Unknown Dell DP Motherboard

[Tweet]

Sorry to post on such specific things, but I figured this might reach a
bigger audience than the Dell community forum!
I recently received a Dell motherboard + processors from an Ebay
auction I won, and I have several things I think I need to clear up
before I can make any progress towards getting the things I need to put
it into use. So, I figured I had to start somewhere.... here goes....

1. System
I'm not quite sure what actual Dell system it is originally from. It is
a dual-processor socket 603 board from 2001, serial number DS/N
MX-02H882-12411-19C-0HDC, REV.A00, attached to a metal base panel,
which leads me to believe it may be from a Precision 530 Workstation.
Can anyone confirm this? Not being part of a complete system, I don't
have a service tag or anything, and there's no marking on it that looks
anything to me like a model number.

2. CPUs & Voltage Regulator Modules
The board came with two Xeon 1.5GHz processors on board. However, they
are not quite identical. One is a SL4WY (stepping C1) and the other is
a SL5TD (stepping D0). I would assume that this slight mismatch
wouldn't pose a problem, as presumably the board has been used with
both of them together before. Is that a safe assumption?
However, the board only came with one VRM - serial number DS/N
TH-05D722-17971-18O-14EE, REV.A01. It also says "E184173" on it, if
that means anything. So, I'll obviously need an additional VRM to make
use of the other processor - do I need to get an identical one, or a
different one that matches the other, slightly different, processor, or
will any Dell/generic Xeon VRM do? Is there a part number or anything
associated with this VRM? Where can I get one? Will Dell sell me one?

3. Heatsinks
The processors have no heatsinks or fans attached, only the plastic
things either side of the processors where the heatsinks presumably
plug in (although there's no real sign of any clips or retaining
mechanism). Will any Socket 603 heatsinks do, eg. this one:
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=129195 , or
do I need a special Dell one?

4. RAM
The board takes what I think are RAMBUS PC800 184-pin RIMMs - Non-ECC
or ECC. But I always thought dual-processor machines required ECC RAM?
Will it really work without? Do the modules need to be paired or
anything?

5. PSU & Front Panel connectors
Being Dell, the board is obviously not exactly ATX standard - although
I didn't realise quite how much so (I thought I'd at least be able to
fit it in an ATX case, somehow, but it looks a bit big for that, and
the connector panel on the back is centred on the board and looks
completely non-standard).
It has 2 power connectors - one looks like a standard ATX connector
(POWER_2), and the other (POWER_1) looks like a standard ATX connector,
but 2 rows (4 holes) longer. Can one simply plug in a standard ATX
connector into POWER_2? If so, what is POWER_1 for? I've heard tale
that Dell uses ATX sockets but non-standard pin configurations.
Even more annoyingly, instead of a standard ATX block of jumpers for
power switch, HDD light, etc, there's just a connector labled PANEL,
that looks like a minature version of an IDE connector. I'm guessing
this can't easily be adapted for ATX jumpers?

6. Case
With all these problems, it's looking increasingly as if I may have to
just try and get hold of a relevant Dell case, and/or PSU. Are these
easy to come by? Would Dell sell me one? Would I have to get the exact
box, or would it fit into one of a number of different cases? Eg, if it
was originally from a 530, would it also fit a different model case,
like a 470 or a 610? I haven't really come across Precision
Workstations before (still assuming that's what this board was
originally from).

Thanks for reading, and similarly for any tips you can give me on what
to do next!

cheers,

-Pete

 

[John Fryatt]

Sorry to post on such specific things, but I figured this might reach a
bigger audience than the Dell community forum!
I recently received a Dell motherboard + processors from an Ebay
auction I won, and I have several things I think I need to clear up
before I can make any progress towards getting the things I need to put
it into use. So, I figured I had to start somewhere.... here goes....

<snip>

The two power connectors suggest that it's designed to work with
redundant power supplies and is therefore from a Poweredge server.
I don't know which one though. I think servers like the Poweredge,
Compaq Proliant etc. tend to use more bespoke designs than workstations,
so you'll probably need the correct case for the motherboard

 

[Pen]

<snip>

The two power connectors suggest that it's designed to work with
redundant power supplies and is therefore from a Poweredge server.
I don't know which one though. I think servers like the Poweredge,
Compaq Proliant etc. tend to use more bespoke designs than workstations,
so you'll probably need the correct case for the motherboard.

Pix of 530 mobo here;
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ws530/en/sm/index.htm
check against yours. If it matches the,complete docs are at;
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ws530/en/index.htm
The power connectors are both used by Dell's power supply. You are probably
better off
dropping this idea as I it's an extremely unique mobo.

 

[Michael C]

Pix of 530 mobo here;
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ws530/en/sm/index.htm
check against yours. If it matches the,complete docs are at;
http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ws530/en/index.htm
The power connectors are both used by Dell's power supply. You are
probably
better off
dropping this idea as I it's an extremely unique mobo.

That's what you get for buying dell crap. More than likely the previous
owner sold it for these very reasons. He probably started with 1 processor,
bought another but couldn't get the vrm.

Michael

 

[Michael C]

Sorry to post on such specific things, but I figured this might reach a
bigger audience than the Dell community forum!
I recently received a Dell motherboard + processors from an Ebay
auction I won, and I have several things I think I need to clear up
before I can make any progress towards getting the things I need to put
it into use. So, I figured I had to start somewhere.... here goes....

6. Case
With all these problems, it's looking increasingly as if I may have to
just try and get hold of a relevant Dell case, and/or PSU. Are these
easy to come by? Would Dell sell me one? Would I have to get the exact
box, or would it fit into one of a number of different cases? Eg, if it
was originally from a 530, would it also fit a different model case,
like a 470 or a 610? I haven't really come across Precision
Workstations before (still assuming that's what this board was
originally from).

Thanks for reading, and similarly for any tips you can give me on what
to do next!

Friggin hell name brand computers are ace!! When I first read this I didn't
realise your post went on for pages and pages relating to non-standard
issues caused by dell.

Michael

 

[kony]

On 10 Oct 2005 12:55:03 -0700, "Tweet"


Since you lack most of the parts, you might consider just
parting it out and selling it on ebay or wherever.

You can get a VRM, there may be a sticker on the one you
already have or you might need to just search with reference
to it being that board # or a Precision 530. It should be
like the one you have, they support a certain voltage range
and amperage but since you have the dual CPU you just need
another like you have. They're usually about $70-130 from
Dell or an aftermarket reseller, you could call dell and
then compare to what you find online.

Case- often a server board is not regular ATX. Server cases
arent' cheap. Do you "need" a dual server? Older it gets,
the more modern/new technology makes it less and less
attractive to try to use it. There may be someone else out
there right now looking to buy a 2nd CPU and VRM which could
allow recoup of your cost then sell board and other CPU
separately.

 

[Tweet]

Thanks for the replies, everyone, but it's a bit disheartening that you
mostly just think I should give up and sell it on!
Thanks for the advice on the VRM - they don't really seem easy to come
by online, but then I wasn't really sure what to search for.
So, do I NEED a DP machine?... no. Do I want one anyway? Hell yes! And
it's eventually to replace my house server - currently a PII-300, so
it's definately a step up. I was hoping to do it on the cheap, though,
and to be fair to my (possibly quite stupid) self, this motherboard was
a bit of a bargain - £50 for a DP mobo + 2 Xeons can't be bad, I
thought. I just didn't know it'd be this much work.
As for the case, I've seen a couple of Dell Precision server cases
going on ebay for about £20-£30, and some VRMs for about the same, or
just a PSU for £15 - I guess I just need to wait for the right sort to
show up. That is, unless I can be less picky than I think - which was
partly the reason for starting this thread - I'd like to know exactly
what Dell cases this motherboard is compatable with.
I figured the RAM would be the really pricey bit - again, about £50
for 512Mb ECC on ebay. Damn.

Cheers!

 

[Tweet]

Hmm, to be fair to the guy, I think it's more likely he butchered it
for parts, or had it handed to him like that from somewhere else, and
sold it on as-is. He seemed pretty sure I could pick up a suitable VRM
on ebay or whatever. The heatsink marks and similarity of the
processors suggest to me that they've always been there. And I know
Dell sucks, but it was cheap! Who can resist a bargain? Not me,
apparently...

 

[Tweet]

Hmm, okay, but then wouldn't the connectors be indentical or something?
What's with the 4 extra holes? I'd love to try just plugging in a 400W
ATX to POWER_2 and seeing what happens, but I don't have the balls (or
the heatsinks/RAM, yet). Searching on the front part of the mobo S/N
("TH-05D722") does seem to bring back mostly Precision 530 Workstation
stuff, and it definately looks the same (to answer Pen, below) ... that
is different from a Poweredge server, isn't it?

 

[Pen]

Dell uses 2 different power connectors from ONE power
supply for this board. I suspect one set of leads is for each
CPU. Why one is ATX style and one BTX style I don't know.
This is definitely not a server board.
It has only IDE drive connectors, while Dell servers have SCSI.
The 1394 and front panel connectors are also undocumented.

 

[Tweet]

Ah right, the other is BTX? It has IDE, but it does actually have SCSI
too, right in the corner. And yeah, it has a "FRONT1394" connector too.
It'd probably help if I could talk to someone from Dell about now
(yeah, right), but with no Dell service tag, it's a bit tricky. 2 power
connectors.... 2 CPUs...hmm... but again, I'd expect them to be
identical! Stupid Dell!

 

[Michael C]

Hmm, to be fair to the guy, I think it's more likely he butchered it
for parts, or had it handed to him like that from somewhere else, and
sold it on as-is. He seemed pretty sure I could pick up a suitable VRM
on ebay or whatever.

Sellers are always sure you'll be able to find parts you need Although
the price you got it for is pretty good so you probably won't loose. Can't
you pull out one of the processors and try to fire it up? I think the ATX
plug with the extra 4 pins is just one that has the P4 12V connector built
into it.

Michael

 

[kony]

Thanks for the replies, everyone, but it's a bit disheartening that you
mostly just think I should give up and sell it on!
Thanks for the advice on the VRM - they don't really seem easy to come
by online, but then I wasn't really sure what to search for.

Is this it?
http://store.yahoo.com/impactcomputersmiami/5d722.html

So, do I NEED a DP machine?... no. Do I want one anyway? Hell yes! And
it's eventually to replace my house server - currently a PII-300, so
it's definately a step up.

Depends a lot on what you're doing with it. Unless you buy
high-end drives and use Gigabit lan, it will not be any
faster as a common fileserver than a PII-300 box.

I was hoping to do it on the cheap, though,
and to be fair to my (possibly quite stupid) self, this motherboard was
a bit of a bargain - £50 for a DP mobo + 2 Xeons can't be bad, I
thought. I just didn't know it'd be this much work.

Servers are far more integrated than PCs, part of why they
cost so much more.

As for the case, I've seen a couple of Dell Precision server cases
going on ebay for about £20-£30, and some VRMs for about the same, or
just a PSU for £15 - I guess I just need to wait for the right sort to
show up. That is, unless I can be less picky than I think - which was
partly the reason for starting this thread - I'd like to know exactly
what Dell cases this motherboard is compatable with.
I figured the RAM would be the really pricey bit - again, about £50
for 512Mb ECC on ebay. Damn.

Whether there is value it building it up to a working dual
CPU state has everything to do with what the need is for the
system. If you don't have a clear need for the 2nd CPU, it
will just be a waste of $ to buy the VRM instead of just
selling the 2nd CPU.

 

[Tweet]

Depends a lot on what you're doing with it. Unless you buy

high-end drives and use Gigabit lan, it will not be any
faster as a common fileserver than a PII-300 box.

At the moment... samba filestore/domain controller/wins server, ftp
server, http/php/ tomcat server, postgresql server for some random
things, web proxy, dns server, dhcp server, time server.. uh... think
that's about it. I also have some trusted friends that can use it to
dump stuff on. With the new box, I'd be looking to shift other things
from my desktop onto it and run retrieveable X-sessions and stuff too,
so I could turn my box off during the day & night. Basically... I'm a
CS geek/developer, and I fancied the idea of a fatter server... I have
a few ideas for projects that I'd also use it for. Anyway, that's all
academic - thanks for the link to the VRM - that's it alright, but
yeah, didn't think it'd be that expensive! It looks to me like it's
just a handfull of capacitors, transformers, and some kind of excuse
for a heatsink! I'm in the UK, and they're possibly a bit rarer over
here.