Converting an HP ProLiant ML350 Generation 6 into a home/gaming PC

[Vassilis Tsipopoulos]

I have recently been given an HP ProLiant ML350 Generation 6 serverwhich has the following hardware:

Intel Xeon E5620 @2.40GHz processor
22GB Ram (DDR3)
Intel 5520 Chipset
ATI ES1000 Graphics card.

How feasible is it to turn it into a gaming PC and what would I have to change?

Obviously I would need a video graphics card since the ES1000 is useless and I would need to install Win7 x64.

This seems way too easy though. There must be something I'm missing.

 

[R-T-B]

It's an old Nehalem (well actually Westmere, but same thing really)... which wouldn't be bad except for that low clock. I wouldn't use it for gaming as such. Sell it and start a new build is what I would do.

 

[dorsetknob]

as above ^^^^^ you could check to see if it supports faster X56** series Xeon CPU's
such as x5672
http://ark.intel.com/products/52579/Intel-Xeon-Processor-X5672-12M-Cache-3_20-GHz-6_40-GTs-Intel-QPI
that would give you a significant boost to performance on your platform and improve potential gaming experience
( you will also need to improve CPU cooling )
it may also support the X5650 and higher 6 core CPU
Most westmere 1366 CPU will overclock very well ( depending on Bios and motherboard features )
See the Xeon Owners club
here http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/xeon-owners-club.211143/
for some idea of the gains you can achieve

PS WELCOME to TPU

 

[Azumay]

Sale the server. Build a 2nd gen i5 system(used parts).
People have done it, but mostly it can be a huge can of worms.
headaches:
a)Hp parts and drivers.
Conflicts with either, and if anything fails replacing with standard market stuff will lead to buying more stuff.
b)1366 platform
Supper expensive.

As a server its great. But in order to get the performance you may want as a gaming rig, is to much to
change.

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

Its a great chip, i benched one at 3.9 ghz........ Your mobo will not do this.

If i was you i would rethink the build. Your PSU for example will not run a decent GPU.

 

[Mussels]

if you ask more specific questions you'll get more focused answers.
with a PSU and GPU upgrade, sure you can game on it. It's just not going to be great with the low clocked CPU.

what parts are you willing to upgrade? what budget? whats the end goal? why stay with that, and not upgrade to a faster socket? (seriously, i'm on 'old' hardware here and its performance dominates modern, stock clocked stuff)

 

[Vassilis Tsipopoulos]

You're right I wasn't very specific. I would be willing to spend about 500-600$ I guess. I would be willing to upgrade any part really.

The end goal is not clear. It's more like "I have this server now and I have no idea what to do with it."

 

[Caring1]

Turbo on that Processor is 2.66Ghz, so it's not too slow, you can also install a second CPU to reduce load.
It might be worth putting in a cheap graphics card if possible just to try it, it should be capable of most games except the latest and most demanding.
One issue though is all that Ram won't be recognized even using 64 bit version of windows, unless using the server version.

 

[GorbazTheDragon]

2.66 on a Nehalem is pretty slow TBF... The per core performance of those things isn't that far ahead of piledriver. That's not even getting started on the PITA it is to tinker with OEM components, especially from vendors like HP/Dell, etc...

I'd say sell it and buy SB/IB CPU-board, cheapish PSU and a R9 or GTX 600+ series GPU.

You might be able to snag some of the RAM off that system too, but the price of DDR3 is pretty low these days so I wouldn't really bother.

 

[OneMoar]

servers make for terrible gaming machines

 

[lyra]

I have done exactly this actually.

it is as easy as sticking a gpu and installing a non server os

what i fully did was put in a gtx 980ti, a more powerful PSU, a xeon x5672 as mentioned above (doesnt restrict the graphics card except in a few very cpu heavy games),add a pile of ram, put an aftermarket cooler on it (a scilentiumpc fortis 3) with a custom made mount to make it work with the narrow mounting interface of server boards, swap the fans cause they where loud, stick in a new hdd and install windows.

the hardest part was making the mount for the cooler but that really wasnt that difficult. also wiring up fans to the motherboards funky 5 pin fan headers.

it certainly has character. its a lot more interesting than a boring 2nd gen i5 build or a standard consumer grade desktop. just think how many people can say they have 2 cpus in their computer, i think thats just so wtf its awesome.

really if i where to do it totally simplicity minded i would have used the stock cooler and not changed the fans so it would have been as easy as putting in a graphics card as the stock cooler wasnt that bad and the x5672 has only 15w more TDP than the e5520 that came with my one

i had a lot of fun building mine and i would say she isnt finished yet! oh this was my first ever PC build too so... cant be that complicated

 

[peche]

if you ask more specific questions you'll get more focused answers.
with a PSU and GPU upgrade, sure you can game on it. It's just not going to be great with the low clocked CPU.

+1

servers make for terrible gaming machines

this is another quite interesting fact...

I would be willing to spend about 500-600$ I guess. I would be willing to upgrade any part really.

with that penny you could build a great machine reusing the ram on HP rig, HDD's and also psu if its 80 + certified at least... but the HP board, that xeon processor and also video card could be sold for gathering moar money for a decent rig,

look for used haswell i5's or ivy's... also Z chipset based board... and call it a done dream ...

Regards,

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

@lyra

can you d/l and install Unigine Valley ? Myself and a few others (i expect) would be interested to see how the 980 ti does with your Xeon.
https://www.techpowerup.com/downloads/2208/unigine-valley-benchmark-1-0


you can fil; your specs here
https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/account/specs


and come and join the Xeon club here
https://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/xeon-owners-club.211143/

 

[lyra]

hey yeah i got 4047 in valley under the settings said on this forum. i wonder how much of an effect the gen 2 pcie slot has

 

[CAPSLOCKSTUCK]

@lyra thats about the same as @GreiverBlade and his non ti


4095 Red_or_Dead HD 7950 CF 1050/1600
4084 jordan1794 GTX 980 ACS 2 1531/2064 i7 4790 4.7
4078 dcf-joe GTX 980 1556/3931 i7 2600k 4.8
4057 the54thvoid GTX Titan 1202/1751 i7 3930k
4050 GreiverBlade GTX 980 stock i5 4690k 3.5
4017 PainfulByte GTX 780Ti ? i7 3770k 4.6
4009 quest4glory GTX 780 classified 1361/1588 4790k 4.39