

(Im like a spong waiting to soak up any info you can throw at me)

[JohnWRuffo]

Ian:

Here is what you can do...

As for memory, the max RAM for the 1600 is 1GBB (4 x 256Mb)

Here are the quickspecs for the 1600 server:

PII:
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/10034_na/10034_na.HTML

PIII:
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/10035_na/10035_na.HTML

The fastest processor you can install is 600MHz PIII. Yes, you would have to replace the Processor Cage, the PPM(s) for each processor, and then upgrade to whatever RAM you need.

If you want to max this server out, you need to order the following:

2 x 6/600 Pentium III 512K Processor Option Kit (Option Part Number: 153555-B21)

You will need the Processor Upgrade Kit (which contains the thrermal upgrade kit)
Option Part Number: 313618-B21 -- Intel Pentium II processor option kit - 450MHz - Upgrading 400, 450 or 500 to a 550 or 600, or upgrading a 550 to 600, installation of an additional Thermal Upgrade Option Kit is required - Failure to install kit may damage server.

You then will need to order the RAM:
256-MB 100-MHz Registered ECC SDRAM: 313616-B21

128-MB 100-MHz Registered ECC SDRAM: 313615-B21

64-MB 100-MHz Registered ECC SDRAM: 313614-B21

The server SCSI bios has support for up to 36Gb drives.

Check to options tab of the Quickspec for the drives you want to order.

If yours has the old style cage, you should order the new "Universal drive cage(Part number: 387089-001)" so you can use the new drive cages:
http://partsurfer.hp.com/cgi-bin/spi/showphoto?partnumber=387089-001

Now... after all that, you will need the latest bios installed and the drivers for the system; you can get those from here:
http://h18023.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/family/model/1126.html?submit.y=4&submit.x=13〈=en&cc=us
Just pick your O/S.

I hope this helps! It is a lot to digest, just let us know if you need more info?

-john

[Ian Baynes]

Help i unplugged the tape drives attached and now it won't detect any scsi devices including the hard disks. so it wont boot up windows any more please help.

By the way thanks for the help with the ugrades most helpful.

[JohnWRuffo]

When you plug in the tape drive, does it boot?

If this is true, then there is a termination problem. You need to terminate the end of the SCSI chain. This can be done either with an active terminator on the SCSI bus or via a jumper on the last device. Was the tape drive internal or external?

[Ian Baynes]

the Tape drive was internal. There was two of them but they was so old they needed to be removed.

[JohnWRuffo]

Since they were internal, you likely now need to terminate on the last device of that chain. What is the last device? If it is the hard drive cage, what does the cable connecting to it look like? Does the cable have a terminator on the end of it? If so, you should replace this cable with a Point to Point SCSI cable.

[Ian Baynes]

I have done what you suggested and it worked a treat. Thanks again.

[JohnWRuffo]

Glad I could help!

G'luck! -john