Good Cheap Server - HP Proliant Microserver 4 BAY - OWNERS THREAD

coughs · 28 Feb 2012 at 17:47

can this stream 1080p?

Matt_Hirst · 29 Feb 2012 at 12:35

Orderred some more memory and orderred the caddy, shame caddy wasn't available here.

Can't wait for them to come so I can get this built up.

Matt

decmatt · 29 Feb 2012 at 13:15

coughs said:
can this stream 1080p?

Yes.

twe · 29 Feb 2012 at 15:24

Which current graphics card do people recommend for this?
Not playing games on it, just xbmc connected to the tv and streaming to my network.

Also I have a spare copy of Windows 7 Home Edition, or should I just buy Windows Home Server Edition and use that?

Ezah · 29 Feb 2012 at 17:01

Not sure many people use it in that way, mine just sits on the network and streams to my HTPC and other devices directly, which therefore dont need any storage of their own (DLNA, or other PCs).

Interested to know what cards may fit it though

and I installed WHS.. it wasnt expensive and seemed more appropriate for the job.

twe · 29 Feb 2012 at 23:28

Cool. Hearing 6670 or a lower 6450 low profile will do the job, been reading up on the xbmc forums and avforums.... You can get fanless 6450's so am tempted with that to help keep noise down.....

I have a boxee, ps3 and a samsung tv that should be able to stream from the server but good to know xbmc on the actual box has been tested and works that way too.....

Ezah · 1 Mar 2012 at 03:16

FYI I have utorrent and Mezzmo DLNA client running perfectly on the box (w/WHS), but I didnt install XBMC to it.

Izi · 1 Mar 2012 at 06:11

Has cash back stopped for this now?

EvilFranky · 1 Mar 2012 at 09:34

This has undoubtedly been asked on this thread already but I don't fancy trawling through 111 pages just to find the answer

Can someone recommend a half decent, cheap, hardware RAID card that can be used for RAID5?

I was tempted to setup FreeNAS or similar and do software RAID but think this will be far too CPU intensive and I want to be running my own domain with a few VM's on it also.

K@rl · 1 Mar 2012 at 16:34

coughs said:
can this stream 1080p?

Streams 15gb MKV 1080 film without issue when running a 6450. played what ever I threw at mine.

Greg0986 · 1 Mar 2012 at 22:30

I have checked the cashback form and it says "Company name (cheque payable to):", but I am not purchasing this for a company, I am purchasing this for a myself. Do I just have to put my name in that section?

Cheers

TD24 · 1 Mar 2012 at 22:43

^i put in "N/A". Received my confirmation email today.

Si. · 2 Mar 2012 at 07:11

The Company Name is who the Cheque is made payable to, so you should just put your name in there.

twe · 2 Mar 2012 at 13:48

Offer extended again for this whole month.....

Anyway sent mine off today, just got my 6450 card and using a trial of windows server 2011 until my key gets posted. Weekend I shall get this up and running properly....
Not upgraded the RAM but will see as prices have gone up a bit in the last week.

Ezah · 2 Mar 2012 at 15:10

If you have the standard 1gb RAM you will need to upgrade it to install WHS.
I replaced my 1gb with a 2gb and it would then allow me to install WHS.

twe · 2 Mar 2012 at 15:32

I have the N40l so comes with 1 x 2GB stick as standard....

Bradmax57 · 2 Mar 2012 at 20:21

What sort of sustained data transfer speeds can you expect from this over a gigabit network?

rp2000 · 2 Mar 2012 at 21:22

Bradmax57 said:
What sort of sustained data transfer speeds can you expect from this over a gigabit network?

I have pushed around 90-100Megabytes/sec sustained. Just this machine on 1 end, another HP box at the other, small gigabit switch, 7200rpm Sata2 disks and Intel NICs in both machines. No tweaking or anything needed iirc.

rp2000

Bradmax57 · 2 Mar 2012 at 21:52

rp2000 said:
I have pushed around 90-100Megabytes/sec sustained. Just this machine on 1 end, another HP box at the other, small gigabit switch, 7200rpm Sata2 disks and Intel NICs in both machines. No tweaking or anything needed iirc.

rp2000

Thats not bad, ive currently got a itx h61 mobo with 620t cpu and 5400drives can get about the same as that, i just didnt like the case I had so am considering a microserver again as the the cashback offer seems to be never ending

about the cashback offer one place i notice offering it is selling it for £259 or so but theres another place selling it for 239 but not advertising the cashback. Both are big well known etailers and im sure both must be authorised hp agents. Hopefully they would accept it from either providing I can give a receipt?

Izi · 3 Mar 2012 at 07:58

twe said:
Offer extended again for this whole month.....

Anyway sent mine off today, just got my 6450 card and using a trial of windows server 2011 until my key gets posted. Weekend I shall get this up and running properly....
Not upgraded the RAM but will see as prices have gone up a bit in the last week.

What do I google to find this? I have found it on one site for £150 after cashback but not £112 like the original

EDIT: Just bought one from a website which sells servers direct. Because I can get the VAT back I only end up paying £85. Plus I get £7.50 cashback from quidco, bargain really.