Travel straight back to 2008 and the pinnacle of enterprise workstation engineering with an authentic, heavy-metal classic: an original HP xw4550 Workstation Tower running its factory-original Windows XP Professional installation!

Having the original factory operating system installation makes this workstation exceptionally desirable for collectors, archivists, and retro enthusiasts: all proprietary Hewlett-Packard AMD 780G/SB700 workstation chipset drivers, dual-DVI graphics acceleration, audio codecs, and specialized I/O controllers are completely native and fully configured out of the box—with zero missing driver yellow exclamation marks!

Built like a tank in HP's heavy-gauge industrial steel chassis featuring front vertical airflow slats, toolless green service latches, and dual rear exhaust fans, the xw4550 was designed for 24/7 mission-critical stability. Powered by an authentic enterprise-grade Dual-Core AMD Opteron Processor 1214 running at 2.19GHz (Socket AM2, Santa Ana architecture, 2x 1MB L2 cache), 3.00 GB of DDR2 RAM (with Physical Address Extension active), and an internal 160GB SATA hard drive (148 GB formatted NTFS C: partition with over 70.7 GB of free space), this machine boots cleanly and swiftly into an authentic installation of Microsoft Windows XP Professional (Version 2002, Service Pack 3) complete with the iconic Bliss desktop wallpaper!

For retro PC gamers, vintage hardware collectors, and archivists, an authentic bare-metal Windows XP machine powered by server-grade Opteron silicon is an extraordinary platform for late-90s through late-2000s classics that run into DRM blocks (SafeDisc/SecuROM), 16-bit installer bugs, scaling issues, or audio driver incompatibilities on Windows 10/11. Backed by a dedicated dual-DVI PCIe graphics card, it effortlessly runs era-defining blockbusters like Half-Life 2, The Sims 2, World of Warcraft, Far Cry, Doom 3, Unreal Tournament 2004, Civilization IV, Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, StarCraft, Warcraft III, Age of Empires II, and Quake 4.

This machine is equipped with exceptional media and expansion hardware:

• An upper LightScribe DVD±RW / CD-RW multi-burner optical drive with direct laser disc labeling technology

• A rare secondary LG Super Multi Blue HD DVD-ROM / Blu-ray Disc optical combo drive (an incredible format-war rarity for vintage HD video collectors)

• Open 3.5" external drive bay ready for an optional floppy drive or media reader

• Front convenience panel featuring two USB 2.0 ports, a 6-pin IEEE 1394 FireWire port, and 3.5mm microphone/headphone jacks

• A dedicated PCIe dual-DVI graphics card (ready for high-res dual-monitor digital setups or passive DVI-to-VGA conversion for vintage CRT gaming)

• A dedicated PCI FireWire expansion card providing dual rear 6-pin IEEE 1394 ports (perfect for legacy camcorders, audio interfaces, and external storage)

• Comprehensive motherboard rear I/O: 6 USB 2.0 ports, gigabit Ethernet networking, dual PS/2 legacy ports for vintage keyboards and mice, RS-232 serial COM port, analog VGA, digital DVI, and 3.5mm analog audio jacks

Key Specifications & Retro Hardware Details

• Brand: Hewlett-Packard (HP)

• Model: HP xw4550 Workstation (Serial Tag: 2UA8330MQG)

• Form Factor: Heavy-Duty Convertible Minitower Workstation Chassis with Toolless Side Access

• Processor (CPU): Dual-Core AMD Opteron Processor 1214 @ 2.19 GHz (Socket AM2, 2 Cores / 2 Threads, 2MB Total L2 Cache, Physical Address Extension)

• Installed Memory (RAM): 3.00 GB DDR2 SDRAM

• Storage (HDD): 160 GB Class SATA Hard Drive (148 GB formatted NTFS C: capacity with ~70.7 GB free space)

• Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Professional (Version 2002, Service Pack 3, Original Factory Installation with all drivers configured)

• Graphics: Dedicated PCI Express Workstation Graphics Card with Dual DVI-I Digital/Analog Outputs

• Motherboard Video (Disabled when GPU active): 1 x 15-Pin Analog VGA Output & 1 x DVI Output

• Optical Drives Installed:

  • Upper Drive: 5.25" Tray-Loading LightScribe DVD±RW / CD-Writer

  • Lower Drive: 5.25" Tray-Loading LG Super Multi Blue HD DVD-ROM / Blu-ray Disc Combo Drive

• Expansion Bays: 1 x Open 3.5" External Bay & Open Internal 3.5" Drive Bays

• Front Access Console:

  • 2 x Front-Facing High-Speed USB 2.0 Ports

  • 1 x 6-Pin IEEE 1394 FireWire Port

  • 3.5mm Headphone Out & Microphone In Audio Jacks

  • Power Button with Status Indicator LED and Hard Drive Activity Light

• Rear I/O Connectivity:

  • Dedicated GPU: 2 x DVI-I Video Monitor Outputs

  • Dedicated FireWire Card: 2 x 6-Pin IEEE 1394 FireWire Ports

  • 6 x High-Speed USB 2.0 Ports

  • 1 x RJ-45 Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000 Network LAN Jack

  • 1 x 9-Pin RS-232 Serial COM Port

  • 2 x 3.5mm Audio Jacks (Audio In, Audio Out)

  • Standard 3-Prong AC Power Inlet with Heavy-Duty Internal Workstation Power Supply

• Case Badges: Original factory AMD Opteron 64 and Windows Vista case badges intact on front fascia

Condition Notes

• Functional Condition: 100% bench-tested and fully operational. Boots cleanly and swiftly into its original factory installation of Windows XP Professional SP3 with all native workstation drivers verified. The AMD Opteron 1214 dual-core processor runs cool and rock-solid, all 3GB of RAM test healthy, and the 160GB hard drive reads and writes cleanly with a healthy partition. Front and rear USB ports respond promptly, both optical drives (LightScribe DVD-RW and LG Blu-ray/HD DVD combo) actuate smoothly, cooling fans spin freely, and the dedicated graphics card outputs a sharp, rock-solid dual-display signal.

• Cosmetic Condition: Great vintage condition overall. The rugged industrial steel chassis, silver side casing, and black front ventilation grille are structurally rock-solid with no missing case feet, broken doors, or cracked plastic. Shows light, normal cosmetic surface marks and faint shelf wear consistent with professional studio/office use and vintage age. Original front badges, embossed HP emblem, and rear serial barcode label (2UA8330MQG) remain intact and legible. Please review the high-resolution photos for an exact look at physical condition.

What's Included

• HP xw4550 Workstation Desktop PC (Complete with AMD Opteron CPU, 3GB RAM, 160GB HDD, dual optical drives including LG HD DVD/Blu-ray, dedicated dual-DVI GPU, and FireWire card)

• Standard Heavy-Duty AC Power Cable

• Note: The external NEC monitor and video cables shown in testing photos are for demonstration purposes only and are NOT included.

Professional Packaging & Shipping Notice

Enterprise workstation towers house heavy-gauge steel framing, dense heatsinks, mechanical drives, and multiple expansion cards that require superior transit protection. This machine will be wrapped securely in anti-static ESD shielding, cushioned generously with multiple thick layers of heavy-duty bubble padding, and boxed inside a rigid, double-walled container to guarantee safe delivery directly to your retro workbench.