Why does my DL585 only accept HP branded Opteron's?

[ccatlett1984]

Seriously, what is the reason behind this. My box is out of warrenty now and I want to upgrade the CPU's. I can't because its just about impossible to find HP OEM Opteron's for sale. Will the restriction ever be removed with a bios update?

[ccatlett1984]

Adding further info:

PD#365185-405
SN#EA3BMN7Z4D

I am trying to replace the current cpu's in the system with 4 identical Opteron 880's (OSA880FAA6CC). When i boot the system after replacing the cpu's, I get a "unsupported processor" message for all four chips. This server was sold with these cup's as an option, why wont mine accept them? I have run the latest bios update.

[gregersenj]

HP don't get special branded CPU's.

With the Intel CPU's, when Intel release a new revision of a CPU, then new micro codes has to be added to the BIOS, thats why your are recommended to upgrade BIOS before installing extra CPU's.

I expect it would be pretty much the same thing with AMD CPU's.

So if you got the latest BIOS for your system, and you get the message, then that CPU model isn't supportet for that BIOS Famely.

[Torsten.]

From the release notes of BIOS versions - there are several entries like this:

Enhancements

Updated the System ROM with the latest support code for AMD dual-core processors.

So I would check for the latest BIOS first.

[TTr]

Sometimes it is more than just the BIOS. Some motherboards can only support a specific line of CPU models based on the nanometer technology and Wattage of each CPU. Just because the cpu socket is the same on the MB and CPU, it does not mean that a newer CPU will work. So if the BIOS upgrade does not help then you are out of luck.

[ccatlett1984]

HP sold these servers with opteron 880's in them and just for the record, they do have a different optn code, the hp eom cpu's start with OST for the model number, regular oem ones start with OSA.

If one opteron 880 works, why would the microcode for all of the 880's be in the bios? since its not like there were major redesigns of that chip?

[gregersenj]

oops Your'e right, OST is a HP OEM.
I'm wrong and have learned something new

according to this:
http://fab51.com/cpu/guide/opn-s940-e.html
it's difference on the power limit.

My guess you will need the OEM model.

[gregersenj]

They also made a oem for Sun.

[ccatlett1984]

here is another good link for reference.
http://www.cpu-world.com/info/id/AMD-K8-identification.html#Opteron_OEM_processors

It looks like the TDP for the OSA cpu's is 95W, the TDP for the OST cpu's is 68W?

So, it looks like HP is using the same proc's as the much more common OSP models.

Well, I guess this will be a lesson learned. I now have 4 opterons that will be going into a "whitebox" server. I probably won't be purchasing another hp server. Something as important as only supporting opterons with a low-voltage TDP should be rather easy to find in the technical documentation. I searched and found nothing.