always on pc with win pro 11

khushy

khushy

khushy

Associate
Joined
17 Jun 2006
Posts
619
hi - in our business, we use a very old windows database system that is absolutely FANTASTIC (for us) and we have been using it for over 30 years without any issues at all.

It's called cardbox and is a client/server type of DB - www.cardbox.com

Currently I have put the "server" on a virtual machine with a hosting company and a dedicated IP address and it all works perfectly and is quick enouygh over fibre BB too - but having looked at how I use it - it could just be used on a local/in-office machine that seves our office for our business www.kapz.com as i rarely use it away from KAPZ HQ!

I want to build/buy a dedicated machine just for cardbox that is always on - ideally windows 11 pro and it doesn't have to be hugely powerful - the server program is only 5mb lol

I have set up the server to do 3 x backups every day to dropbox - so a meltdown is never an issue either.

Is a Geek type device good enough - what else do I need to consider for an always on machine - or am I barking up the wrong tree?

Budget up to £500'ish!

THANKS ALL!
 
How about a really cheap HP Microserver from the Members Market. Designed to run 24/7 and not that big. Edit just seen not at 1000 posts for that area, sorry.

I think any small PC with decent airflow will be fine being on 24/7, my main PC has been on pretty much constantly since 2023 and that seems fine.
 
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khushy said:
thats kind of what I was thinking - it really is low stress - need to know which one is best for us - reliable and always on :-)
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They're great little things and not too bad price wise, you're kind of spoilt for choice now though, there's many awesome little mini-PC's around to choose from!
 
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Better to get one of the mini PCs from any of the big 3:
Dell Optiplex Micro, Lenovo Tiny, HP Mini

They are far more plentiful either new or used than NUCs or any of the Chinese mini PCs. so in the event of a failure, just can just buy another and swap the boot drive over.

Plenty of info here: https://www.servethehome.com/?s=TinyMiniMicro


We currently run over 100 of the HP Mini's at work (and have had Various generations from the original G1 right up to G9 and the latest G1i), many in 24/7 operation.
Over the last 10 years, I think we've made 4 warranty claims for them, and had to replace a handful of fans due to dust, but not bad for a total of probably 300 PCs over that space of time.
 
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24/7/365 NUC says fanless to me. The aren't many but they do exist.

Most aren't that fast but really it sounds like a SBC life a Raspberry Pi could handle this if it was x86 compatible. If this all is business critical, I'm not sure putting it on-site without some robust backup strategy is worse though.

Edit: the second last word should have been "wise" not "worse"!
 
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KompuKare said:
24/7/365 NUC says fanless to me. The aren't many but they do exist.

Most aren't that fast but really it sounds like a SBC life a Raspberry Pi could handle this if it was x86 compatible. If this all is business critical, I'm not sure putting it on-site without some robust backup strategy is worse though.
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I will search for a fanless nuc, by a reputable lol manufacturer - as for business critical . . . it is - but our tried/tested backup process, makes it pretty bomb proof! But I get what you are saying and it's a very important point - thanks!
 
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