XW8200 300GB U320 10K 68 pin / Question on SCSI performance

[R Kirsteins]

Hello,
Recently upgraded from W6000 U160 SCSI to a new XW8200 U320 SCSI.Close out deal from HP included one 300GB U320 SCSI.Unit holds up to 5 drives.Went to HP parts to check on additional drives and part #DY672A 300GB U320 SCSI 10K is recomended but costs $799 USD.

I'm not new to SCSI , so I'm not shocked.This time I want the largest 10K drives instead of the eight small 36GB's I have now.

Found a new HP DY672A on eBay for $425 USD and won it , so now I have two.

On eBay I also found a couple of new HP and Compaq SCSI HD's that seem to match the specs but have different part #'s.Many have a part number that is 16-20 characters long and I'll bet it's an OEM part number.

TWO QUESTIONS:
1) Is there an HP site that would allow me to see all the part #'s,OEM and retail in a cross reference type chart so I can tell if the drives are actually the same.I dont want "Hot Swappable".

2) Ignoring the non physical differences such as warranty and manufacturer reputation.If I find a new drive thats 300GB 10K U320 SCSI 68 pin but not an HP DY672A what differences in performance might I see if I add it to my XW8200?

You guys are the best/Points assigned...............Raymond

[raadek · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Whether you like it or not, HP tends to 'lock' the hardware to the magical ring of its own branded options.

I haven't got any experience with this particular workstation and / or hard drive, but I bet you would have some issues using a non-supported drive - the box not willing to boot, hdd not recognised, etc. etc.

All HP/Compaq hard drives have specific firmware on them which allows them to talk properly to a HP box.

Other drives may (& usually they do) fail to do that.

[R Kirsteins]

Thanks,
The original HP 300GB 10K U320 SCSI is a Seagate and so far the two HP disks I've gotten off eBay are Atlas's and they work fine.Long HP part #'s are one digit off......

Still looking for a cross reference chart of HP U320 300GB SCSI drives to compare actual differences between models.

[R Kirsteins]

.............Update 5 31 2006...............

Have 4 300GB 10K U320 LVDs up and running.Saving up for the fifth and last.

All are labeled by HP.None have part number DY672A on the hard drive sticker but its on the box sticker.Get this,2 are ATLAS/MAXTOR,one is a SEAGATE and the last is a FUJI.(FUJI?)Now if I get a IBM/HITACHI for my fifth spindle Ill have a complete set.............Raymond

[R Kirsteins]

Found them at dealexpress a store on eBay.They have lots of HP stuff.Ask for Adam...........DY672A $425-$460 + $25 tax and shipping.

[R Kirsteins]

All 5 drives are labelled HP,just made by different manufacturers.Not one drive had the HP Part number of DY672A on it just on the box.All 5 are running just fine and seem to have matching cache sizes.They all must meet the HP DY672A specs.

I now have:
2 Atlas / Maxtors
2 Seagates
1 Fuji

Remember I never bought a box that did not say HP DY672A on it.I did not buy any retail packaged drives at all so dont use this as a recomendation to go outside of HPs
recomendations.I couldnt believe that all these different drives could bear the same model number from HP..............