http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CC-000-LL&groupid=701&catid=49&subcat= looks like a good option if you're wanting raid 5. I've not seen it before so I have no idea if its good, but that price seems reasonable.
Good Cheap Server - HP Proliant Microserver 4 BAY - OWNERS THREAD
- Thread starter dragonuk
- Start date
Soldato
Nice post mikeh501. Is 2GB RAM a minimum that W7 runs on at a decent pace? I've not bothered buying any more ram as I was going to install FreeNAS but for the price I'm tempted to grab a new set just in case I change my mind in the future.
I'd assume it would run with 1gb of RAM, but as with anything; the more the better. I've got 4gb in mine currently and it runs nicely. I never tested it with the original 1gb in it.
Soldato
Win7 does run remarkably well on 1GB of RAM, unlike Vista.
You're always better off with more memory though.
You're always better off with more memory though.
Associate
For whoever it was running VortexBox on their HP, 1.7 has been released on the 30th, which contains native DVD ripping. Going to install that on mine for the time being until I've got all my DVD\CD's ripped.
Soldato
Might grab some ram then whilst it's cheap! Is it possible to run 2 Raid1 under Freenas?
Associate
Yes - it was me running vortexbox 1.6 now 1.7
Not sure why more people dont give it a try!
Its free
Takes only a few minutes to download.
Takes only a few minutes to install.
Based on the latest Fedora 14 release (should be able to raid if required)
Backs up Cd's to MP3 (160Kbits/s to 320Kbits/s - you decide) and / or FLAC + ALAC (Apple lossless) mirroring.
DVD's to MKV in record time.
Auto installs folders for music, video, photo etc.
It works!!!
See:
http://vortexbox.org/
Not sure why more people dont give it a try!
Its free
Takes only a few minutes to download.
Takes only a few minutes to install.
Based on the latest Fedora 14 release (should be able to raid if required)
Backs up Cd's to MP3 (160Kbits/s to 320Kbits/s - you decide) and / or FLAC + ALAC (Apple lossless) mirroring.
DVD's to MKV in record time.
Auto installs folders for music, video, photo etc.
It works!!!
See:
http://vortexbox.org/
Associate
I was hoping a ubuntu setup from a usb key would be pretty straight forward. Sadly, so far it's not going that way!
I've not used linux, but used to all the time, so I really want a linux based setup so I can drop into it ever now and then and relearn it for other light server duties. I don't mind messing around with stuff *after* I've got my raid 5 array and I can store stuff on it
I've not used linux, but used to all the time, so I really want a linux based setup so I can drop into it ever now and then and relearn it for other light server duties. I don't mind messing around with stuff *after* I've got my raid 5 array and I can store stuff on it
Associate
What are you having problems with? I intend to install Ubuntu on USB memory stick when mine gets delivered.
There is something not cool about mine at the moment. I'm in the process of copying 4.8gb from one folder to another on the raid array (the SAME raid array, just a different folder) and it's going at 3.83mb/s! That doesn't seem right to me
Thr drives are mirrored, but I still expected it to be quicker than that! I also copied 700GB from a USB drive and it took about 72 hours at like 9mb/s.
Thr drives are mirrored, but I still expected it to be quicker than that! I also copied 700GB from a USB drive and it took about 72 hours at like 9mb/s.
Last edited:
Associate
What are my options of getting sound out of this box? for HTPC use.
I understand that I can put in a low profile graphics card with hdmi out (inc sound). But what if I just wanted to connect it to my pc monitor using VGA?
I cannot seem to find any low profile pcie 1x sound cards?
I understand that I can put in a low profile graphics card with hdmi out (inc sound). But what if I just wanted to connect it to my pc monitor using VGA?
I cannot seem to find any low profile pcie 1x sound cards?
Soldato
I do not think a gfx card with hdmi/sound will work, as normally you have to connect the sound to the gfx card.
Since this is a server there is no sound hardware on board you would need to get a discrete sound card, failing to find a lo-pro sound card, you could get a USB one though the sound would not be as good as onboard/dedicated
Kimbie
Since this is a server there is no sound hardware on board you would need to get a discrete sound card, failing to find a lo-pro sound card, you could get a USB one though the sound would not be as good as onboard/dedicated
Kimbie
There is something not cool about mine at the moment. I'm in the process of copying 4.8gb from one folder to another on the raid array (the SAME raid array, just a different folder) and it's going at 3.83mb/s! That doesn't seem right to me
Thr drives are mirrored, but I still expected it to be quicker than that! I also copied 700GB from a USB drive and it took about 72 hours at like 9mb/s.
It's definately not happy lol. I'm getting near 90Mb per sec on a network.
Hi,
Well I am am very pleased with my Microserver....
Running it with 1gb RAM and FreeNAS 0.7.2 running off a USB key. Currently have a zfs 3 disk striped pool with several datasets setup including compression on one.
So far, during my testing, the server's performance has been impressive considering the limited power on offer. Very happy with it and the only strain it is showing is with memory and when using the zfs compressed dataset - both expected consequences of running zfs and compression.
Have ordered 4Gb of ECC RAM and some 2Tb disks to assist with the memory hungry zfs and also to create a zfs RAID10 pool. May think about a raidz1 array but want to check how much the parity calcs affect the CPU.
Running an NFS mount and then backing up using rsync from a linux desktop to an uncompressed zfs dataset I am getting about 65MB/Sec throughput which I am happy with.
Thought I would try backing up the Microserver to an eSata zfs pool and have used both rsync and zfs send/recv. Have stuck with rsync as zfs send/recv seems to not let you stop halfway through
.
Using zfs iostat I seem to be getting 7MB/Sec via eSata to the gzip-9 compressed pool whilst CPU is pegged at 50% and above peaking regularly at 100% (which is to be expected).
So all in all a very worthwhile piece of kit - may even get another at this price to use with ESXi or similar.
A bit rambling but thought it may be of some use to someone sometime.........
Thanks
Si_
Well I am am very pleased with my Microserver....
Running it with 1gb RAM and FreeNAS 0.7.2 running off a USB key. Currently have a zfs 3 disk striped pool with several datasets setup including compression on one.
So far, during my testing, the server's performance has been impressive considering the limited power on offer. Very happy with it and the only strain it is showing is with memory and when using the zfs compressed dataset - both expected consequences of running zfs and compression.
Have ordered 4Gb of ECC RAM and some 2Tb disks to assist with the memory hungry zfs and also to create a zfs RAID10 pool. May think about a raidz1 array but want to check how much the parity calcs affect the CPU.
Running an NFS mount and then backing up using rsync from a linux desktop to an uncompressed zfs dataset I am getting about 65MB/Sec throughput which I am happy with.
Thought I would try backing up the Microserver to an eSata zfs pool and have used both rsync and zfs send/recv. Have stuck with rsync as zfs send/recv seems to not let you stop halfway through
. Using zfs iostat I seem to be getting 7MB/Sec via eSata to the gzip-9 compressed pool whilst CPU is pegged at 50% and above peaking regularly at 100% (which is to be expected).
So all in all a very worthwhile piece of kit - may even get another at this price to use with ESXi or similar.
A bit rambling but thought it may be of some use to someone sometime.........
Thanks
Si_
Associate
Ok, the good news, getting it to boot to a useable enviroment works very well using the pen drive method someone else linked to in here.
The issue has been progressing past that, and setting up the RAID. It's been a while since I've used any of this stuff so it's all a PITA, but it's magnified by the very specific way you have to go about using the USB key version.
For example, most guides for ubuntu raid just say 'don't worry, use the really cool setup program in the installer!. Sadly this is only included in the 'alternate' install disc, which doesn't seem to work correctly with the pen drive boot solution I'm using.
So now I'm messing about using the pen drive install, trying to get these drives setup properly. However I'm not being filled with confidence atm, for example, messing around with some of the disc tools has caused the whole gui to fall over. I think I'm gonna spend another day or so trying to get it to work, and then just throw in the towel. It's a shame, but I just can't bring myself to throw away any more time on it (real shame as I would've loved to spend weeks messing with it back in my uni days!).
Associate
^ Good to hear about those speeds.
I will have to think about sound then, I have a Popcorn NMT player but was hoping I could do away with it altogether by putting in a low profile graphics card and getting sound out to my basic dell monitor speaker bar somehow. It would mean one less device turned on.
Is there a difference is gigabyte switches? At the moment I'm using a very old speedtouch Be modem so I would need to buy a gigabyte switch:
TP-Link 5 Port 10/100/1000 Desktop Switch
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=NW-011-TP
Will this be good enough in throughput say compared to a Netgear 5 port switch?
I would still need my wireless bebox for the laptops/mobiles in the house. Am I right in thinking that I just need to plug my bebox into the new switch and my wireless would continue to work as it does now? I would then connect my desktop, and this server to the switch using cable.
I will have to think about sound then, I have a Popcorn NMT player but was hoping I could do away with it altogether by putting in a low profile graphics card and getting sound out to my basic dell monitor speaker bar somehow. It would mean one less device turned on.
Is there a difference is gigabyte switches? At the moment I'm using a very old speedtouch Be modem so I would need to buy a gigabyte switch:
TP-Link 5 Port 10/100/1000 Desktop Switch
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=NW-011-TP
Will this be good enough in throughput say compared to a Netgear 5 port switch?
I would still need my wireless bebox for the laptops/mobiles in the house. Am I right in thinking that I just need to plug my bebox into the new switch and my wireless would continue to work as it does now? I would then connect my desktop, and this server to the switch using cable.
Hi AtomicBanana,
RAID on Ubuntu is a bit of a pain (well certainly a release or so ago) and was not as intuitive as it could be. Compared to setting the same thing up on CenOS which used LVM2 it was much more work.
CenOS is definitely worth a look as LVM2 is much easier to get up and running and is pretty reliable.
Si_
RAID on Ubuntu is a bit of a pain (well certainly a release or so ago) and was not as intuitive as it could be. Compared to setting the same thing up on CenOS which used LVM2 it was much more work.
CenOS is definitely worth a look as LVM2 is much easier to get up and running and is pretty reliable.
Si_
Associate
Ok, I may have cracked it. Seems to be building my RAID 5 array now with 4 x 2TB drives. Looks like it's going to take over 13 hours though. Hope it flippin' works afterwards 
There are still a few wierd things I will want to fix, but I may soon withdraw my earlier complaints.
There are still a few wierd things I will want to fix, but I may soon withdraw my earlier complaints.
Ok, I may have cracked it. Seems to be building my RAID 5 array now with 4 x 2TB drives. Looks like it's going to take over 13 hours though. Hope it flippin' works afterwards
Snap,'just kicked mine off shows 7% after about 40mins of plugging away (ewsi / freenas)
As I goto sleep freenas is showing 44meg sec across 3'drives and temps stable at 30oc. Could do with pushing some more ram to it and tweaking some of the sus variables but should be done by morning!.