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

[Essexraptor]

This is exactly how I am looking to set mine up, but I did have a concern, having never setup up a server or raid before..

Is there a vulnerability having the OS on the separate 250gb drive. If that went down, would you lose the integrity of the software raid drives by needing a new OS drive and fresh install?

Also, would a raid card be better than relying on WHS software, and if so what recommendations for this server?

Make regular back ups of the config file to an external destination and you can bring OS back to a useable state quickly if you have to reinstall. Of course you should have a robust backup plan in place to protect your data as with all servers. Many make the mistake of not doing this until it's too late.

Many arguements for and against a dedicated RAID card. But I don't see the point of putting a raid card into this unit if it costs 2 - 3 times as much as the MicroServer??. Many people do..... but if your that dedicated... why have you not gone for something with a bit more more beef, like a ML 100, in the first place??

 

[Freakbro]

Make regular back ups of the config file to an external destination and you can bring OS back to a useable state quickly if you have to reinstall. Of course you should have a robust backup plan in place to protect your data as with all servers. Many make the mistake of not doing this until it's too late.

That sounds ok. I just don't want to lose the TB's of video on the raid disks for something like the OS drive going down.

As for backing up the data in the raid, isnt that what the raid is for? I can hardly back up 'x' TB of video..

Many arguements for and against a dedicated RAID card. But I don't see the point of putting a raid card into this unit if it costs 2 - 3 times as much as the MicroServer??. Many people do..... but if your that dedicated... why have you not gone for something with a bit more more beef, like a ML 100, in the first place??

I'm not that dedicated at all, just going to use it for media streaming to the main TV via a WDTV live.

If a raid card costs that much, I wouldn't be interested.

 

[Essexraptor]

If you lose a drive you can replace it and the array will rebuild (dependent on type of RAID) .... it's just that if you have a large array this can take an awfully long time

If the whole array goes down... you lose the lot

I'm relatively new to this server thing but only just last week I had a drive in my RAID 5 go t*** up. No media streaming because I have no replacement drive at the mo
the performance is downgraded and actually trips out every few minutes as it tries to reset itself. Therefore useless. However I do have the media/data etc backed up on several external drives so I'm not overdully concerned. If I had no back up it would take me days, weeks months..... to replace it all if the array will not rebuild or another drive goes

 

[cottoneye]

I wonder if someone can help please, I want to replace the supplied seagate drive which I use as an OS/Apps disk to an SSD alternative. I've read that the port on the motherboard is pata not sata. Is there a way to update this, firmware/bios update? Also anyone using an SSD?

 

[jamesfreddie]

I wonder if someone can help please, I want to replace the supplied seagate drive which I use as an OS/Apps disk to an SSD alternative. I've read that the port on the motherboard is pata not sata. Is there a way to update this, firmware/bios update? Also anyone using an SSD?

There is a SATA port on the board.

You can just connect a SSD to that.

Where did you hear there was a PATA port?

 

[bremen1874]

There is a SATA port on the board.

You can just connect a SSD to that.

Where did you hear there was a PATA port?

Could be confusion between PATA and IDE mode SATA.

 

[cottoneye]

There is a SATA port on the board.

You can just connect a SSD to that.

Where did you hear there was a PATA port?

Apologies, I thought I read that the "green" additional sata connection was running at pata speeds

Could be confusion between PATA and IDE mode SATA.

I thought it was running slower and needed a hacked bios or something.

I'll just install the SSD if that's not the case, thanks!

 

[_SBradley_]

The port on the motherboard is a SATA port (port 4 (zero-based; the main drive bays are SATA 0-3)), but, unless you patch the BIOS, it will run in IDE mode. In other words, if you want to get the maximum performance from that port, you need a patch.

I'm using this patch by AVForums user "TheBay":

http://www.avforums.com/forums/netw...6l-microserver-updated-ahci-bios-support.html

Instructions are in that thread, but you basically set up a USB stick using the HP BIOS tool, replace the ROM file with the patched one, patch the BIOS, reboot, enter the BIOS, disable IDE mode, and reboot.

 

[Rensin]

Have just bought one of these microservers and i see some have converted the ODD bay to take a 3.5" drive using the IcyBox IB-168SK-B rack.

Would it be possible to also mount a Silverstone SDP08 bay converter inside the IcyBox rack & installing WHS 2011 on a 2.5" drive? ... if so:

what sort of cables would i need?
is it possible to install a PCI-E controller card (Lycom PE-103) and able to boot windows from?

Also i am waiting for ocuk to get stock of whs2011 so can i install whs and activate using purchased serial once arrived?

apologies for all the questions.

 

[Essexraptor]

Silverstone SDP08 bay converter inside the IcyBox rack = no

the connectors inside the icybox rack won't line up

have a look at this link

http://www.avforums.com/forums/networking-nas/1429720-tims-7-24tb-tiddler-unraid-nas.html

it's been posted many times in this thread ... but this thread is now so vast it takes days to plough through !!

Note the esata to sata option... which you could use AS WELL AS the Icydock as long as you have applied the Bios hack.

The Micro is fussy about which esata to sata cable it likes. Again buried in here is that info of working cables ... but I've lost the will to live at the moment... so you'll have to dive in and find that info yourself

 

[bigredshark]

What is the general experience of transcoding media on the microserver? Particularly I want to use airvideo to stream to my ipad when I'm away from home, it's not an efficient app being written in java (but the client is excellent and it does everything I need) and I've had trouble with an old core duo in the 1.8Ghz range that I used for testing. That's pointing me in the direction that the Microserver won't cut it CPU wise...anybody able to say differently?

 

[NoobieOCer]

I was wondering if it can decode 1080p, might wana use it as nas/htpc

 

[twe]

Yes I use it for decoding 1080p no problems and as a server to transcode to my ps3 and boxee box..... However a dedicated gpu and extra ram will help both.

 

[decmatt]

I was wondering if it can decode 1080p, might wana use it as nas/htpc

I decode 1080p to two PS3s and an ATV around the house perfectly, I remember only once when it buffered when all three where on, and that lasted for about 2 seconds.

If you are doing lots, you might as well upgrade to 8Gb RAM, at the current prices I see no reason why you wouldn't (Cost me £18 for 8Gb).

 

[bigredshark]

Yes I use it for decoding 1080p no problems and as a server to transcode to my ps3 and boxee box..... However a dedicated gpu and extra ram will help both.

I'm not sure it will in this case, it's being a horrible java CPU hog which is the issue here rather than memory and the software isn't, to my knowledge, written to take advantage of the GPU...

 

[rp2000]

What is the general experience of transcoding media on the microserver? Particularly I want to use airvideo to stream to my ipad when I'm away from home, it's not an efficient app being written in java (but the client is excellent and it does everything I need) and I've had trouble with an old core duo in the 1.8Ghz range that I used for testing. That's pointing me in the direction that the Microserver won't cut it CPU wise...anybody able to say differently?

I use Plex Media Server and it seems to transcode OK to my SGS2 phone. The CPU goes to 100% sometimes, when transcoding, but I'm not excessivly concerned about it.

I notice when I access from a Mac (using the Plex client) the CPU usage is single figures, making me think it just streams instead of transcoding. I am guessing, depending on the client, it decides whether to stream or transcode (maybe dependent on codec support on client device?). Not tried with any IOS devices but there is a Plex client for IOS. I guess if you are accessing over the internet it will definitely transcode, for bandwidth reasons.

What software are people using to stream/transcode to PS3s? PS3 media Server?


rp2000

 

[Dynix]

Looking at picking one of these up (N40L) soon, so making a list of things to buy:

- HP ProLiant N40L
- Kingston 8GB RAM (2x4GB)
- MSI HD 5450 1GB Passively Cooled
- IcyBox IB-168SK-B
- Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB 5x

Some questions/queries:

1. From what I read, I'll need to flash the bios in order to be able to use a 5th drive. This will give 10TB usable space.
2. Will I need any additional cables to the above? I've read that I may need an eSATA-to-SATA cable for the 5th drive. Will I need an additional power cable for the 5th drive?

I think that's all. I'm planning on putting Windows Server 2008 on it and running various things off it!

Sorry if these things have already been answered. It's quite a huge thread.

 

[Si.]

I use Plex Media Server and it seems to transcode OK to my SGS2 phone. The CPU goes to 100% sometimes, when transcoding, but I'm not excessivly concerned about it.

I notice when I access from a Mac (using the Plex client) the CPU usage is single figures, making me think it just streams instead of transcoding. I am guessing, depending on the client, it decides whether to stream or transcode (maybe dependent on codec support on client device?). Not tried with any IOS devices but there is a Plex client for IOS. I guess if you are accessing over the internet it will definitely transcode, for bandwidth reasons.

What software are people using to stream/transcode to PS3s? PS3 media Server?


rp2000

I use plex as well and have no problems streaming to my iPad.

 

[jamesfreddie]

Looking at picking one of these up (N40L) soon, so making a list of things to buy:

- HP ProLiant N40L
- Kingston 8GB RAM (2x4GB)
- MSI HD 5450 1GB Passively Cooled
- IcyBox IB-168SK-B
- Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB 5x

Some questions/queries:

1. From what I read, I'll need to flash the bios in order to be able to use a 5th drive. This will give 10TB usable space.
2. Will I need any additional cables to the above? I've read that I may need an eSATA-to-SATA cable for the 5th drive. Will I need an additional power cable for the 5th drive?

I think that's all. I'm planning on putting Windows Server 2008 on it and running various things off it!

Sorry if these things have already been answered. It's quite a huge thread.

To get full speed from the internal SATA port you will need to flash the BIOS.

You will only need a SATA cable and Molex to SATA.

 

[rp2000]

Looking at picking one of these up (N40L) soon, so making a list of things to buy:

- HP ProLiant N40L
- Kingston 8GB RAM (2x4GB)
- MSI HD 5450 1GB Passively Cooled
- IcyBox IB-168SK-B
- Western Digital Caviar Green 2TB 5x

Some questions/queries:

1. From what I read, I'll need to flash the bios in order to be able to use a 5th drive. This will give 10TB usable space.
2. Will I need any additional cables to the above? I've read that I may need an eSATA-to-SATA cable for the 5th drive. Will I need an additional power cable for the 5th drive?

I think that's all. I'm planning on putting Windows Server 2008 on it and running various things off it!

Sorry if these things have already been answered. It's quite a huge thread.

As the guy above said, you just need a molex power to SATA power cable and a SATA cable.

Also I just noticed the

Asus HD 6450 SILENT EDITION 1024MB GDDR3 Low Profile PCI-Express Graphics Card @ £29.99 inc VAT

Weekly special. I don't know a great deal about this or your GPU but for £30 I just ordered this one from OcUK. I guess it is a higher spec than the one you want but don't know if that is wasted on this box or not. £6 price difference.


rp2000