Compaq iPAQ SFF.

BoomAM · 22 Feb 2006 at 16:36

Hi.
Someone mentioned the 'Compaq iPAQ SFFs' in another thread.
How loud are they, and can they be silenced?

I take it that a P3 1000/128Mb/20Gb would be enough for a basic file server?

a1ex2001 · 22 Feb 2006 at 16:54

should be fine, you may want a bit more ram and possibly a pair of bigger disks for raid but both SDRAM and IDE drives are pretty cheap. P3's don't produce much heat so you should be able to quiet the beast down a bit not sure on that particular PC though.

Will · 22 Feb 2006 at 18:17

I have one, only a Celeron 700 version mind. Its as close to silent as I've heard any PC...1x92mm fan in the PSU is the only fan in there, and it must either be temperature controlled or run very slowly as it makes hardly any noise. Mine will eventually find use as a server for a Squeezebox. Really can't emphasise how quiet mine is (thats why I bought it - near silence, powerful enough a system for my needs, and very cheap s/h off ebay).

Cody · 22 Feb 2006 at 19:30

There is only room for 1 hard drive so raid is not possible

. I have one that used to be my main pc whist having trouble with my ZPC64, it's a lot quieter than this - I sometimes have to turn the TV up to hear it and it sometimes keeps me awake whilst it's folding through the night.

I bought mine from ebay as I liked the look of it - upgraded the memory to 512Mb then bought another and swapped the processor into the case that was in better condition.

One strange thing is that although the memory fails Memtest 86 I think I have only ever had 3 blue screens with it and I didn't have another PC to look the error codes to see if it was the memory.

BoomAM · 22 Feb 2006 at 21:46

What sort of expansion options would i have with one?
mem/hdd/processor/pci/ect;

Thanks.

Cody · 23 Feb 2006 at 08:06

http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/10638_na/10638_na.HTML

http://h18003.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/10832_div/10832_div.HTML

BoomAM · 23 Feb 2006 at 14:52

Thanks.
It doesnt seem to be listed on that page, but i take it that any standard size HDD can be installed as the primary (and only) HDD in the system?

Will · 23 Feb 2006 at 17:48

Yup, standard IDE hard drive (got an 80GB Seagate in mine, don't need any more space as all iwill do is is sit running Windows 2000 and Slimserver).

CD-ROM drive is laptop style.

BoomAM · 23 Feb 2006 at 23:36

The price that they are is a steel.

Are the ports USB1 or USB2?

Are there similar systems to these around as well?

Will · 24 Feb 2006 at 01:12

Its USB 1.0, bit of a pain as USB2.0 would allow you to run an external drive for storage - you can do it with USB 1.0 but its slow as anything (12Mbps, where as USB 2.0 is 480Mbps).

There are no PCI slots so you can't plonk in a USB 2.0 card either...upgradability on them is strictly limited so make sure it'll do what you want it to from the off. No AGP either, onboard graphics. Mine requires both USB keyboard and mouse as well - no PS2 (some are legacy free, some aren't!).

Oh, to disassemble them you need a star bit key! Just thought I'd mention it, save you end up buying one and the necessary extra bits (RAM, HDD etc) and then (like me) finding you can't start to build/setup the thing cos you don't have the tools to get it open :rolleyes:

I'm unaware how similar systems compare, I think there are plenty of others out there though - I know Dell do an even smaller and much nicer looking SFF PC, which is P4 based, as the library at uni has them. Much more oomph hardware wise, but cost more as they're newer and possibly a tiny bit noisier.

BoomAM · 24 Feb 2006 at 01:23

Will said:
Oh, to disassemble them you need a star bit key!

Torx screwdriver.

The Dell ones we have at work. Theres a few of them around, but they dont half cost a lot, even if they are 2nd hand.