msmac7
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Q: XServe Upgrade to 3 x 2 TB

We have got a xserve (Early 2008, raid 5 card) with 3 x 1 TB hard drives (MacOS 10.6.8).

 

I would like to upgrade to 6 TB (3 x 2 TB). In this case Apples Support recommends the purchase of "Apple Drive Module 2TB SATA", which is quite expensive. (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1219)

 

Does anyone know whether the replacement of hard disks in our existing modules (Apple Drive Module 1TB SATA) is possible?

 

We had a defective hard drive, which is replaced now. We had to make sure that the data transfer rate of the replacement hard drive is only 1.5 Gbit/s.

 

The Seagate Barracuda Green 2 TB (ST2000DL003) supports 1.5 Gbit/s. Can we set up a RAID 5 on the xserve with three of these hard drives?

Xserve, Mac OS X (10.6.8), Early 2008, raid 5 card

Posted on May 7, 2012 10:57 AM

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msmac7

Q: XServe Upgrade to 3 x 2 TB

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  • by stephenberry,

    stephenberry stephenberry May 7, 2012 1:57 PM in response to msmac7
    Level 1 (75 points)
    May 7, 2012 1:57 PM in response to msmac7

    I expect you can without any problems. I don't know what your specific set-up is, but we have run several non "Apple" drives in the XServes with no problems. Simply unscrew the SATA drive from the ADM, disconnect the cable, reconnect the new drive, do up the screws, slot in and away you go. At the end of the day it's just a SATA drive in a fancy caddy.

  • by brockamer,

    brockamer brockamer Mar 19, 2013 11:56 AM in response to msmac7
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 19, 2013 11:56 AM in response to msmac7

    msmac7, did you have any success upgrading your early 2008 Xserve with the 2TB hard drives?  I'd love to know if the ST2000DL003 drives worked.  I have a similar machine that I'm considering upgrading.  Please let me know!

     

    Thanks!

  • by msmac7,

    msmac7 msmac7 Mar 19, 2013 3:38 PM in response to brockamer
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 19, 2013 3:38 PM in response to brockamer

    Dear brockamer,

     

    we were successful in upgrading our xserve to 3 x 2 TB (Raid 5). Our local apple dealer had recommended a hard drive from Western Digital (WDC WD2003FYYS-02W081).

    But I'd like to remark that you must set a jumper so that the hard drive can reduce the data transfer rate to 1,5 GB/s.

    Best wishes.

  • by brockamer,

    brockamer brockamer Mar 20, 2013 4:56 AM in response to msmac7
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 20, 2013 4:56 AM in response to msmac7

    Thank you!

  • by hydrostaticparadoxon,

    hydrostaticparadoxon hydrostaticparadoxon May 1, 2013 6:54 AM in response to msmac7
    Level 1 (5 points)
    May 1, 2013 6:54 AM in response to msmac7

    I just upgraded my Xserve (Early 2009) with two of these WD2003FYYS RE4 2TB hard disks, replacing two WD 1TB hard disks. The drives could not be used unless I formatted them with my old Xserve G5 connected in FW mode, as disk utility was unable to recognize them.

     

    After formatting and putting the drives back into my Xserve (Early 2009) everything worked fine. But now the fans are running much MUCH faster, making MUCH more noise, even when the CPU is idle. to be honest, this is unusable in this way! Removing ONE drive (drive bay one), the one with the system on it, and leaving the second 2 TB drive in place, the fans run smoothely (at about 5 to 6000 rpm). With the second 2 TB drive set into drive bay one, the fan rise up to 9000 rpm!!

     

    I cannot find a way to solve this but removing the 2 TB drive from bay one.

     

    The new 2 TB drive need less power than the older 1 TB drive! So that is not what I first thought was the problem.

     

    I resetted the SMC multiple times, that is also not the problem. Just removing the drive calms the fans down!

     

    Who can help me on this topic?

    Thanks and best regards!

  • by hydrostaticparadoxon,

    hydrostaticparadoxon hydrostaticparadoxon May 2, 2013 9:34 AM in response to hydrostaticparadoxon
    Level 1 (5 points)
    May 2, 2013 9:34 AM in response to hydrostaticparadoxon

    Ok replying to my own post, maybe it helps somebody :-)

     

    It is fine just to NOT put a 2 TB drive into bay one, placing the two 2 TB drives into bay two and three keeps the fans down. That is fine to me, as I can still boot from the 2 TB drive, and the system does not care if it is situated in the left bay or not.

     

    Thats fine. For everybody trying to run the Xserve (Early 2009) with THREE 2 TB drives of Western Digital I cannot give a hint how to achieve this without high blowing fans.

     

    For me, this works, with a total of 5 TB.

     

    Best regards!