HPE EC200A Xeon D-1518 'hybrid server' on ebay ~$150

[Kuerious]

For anyone interested, I have a copy of the March 2020 HPE Service Pack disc I can share privately. My EC200A came with the original 2016 v1.00 system ROM. This brings it up the latest v2.66 available via entitlement. I can confirm that both Debian and FreeBSD installed without error via remote .iso attach from the iLO Remote Console.

Stock firmware upon receipt:

Firmware Name	Firmware Version	Location
iLO	2.40 Dec 02 2015	System Board
Intelligent Platform Abstraction Data	10.7	System Board
Intelligent Provisioning	N/A	System Board
Redundant System ROM	U26 v1.00 (04/14/2016)	System Board
Server Platform Services (SPS) Firmware	3.0.3.9.1	System Board
System Programmable Logic Device	Version 0x07	System Board
System ROM	U26 v1.00 (04/14/2016)	System Board

Firmware post-update:

Firmware Name	Firmware Version	Location
HPE Ethernet 1Gb 4-port 366i Adapter - NIC	1.2529.0	Embedded
iLO	2.73 Feb 11 2020	System Board
Intelligent Platform Abstraction Data	12.02	System Board
Intelligent Provisioning	N/A	System Board
Redundant System ROM	U26 v1.00 (04/14/2016)	System Board
Server Platform Services (SPS) Firmware	3.0.3.9.1	System Board
System Programmable Logic Device	Version 0x07	System Board
System ROM	U26 v2.66 (07/19/2019)	System Board

Please, if you would be so kind sir, could I get a copy??

 

[Sogndal94]

I dont have this node, but it looks to me that it is using the stock ILO 4. So i would guess you can update the ILO to 2.80 from another systems download page.

 

[garethcamp]

I dont have this node, but it looks to me that it is using the stock ILO 4. So i would guess you can update the ILO to 2.80 from another systems download page.

Yes you can just download the 2.80 update from the ILO 4 page and it works fine, I did that this week:

Product Detail - HPE Integrated Lights-Out 4 (iLO 4) | HPE Support

 

[Mymlan]

Please, if you would be so kind sir, could I get a copy??

Latest SPP can be found one page back in the thread.

 

[Samir]

HP EC200a Mini Server with Original Adaptor, Xeon 2.2GHz CPU, no HDD, no Ram

FOR SALE:

Willing to wheel and deal on my EC200A... Works great and comes with 3.5 inch HD rails ... had it running
Truenas Core 13 with 2 20TB internal drives for more then 6 months.... upgrade to larger machine..
Totally Updated ILO/BIOS/FIRMWARE


Thanks

How did the 20TB drives temps look? Do you have an image of the exact truenas config you were using? I'd love to just put that on mine and then put it work.

 

[ftg888]

The little 40mm cpu fan ranges from 50-69c depending on work load according to the dashboard in truencas core.
I keep a 120mm noctua fan on the other side of the unit blowing air slowing into the air intake.. Top of the server
is not even hand warm... so the drives are remaining at low temps i suspect 40c or so no issued running for months like this..

the fan in whisper silent, without the fan the top of the server is hand warm i suspect 50c that is all.. so again no issues.
but because its summer the external fan wafting more air in makes it a silent happy puppy...

cheers

 

[Samir]

The little 40mm cpu fan ranges from 50-69c depending on work load according to the dashboard in truencas core.
I keep a 120mm noctua fan on the other side of the unit blowing air slowing into the air intake.. Top of the server
is not even hand warm... so the drives are remaining at low temps i suspect 40c or so no issued running for months like this..

the fan in whisper silent, without the fan the top of the server is hand warm i suspect 50c that is all.. so again no issues.
but because its summer the external fan wafting more air in makes it a silent happy puppy...

cheers

Thank you for the details on the temps--that sounds quite nice. Do you still have an image of the truenas build that you were using and did you have any extra steps/hoops to jump through for it to install and work correctly?

 

[ftg888]

i just used the stock truenas core 13 u1 install... it just works out of the box..
storage-pool-creat a mirrored vdev, create, share, done.
creating a new user is also a good idea..
the hp ec200a has a sata/nvme bay in the bottom of it for os install or use a usb3 stick to boot from.. up to you..

 

[Samir]

i just used the stock truenas core 13 u1 install... it just works out of the box..
storage-pool-creat a mirrored vdev, create, share, done.
creating a new user is also a good idea..
the hp ec200a has a sata/nvme bay in the bottom of it for os install or use a usb3 stick to boot from.. up to you..

Great to hear! Thank you for the details.

 

[Samir]

Not sure if this memory will work or not since HP never tested this ram, but brand new open box for $47 is a really good price for 32GB ddr4 ecc udimms that might work in the ec200a, and there's currently 186 units in stock:

EdgeTech 32GB DDR4 3200MHz ECC UDIMM Server Memory - PE270469-BSTK - Z - CDW Internal Use/Service Pts - CDW.com

Buy a EdgeTech 32GB DDR4 3200MHz ECC UDIMM Server Memory at CDW.com

www.cdw.com

Anyone want to get a set and test them out?

 

[mrpasc]

Would be a great deal if real. But might be more interesting for Xeon E-2xxx users as they are limited to UDIMMs. You might consider to post this offer as a new threat for them?

As a side note: with UDIMM you are limited to 64GB RAM for Xeon D-15xx, not even sure if 32GB UDIMMs sticks are supported.
For max RAM (128GB) for Xeon D-15xx you should go for RDIMMs. As max speed is 2133MHz you can get them (used/refurbished) as cheap as your offer.

 

[Quartermaster]

Not sure if this memory will work or not since HP never tested this ram, but brand new open box for $47 is a really good price for 32GB ddr4 ecc udimms that might work in the ec200a, and there's currently 186 units in stock:

EdgeTech 32GB DDR4 3200MHz ECC UDIMM Server Memory - PE270469-BSTK - Z - CDW Internal Use/Service Pts - CDW.com

Buy a EdgeTech 32GB DDR4 3200MHz ECC UDIMM Server Memory at CDW.com

www.cdw.com

Anyone want to get a set and test them out?

Thanks for the tip!

I just tried ordering 8, but the shopping cart notes as a clearance item purchases are limited to one per customer

 

[Samir]

Would be a great deal if real. But might be more interesting for Xeon E-2xxx users as they are limited to UDIMMs. You might consider to post this offer as a new threat for them?

As a side note: with UDIMM you are limited to 64GB RAM for Xeon D-15xx, not even sure if 32GB UDIMMs sticks are supported.
For max RAM (128GB) for Xeon D-15xx you should go for RDIMMs. As max speed is 2133MHz you can get them (used/refurbished) as cheap as your offer.

Oh, they will be real for sure. But not being rdimms is why I'm on the fence about them. My ec200a has no ram at all atm.

 

[Samir]

Thanks for the tip!

I just tried ordering 8, but the shopping cart notes as a clearance item purchases are limited to one per customer

I would never try ordering cdw outlet items via online. Call it in and I'm sure they'll be able to add as many as you want and confirm your allocation on the phone.

 

[RobstarUSA]

I would never try ordering cdw outlet items via online. Call it in and I'm sure they'll be able to add as many as you want and confirm your allocation on the phone.

My rep got me 4 no problem at all. I have them running a ryzen 5900x box.

 

[Helzy]

@ftg888 Big thanks for a great deal wicked fast shipping from overseas on an ec200a. Great guy thank you very much!

 

[bugmen0t]

Any thoughts on ram speed? the difference between 32gb sticks of 2133mhz and 2400mhz seems a little steep on ebay

 

[zac1]

Any thoughts on ram speed? the difference between 32gb sticks of 2133mhz and 2400mhz seems a little steep on ebay

Probably negligible unless you're running something super latency sensitive. In any case, this eBay seller has accepted most my offers at $30/stick for PC4-2400 RDIMMs.

 

[eabeukes]

Would be a great deal if real. But might be more interesting for Xeon E-2xxx users as they are limited to UDIMMs. You might consider to post this offer as a new threat for them?

As a side note: with UDIMM you are limited to 64GB RAM for Xeon D-15xx, not even sure if 32GB UDIMMs sticks are supported.
For max RAM (128GB) for Xeon D-15xx you should go for RDIMMs. As max speed is 2133MHz you can get them (used/refurbished) as cheap as your offer.

Did you manage to get 128GB running in these? I have 64GB quad-ranks reims that don't work, as I suspect only dual-rank would.

 

[logan893]

Hey Everyone,
Has anyone tried the following mod to the iLO firmware:

https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/comments/sx3ldo

GitHub - kendallgoto/ilo4_unlock: A toolkit for patching HPE's iLO 4 Firmware with access to previously inaccessible utilities

A toolkit for patching HPE's iLO 4 Firmware with access to previously inaccessible utilities - kendallgoto/ilo4_unlock

github.com

It looks like a hack of the iLO firmware to enable ssh and direct manipulation of the fan profiles based on temperatures of each component in the system. This only works for iLO below 2.78 for the bigger HPE servers...but not sure how this would land on the ec200a.

I did this with an EC200a from Japan. Confirmed I can change the fan control settings, but it's unfortunate that the settings are not persistently saved.