hp z800 motherboard versions v1, v2, v3

[radu3]

Hi!

Although this might look odd to you, I'm still interested in hp z800s (mostly in Westmere versions).

I'm a little confused regarding the motherboards (dubbed from now on as MBs) versions, mainly because I've just found 4 different versions (shown bellow). (The first one I own; the second and the third one, I can buy at a really nice price; the 4th I've just found while documenting for this question)

Can you please tell me, which is version 1, version 2 and/or the elusive version3 (if it's present in my list)?

A. SP #591182-001 AS #460838-003; "Rev. 11"; "PCB REV1.02" is printed on the MB

B. SP #691182-001 AS #460838-003; "Rev. 1L" **; "PCB REV1.02" is printed on the MB

C. SP #576202-001 AS #460838-002; "Rev. 0H"; "PCB REV1.02" is printed on the MB

D. AS #460838-001 (I don't have any other details on this MB, but I noticed in some threads that is version 1)

Notes: the "Rev ..." is printed on the paper label on the MB; the second MB has the revision "Rev. 1L", L as in Los Angeles.

Please give just a simple response (e.g. AS#..-003 is vX and so on), we'll have the discussions/additions/comments latter on this thread.

Thank you!

PS: I believe (I'm not sure) that A is version 2 or 3 (boot block date should/might be 11/10/2009) and C and D are version 1 (boot block date should/might be 01/30/2009), at least this is how they appears in some other threads

PPS: it would be really nice if @SDH, @DGroves and @Dan_WGBU could confirm these things. I know you guys, have recommended looking for the boot block date, but I thought just looking at the AS# might be easier/faster.

[DGroves · Accepted solution]

you are missing some important understanding on how to ID z800 motherboards

the z800 board revisions are not really attached to the 1.xx board number in regards to processor support

this was determined by the bios bootblock date (and the board white AS# label) which indicated that the board either had or did not have a updated intel 5520 chipset

 Bios 01/30/09 is a rev 1 Intel® Nehalem Architecture (5500 Series Xeon)
and 11/10/09 is a rev 2 Intel® Westmere Architecture (5600 Series Xeon) board that also supports the 5500

the updated intel 5520 chipset  allowed the 55xx/56xx series of cpu's to work reliably

and the white HP label that shows "AS#60838 003 will also determine the board revision 

001/002 is rev1 and 003 indicates rev2 with the updated intel 5520 chipset

the 1.xx numbering is incremented when any major or minor changes are done to the original 1.0 board release

and i'm aware of only 3 board revisions 1.00 1.02 1.03

the  xx part covers minor changes and the first number is incremented on major board changes

these changes can be a change to the board traces or a board part change

HP reworked some later z800 5520 chipset 1.02 boards to the revised chipset as such the boot block date is the defining way to id if the board is a rev2 that supports 55 and 56 series of cpu's or the AS# label pasted on the board above the silkscreened board revision if it's still attached will also id if the board is rev 1 or 2, again 003 is rev 2 board with 55xx/56xx cpu support

HP uses different numbers to id a z800 board depending on which HP division (IBM was notorious for this)

which is why the board has two different number sequences one is a internal number the other is the HP spares part number