Move to a new box - HP Z440?

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1

So I got a new to me box and I don’t know if it will really benefit me on a build up.

Current machine is a HP Z420 - and it’s DDR 3 ram and a e5-2590 processor with 48gb of ram, LSI HBA, 4 - 4rb HGST drives in Z1 pool, Intel I350 4 port nic. video card spare nivida something.

New box is a E5 1650V4, 32 gb of ram (will add if needed) but DDR4 EEC ram, in theory they are close to the same performace with the 1650v4 being quicker per signle core item and nearly in light multi-core. I think that’s debateable but in theory it’s faster overall and has a little bit more memory bandwidth.

BUT the case is some issues getting the drives inthe way I want - will need to breakout the hacksaw of doom - and complete teardown of course. and the power taps as a bit wonky. which is making me think it’s not worth it.

Thought I would ask to see if anyone had any thoughts. Otherwise it might well make a decent secondary server for something like cameras or such.

It did come with an nvidia K2200 quadro card which appears to do me no good for transcoding from what I can see. Doesn’t natively do H265.

2

Do you have a need to switch or is more of “new box who dis” desire to play with new toy

3

It’s mostly because new. I’m not 100% done with my server build up anyway still playing with OS and setups of applications. but since I’m not done then partly swapping over wouldn’t be an issue.

My question here mostly is would the new box processor and slightly more ram throughput be worth having to refigure how to get drives into the machine? (bay fitment is way different)

6 core 12thread vs 8core 16 thread, but it’s faster clocks and ddr4 ram. Purpose as in my other thread. Server OS probably Proxmox with VM for truenas core, and VM for Ubuntu server. Server VM will have the containers for downloads but also the container for Jellyfin or Plex). Neither box it seems can do hardware transcode without a new video card of some flavor. Then again I could just pull the jellyfin or plex work onto the new box only but that seems waste full.

4

because neither processor you picked has an iGPU. Which is where we recommend a QuickSync box to do it. (IF YOU NEED IT). Because you’re going to see zero improvement if you’re not getting a TON of transcodes (not streams).

5

I picked out the first box on purpose thinking I wouldn’t need hardware transcode and I don’t really. Or so far I don’t. let me put it that way. my biggest issue is actually audio transcode but that’s device specific and a longer rant.

the second box is free to me so I didn’t pick it. and I think maybe I’ve made up my mind already it’s got too much issues with the hard drive bays to be worth while. I’m leaning towards sticking with my first machine.

6

There is a very very small chance that the new motherboard would fit inside the old case.

Very small.

7

Thought about it - might try it. I’m going to press on with the first box for now. might take the second box apart and cut it with the hacksaw of doom (sawzall, jigsaw, or grinder)

and if I do that I’ll post up how to mod the Z440. it does have some improvements but not much. Might also be easier to just move the board to another case which I thought about too. I have 2 other ATX cases around so I could move the board and the power supply. (otherwise you need change over cables)

8

If the board is mostly atx shaped then transplanting to a new case would be a shot.

9

There’s lots of other considerations besides board sizes, such as whether it uses standard ATX connections, motherboard front panel headers, etc.

10

Indeed… Part of why I’m sticking with the orginal plan.

FYI and I might make a thread on this for people wanting to use the HP product line.

  1. the powersupply to the MB doesn’t use ATX standard - but they make adapters.
  2. the SATA power taps are very short and tight to their current defined location - so get extensions and splitters as needed. The PSU is a 90% and has plenty of overhead provided you don’t run dual video card - which it’s made to do. (Z series that is)
  3. On board SATA has it’s own raid chip for the X20 and x40 series (ZX20, ZX40). so it appears as a controller and will pass like you do pass an HBA. Works well in Proxmox FYI.
  4. CPU fan replacement to a new 92mm lowered temp at load

It works well if I could just finish out my software setup like I want it.

11

Having to buy adapters for all major components seems like a massive waste of time/energy/funds to me rather than simply buying something standard out of the box

12

when I was researching building the 2.0 / anniversary box one of the recommendations was starting with the Z420 box. and It’s a good suggestion IMO. for over 100 less than had I bought a MB, Processor, and Ram off ebay and gotten it whenever. I got a Z420 that has the same chipset as the recommended supermicoro board, one of the 3 xeon processors I was considereing, and 32gb of ECC ram - and it came with a case and PSU too. turns out mine also came with a 256gb SSD too.

That’s my original build box - that I’m still experimenting with - software wise. hardware is pretty well set. BUT if I ever have to replace the PSU - minor issue but I’d need an adapter - and they readily exist. I was going to buy the SATA power extentions anyway - because of the potential for the 3.3V mod. So far so good.