Home server advice

Blue407

Blue407

Blue407

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2 Aug 2011
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Hi Guys

I've started a thread in cases to help identify an existing case I have ready for a new project - see below.

I have an existing Dell Optiplex 740 tower as my current home server running Windows 2008 64-bit server. It has 3 x 2TB SATA drives plus 2 x 1.5Tb Buffalo USB2 external drives all containing my collection of DVD's and HD-DVD's/Blu-Ray's (Copied at full resolution and quality)

This PC has 8gb RAM, AMD x2 processor, basic DVI graphics card, GB network card, Additional 4-port SATA PCI card, std 305w PSU etc.

I have now run out of capacity for additional drives (Hence the external USB drives!)
I have 2 additional 2TB SATA drives I would like to mount internally and am considering taking the Buffalo external drives apart to mount to there HDD's also in the case to benefit from proper SATA speed rather than SATA->USB speed!

Assuming the case I mentioned above is suitable to re-use, as I see it I have the following options:-

1. Take the existing Dell PC apart and put the motherboard, CPU, RAM etc into the spare Antec case. I appreciate the card slots won't fit as they are the opposite way around but I could just bodge the motherboard in there as its not like I need to connect a keyboard, mouse, monitor once its built.
This would give me around 10 3.5" HDD bays to use - so more than enough expansion. Thats assuming that the PSU from the Dell would be suitable?
And that the case fans and other connections wold be compatible?

2. Purchase a new motherboard, CPU and PSU for the above case and build up a new server using as many existing components as possible. Any suggestions for this hardware?

The main purpose of this server is just to act as a NAS, but with the added manageability of permissions etc that Windows offers over traditional low cost NAS boxes. So HDD speed and network performance is the main criterior as their will be no software running locally on the server.
I have 3 Windows 7 WMC PC's around the home, all getting their movies from this server over a Gb switched network. In addition 2 laptops are also able to access movies over the wireless LAN.


Any advice/suggestions/comments?

Money is an issue as I would like to keep any additional expenditure as low as possible.
 
stulid said:
Is this what it looks like inside the dell?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lampywilf/2310816978/
Click to expand...

Pretty much.
I appreciate the motherboard is the mirror-image of a std ATX, but as I mentioned its a server, so I wouldn't mind bodging the board in there and accepting I have to take the top off to plug in a monitor etc. (Not ideal I know :( )

Depends really how cheaply I could source a reasonable motherboard/CPU combo instead....

I have loads of spare components hanging around at work, but not motherboards or CPU as they are all Dell!
 
You can get a new board/ram and CPU for about £100,

Your basketProduct Name Qty Price Line Total
AMD Athlon II X2 Dual Core 250 3.00GHz (Socket AM3) - Retail £43.99
(£36.66) £43.99
(£36.66)
Asus M4N68T-M LE NForce 630a (Socket AM3) DDR3 Motherboard £34.98
(£29.15) £34.98
(£29.15)
Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-10666C9 1333MHz Dual Channel Kit (BL2KIT25664BA1339) £19.99
(£16.66) £19.99
(£16.66)
Sub Total : £82.47
Shipping cost assumes delivery to UK Mainland with:
DPD Next Day Parcel
(This can be changed during checkout) Shipping : £8.75
VAT is being charged at 20.00% VAT : £18.24
Total : £109.46

Even less if you use a sempron - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-272-AM&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=1942

Theres four SATA ports and one IDE port, putting a IDE on to the same cable as a optical IDE drive will slow the IDE harddrive right down, so consider that too.

Or find a ATX second hand board for your current CPU and RAM.
 
Last edited:
stulid said:
You can get a new board/ram and CPU for about £100,

Your basketProduct Name Qty Price Line Total
AMD Athlon II X2 Dual Core 250 3.00GHz (Socket AM3) - Retail £43.99
(£36.66) £43.99
(£36.66)
Asus M4N68T-M LE NForce 630a (Socket AM3) DDR3 Motherboard £34.98
(£29.15) £34.98
(£29.15)
Crucial Ballistix Sport 4GB (2x2GB) DDR3 PC3-10666C9 1333MHz Dual Channel Kit (BL2KIT25664BA1339) £19.99
(£16.66) £19.99
(£16.66)
Sub Total : £82.47
Shipping cost assumes delivery to UK Mainland with:
DPD Next Day Parcel
(This can be changed during checkout) Shipping : £8.75
VAT is being charged at 20.00% VAT : £18.24
Total : £109.46

Even less if you use a sempron - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-272-AM&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=1942

Or find a ATX second hand board for your current CPU and RAM.
Click to expand...

All new to me, I have gotten so out of touch just buying pre-built Dell's at work ;)

Whats the Sempron like for performance? and what motherboard would you recommend for that (That allows unlocking of 2nd core)?

Expect will also need a new PSU as existing one was for P4 motherboard and also doesn't have any SATA power connectors.


I also guess I will need a reasonable qty of expansion slots as I will need extra SATA cards for more HDD's.
Is it therefore worth sticking with full size ATX, rather than a smaller one?
 
Last edited:
stulid said:
The sempron is the slowest of the slow.

This unlocks cores - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-028-AK&groupid=701&catid=1903&subcat=1948

But core unlocking is not guaranteed.
Click to expand...

I will double check what processor is in existing Dell and as suggested, maybe get new full sized ATX motherboard that is compatible with the processor and RAM.

I will respond back once I know more and will also be asking for advice on suitable PSU.

Thanks for your assistance :)
 
You will need to find out how many SATA and 4pin molex connectors you realistically want for a new PSU.
 
UPDATE:

Dell spec says its an AMD x2 54 processor

Alternatively I could use a spare Optiplex 760, which has an Intel Core 2 Duo E7500 at 2.93Ghz.

Thoughts?
and which new full size ATX motherboards are compatible? (Will need CPU heatsink/fan etc as existing ones are passive)
 
stulid said:
You will need to find out how many SATA and 4pin molex connectors you realistically want for a new PSU.
Click to expand...

I can obv split them (assuming the PSU can take the load!)

Existing drives are mainly 2Tb 'green' drives, don't know what power they consume though...
 
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