PCI question

A guy I know has a Dell Poweredge 600sc. Simply he wants to put a PCI card in for an additional 4 usb's, and I thought this would be easy. Alas I am a little confused.

The slot looks like this:

[external image: Posted Image]

notice the notch at the front of the slot as opposed to the back? Why is this? Can anyone explain? I need to find out to get what card he needs.

Appreciated guys.

This is a question best asked of a Dell online tech support source.
(Note: You'll need the machines "service tag" number from the sticker on the outside of the tower case)

However, I "think" it is a relatively simple matter.
Those are (probably) PCI-X slots, capable of performance at 64-bit, 33-MHz
As compared to the older 32-bit, 33-MHz slot.

Any PCI USB Card "should" run from any of those three slots, but will be "dumbed down" to 32-bit, 33mHz due to limitations of that Dell motherboard.

Your question should be a fairly straight forward "yes/no" type solution that a Dell Tech Support person could respond to directly.

Here's some general information about PCI cards and slots:

http://www.pcauthority.com.au/review.aspx?CIaRID=555

Unfortunately, the PowerEdge 600SC has inherited some of the same problems as other low end Server machines. For example, its four 64-bit PCI slots also only run at 33MHz. This means adding truly high performance PCI peripherals to the system is somewhat futile, as theyll be bandwidth-limited by the motherboard.

http://www.interfacebus.com/Design_Connector_PCI.html

A Brief Description of the Peripheral Component Interface 'PCI' Bus

The Peripheral Component Interface 'PCI' Bus was originally developed as a local bus expansion for the PC (ISA) bus, and was coined the PCI Local Bus. The spec started as an add-on to the ISA form factor with the PCI requiring its own connectors. The PCI spec defines the Electrical requirements for the interface. No bus terminations are specified, the bus relies on signal reflection to achieve level threshold. The first version of the PCI bus ran at 33MHz with a 32 bit bus (133MBps), the current version runs at 66MHz with a 64 bit bus. The PCI bus operates either synchronously or asynchronously with the "mother Board bus rate. While operating asynchronously the bus will operate
at any frequency from 66MHz down to (and including) 0Hz. Flow control is added to allow the bus to operate with slower devices on the bus, allowing the bus to operate at their speed. PCI is an unterminated bus, the signal relay on signal reflections to attain there final value. The PCI specification has been port-ed to a number of other form factors. These include:

PCI: The original specification 'Peripheral Component Interface', @ Rev 2.2
PCI-X: The latest version 64 bits at 133MHz

And several more that don’t apply to your friend’s machine.

More "very general" background information about PCI, PCI-X, and PCIe here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PCI-X

Since any Card running in one of those slots will be "dumbed down", what your friend intends to connect via USB 2.0 "may" make a difference.

For instance, if it is only a Camera, Keyboard, Mouse, external CD-RW type device, the speed limitations should not make much difference.

However, if your friend is looking to add external Hard Drive(s) to serve a small to medium Network, speed limitations "may" be a factor, and your friend may be better advised to add an internal Hard Drive.

Bottom Line: Ask at Dell Tech Support.

Sorry I can't be directly of help with a definitive answer.

Best Regards

I think you misread my question or I did not make it clear enough the pci card will not physicaly fit in the slot at the bottom (cream one). the seperator is at the front!?!? and to my knowledge the seperator on a normal pci is at the back??? sorry I duno if I am confused over something simple. its for a usb modem, he isnt overly fussed on the speed he just wants it to work

You are right about the (apparently) basic (cream colored) PCI slot orientation. I'm looking at the ones in an open machine and they are exactly opposite in orientation, as you mentioned. Read a little more about the (green) PCI-X slots, you may be able to use one of them? I really don't know the answer to that, but PCI-X is supposed to be backward compatible even though longer in size. Edit: Ooops! The orientation on the Green slots is reversed too! That is a puzzle! Best Regards

Take a look at the actual PCI USB Card that your friend intends to use. I'm looking at a PCI card right now and it has "spaces" to accomodate separator slots at either end. hmmmm. I'll be interested to hear your eventual solution. best regards

this image:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt…=image&cd=3

may add some information, but doesn't resolve your decision making.

Seems the separator's location relates to the Voltage available or demanded by the related Card.

Back to my original suggestion.

This may best be asked of a Dell online Support Staff, familiar with this Server.

Sorry to have been so off-base with my understanding of your situation.

Best of luck to you.

Doug

Take a look at the actual PCI USB Card that your friend intends to use.
I'm looking at a PCI card right now and it has "spaces" to accomodate separator slots at either end.
hmmmm.

I'll be interested to hear your eventual solution.

best regards

it only has one at the back, I will have to look into finding one like you describe. (I just found a standard PCI like yours upstairs, weird stuff)