Hacking HP Z600 Board to put in a ATX Case

[HardwareExtreme]

Hello everyone,
I was asking for some help on this. And before everyone spams "it's a HP proprietary form factor" I KNOW THIS.

A lot of the holes already line up, and it wouldn't be much of a problem to fit it in a (E) ATX case (other than the dang height, so if you are trying this you need a case with about 2 inches over the height of a typical ATX board). The only thing I have to figure out is the pinouts on everything, since I can confirm on TWO boards that the HP pinouts are WRONG. The connector is mirrored to what it really is, and I'm not sure I trust that the pinouts are the same if I just flip the connector.
(Here: http://h50146.www5.hp.com/lib/doc/manual/workstation/hp_workstation/504631_001.pdf)

From the manual I already created a memory power cable which fits, and the 8 pin CPU connector looks like a regular one. However, can anyone help me with the main power connector?

I can post pictures if anyone wants.

Edit: Here is the pictures of the Memory cable I made (They expire after 30 days):

The Molex connector end:

The 6 Pin connector end:

 

[13thmonkey]

Don't modify the board to fit the case, mod the backplane to fit the board?

 

[HardwareExtreme]

I am modifying the case to fit the board. The IO is the same and the PCI(e) slots line up with a normal case, it's just the height of the board that is the problem.

But, I have already found a case to use so I am set. However, I just need to figure out the main power connector pinout.

 

[Krkseg1ops]

I'm actually doing something similar right now. I have a spare HP Z600 which I upgraded to GTX 1070 and Xeon 5660. I bought an EPS PSU and I am struggling with the memory cable. Everything else is fine, CPU powers up, GPU as well, SSDs, everything, it's just this stupid memory cable that won't work. This is the pinout for the HP Z600 memory cable(taken from https://support.hp.com/au-en/document/c01726577):
1 BLK GND
2 WHITE +5VSB
3 BLK GND
4 GREEN +12VM
5 GREEN +12VM
6 NC OPEN
I've used a special molex Y splitter to 6 pin which looks like this:
1 BLACK GND
2 RED +5v
3 BLACK GND
4 YELLOW +12V
5 YELLOW +12V
6 YELLOW +12V

Now, except for the last pin (yellow +12v) all seem correct. Furthermore, pin 6 on the original cable is open so it should not be receiving any signals. For some reason, I am unable to boot the machine. It doesn't generate any sounds, nothing. It just site there, I can hear fans working but it won't boot up. Ideas??

 

[HardwareExtreme]

What did you do for the main power connector? I ended up making the memory connector from a piece of a ATX 20 Pin power connector and using a Molex 4 pin connector for the power using what is on the official HP website, but I am not sure if it is correct. I could try to test it using a multimeter on my actual Z600, but I am not sure how to do that.

What did you do for the 18 Pin connector (P1) because the one in the HP manual is incorrect on two different boards?

 

[Vitus_]

Hi, Did u guys finally solved all this problems. I'm actually doing something similar right now.

 

[HardwareExtreme]

No, not yet. The main power connector is still an issue... I'm not sure how to actually find the pinout.

 

[Karadjgne]

Probably need an original psu for that model and chase down the color codes for the pinouts on the main power connection

Edit: Interestingly enough, the main power connection is listed on that HP support link.

 

[Vitus_]

No, not yet. The main power connector is still an issue... I'm not sure how to actually find the pinout.

I bought HP Z600 mobo from ebay few days ago. The seller told me "u need the original hp z600 power switch button to power on the motherboard, if u want to put the mobo in normal atx case". Is that true ? The original switch was selling in ebay 35 dollar each. So expensive.

 

[HardwareExtreme]

I'm pretty sure for the actual front panel connector that you can find the pinout somewhere, such as this thread. Here: https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktops-Archive-Read-Only/Z800-Mystery-PC-Speaker-Connector/m-p/5043692
You don't really need the official HP front panel power button, as a normal one from a case would probably work, assuming you know the pinout.

However, the only other problem is the main power connector and the memory power connector (Haven't tested the pinout on the HP website, but I would be careful because if the main power connector was wrong the memory power connector could be wrong too)

The 8 Pin EPS power connector for the CPU(s) looks to be standard.

I COULD probe the pins on my power supply in my Z600 (It's an original HP z600 power supply) but I don't have access to it at the moment. The HP powersupply is odd because it has no cables running off of it, it connects to a connector on the case, which has a cable that runs to the CPU/Memory/Main Power connectors (Which means you can't just buy a HP power supply)

 

[Vitus_]

Thnks for the reply hardware extreme. Now i dont need to buy the original hp power switch button. What i need now just to buy the 18 pin main power cable and the 6 pin memory cable in ebay. 14.99 dollar each. Hopefuly the cable work nicely.

 

[13thmonkey]

I have to say to anyone else thinking of buying a used HP/Dell etc. mobo off ebay, it's not worth it, their bioses are locked down, they are potentially difficult to deal with, they are not the bargains that you think that they are.

 

[tank20101955]

I am modifying the case to fit the board. The IO is the same and the PCI(e) slots line up with a normal case, it's just the height of the board that is the problem.

But, I have already found a case to use so I am set. However, I just need to figure out the main power connector pinout.

 

[tank20101955]

buy a 24 wire to 18 wire adaptor harness made just for that, can get from ebay or newegg

 

[tank20101955]

I have to say to anyone else thinking of buying a used HP/Dell etc. mobo off ebay, it's not worth it, their bioses are locked down, they are potentially difficult to deal with, they are not the bargains that you think that they are.

your just not using the right boards from hp, try using a xw9400 motherboard with dual opteron 6 core cpu's with their 12 gb/s sas drive setup and 32gb memory. board is very easy to setup and all the hardware is cheap, mine cost less than $230 total with drives and memory,cpus and heatsinks. all I supplied was the video card a gtx 470, and it runs fine for all my gaming. just watch out for the later boards like the z600, which I am working on right now with the dual LGA 1366 cpu . I am going to put in a couple of 6 cores running at 3.47ghz, which should give me a 12000 score on passmark or close to it. forgot to mention i wont be using the xw9400 case, so you will need to add another hundred to the total if you want the case. i am making mine out of wood.

 

[HardwareExtreme]

I was looking at the xw9400... Can it use DDR2 FBDIMM RAM? I was looking at one of those motherboards possibly for a file server or a second system, and right now I have 4gb of FBDIMMs lying around (2x2gb). And, how do the Opterons stand up against the Xeons? Right now I have two x5650s (2.66gHz) with 24gb of DDR3 RAM. The only thing I don't like about my z600 is its kinda pathetic single core performance.

I did, however, find this adapter on Amazon which looks like it might line up: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HQ2JQ3G?tag=tomshardware_forum_vgl-20
And since I have two z600 boards, one in my system, and another that can run 2 Quad cores, I basically have a cheap second system on my hands.

And 13thmonkey, Yes they may be a pain to deal with, but they are MUCH better and cheaper than the equivalent Supermicro boards with the same IO. Plus, I got this z600 for free

 

[tank20101955]

I am modifying the case to fit the board. The IO is the same and the PCI(e) slots line up with a normal case, it's just the height of the board that is the problem.

But, I have already found a case to use so I am set. However, I just need to figure out the main power connector pinout.

as for you power supply cable just get a 24pin to 18pin adapter cable off ebay, as for getting a case to fit why not make it out of wood?. woods easy to work with and can make for some pretty awesome cases.

 

[tank20101955]

I was looking at the xw9400... Can it use DDR2 FBDIMM RAM? I was looking at one of those motherboards possibly for a file server or a second system, and right now I have 4gb of FBDIMMs lying around (2x2gb). And, how do the Opterons stand up against the Xeons? Right now I have two x5650s (2.66gHz) with 24gb of DDR3 RAM. The only thing I don't like about my z600 is its kinda pathetic single core performance.

I did, however, find this adapter on Amazon which looks like it might line up: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HQ2JQ3G?tag=tomshardware_forum_vgl-20
And since I have two z600 boards, one in my system, and another that can run 2 Quad cores, I basically have a cheap second system on my hands. the xw9400 uses ddr2 ecc non buffered, the xw6600 uses the buffered memory. if you get one of the later assembles of that xw9400, you can drop in a pair of 6 core opterons running at 2.6ghz. I use that same setup for a gaming machine and it works well. as for your z600 board its the only good board hp made in lga 1366, drop in a pair of x5670 6 core cpus in it running at 2.93ghz and it will give a passmark score of over 12k twice as much as the opteron.


And 13thmonkey, Yes they may be a pain to deal with, but they are MUCH better and cheaper than the equivalent Supermicro boards with the same IO. Plus, I got this z600 for free

 

[tank20101955]

I am modifying the case to fit the board. The IO is the same and the PCI(e) slots line up with a normal case, it's just the height of the board that is the problem.

But, I have already found a case to use so I am set. However, I just need to figure out the main power connector pinout.

 

[tank20101955]

go to ebay and buy yourself a 24 pin to 18 pin adaptor cable made just for this problem, just make sure your psu is wide ranging PFC and is eps rated and 90% efficient

 

[tank20101955]

No, not yet. The main power connector is still an issue... I'm not sure how to actually find the pinout.

 

[tank20101955]

you could just buy a hp z600 psu # 482513-001/dps-725ab oem 650w and the cpu and memory cable # 534480-001, and the motherboard and drives cable #463982-001. the psu cost $29.18 including shipping, the mobo cable harness cost $16.75 w/ free shipping and the cpu/memory cable cost $11.00 plus $2.77 shipping.

 

[Krkseg1ops]

In the end, I just sold my HP Z600 with dual Xeons and 24GB RAM, bought new case, Ryzen 5, and 1080 Ti. The power 18-to-24 pin power connector was fine but memory cable could not be matched. I got CPU EPS cable working, main power cable but memory would just not initialize. Unless you are really desperate (as I was back then), take it slowly but eventually get a new rig rather than reanimate those old workstations. Also, the performance did not impress me either, I had 2 x Xeon X5660 at 2.9GHz and 1070GTX and I was getting stutters in both 1080p and 1440p although Riva Tuner was showing over 60 FPS. The frametimes are much lower on those old CPUs, more cores (still) do not count so much. If you get such workstation for free then sure, go ahead and get a GPU and you are good to go, just remember that HP Z600's 650W Bronze rated PSU has few power rails and the amperage is low on those. That means if you have a powerful GPU like 1070GTX or higher, make sure you split the power load onto different rails because if you connect 6-pin and 8-pin from the GPU to a single cable strip, you will crash the PSU.

 

[HardwareExtreme]

At this point, I upgraded a generation to a dual E5 Lenovo machine, leaving me with a spare Z600 to use for stuff. I'm planning on using my spare motherboard for it as a file server (I have the revision 1 board I replaced with the revision 3 one). However, has anyone tried the z420/220 adapters you can find on Amazon on these motherboards? I'm tempted to try it since I have no real way to fit the drives I'm going to use in the HP case (3 1tb hdds, 4 320gb hdds, 5 160gb hdds) and the pinout looks the same.

I picked up a HP P410 raid card, but it won't work in the Intel board I had laying around, but did on my Z600, so I guess I'll have to use it. That leaves me with the option of making a janky setup of a separate power supply and hard drives hanging outside the case, or transferring the motherboard to an ATX case. And yes, I could have picked up a LSI controller, but there was also a cheap HP sas expander card which only works with HP cards.

I do have a Compaq motherboard that MIGHT work with the controller, but it has a couple blown capacitors on it that I would have to replace first.