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Can anyone tell me if I can use an standard 1 TB SATA HDD on a Dell Poweredge SC1420?

Let's say this one: http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=61389&CatId=2459

or can you point me where to get a SATA HDD for this kind of server?

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2 Answers 2

Dell's documentation for the model (check their web site, I've not used Dell but I know HP have a good repository of documentation of even old servers so Dell may have too) - server specs usually list recommended upgrade parts and if a 1TB SATA model is listed for this machine then chances are that any 1TB model will work.

More useful information to look for is what I/O controller (or motherboard chipset) that machine uses: you can use that information to lookup the official specs for the board/chipset and see what drives it has been tested against. Again you will find this information somewhere in Dell's documentation, or failing that you can open the machine and see if it is written anywhere obvious (it will be on the board somewhere, and some server manufacturers include a basic spec list on the inside of the case).

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  1. Dell's PowerEdge SC1420 spec sheet indicates that this model shipped with either a SCSI controller or a SATA controller. Which controller do you have?

  2. Given that you are obviously working on a very low-budget project, I would recommend Aventis Systems as a source for used Dell server hard drives.

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