By: John Stutsman
Figure 1 — HP ProLiant Gen8 MicroServer with 256GB Samsung 840 Pro attached to ODD SATA port (SATA II 3Gbps) and powered from 4-pin FDD connector
The HP ProLiant Gen8 MicroServer is designed to accommodate a low profile optical disk drive (“ODD”) via an ODD SATA port (SATA II 3Gbps) on the system board and a 4-pin FDD connector from the power supply unit (“PSU”).
Early on, I had learned that it was possible to attach a drive to the ODD SATA port and by setting it up as a single drive RAID0 (Port 5 on the Dynamic Smart Array B120i) it could be used for an OS drive leaving the main 4-drive (Ports 1 through 4 on the Dynamic Smart Array B120i) bay available for 3.5 inch data drives. After recently doing this with the HP ProLiant DL320e Gen8 v2 I wanted to try it with my HP ProLiant Gen8 MicroServer.
The drive attached to the ODD SATA port (SATA II 3Gbps) does not have to be an SSD but an SSD, in my opinion, offered the fewest issues and additional hardware requirements. Though with very little additional effort one could employ a Schoondoggy Drive Mount (SDM-R2) to attach a low height 3.5 inch HDD or 2.5 inch VelociRaptor. The options are many across the spectrum from a 3.5 inch HDD to 2.5 inch laptop drives and 2.5 inch VelociRaptors to SSDs.
Figure 2 – The RED Arrow marks the location of the 4-Pin FDD Connector; The PURPLE Arrow marks the location of the ODD SATA port (SATA II 3Gbps) on the System Board; The GREEN Arrow identifies the MX714 FDD to SATA Power Converter that will be plugged into the 4-Pin FDD Connector; AND The BLUE Arrows identify the Standard SATA cable I will use. Yellow Electrical Tape was placed on the metal frame where the 256GB Samsung 840 Pro SSD will to be placed.
Figure 3 – A close-up view of the ODD SATA port (SATA II 3Gbps) on the System Board with a HighPoint SATA cable installed.
Figure 4 – A close-up view of the 4-pin FDD Connector from the PSU and the MX714 FDD to SATA Power Converter
Figure 5 – The Dell MX714 Floppy FDD to SATA Power Converter Cable that I use in my ProLiant Gen8 MicroServer
Figure 6 – Close-up view of the Samsung 840 Pro SSD installed with the SATA data cable connected, Dell MX714 connected for power, and secured to the HP ProLiant Gen8 MicroServer with strips of electrical tape
Figure 7 – Another Close-up view of the Samsung 840 Pro SSD installed with the SATA data cable connected, Dell MX714 connected for power, and secured to the HP ProLiant Gen8 MicroServer with strips of electrical tape.
Video 1 – Attaching a SSD to the ODD SATA Port in my HP ProLiant Gen8 MicroServer
Questions or comments? Join us in the Forums at http://homeservershow.com/forums/index.php?/forum/88-gen-8/
Current As-Built: Machine
- HP ProLiant Gen8 MicroServer w/Xeon E3-1265Lv2
- 16GB ECC RAM
- OS Drive C: 256GB Logical Drive 01 made of 1 x Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSD’s in RAID0 on HP Dynamic Smart Array B120i RAID Controller
- Dell MX714 FDD to SATA Power Converter Cable
- Standard SATA cable 180 degrees (straight) both ends
- OS: varies – check future blogs
- Data Drive: 6TB Logical Drive 02 made of 4 x 3TB ST3000DM001 in RAID10 on HP Dynamic Smart Array B120i RAID Controller
References:
Windows 8.1 with RAID0 SSD on the ODD SATA Port in a ProLiant DL320e Gen8 V2 http://homeservershow.com/windows-8-1-with-raid0-ssd-on-the-odd-sata-port-in-a-proliant-dl320e-gen8-v2.html
Dell MX714 Floppy FDD to SATA Power Converter Cable http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-OEM-Dell-MX714-Floppy-FDD-to-Sata-Power-Converter-Cable-/400298253923?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d33a29e63
Schoondoggy Drive Mount (“SDM-R2”) an Introduction http://homeservershow.com/sdm-r2-review-introduction-hp-proliant-gen8-microserver.html
Check out CSKenney’s Gen8 links thread in the HomeServerShow forums: http://homeservershow.com/forums/index.php?/topic/5639-proliant-microserver-gen8-links/
Check out the Gen8 Blog postings: http://homeservershow.com/tag/gen-8
Check out the MicroServer Blog postings: http://homeservershow.com/tag/microserver