Some information about HP T620 Plus Flexible Thin Client machines for network appliance builds...

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deeach

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Jul 15, 2019
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Some additional information on the HP T620+ I learned through experience:
  1. It is possible to find them with VGA and PS/2 ports. These work well with VGA-based KVMs.
  2. When adding a NIC (for example, when building a firewall)
    1. While a half-height NIC is required, it uses a full-height bracket. It looks like it won't fit, but it will.
    2. Grinding off the 'shoulders' of the NIC bracket (the 45 degree transition at the tab end) will allow the card to seat more completely in the socket, and will move the ports slightly further towards the center of the chassis opening, making it a little easier to plug/unplug network cables.
    3. With some judicious jiggling, the spring-loaded bracket which holds the swing-up fan assembly in place will secure the top of the NIC bracket. No other fastening point is possible or needed.
  3. Be aware there is an anti-tamper switch which a) disables the system and b) sounds an alarm if you attempt to power on while the case is open (as one may do while, let's say, trying to test a newly-added NIC before buttoning everything up ...).
Hope this is useful -
 
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BLinux

BLinux

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deeach said:
Be aware there is an anti-tamper switch which a) disables the system and b) sounds an alarm if you attempt to power on while the case is open (as one may do while, let's say, trying to test a newly-added NIC before buttoning everything up ...).
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Thanks for sharing all that info.

However, I've never had a problem running this machine with the lid open. Just did that 2 nights ago when I had to rebuild mine (the flash drive failed suddenly). Where is this switch you talk about? I wonder if it's missing on the units i got...
 
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Samir

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BLinux said:
Thanks for sharing all that info.

However, I've never had a problem running this machine with the lid open. Just did that 2 nights ago when I had to rebuild mine (the flash drive failed suddenly). Where is this switch you talk about? I wonder if it's missing on the units i got...
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I've seen that systems sometimes do not have a switch like this as it is an option, and I'm sure that was the same with the t620. :)
 
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Brendan

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Quad-Core T620s (non-plus) are now like $30 on eBay now, has anyone tried using a mini-PCIe Ethernet card in one for a router? I’m thinking the extra Ethernet could be run out through the VGA/serial port hole. It’d be all Realtek NICs, but the price is right.
 
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BLinux

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Brendan said:
Quad-Core T620s (non-plus) are now like $30 on eBay now, has anyone tried using a mini-PCIe Ethernet card in one for a router? I’m thinking the extra Ethernet could be run out through the VGA/serial port hole. It’d be all Realtek NICs, but the price is right.
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or combined with a small switch that supports vlan...
 
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Samir

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Brendan said:
Quad-Core T620s (non-plus) are now like $30 on eBay now, has anyone tried using a mini-PCIe Ethernet card in one for a router? I’m thinking the extra Ethernet could be run out through the VGA/serial port hole. It’d be all Realtek NICs, but the price is right.
Click to expand...
I believe I read in this thread that someone did do this.
 
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KopiJahe

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Brendan said:
Quad-Core T620s (non-plus) are now like $30 on eBay now, has anyone tried using a mini-PCIe Ethernet card in one for a router? I’m thinking the extra Ethernet could be run out through the VGA/serial port hole. It’d be all Realtek NICs, but the price is right.
Click to expand...
I did it in one of my machines, but just FYI, it's hard to find an intel-based card (or if you can find it, it's expensive), I used a realtek-based one for mine, something like this:

-850906698-1268687666.jpg

It's plug and play, I removed the VGA header and route the cable from there, and then glued the socket on the case with some hot glue. It's ugly, but it works.
 
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Samir

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KopiJahe said:
I did it in one of my machines, but just FYI, it's hard to find an intel-based card (or if you can find it, it's expensive), I used a realtek-based one for mine, something like this:

View attachment 13273

It's plug and play, I removed the VGA header and route the cable from there, and then glued the socket on the case with some hot glue. It's ugly, but it works.
Click to expand...
Hey, would the end from this panel mount extension cable be a plug and play swap for the vga cable?

 
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KopiJahe

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Samir said:
Hey, would the end from this panel mount extension cable be a plug and play swap for the vga cable?

Click to expand...
I don't have one, so I don't know. But, if you have the exact dimensions, I can measure that on one of my machines...
 
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Samir

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KopiJahe said:
I don't have one, so I don't know. But, if you have the exact dimensions, I can measure that on one of my machines...
Click to expand...
There's several different manufacturers of these in various sizes. If the screw holes look like they may line up, then these would be an option for those that want a 'clean' install. :)
 
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WANg

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isfn said:
Will an AC adapter from a ProBook 4720s work with a T620 Plus?
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It SHOULD. The HP t620/t620 Plus/630/730 thin clients all use the standard 7.4mm * 5.0mm barrel (black ring tip) adapters, and it should be the same adapter for HP laptops until the recent 4.5mm (blue ring tip) switchover.
 
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MrGlasspoole

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Hi,

can someone tell me if mSATA works with 6 or 8 TB drives?

I also don't see in the datasheet what kind of onboard NIC the t620 has and what specification the mini PCIe has.
 
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WANg

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MrGlasspoole said:
Hi,

can someone tell me if mSATA works with 6 or 8 TB drives?

I also don't see in the datasheet what kind of onboard NIC the t620 has and what specification the mini PCIe has.
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The mSATA port is not really standardized across all t620/t620 Plus models - only the Jamestown Revision A (the t620 series have the HP development name of Jamestown) boards have them. The Revision B boards got rid of them on both models.

As for whether it works...Hmm, mSATA is just shrunken SATA, and AFAIK the Hudson A55E "should" be able to deal with 6-8 TB drives. Although, that being said, HP only shipped their OS on tiny M.2 SATA drive and never meant their storage to go that high - you are on uncharted territory here.

That being said, how do you plan to fit a 3.5" drive inside the t620 Plus chassis? Even with the fiber card HDD caddy there's only enough room for a 2.5" Drive, and the biggest 2.5" drive that I am aware of...is a 5TB Seagate Barracuda.

The onboard NIC is a Realtek...should be something from the RTL8111/8168 family.
 
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