mycapsules/_posts/older/2009-01-31-hp-ex470-upgrade.md

---
layout: post
title: HP EX470 – upgrade!
created: 1233362299
categories:
- storage
- whs
- nas
- disassembly
---

<img title="HP EX470 logo" style="border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; border-left-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right-width: 0px" height="196" alt="HP EX470 logo" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/logo-3.png" width="185" align="right" border="0" /> Here is the way to upgrade your server; what you can do without any modification is RAM and CPU. However, it’s a bit picky since you don’t have any console to make sure whether BIOS knows the CPU model or not. Unsurprisingly, this board bundled with AMD Sempron 3400+ single core CPU. It’s just not supported dual-core by default.&#160; Thus only possibility is AMD Athlon 64 which is single core as well. It’s practically the same architecture, but larger cache, faster speed, and more features. Additionally supported RAM is DDR2-800 or PC2-6400. That’s the best you can get for this system—because of on-chip memory controller specification.

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In order to do upgrading, you have to take apart EX470. It’s just a tiny bit harder than regular white box computer.

<ol>
  <li>take all HDD bays of the rack.&#160;<div><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/1.jpg"><img alt="HP EX470 - take apart" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/1t.jpg" border="0" height="180" width="240"></a></div>
</li>

  <li>take top-cover off; just hold the box firmly and slide top cover to the front. You will get it.&#160; <div style="float:left;"><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/21.jpg"><img alt="HP EX470 - take apart" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/21t.jpg" border="0" height="180" width="240"></a></div><div><a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/22.jpg"><img alt="HP EX470 - take apart" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/22t.jpg" border="0" height="180" width="240"></a></div></li>

  <li>Unplug the connector and twist two of SATA print circuit board locks.&#160; <div>
	<a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/3.jpg"><img alt="HP EX470 - take apart" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/3t.jpg" border="0" height="180" width="240"></a></div>
 </li>

  <li>Take SATA circuit board out by putting your finger in the hole and pulling it out carefully. It’s a bit tight, but there are a lot of holes for you to hold it firmly. 
    <div>
	<a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/4.jpg"><img alt="HP EX470 - take apart" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/4t.jpg" border="0" height="240" width="180"></a>
</div>
 </li>

  <li>Then we have to work on bottom side—power supply + mainboard—by taking front cover off. Only 2 screws are in your way.&#160; <div>
	<a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/5.jpg"><img alt="HP EX470 - take apart" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/5t.jpg" border="0" height="180" width="240"></a>
</div>
</li>

  <li>Be careful when taking it out since there is a connector for USB and LEDs attached too.&#160; <div>
	<a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/6.jpg"><img alt="HP EX470 - take apart" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/6t.jpg" border="0" height="180" width="240"></a>
</div>
 </li>

  <li>Once the cover is out, you can see PSU fan and mainboard which you have to unscrew 2 screws to free it. Then you have to slowly slide all PSU + mainboard out.&#160; <div>
	<a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/7.jpg"><img alt="HP EX470 - take apart" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/7t.jpg" border="0" height="180" width="240"></a>
</div>
 </li>

  <li>Here you go, the mainboard. Swaping new RAM and/or CPU you want; then put them back to their places!<br/>
	<a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/81.jpg"><img alt="HP EX470 - take apart" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/81t.jpg" border="0" height="180" width="240"></a> <a href="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/82.jpg"><img alt="HP EX470 - take apart" src="http://mycapsules.com/sites/default/files/2009/01/ex470/3/82t.jpg" border="0" height="180" width="240"></a>
</li>

  <li>Your EX470 is back with more power. Congratulation! </li>
</ol>


Overall, this is pretty well design machine. Although it’s a bit less power, I really like its form factor, small yet plenty of room especially for HDD.

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