Question: What are my options for adding additional drives to the Workgroup Server 8550?
Answer: The workgroup server 8550 has four bays for drives. All 8550s come with a CDðROM in the top bay (bay number one), a Floppy drive in the bay beneath that (bay number two) , and a Hard Drive in the bottom bay (bay number four). The third bay down can be filled with a DAT drive depending upon the configuration purchased.
Question: What is special about the bracket that is included in the full height bay at the bottom of the Computer?
Answer: The bottom bay (bay number four) is a full height bay with special hard drive bracket (p/n 922-2253) mounted inside it. This mounting bracket has an additional fan to keep the drive(s) cool. Adding an additional "low profile (1" high") drive to this bracket does not require a mounting tray, only a screw kit to keep the drive secure.
Note: 922-2253 can be installed into an 8500 or an 8100.
+---------------+
[ bay 1 ]
[ CD-ROM ]
[ ------------- ]
[ bay 2 ]
[ Floppy ]
[ ------------- ]
[ bay 3 ]
[ Empty/DAT ]
[ ]
[ ------------- ]
[ bay 4 ]
[ HD ]
[ with part# ]
[ 922-2253 ]
+ ------------- +
Question: Does Apple officially support the installation of 1/2 height drives in the hard drive bracket assembly in the Workgroup Server 8550? I am asking because I want to add a second hard drive; not replace the original drive.
Answer: No, Apple will not officially support the installation of half-height hard drives in the Workgroup Server 8550. The special hard drive bracket (p/n 922-2253) will only support the addition of a "low profile (1" high") drive.
NOTE: Even though it may be possible to physically fit a half-height hard drive in the special hard drive bracket (p/n 922-2253), the screw holes which mount the drive to the bracket will not match up. If you do somehow manage to install this type of drive, Apple will not support its use in your Workgroup Server 8550.