PowerEdge SC1430 cpu upgrade

Question

I have an SC1430 with the Xeon 5110 cpu (dual core 1.6)

I bought an X5355 (quad core 2.66) because it was on a few lists of supported processors, some on these forums.

But when I installed the processor it POSTed but then halted, saying that it was incompatible.

So I went back to google and found a post saying that there are different versions of the sc1430 motherboard and the old one doesn't support quad core. But then another post saying there aren't different revisions of the motherboard and that you just need to update firmware. Ive updated BIOS to 1.4 but it still wont work. I then found a third post saying version 'I' (printed on the front panel) only supprts demspey and woodcrest and that 'II' also supports clovertown.

I think I have discovered that the x5355 doesn't work with my computer but it would be good if someone could settle the confusion so that I know which is the best, compatible cpu for my SC1430.

Thanks

Daniel My · Accepted Answer

Hello

So I went back to google and found a post saying that there are different versions of the sc1430 motherboard and the old one doesn't support quad core. But then another post saying there aren't different revisions of the motherboard and that you just need to update firmware. Ive updated BIOS to 1.4 but it still wont work. I then found a third post saying version 'I' (printed on the front panel) only supprts demspey and woodcrest and that 'II' also supports clovertown.

Support for quad-core Clovertown CPUs on the SC1430 requires a newer revision system board, it is not simply a BIOS update to add Clovertown support to the original system board that was released.

There are also minimum BIOS and BMC revisions that are required to support Clovertown CPUs. There are minimum version requirements based on the CPU stepping.

Systems shipped with a system board that supports Clovertown CPUs will have a roman numeral two on the right side of the front bezel.

Thanks

Daniel My · Accepted Answer

Is there any way of knowing which are the newer boards? A part number or design change?

The newer boards are referred to as G1 boards since one of the major changes was an update of the memory controller hub to G1 stepping. Any compatible board with G1 in the description should support Cloverfield CPUs. Here are the two part numbers we use for the board:

UW816
TW856

Those two boards should be functionally identical. TW856 is the newest part number that we currently use. We will update a part number if anything about the part changes. The above two boards are interchangeable, so the update in part number was likely a change in labeling, packaging material, or something else unrelated to the functionality of the board.

Thanks

DevaVictrix · Answer

Thank you for your reply. Given I have the quad core cpu already I had a look on ebay for a replacement board (they go for about £25!)

Is there any way of knowing which are the newer boards? A part number or design change?

DevaVictrix · Answer

Thank you so much for helping me out with this Daniel. This might also explain why lots of people have had success with the NVidia 8800gt video card, whereas my sc1430 fails to boot when that card is installed.

Ill be looking at buying one of the tw856 boards then :)

Cheers

ajqjjj · Answer

Hi, please help, server sc1430 main board tw856, have support processor Harpertown? (Xeon E5420) Quadcore, thanks

PowerEdge Hardware General

PowerEdge SC1430 cpu upgrade

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