Good Cheap Server - HP Proliant Microserver 4 BAY - OWNERS THREAD
- Thread starter dragonuk
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I bought the Kingston KVR1333D3E9SK2/16G 16GB 1333MHz CL9 DDR3 ValueRAM ECC Memory Kit
@easyrider did you have to mod BIOS to get it to work or they just work straight out of the box? thanks!
Mine just arrived, but I want to upgrade to 16GB before starting to play with it
Mine just arrived, but I want to upgrade to 16GB before starting to play with it
Leavig the stock bios is a mistake imo
You want to get that internal SATA port AHCI enabled and move the HDD into the DVD bay.
Allowing for 4 x Storage drives.
Leavig the stock bios is a mistake imo
You want to get that internal SATA port AHCI enabled and move the HDD into the DVD bay.
Allowing for 4 x Storage drives.
I'm still running mine on the stock BIOS.
Nothing in the dvd hole, ssd as boot drive pair of 2tb wd reds and a 4th seagate coming tomorrow...
I wanted 4 x 4TBs from the off so I had no choice other than move the system drive upstairs to the DVD bay.
Definitely going to do it. Already have 256GB SSD to be used for datastore for VMs on ESXi and then going to use 2 x 2TB for storage for now. Looking to buy 2 x 3TB next month, to expand the storage capabilities.
Is anyone here running more than 4 drives? is it worth getting StarTech PEXESAT322I or similar card to have SATA 3? would this make a difference to the performance of VMs? loading times, etc?
Is anyone here running more than 4 drives? is it worth getting StarTech PEXESAT322I or similar card to have SATA 3? would this make a difference to the performance of VMs? loading times, etc?
Soldato
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- 14 Mar 2011
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I too keep flip-flopping about whether I'd want to give the ESXi stuff a go or not... I'd like to try it just because I enjoy tinkering and seeing how stuff like that is configured etc. but I'm not sure how much practical use I have for it really...
Also my N54L is still running on the 2Gb RAM it came with, which is below the minimum for ESXi so I'd have to buy more. A guy I know who also has an N54L has upgraded his RAM and offered to give me the 2Gb he took out for £10 or something, so I could do that - but I feel like 4Gb for VMs is probably still a bit low - What do you guys think? I was thinking I'd be better of just getting a 16Gb set if I'm serious about VMs.
Does anybody know if I have an existing install of unRAID on a USB drive in the N54L and I wanted to install ESXi instead but then still have an unRAID VM with my existing data-drives unharmed whether that would be possible? I'm pretty sure unRAID re-installs itself every time you power it on effectively and the data drives themselves store the necessary meta-information for it to understand the array so I guess it would just be a case of pointing it back at the existing data drives through an RDM?
Also my N54L is still running on the 2Gb RAM it came with, which is below the minimum for ESXi so I'd have to buy more. A guy I know who also has an N54L has upgraded his RAM and offered to give me the 2Gb he took out for £10 or something, so I could do that - but I feel like 4Gb for VMs is probably still a bit low - What do you guys think? I was thinking I'd be better of just getting a 16Gb set if I'm serious about VMs.
Does anybody know if I have an existing install of unRAID on a USB drive in the N54L and I wanted to install ESXi instead but then still have an unRAID VM with my existing data-drives unharmed whether that would be possible? I'm pretty sure unRAID re-installs itself every time you power it on effectively and the data drives themselves store the necessary meta-information for it to understand the array so I guess it would just be a case of pointing it back at the existing data drives through an RDM?
Associate
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Follow this guide http://simon-simonnaes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/installing-esxi-5-on-less-than-2gb-ram.html but read the comments first as the guy has one line incorrect. I got mine to install with the stock 2GB module. Since then I have stuck an SSD behind the HP logo, installed an 8GB stick upping me to 10GB. Planning on moving my 3TB's into it soon too.
Does anyone have any ideas where we can get the brackets that allow 2x 3.5" drives to be used in the DVD slot?
Soldato
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- 14 Mar 2011
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Cool guide, but I guess it's not that useful for hosting VMs with such a low amount of RAM? On the other hand I suppose unRAID seems to be pretty happy with very little RAM, so if I bought the other 2Gb stick from my friend I might be able to have an unRAID VM and a couple of others. From the other VMs I'd probably be most interested in:
1. A firewall VM and potentially something I can use to create 2 segregated networks at home i.e. mobile and guest devices that leave the house are effectively separated from the main network with the unRAID VM and my other main computers
2. Maybe a webserver to derp about with
3. If I eventually get a TV tuner into it it would be nice to have a go at a VM which runs TVheadend server or similar to provide streams to my TV
Anybody got any thoughts on that? I know the more RAM the better for VMs but could I get away with something like this if I had the 4gb?
Also does anyone have any experience running unRAID from within ESXi - anything I need to worry about/watch out for?
1. A firewall VM and potentially something I can use to create 2 segregated networks at home i.e. mobile and guest devices that leave the house are effectively separated from the main network with the unRAID VM and my other main computers
2. Maybe a webserver to derp about with
3. If I eventually get a TV tuner into it it would be nice to have a go at a VM which runs TVheadend server or similar to provide streams to my TV
Anybody got any thoughts on that? I know the more RAM the better for VMs but could I get away with something like this if I had the 4gb?
Also does anyone have any experience running unRAID from within ESXi - anything I need to worry about/watch out for?
Can anyone tell me if it's okay to mix 4TB drives in alongside existing 3TB drives on the N40L, using WHS 2011?
I've currently got four 3TB WD Reds filling up all the main bays, grouped using Stablebit DrivePool, and yet am still running out of room. I figure I can add a fifth drive up in the drive bay at the top, mounted above the stock drive used for the OS which came with the microserver.
I suppose I could then think about switching out that OS drive for an SSD one, and squeeze in a sixth storage drive.
After that, I suppose my only option is to replace the 3TB drives with 4TB ones (don't know what I do with the old 3TBs at that point), unless there's another way to expand storage.
Also, anyone know if the Nexus DoubleTwin HHD decoupling is in stock anywhere, or likely to be soon? Don't much fancy having to file down the fins on the Feser Silent Arrow in order for it to fit.
Desk
I've currently got four 3TB WD Reds filling up all the main bays, grouped using Stablebit DrivePool, and yet am still running out of room. I figure I can add a fifth drive up in the drive bay at the top, mounted above the stock drive used for the OS which came with the microserver.
I suppose I could then think about switching out that OS drive for an SSD one, and squeeze in a sixth storage drive.
After that, I suppose my only option is to replace the 3TB drives with 4TB ones (don't know what I do with the old 3TBs at that point), unless there's another way to expand storage.
Also, anyone know if the Nexus DoubleTwin HHD decoupling is in stock anywhere, or likely to be soon? Don't much fancy having to file down the fins on the Feser Silent Arrow in order for it to fit.
Desk
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Not sure about the N40L but I know on the N54L you can add a DAS box via the esata port on the back and with the modded bios you have a esata multiplier capable socket
Thats my next plan and having the Das as another pool or maybe add to the existing one.
Bloody hope so, I have a 60Gb SSD, 2x3tb Red's and I've just had a 4tb Seagate drop on my desk to stick in the last bay on my server so I'll have an answer for you in about 7 hours lol
I used folded paper, made an 'n' type fold and used tape to hold it in place.
I have this issue quite a lot, i swear blue lights are the bane of my life, since falling in love with the rich blue LED on the PS2, its spread to pretty much everything to the point that a small room can be lit on computer LED's alone
I think most of my hatred stems from the fact that Bloomin everything has blue LEDs in them, CPU coolers, fans, fan controllers, mobos etc. If you dont want blue LED's your left either having to disable them or pick inferior products because the manufacturers plaster their product full of the evil little things! It carries through to things like mobos with blue components (heatsinks, sata ports, ram sockets, PCI-E ports etc).
The HP light could warn passing ships at night, and im in Manchester!
yeah blue led are so passe these days. I remember when i was 16 computers had orange and red leds for power/hdd and just uncoloured lights for everything else.
i went to maplin and bought blue leds and replaced everything out wtih blue. was so bright it lit up the whole room.
Now i prefer if it was just projected onto a shell and didn't beam light everywhere
I thought it was limited to 8GB, or so it says on HP's site
Officially, yes it's limited to 8GB, unofficially people have had success with 16GB but it's worth noting that it can be a bit hit and miss as to whether it works. The Kingston sticks seem to have the best chance of working
I thought it was limited to 8GB, or so it says on HP's site
Yeah... But after some research I found out that the Kingston ram was the ram of choice for 16gb... I just didn't want yo have to open her up again so went for the max
it's working like a charm now...Mine arrived couple days ago, but didn't have enough RAM and SSD to do much with it. Now upgraded:
Note: This is running on modified BIOS, not sure if 16GB would work on stock. Bought same as easyrider, Kingston KVR1333D3E9SK2/16G for £119 (almost the same price as the server :/)
Note: This is running on modified BIOS, not sure if 16GB would work on stock. Bought same as easyrider, Kingston KVR1333D3E9SK2/16G for £119 (almost the same price as the server :/)
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