Dell Server Deal On Deals Page

[Littlejason99]

Before I was ticked at myself that I didn't get in on the gateway deal, however after hearing some peoples horror stories about not receiving their servers till September I started to feel a little better that I missed that one.

However I jumped on the Dell server deal because it was just what I am looking for. I ordered the system yesterday (08/01) and Dell said it would probably ship on 08/08, however when I went to look at the tracking thingy, they already shipped out my server today!!!

FYI, people who want to put in a second processor, you can get a VRM module on eBay for like $20-$25, but make sure you get a 8.4 compliant module!!! (just search for 8.4 VRM). Then you can search for a matching stepping CPU (Spend about $150 or so). So after spending a little time, you can get the second CPU for you system for about $200 (don't forget a heat sink!) whereas dell wanted $600!

Who else got in on the Dell Deal? Just curious...

[rjoffe]

U can actually get the vrm and heat sink from dell.
vrm is like $19 and the heat sink and cpu clip are $14

Ron

Anyone now of a cheap place for the cpu, I got a 1000.

Thanks,

Ron

[johnrod]

I got the Dell deal 4 minutes before it ended. Shipped in one day! Plus used AMEX to extended warranty to 4 years. Can't wait till it gets here. Got the 933 and going to grab another processor for it. Thanks for the vrm prices...

[bhata]

bought one as well about 2 hours before the expiration time.

I want to know more about this 2nd cpu.... what exactly do you need to for this??

what is the this VRM thing?

[jobthedog]

VRM stands for Voltage Regulator Module, some motherboards require them for the second processor to function properly.

[phlick]

Dell servers suck a55. It is cheap tho. At least these don't come with the notorious Perc II Array controller. (you have to pay $650 extra for that piece o'shrimp).

[Littlejason99]

Hey Ron,

I couldn't find the VRM or heatsink on the dell accessories site, do you have to call them? What exactly do you ask for? Just a VRM module & heat sink for the 1400SC server?

[rjoffe]

Yup, couldn't find them myself.
What I did was contact a sales rep at dell.
After waiting on the phone for over an hour, I found a
guy who was really quite good.

He told me to contact him by email in the future.

It usually takes him a day, but he gets the job done.

I havn't received my parts yet, so I don't know if he has ordered the right parts for me :)

Here is his contact info:
[email protected]

I gave him my machines' service tag and requested the following:

VRM, Heatsink, heatsink clip.

That's all it took

Ron

[Littlejason99]

Well let us know if you did indeed get what you were expecting Ron. I'm assuming you got one of the 1400SC models? If you did then I'm going to shoot him an email and get me some genuine dell parts... hehe...

[rjoffe]

It was a 1400SC

Ron

[Littlejason99]

Did they ship out your parts yet Ron? Inquiring minds want to know, we can add in a second processor complete for under $200 (dell wanted like $600! HA!)

[rjoffe]

Parts just showed up at my door.

They all look correct.

I will go out and get the second CPU today, and post when it's all connected. Locally I can get it for $240.

Ron

[Littlejason99]

Well I just emailed Michael about getting those parts. I think he's going to become a really popular man for the Apex group... hehe..

[Littlejason99]

Dell just updated their servers deals again I noticed. If you take the 1400SC and strip off all the extra options like the UPS, tape backup, etc... you can get it down to $799 + Free Shipping. That's $100 more than the previous deal, but it's still pretty good if you missed it and are looking for an entry level server that has a lot of upgrading potential.

[rjoffe]

OK,

CPU is in :)

Everything works just fine.

Ron

[telefunken]

Hey Ron,
Have you added anything else?
Does she reject high density memory?

Oh, and what stepping are your 1Ghz's?

Anyone have a link on the different dual capable 1ghz steppings?

Thanks all,
Myles.

[Littlejason99]

I will tell you now, you can't use any cheap high density memory, you will need ECC Registered memory. Which you can still find 512MB sticks for about $100 of that variety so it's not too bad. If you go to http://www.crucial.com you can actually look up the 1400SC and they have them for like $125 which is good for a name brand like them.

As far as s-codes, you can boot up your system and go to the config menu and it will tell you the number and all, then you can cross reference it on the Intel page: http://support.intel.com/support/processors/sspec/p3p.htm

Hope this helps. I still haven't heard back from the Dell guy about my parts though.

[frinky525]

hey ron-

glad to hear your new toy is up and running. i mean, how hard can it be to add a second CPU to a server? it's not like you need to be an electrical engineer or anything...

[telefunken]

Littlejason99, Good to know. At least memory is far cheaper than its ever been..
Note: I ordered it today, so I paid $100 more than everybody else. I'm trying to piece everything together so I can clean install w/ the expected parts upon arrival. (I'm calling back tommarow and see if I can reduce the warrenty).

Thanks for the info,
-Myles.

[Littlejason99]

I think the Bronze is the lowest you can go. I don't think they will sell it without a waranty, but if they do, let us know, I want a refund on mine then!

Their install of Redhat is pretty tight, if you don't want windows 2k then I would definitaly stick with it unless you are an expert linux user. Personally once I get in all my other drives, raid controller, cpu, and ram, I'm formatting the sucker and installing FreeBSD!

[telefunken]

Per designgirl @ http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?start=51&catid=40&threadid=514728
She was able to talk them down $149 less buy referring to the 500sc model offering:
Hardware Support Services: 1 Year Ltd. Warranty, 1 Year Onsite Service, 1 Year 24x7 Phone Support
U111YOS - [900-9054] [950-8190]
We'll see...
As for os's, I'm was thinking about sticking redhat on the bp6, (I have too many udma drives around here, & will be shooting for the newbie install, and will attempt a mp3 server/data-store/learn & box with it) :)

[Littlejason99]

Wow cool... I think I'll stick with my current level though, just incase... I don't have the time to fight them for that amount...

Anyhow I got an email back from Michael (the dell rep who helped Ron), he moved positions but gave me the number and direct extension to the proper people.

1-800-879-3355 ext 45503

Just call them, give them your service tag #, and tell them you want a VRM, heatsink, and heatsink clip. Like ron said the vrm is like $19 and the heat sink and cpu clip are around $14. Easy as pie, and they are Dell parts (incase you want to sell it).

You could also spend $500 at Crucial and get yourself 2GB of ECC Registered RAM... lol...

[Littlejason99]

Hey Ron, how long did it take them to ship your parts? I'm still waiting and mine is still being processed... :(

[rjoffe]

Sorry, for not getting back with you guys, I was out of town

Ok, telefunken, I have not added anything else.

One cpu, one heat sink, one heat sink clip, and one vrm.

Now as far as s-codes:

After reading your posts, I got curious. So I looked.
And what I found was a little disturbing.

I now have two different cpu's:
Original:
1000/256/133/1.75V/Q117A20-0512 SL52R
New:
1000/256/133/1.7V/Q108A200-0720 SL4MF

Also, you need to look at the cpu itself, becuase the config only gives you a three character code which is not necisserily unique enough.

So here is the question:
Do I need to return this new CPU, and try to get one whose stepping matches the one I already have?

Frinky525:
I am an electrical engineer :)

Littlejason99:
I ordered my Dell parts last Wednesday or Thursday (don;t remember). it showed an estimated shipping date of Today, but I got them on Monday.

Did I miss any questions?

Oh ya, the new system will run Suse Linux, and be a Oracle 9 server. I have received two new 18 gig 10,000RPM Ibm's, and I am waiting on my gig of ram.

Total for the whole thing is about $1700. Not bad at all.

Ron

[Littlejason99]

Ron, I would definitaly take back that second CPU and get a matching one. One is a cD0 and the other is a cC0 which is not good. They are different steppings & different voltages which isn't good for compatibilty and will probably give you lots of problems.

I'm sorry if I wasn't more clear on the s-spec codes before. I got the 933 CPU (Hey, I need to save where I can) which the code 686 is only cC0 CPU's, and one run is Slot-1 (obviously not the one for me), and the other run the is FCPGA. So without even having to take off the heatsink I was able to determine the proper s-spec.

Anyhow, sounds like you have a sweet system going. So far I've spent about $45 for the extra parts to add in the second CPU. Like $200 or so for two 512MB ECC Registered RAM sticks. I was able to barter for a second matching CPU. I got a 4 port 10/100 64bit NIC for like $40 from eBay (It's made for the apple G4 servers but it is just an intel chipset which there are windows/*nix drivers for), I also got an Adaptec 3400S RAID controller for $283 (yes, a steal I know), and I got an enlight 8720 hot-swap cage which fits 5 hard drives in 3 - 5 1/4 drive bays. So I'm going to see if I can't fit it where the non-hot swap drive cage already is, othwise the floppy gets taken out, and CD-ROM goes internal (it's probably never going to get used anyways), and the hot-swap cage goes in the exposed 3 drive bays.

Now I just need to get a few 36GB 10K RPM Ultra160 drives cheap...

Oh yeah, I'm going to install FreeBSD on it... hehe... BSD kicks Linux's *SS!

[rjoffe]

littlejason99,

FreeBSD is fine and dandy, But I need an OS (NON - Micro$oft) which will support Oracle 9, and right now the only Linux vairnet that works in Suse,

So that's where I'm at.

Later,

Ron

[qgyu]

Originally posted by rjoffe
littlejason99,

FreeBSD is fine and dandy, But I need an OS (NON - Micro$oft) which will support Oracle 9, and right now the only Linux vairnet that works in Suse,

Ron


No Wintel, no Solaris x86, not even Novell, wonder what Larry has up his sleeves. At this rate, people would either go with 8i or some other competitor's product. Watch for falling Oracle stock prices.

While I'm no Wintel supporter, but the installation base is there.

[Littlejason99]

Parts for second CPU (VRM, HS, Clip) FINALLY came in today, cost like $30-$40 for all that, and I was able to find a matching CPU for like $180. Not bad comprared to Dell's $600 for a second CPU.

Also got four 1" 36GB 10K RPM Ultra160 Hard Drives for $185 each which was a good deal.

The 4 channel 64bit PCI Ultra160 RAID controller came in the other day, paid $275 for that.

I'm so tempted to sell this server on eBay, I know I could make a ton more than what I paid for all this!