Need specs for first build home server please

bobmann · 15 Aug 2008 at 14:30

Hey OcUkers, I'm about to build my first home server and will use it primarily as storage for large files like music, films, backups etc., it will connect to the PC in my room via my router.

My budget is max. £170 (cheap as chips I know!) and the components don't need to be high tech as the server will just sit there and store/receive/backup files.

These are my requirements>>>

Need to buy:
===========
*Motherboard - ATX with 3xPCI/PCI-e slots if possible; inbuilt audio; >3USB ports; RAID1; SATA connectors (an IDE if possible)
*CPU, heatsink + fan
*RAM - min. 512mb DDRx
*Case (Tower) - needs to hold at least 6-8 internal 3.5" hard disks
*PSU - >400w, I think, due to so many hard disks, with at least 6-8 molex connectors
*Graphics/Network card - might not need this if it's inbuilt on the mobo (wireless not necessary)
*Fans - I'm not sure which size or how many
*PCI/PCI-e Connector card for IDE drives - I have at least 4 PATA HDs that would need connecting to the mobo

What I DON'T need:
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*Hard disks
*Monitor
*Mouse/keyboard
*CD-ROM/DVD-ROM or any other external drives
*Operating System (will most probably be using windows home server)

Any help would be great, thanks!

Pilky01 · 15 Aug 2008 at 14:34

CLAIMED

I have nothing usefull to say i just wanted to do that.

bobmann · 15 Aug 2008 at 16:41

Huh qwerty?

Katoom · 15 Aug 2008 at 18:28

Your his puppy now.

Chris_83 · 15 Aug 2008 at 18:33

Do you really need 3 PCI/PCI-E slots? If not then the new Intel Atom based boards would be ideal. I've got a home server running on the older D201GLY2 ( Celeron 220 ) and it performs great for the same type of usage as you want ( serving media ).

bobmann · 15 Aug 2008 at 21:30

Chris_83 said:
Do you really need 3 PCI/PCI-E slots? If not then the new Intel Atom based boards would be ideal. I've got a home server running on the older D201GLY2 ( Celeron 220 ) and it performs great for the same type of usage as you want ( serving media ).

I'd love to have at least 2 PCI-e slots and 1 standard PCI slot. I guess the more slots the better, you never know what additional things you may want installing down the line.

Half the HDDs I have are PATAs so I will need to purchase an IDE connector card to get them to connect to the mobo. Alternately, I could a few of those IDE to SATA individual bridge chips that connect directly on to the back of each HDD, however I'm not sure how effective/reliable they are.

I was thinking of going with a cheap Intel dual core, as for the other components I'm still uncertain

.