I am grateful for anybody who can help me to upgrade my ex495 to faster cpu and more then 2 gb ram. I was wondering if 64 bit windows home server can be installed and if this can help to upgrade ram.

Try this thread, its long as so many people have done it... skip to the end

viewtopic.php?f=25&t=5512

Windows 2011 can be installed; and you'll also find people that have done it if you search the forums. There will be blinking lights though, more RAM is definitely needed though.

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Dear Coguar,

I know exactly how to dismantle and remove RAM and put new one. I actually bought one from Kingston 4gb. It fits perfectly well. but when i restart server it blinks and flashes and refuses to start. Any idea what to do???

See if it runs with the old RAM, if it does then there's something it doesn't like about the RAM you bought.

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My guess is you've got a bad stick of RAM. I put a Patriot 4 GB stick in my EX490 (DDR2 PC2-6400), and put another of the same in my EX487. As long as your memory is DDR2 PC2-5300 or PC2-6400 it should work.

Here's what I put in mine, although it's showing as out of stock: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6820220525

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Matt Sawyer
Owner, Dojo North Software, LLC

HP EX490, 4GB, E5300, 15TB - Server 2012 - Sharing and Streaming
HP EX487, 4GB, E5300, 13TB - Server 2012 Essentials - Backups

I am grateful for your explanations. I guess you are right. I have put back old RAm and it turned on again. Please advise which is the best one to put. If you have experience is it possible to upgrade to more then 4gb ram. Also another question about CPU. Is it possible to upgrade CPU and what would you recommend. Please advice.

I would RMA the stick of RAM you bought, as it's probably bad. However, double-check it to be sure it's the correct type and speed. The EX48x and EX49x handle DDR2 PC2-6400 just fine--my EX487 and EX490 have it. Technically speaking, I think the fastest they operate is PC2-5300, so the 6400 will run at the 5300 speed. So as long as your Kingston meets those specs, it should work. And if you've verified it's indeed the correct type, and it still doesn't work after re-seating it in the memory socket, then an RMA is in order, and you should get a replacement stick. The Patriot memory I have in mine was out of stock yesterday, but it's in stock today. That I know works.

As for the processor, just search the forums here--CPUs are discussed ad nauseum. I personally am running Intel E5300s in both my EX487 and EX490. I am very happy with this dual core processor. It's just a hair better than the E5200, however, and so I'm guessing you're probably hankering for quad core performance. And quad core you shall have--the EX49x series handles a variety of quad cores just fine. Many folks here run them, so it's really a matter of what you're willing to spend. Fellow member erail has a Q9400S in his EX490 so you can put some pretty meaty processors in there.

The EX47x, EX48x and EX49x are all 64-bit Servers, even with the stock processors. You can install WHS 2011 on them, and getting WHS 2011 installed on a MediaSmart Server without a debug cable is also a featured topic here: http://www.mediasmartserver.net/2010/04 ... rt-server/

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Matt Sawyer
Owner, Dojo North Software, LLC

HP EX490, 4GB, E5300, 15TB - Server 2012 - Sharing and Streaming
HP EX487, 4GB, E5300, 13TB - Server 2012 Essentials - Backups

Thank you so much for comprehensive explanation. Highly appreciated. I run EX495. Just ordered new DDR2 4gb from Partiot. Hoping all will work out. Also bought WHS 2011 64 bit. Will follow instructions you proposed. Highly appreciate your help. Please advice on CPU which one would be fastest to run on EX 495? If you know please advice. Price not so important.

well probably the biggest baddest cpu probably would be the q9550s.
Good luck finding one at any price.
I was able to find on ebay a q9450s.
After about a year.

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Ruben named the two that would likely be the fastest for you. If you google Q9550s you'll find plenty of shopping hits--all over $300 USD. So if you want the absolute fastest capable processor, prepare to open your wallet wide.

You can probably go with a bit slower processor--I doubt a few fractions of a gigahertz will perform badly.

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Matt Sawyer
Owner, Dojo North Software, LLC

HP EX490, 4GB, E5300, 15TB - Server 2012 - Sharing and Streaming
HP EX487, 4GB, E5300, 13TB - Server 2012 Essentials - Backups

you can google them all day but when you get down to ordering one you will find that most don't actually have one in stock.
I was seeing prices upwards of 600 usd for the very few that had one in stock. And they really did not have one in stock
I finally settled on the q9450s, it is a oddball chip and does not appear on the intel database.
By luck I found a used one on ebay. Around 200 usd.
I was worried that it was a scam since I could not find any info on the chip but it works just fine. And as specified by the vendor.

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Amazon's got them in stock -- the item says "only 16 left in stock" so as far as I'm concerned, that's a lot.

$369.95 is the going price. The actual seller is Mega Micro Devices and they have a solid (4.9/5 stars, 296 ratings), so if you choose to go this route, they sound like a reputable vendor.

Link to the processor: http://www.amazon.com/Intel-Processor-2 ... B0012WDMNC
Feedback: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aag/main?ie=UT ... W&isPopup=

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Matt Sawyer
Owner, Dojo North Software, LLC

HP EX490, 4GB, E5300, 15TB - Server 2012 - Sharing and Streaming
HP EX487, 4GB, E5300, 13TB - Server 2012 Essentials - Backups

Just laced an order for CPU you kindly advised. Hoping all will work out. Will keep you posted. Also about installation of brand new Windows server 2011. What you think if I connect external DVD drive into my mediasmart server and put original Windows Home server 2011 in it will it install?

Yes, but you will need the debug cable to install via an external USB DVD drive. Otherwise you will need to go with the blind, unattended install.

Cable info: viewtopic.php?t=8066

Unattended install: http://www.mediasmartserver.net/2010/04 ... rt-server/

Note that while the instructions refer to Vail and beta, they work just fine for WHS 2011 RTM. I've done the unattended install and it worked just fine, but now I also have debug cables on both my EX487 and EX490 and that just makes life a whole lot easier.

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Matt Sawyer
Owner, Dojo North Software, LLC

HP EX490, 4GB, E5300, 15TB - Server 2012 - Sharing and Streaming
HP EX487, 4GB, E5300, 13TB - Server 2012 Essentials - Backups

I hate to say this but that cpu is a q9550 not a q9550s.
Meaning it is rated for 95w instead of 65w.
Since you already ordered it.
Hope you don't have temp issues.

Good Luck!

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AnyDvD
MyMovies