HP ML110 G6 CPU & RAM Upgrades
I recently upgraded some internals in my HP ML110 G6 and thought I’d post some useful details on RAM and CPU combinations. The whole thing started with a refresh of my ZFS NAS. I wanted to move from 4x2TB RAIDZ1 to 6x4TB RAIDZ2. The first thing that was needed was some additional RAM. The recommendation seems to be a minimum of 8GB RAM for ZFS and suggested is 1GB RAM per 1TB usable space. I did have 1 x 2GB HP and 1 x 4GB HP ECC modules spare and found this nice site suggesting that 4 & 8GB Kingston ECC would also work and that you can install up to 32GB (HP specs say max 16GB).
My supplier could no longer get 4GB modules so I ordered 1 x KVR1333D3E9S/8G. Unfortunately when I installed it my system would only see 2GB and then freeze. I checked my CPU specs (Pentium G6950) and it supports max 16GB. Unfortunately it seems it only does that in 4 x 4GB modules. I then managed to locate a Xeon X3430 and it successfully could see all 8GB RAM. I then added the 2 spare HP modules as well for a funny total of 14GB RAM. As this is a home NAS I’m not too worried about perfectly balanced RAM.
Some comments I saw said you needed an add-on graphics card for the Xeon processor, but this is not the case. I simply removed the Pentium and added the Xeon (with some new thermal grease of course) and it all worked. The PSU also seems to handle the 6 x 4TB Seagate NAS drives without any issues. NAS4Free runs off USB directly on the motherboard.
Here is a download link for the most recent BIOS 2011.08.26 (SP54622). Requires a dropbox account.
Edit 2017/04/25: BIOS link updated.
Hi i cant download the bios that you link to… can you please send it to my mail..
Best regards
Rasmus from denmark
Post updated.
Thanks for the link to the BIOS update.
Now HPE charges for getting these updates ! This is an old server, I got one for some home server and I would not pay for upgrading the BIOS of it.
Now I have update the BIOS, and I’d like to upgrade the storage too. I plan to create a 4TB raid 1 storage and I wondered why HP wrote that it would only support 2TB SATS disks:
“NOTE:
HP Smart Array B110i does not support greater than 2TB hard drive”
I saw that here: https://www.hpe.com/h20195/v2/GetPDF.aspx/c04282718.pdf
Do you confirm you were able to use SATS drives that are larger than 2TB ?
Thanks in advance
I didn’t use the RAID function for the B110i. It’s possible the 2TB limitation is only if you use RAID function? I can confirm I have 6 x Seagate 4TB NAS (ST4000VN000) working in my ML110 with NAS4Free.
Thanks for the answer…
I guess that the specs are wrong, they mention only HP B110i as the storage controller, when my Ubuntu 16.04 LTS sees only an Intel controller:
IDE interface: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset 4 port SATA IDE Controller (rev 04)
pci_8086 Dev_3b26
So I should be good to go. I’ll use a sw raid when my 3TB disks are arrived.
What worries me a little is that I have a lot of “unclaimed” devices and I know no source for finding the corresponding drivers/support files, since Ubuntu is not in the list of supported OSes for this computer. Anyway, the basic functions are OK (display, networking, storage, computing, even if the display is not very good… I am not too sure I get the optimized display, but since it will mainly be used headless, that’s not a real Issue I guess…) Anyway, I can use any resource for a better configuration an support for thos ML-110 G6/Intel computer.
Regards
Hi i cant download the bios that you link to… can you please send it to my mail..
Regards
Thanks. I have updated the download link.
Hi
I read you have this: “6 x Seagate 4TB NAS (ST4000VN000) working in my ML110 with NAS4Free.”
Awesome! I was disappointed with my ML110 G6 specs of max 2TB disks. But now not so!…
Can you please tell me if you are plugging your 6 x 4TB direct to the main board, or using an add-on RAID controller. If the later, which controller is it?
Thanks
Drives are connected directly to the motherboard.
This was a lifesaver. My ML110 G6 wouldn’t run ProxMox w/ the old BIOS. The update worked like a charm. Thanks for posting!
I’m using ML110 g6 for freenas and motherboard can handle 6 HDD.
Use other two sataII connectors made for DVD for extra drives on motherboard.
Mellanox Connnect X2 is cheap now and you can add one of these cards to get 10GB link to your network or even dual model of the same type of network adapter. HP 10GBE PCI-E G2 DUAL PORT NIC ADAPTER CARD 516937-B21
Make sure you place it in PCIe 16x not 8x slot.
…currently running 8 HDD in ML110 g6 case believe it or not. Got chieftec HDD tray system and pulled out DVD roms to place that HDD trays instead. 8th drive sits in the case but it’s all good.
32GB Kingston ram ECC unbuffered 😉
added x3440 and got 8 thread CPU system for cheap.
Downside of this system is PCIe so x16 and below x8 are the only ones that can handle bandwidth. Honestly only PCIe16 longest one.
Best,
B
Wow, thank you so much for this! I have an old ML110 G6 that needs this firmware to make the onboard RAID mirror a couple drives, and supposedly this enables the onboard to do such a thing. It’s more of a project PC than serious endeavor, so this just saved it from the scrap bin. I’d never pay for such old firmware otherwise.
Thank you!
Does HP proliant ML110 G6 support xeon x3470 or x3480
Spec sheet has the following on the supported list:
Intel Xeon processor X3470 (2.93GHz, 95W, 8MB, 1333, HT, Turbo 1/1/4/5)
Intel Xeon processor X3460 (2.80GHz, 95W, 8MB, 1333, HT, Turbo 1/1/4/5)
Intel Xeon processor X3450 (2.66GHz, 95W, 8MB, 1333, HT, Turbo 1/1/4/4)
Intel Xeon processor X3440 (2.53GHz, 95W, 8MB, 1333, HT, Turbo 1/1/2/3)
Intel Xeon processor X3430 (2.40GHz, 95W, 8MB, 1333, Turbo 1/1/2/3)
when doing the CPU change did you have to buy a specific model only provided by HP. like HP part # 590323-001 blah blah. or grabbed the Xeon X3430 from a ebay vendor?
mine has the Xeon X3430 and i want to upgrade it with an ebay sold x3460 to get the HT on CPU. are the CPU’s HP modified packages or intel normal builds? is what i am asking.
Whoops, missed this comment. Stock Intel boxed CPU is what I used. You don’t need to buy the CPU from HP, just make sure it is a supported CPU.
Thanks a lot for the Bios Update file. Just updated the bios that was 2 years old bios from the new one, and it fixed lots of problems, starting from BIOS reset every time the server boots and lots of other things. You are a truly legend, ma fella. 😉