Adding Second Processor to Dell Precision T5600 Workstation

[cdalgard]

I have an extra Dell Precision T5600 workstation that was sent to us with only 1 Xeon E5-2620 installed. It has a Dell factory heatsink tower on it. The second socket is open and I want to install another Xeon E5-2620 before deploying it to a lab. Can I do this without Dell support? Can I just purchase a second processor and an aftermarker Socket 2011 heatsink and fan at a retailer and install this? Thanks in advance!

 

[mfenn]

Can you? Yes.
Will Dell support you after the fact? No.

A couple of things to note:
- You'll want to get the Dell heatsink for the second CPU. It's designed to work with the existing cooling in the case and not screw up the airflow.
- You'll need to add/move some RAM over to the second socket in order for it to boot with that CPU.

 

[cdalgard]

Thanks mfenn. It looks like the Dell heatsink is $190 new at a 3rd party. Thus the total upgrade would be $470. The system currently has 4x2GB RDIMMs. Do you know if I can add 4x4GB to the other 4 slots? to make it 24GB total? Or do I have to have it balanced with 2GB RDIMMs only?

 

[mfenn]

I believe that both CPUs need to have the same memory configuration. What you could do is to buy 4x4GB, then set it up this way on both CPUs:

Slot 0 4GB
Slot 1 4GB
Slot 2 2GB
Slot 3 2GB