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I recently purchased a HP Proliant ML310e off PCNation.com as it seemed like a great deal. Come to find out, when I go to open up the case and install HDDs, the system is equiped with a hot-plug/hot-swap cage. As a bone head move, I already purchased 2 500GB SATA WD-Blue's (WD5000AAKX) drives not thinking of the workserver having a cage. I called HP and they are telling me I need to purchase their HDDs because the Gen8 uses a shorter HDD than aftermarkets. Does anyone know if I can still use these drives and purchase trays? Or does WD or Seagate make a HDD with a tray that will fit the Porliant ML310e? Any help provided is appreciated.

Sad thing is- I am doing this as favor for my father in law and would hate to tell him I messed up....

I am no IT but a lil tech savy. Thanks again.

David A
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    you may want to provide the part number for the cage in your server - there are different versions. – Alex P. Mar 22 '13 at 00:54

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HP does not manufacture hard drives. There are no "shorter than aftermarkets" drives. But HP use 2 form factors - LFF ("large" AKA 3.5") and SFF ("small" AKA 2.5"). So if the hot-swap cage in your server is SFF - you will not be able to use the WD5000AAKX (which are 3.5").

If you don't care about hot-swap - the least expensive option would be to remove the optical drive and install something like this into the 5.25" bays.

3-in-2 drive cage

Alex P.
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The ML310e comes with a couple variations, but in terms of their drive cages they either hold 4x LFF or 8x SFF drives. The LFF size just means they are compatible with the "large" standard 3.5" SATA/SAS drive. The SFF size refers to 2.5" 9.5mm tall SATA/SAS drives.

If you're purchasing for a SFF cage then it's the drive height (9.5mm) that is important, as there are taller (and shorter) standards for 2.5" drives. There are many manufacturers that provide drives in these various heights though.

Once you have the drives you can install them using either non-hotswap drive trays, or hotswap drive trays. The trays can installed and removed from the drive. You likely received these with the server, but there is a chance you'll need to purchase them separately (if the server came with "blanks", which occupy a drive space but can't actually hold a drive).

STW
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What HP p/n was your ML310e? I bought one and also bought WD RE4 SATA (3.5") drives to go in it. When I opened the case the "cage" had 4 caddies in it (only one had a drive in). All I needed to do was unscrew the blanking plates in each empty caddy and then screw one of my new drives in, then put the caddy back in the "cage". No need to purchase anything else from HP.

Not only that but the "HP" drive supplied was none other than a WD RE4 as well!

george
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