6500 First time starting questions...

[Brandon Coleman]

hi, just got a proliant 6500 p3 xeon ver. it currently has 2 x p3 500mhz 512cache proc's installed. 1gb of ram, and the 3200 raid controller.

can i load advanced server and configure the raid through windows. or do i need compaq software to load on first? i never recieved any compaq software but i would like to get this server fired up properly.


thanks,
brandon

[Michael Schulte zur Sur]

Hi,

get yourself a smart start cd. There you will find the software to configure the raid.

Michael

[Sunil Jerath · Accepted solution]

Hello Brandon,
You can order Smart Start CD by calling 1-800-573-1099 or from the following link:

http://h18013.www1.hp.com/products/servers/management/SmartStart/index.html

Please make sure that you specify Smart Start 5.50 version. Once the system is set up with 5.50 you can update to the latest one thereafter.

Regards,

[Brandon Coleman]

thanks, i'll do that soon. few more questions i have...

right now i have 2 p3 500mhz 512cache xeons. the stepping is the sl2xu. ive found 2 more, but i also found 2 more cheaper that were a different stepping, but they were matched. same speed/cache specs as my 2 installed now, but diff steppings. would it be ok to have 2 diff matched pair of steppings. like 2 sl2xu and 2 sXXXX..or will errors arise if all 4 processors arent the same matched steppings?

thanks

[Brandon Coleman]

forgot one of my questions. a simple one. i know the compaq/foxconn xeon heatsinks screw in to a metal brace in the motherboard. would an aftermarket or different heatsink that doesnt screw into that spot have any affect on the system?

thanks
brandon

[Sunil Jerath]

Hello Brandon,
Yes that is doable. But you need to make sure that you install the CPUs with the lower steppings in the primary slots and then add the CPUs with the higher stepping. One more thing please make sure that you have the latest BIOS as well and here is the link to download the latest bios just in case you need it:

http://h18007.www1.hp.com/support/files/server/us/locate/20_1105.html

As for as the heat sinks are concerned the third party have worked in some and not worked in others. So it would be your call.

Regards,

[Brandon Coleman]

sounds good. im trying to now figure out the order i must do all this in. im assuming...load the smartstart disk before any windows OS install? then load the bios from there? or load windows after that, then the new bios?

thanks
brandon

[Sunil Jerath]

Hello Brandon,
Please do the BIOS upgrade first and then setup the system.

Regards,

[Brandon Coleman]

ok thanks again. do i have to use v5.5 on the smart start? could i say use v6.3 , 6.4 etc.

ive just found some on ebay and i am trying to save some money.

[Sunil Jerath]

Hello Brandon,
Please do not waste money on 6.x SmartStart CDs since the latest one to configure your system is 5.50. Surely once your server is up and running you can upgrade to 7.0.

Regards,