HP T730 8GB RAM 32GB Storage Thin Client

[little_nicky]

I am using a genuine Intel X520-DA2 in a T730 runinng pfSense and it works absolutely fine with no modification. Before installing it in the T730 I put it in an Ubuntu PC to run an unlocker script so that it will accept any SFP modules (not just Intel whitelisted ones). I'm using a 10G Direct Attach Copper cable from 10Gtek on Amazon to connect it to my 10G main switch and it works great.

 

[little_nicky]

I am using a genuine Intel X520-DA2 in a T730 runinng pfSense and it works absolutely fine with no modification. Before installing it in the T730 I put it in an Ubuntu PC to run an unlocker script so that it will accept any SFP modules (not just Intel whitelisted ones). I'm using a 10G Direct Attach Copper cable from 10Gtek on Amazon to connect it to my 10G main switch and it works great.

View attachment 28077

Just came back to say that it does not in fact work absolutely fine. It fails to boot 9 out of 10 times when the X520-DA2 is present. It works flawlessly when using a 1G NIC.

I have been running an X520-DA2 in a T620 Plus and that does work perfectly. So clearly something about the T730 firmware does not like 10G NIC. I am starting to lose faith in the T730 as a 10G firewall/router, now looking at other options such as HP T740 or Lenovo M920Q...

 

[Blaqy]

Hey, I need some help guys, does T730 support M.2 Intel 9560ngw WLAN/Bluetooth module?

 

[sandor99]

Just came back to say that it does not in fact work absolutely fine. It fails to boot 9 out of 10 times when the X520-DA2 is present.

I don't know if this might be related, but a quad 1G card in my T730 disappeared every few days due to overheating.
Increasing the idle fan speed and leaving a bit of margin near the vent slots solved the problem.

 

[sandor99]

I add a question myself: has anyone tried a minipcie to m2 adapter to install a nvme drive in the t730?

 

[SCS]

I add a question myself: has anyone tried a minipcie to m2 adapter to install a nvme drive in the t730?

SATA Only

I don't know if this might be related, but a quad 1G card in my T730 disappeared every few days due to overheating.
Increasing the idle fan speed and leaving a bit of margin near the vent slots solved the problem.

I never had this issue when I ran a quad i350 or dual x520 nic

 

[sandor99]

SATA Only

In the m2 slot, I'm sure. But my idea was to use the minipcie one to see if the limitation could be overcome.
And if it was possible to boot from it too, I read that some nvme drives have firmware like those old Adaptec SCSI cards that would allow that.

I never had this issue when I ran a quad i350 or dual x520 nic

In my case it was a Broadcom quad card.

 

[SCS]

In the m2 slot, I'm sure. But my idea was to use the minipcie one to see if the limitation could be overcome.
And if it was possible to boot from it too, I read that some nvme drives have firmware like those old Adaptec SCSI cards that would allow that.

it's not a PCIe interface where the m.2 is. Unless your intention is to use the PCIe interface itself for that and not the m.2 and I was just misunderstanding.

 

[sandor99]

it's not a PCIe interface where the m.2 is. Unless your intention is to use the PCIe interface itself for that and not the m.2 and I was just misunderstanding.

Oh, my bad. For some reason I had in my head that the T730 had a minipcie slot like the T620 plus.
I guess there's no hope then.

 

[SCS]

Oh, my bad. For some reason I had in my head that the T730 had a minipcie slot like the T620 plus.
I guess there's no hope then.

It has the expansion port designed for a fiber nic that is exposed to the rear. I for get the interface, but it's similar to what I've seen in some servers.

 

[SCS]

This is the unit

https://www.amazon.com/HP-Client-AT-27M2-SC-AA-001-Multi-990-004931-001/dp/B01N1I23G1

 

[WANg]

Oh, my bad. For some reason I had in my head that the T730 had a minipcie slot like the T620 plus.
I guess there's no hope then.

It does if you use the option port (basically the one for the fiber NIC/wifi card) - which is MiniPCIe.
The issue is that it's facing outwards so you'll need an extender ribbon to the M2 carrier/adapter, and it's only have a PCIe 2.0x1 coming out of that slot so you'll be bandwidth gimping it to start. For something like a dualport i350-M2 card that's fine, but for NVMe? Not so much.

 

[WANg]

I don't know if this might be related, but a quad 1G card in my T730 disappeared every few days due to overheating.
Increasing the idle fan speed and leaving a bit of margin near the vent slots solved the problem.

It's the extra air gap near the vents. The fan on the t730 only pulls air from the outside and blows it onto the APU - it does not/cannot push airflow directly onto the PCIe slot (since it's on the other side of the board) - whatever air movement is either convective or indirectly from the suction provided by the fan (which is pulling air in from the top). If you plan to put anything that pushes out more heat than, say, 5w, you'll pretty much need to slap a USB powered fan on the side and put some holes on the case.