Hacking The HP EX470/475 MediaSmart Servers

Features
By Ed Tittel
published

Task List For DIY EX47* Upgrade

In the sections that follow, I’ll provide step-by-step instructions on what to buy, what tools you’ll need, and how to perform various upgrades or improvements on an AMD-based MediaSmart Server. Here’s a more detailed description of these tasks, in the order in which they will be completed:

  1. Replace the 512 MB 240-pin DDR2 Hynix DIMM with a modestly-priced 2 GB module. Total cost should be somewhere between $20 and $30 (I paid $17 for mine).
  2. Remove the northbridge heatsink and the thermal adhesive HP applies to this device, then lay down a coat of Arctic Silver to improve heat transfer. A stock EX47* northbridge usually runs at 57-59 degrees Celsius (137-139 degrees Fahrenheit). Judicious application of a high-quality thermal compound can bring temps down to 52-55 degrees Celsius (127-131 degrees Fahrenheit).
  3. Install a replacement CPU in the AM2 socket on the EX47* motherboard. This also involves laying down a coat of Arctic Silver to help things run as cool as possible.
  4. (Optional): If you want to install a dual-core CPU in the EX47*, you must first patch the BIOS to permit it to recognize such a processor. This is easily accomplished using free tools and BIOS sources via a remote login to the MediaSmart box.

Taking the EX47* apart can be a bit tricky and definitely takes time, while the right tools, patience, and a steady hand are essential. The first time I took mine apart it took me half an hour to get through the whole process (not including the CPU upgrade, which came later). By the seventh and final time I had taken the unit apart for concluding and clean-up photographs for this article, I was able to handle the process in under 15 minutes. A friend or family member who can work with you while you go through the disassembly/test/reassembly process can help to boost your confidence and speed things along.

There’s a very small AM2 socket motherboard at the heart of the EX47* models

Check prices for HP's MediaSmart EX475

Ed Tittel
Ed Tittel

Ed Tittel is a long-time IT writer, researcher and consultant, and occasional contributor to Tom’s Hardware. A Windows Insider MVP since 2018, he likes to cover OS-related driver, troubleshooting, and security topics.

77 Comments Comment from the forums
  • neiroatopelcc
    Seems like a nice do-it-yourself guide. I don't own such a nas, so I can't tell if something's missing. But it's nice to see something like this on toms. Too rarely do we get such a treat.
    Now tell us how we can convert a zyxel router into a storage system, or how we can mod a sata controller into a sas controller, or whatever else can be done to hardware if you know how.

    ps. it's a bit wierd that you describe how to unplug an atx power cable ... I would expect people who'd dare take their working nas apart would know, or figure that out, on their own.
    Reply
  • DiscoDuck
    Has anyone run performance numbers on single versus dual core on a homebrew WHS? IS it possible the small gains on the HP dual core setup are a limitation of the motherboard?
    Reply
  • FrustratedRhino
    It is a computer... no matter how evil it is inside, since the compaqs of the late 80s/early 90s every computers is very easy to upgrade. To say that a HTPC knockoff needed a whole guide, to upgrade it, is rather silly.

    Slow news day I guess.
    Reply
  • deredita
    Excellent write-up. I been thinking about the HP MediaSmart servers, and what would be involved to mod one.
    Reply
  • etittel
    DiscoDuckHas anyone run performance numbers on single versus dual core on a homebrew WHS? IS it possible the small gains on the HP dual core setup are a limitation of the motherboard?
    Good Question! I didn't think to tackle this within the scope of the current story, but it certainly would make fertile ground for a look at WHS in general. Having built numerous (more than 20) AMD AM2 systems and benchmarked them all, I didn't get the sense that we were dealing with motherboard limitations. Tim Higgins at SmallNetBuilder gives the EX470/475 models pretty high marks in head-to-head comparisons with other NASes so I don't think this box is hampered by inherent performance problems. But comparing it to other builds/set-ups is a good idea, and I will see if my editor is interested in a follow-up.
    Thanks!
    --Ed--

    PS to neiroatopelcc: I wish I knew how to convert a zyxel router into a NAS/SAN, or how to mode SATA into SAS controllers. Both are things I too would like to know how to do.
    Reply
  • MoUsE-WiZ
    FrustratedRhinoIt is a computer... no matter how evil it is inside, since the compaqs of the late 80s/early 90s every computers is very easy to upgrade. To say that a HTPC knockoff needed a whole guide, to upgrade it, is rather silly.Slow news day I guess.Yeah, that. Glancing through the guide, anybody who's ever done any sort of hardware upgrade on any machine should be able to figure all of this out, changing the BIOS is probably the only bit that requires any extra knowledge.

    Next up; guide to fitting square peg in square hole?
    Reply
  • etittel
    To all:

    I'd like to thank HP and Micron/Crucial for their support of this article. Micron actually overnighted me a 4GB DDR2-667 SDRAM module when I was unable to buy one anywhere in the US, on very short notice.

    I'd also like to thank the following terrific HP MediaSmart sites that helped me learn what I needed to know to write this story:
    1. Alex Kuretz: www.mediasmartserver.net
    2. Capable Networks MediaSmart Home (May be MS sponsored, hard to tell, still useful tho)
    3. Terry Walsh We Got Served4. Andrew Edney Using Windows Home Server5. Donavon West Home Server Hacks6. Microsoft WHS Team Homeserver Blog
    There may be more, but these are the most useful such sites I found. If you know of any please add them here.

    --Ed--
    Reply
  • etittel
    Drivers for EX47* Servers

    I recently blogged on my own Vista site to list all of the latest workable drivers for the EX470/EX475 MediaSmart Servers. Anybody interested in making sure they're current on drivers should find this useful. I include the link to download.com for some less-than-brand-new drivers (which SiS has since updated, but which don't work on the EX47* models) because SiS doesn't keep an archive of older drivers (at least, not where I could find them).

    HTH,
    --Ed--
    Reply
  • etittel
    Sorry forgot the driver link URL: http://viztaview.wordpress.com/2009/03/05/drivers-for-hp-ex-47-mediasmart-servers/. My apologies.
    --Ed--
    Reply
  • cruiseoveride
    So basically, you buy an over priced media center "PC" and then upgrade it?
    okaaaaay
    Reply