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

[_SBradley_]

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

Pretty sure he meant a regular SATA cable. You'd only need to mess with eSATA if you wanted to connect six drives. I'm assuming that the guy who originally posed the question is installing an OS on one of the five 2 TB drives (or running something like FreeNAS from a USB stick). (I wouldn't install an OS on a storage drive: I prefer to keep my data separate from my OS. But that's personal preference. )

So, the (regular) SATA cable needs to be routed from the motherboard up to the top bay.

As for the BIOS, read back a few posts; I posted a link yesterday to the hacked BIOS that'll enable AHCI mode on the 5th & 6th SATA ports.

EDIT: The SATA cable needs to be right-angled at one end. (I think it's a "right" right-angle, to avoid hitting the battery? Better check that; I forget which way is right and which left! ) Also, 50 cm is the perfect length. (Shorter won't reach.)

 

[rp2000]

Pretty sure he meant a regular SATA cable. You'd only need to mess with eSATA if you wanted to connect six drives. I'm assuming that the guy who originally posed the question is installing an OS on one of the five 2 TB drives (or running something like FreeNAS from a USB stick). (I wouldn't install an OS on a storage drive: I prefer to keep my data separate from my OS. But that's personal preference. )

So, the (regular) SATA cable needs to be routed from the motherboard up to the top bay.

As for the BIOS, read back a few posts; I posted a link yesterday to the hacked BIOS that'll enable AHCI mode on the 5th & 6th SATA ports.

EDIT: The SATA cable needs to be right-angled at one end. (I think it's a "right" right-angle, to avoid hitting the battery? Better check that; I forget which way is right and which left! ) Also, 50 cm is the perfect length. (Shorter won't reach.)

Yep, I was confused!!! Editted my original post now, to avoid any confusion.


rp2000

 

[Rensin]

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

cheers mate, i guess i have some reading to do

Is there not a 5.25" bracket that will hold the Silverstone SDP08? ... there is a member over at avforum that looks to have the same bracket installed.

Also the drives i plan on putting into the micro server alreadys has backups & movies on the drives, am i able to install these in WHS without formatting? ( i will not be setting up any RAID)

 

[Dynix]

Thanks guys.

I did indeed plan on putting Windows/an OS onto one of the storage drives, which, now I think about it, isn't the best thing to do. So perhaps 4x 2TB drives + 1 250GB OS drive (it comes with a 250GB which I could keep for the OS) would be the better set up.

Is it possible to house the 6th drive / eSATA within the server itself, allowing for 6 internal drives? If this was the case, I'd then go for a 5x 2TB + 1x 250GB OS set up.

I've swapped the graphics for the 6450 - thanks for spotting the offer rp2000! - and added some right-angled SATA cables (60cm) and the SATA-to-Molex cable.

Just need to make sure I have everything I need before I buy it all!

 

[_SBradley_]

So perhaps 4x 2TB drives + 1 250GB OS drive (it comes with a 250GB which I could keep for the OS) would be the better set up.

That's what I've done (twice: I use a second MicroServer to back up the first ).

Is it possible to house the 6th drive / eSATA within the server itself, allowing for 6 internal drives? If this was the case, I'd then go for a 5x 2TB + 1x 250GB OS set up.

Possible, yes. One guy did just that here:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/networking-nas/1429720-tims-7-24tb-tiddler-unraid-nas.html

Just need to make sure I have everything I need before I buy it all!

I think you've got everything covered.

 

[[RB]]

Thanks guys.

Is it possible to house the 6th drive / eSATA within the server itself, allowing for 6 internal drives? If this was the case, I'd then go for a 5x 2TB + 1x 250GB OS set up.

This is what I have at the moment.

The fifth drive sits in the ODD bay and the sixth is rested on top of the fifth, raised with some rubber grommets.

I'd take a picture to show but it's buried under my stairs at the moment

 

[Dynix]

Many thanks to everyone - I've ordered all the bits and just put Windows 2008 onto a bootable USB, so hopefully it'll be up and running tomorrow!

[RB]: Is your 6th drive a 2.5" or 3.5"? I've only planned for 5 drives but I'll probably add the 6th just to give it a bit extra

 

[[RB]]

Many thanks to everyone - I've ordered all the bits and just put Windows 2008 onto a bootable USB, so hopefully it'll be up and running tomorrow!

[RB]: Is your 6th drive a 2.5" or 3.5"? I've only planned for 5 drives but I'll probably add the 6th just to give it a bit extra

It's 3.5" - a tight squeeze for sure and it's not actually secured to anything substantial (the rubber pads hold it in place)

I'm sure you could make something to hold the drive more securely but as the server isn't going anywhere I was prepared to take the risk.

 

[rp2000]

Many thanks to everyone - I've ordered all the bits and just put Windows 2008 onto a bootable USB, so hopefully it'll be up and running tomorrow!

[RB]: Is your 6th drive a 2.5" or 3.5"? I've only planned for 5 drives but I'll probably add the 6th just to give it a bit extra

The product pictured here will do what you want with 3.5" drives. i forget the name of it but it is somewhere in this thread.

rp2000

 

[[RB]]

The product pictured here will do what you want with 3.5" drives. i forget the name of it but it is somewhere in this thread.

rp2000

Cheers rp,

When I looked last time I couldn't find any stock.

There do seem to be 3 alternatives that all do the same job:


[1]Feser Silent Arrow
[2]Noise Blocker NB-X-Swing
[3]Nexus DoubleTwin


The silent arrow I can only find in the states, X-Swing seems to be discontinued and the Nexus seems to be in stock so I've ordered one.

Will report back on if it fits!

 

[Dynix]

All of my bits have arrived!

I've got all the harddrives caged up, but I'm having real problems getting the two motherboard screws out. Any trick to it? They seem to be thumb screens as I can't get a screwdriver in there, but they won't budge!

 

[_SBradley_]

I've got all the harddrives caged up, but I'm having real problems getting the two motherboard screws out. Any trick to it? They seem to be thumb screens as I can't get a screwdriver in there, but they won't budge!

Use the big end of the allen key you (presumably) used to install the hard drives into their "cages".

 

[jamesfreddie]

Use the big end of the allen key you (presumably) used to install the hard drives into their "cages".

As above.

They come out of the factory quite tight.

If you do a 1/4 turn then you should be able to do them with your hands.

 

[Dynix]

Mine doesn't seem to come with an allen key! The only things in the box were the unit itself, 2 power cables, manual/installation instructions, keys and a CD. I secured the harddrives with the regular screws they came with!

I've also noticed the harddrive it came with has star-screws, with no tools to unscrew it also (presumbly, the missing allen key!). Not that much of a bother, but I was going to house the storage drives at the bottom then have the OS at the top.

Think I might have to nip out and get a cheap pair of pliers!

 

[jamesfreddie]

Mine doesn't seem to come with an allen key! The only things in the box were the unit itself, 2 power cables, manual/installation instructions, keys and a CD. I secured the harddrives with the regular screws they came with!

I've also noticed the harddrive it came with has star-screws, with no tools to unscrew it also (presumbly, the missing allen key!). Not that much of a bother, but I was going to house the storage drives at the bottom then have the OS at the top.

Think I might have to nip out and get a cheap pair of pliers!

Have you checked the door of the unit?

 

[_SBradley_]

Have you checked the door of the unit?

I'm guessing he hasn't. In/on the inside of the door:

• Star-screws for all HDDs
• Star-screws for the ODD bay
• Star-headed allen key

 

[Dynix]

Have you checked the door of the unit?

I'm guessing he hasn't. In/on the inside of the door:

• Star-screws for all HDDs
• Star-screws for the ODD bay
• Star-headed allen key

Awkward..

I saw that earlier as well! Will finish up the build when I'm home soon. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, just ripped the boxes apart thinking I'd lost the allen key!

 

[Rensin]

i have just set my micro server up for first time and have connected to my monitor via a VGA (server) to HDMI (monitor) cable but my monitor won't pick any signal up.

Monitor is BenQ G2420HDBL ... anyone any ideas?

 

[jamesfreddie]

i have just set my micro server up for first time and have connected to my monitor via a VGA (server) to HDMI (monitor) cable but my monitor won't pick any signal up.

Monitor is BenQ G2420HDBL ... anyone any ideas?

So you are using a VGA to HDMI cable?

 

[Rensin]

So you are using a VGA to HDMI cable?

yes