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- Joined
- 19 Nov 2011
- Posts
- 151
Hi all.
ok so I've been considering this for a while now and researching some parts etc. Maybe while time has passed some parts have now been surpassed/improved.
I want to replace my small HTPC (a regular Dell GX760) which can only use an external 3.5" hdd docking station due to its small case holding only 1 drive inside.
I was at first looking at the HP ProLiant Microserver N40L but I can foresee that being filled up pretty quickly with existing drives (and would be costly replacing current drives for larger 3tb drives at current hdd prices), not to mention its comparatively slow processor. So I decided something bigger is the order of the day, and read that some guys have made decent 20 bay nas's using Antec 1200 cases and some 5 in 3 case adapters. Currently there are primarily 8 or 9 mixed size hdds in use, hotswapping in the port.
Most of my hdds are movie media, with a mix of movies, and lots of family video content and photos (of which I'd be slaughtered if I lost and currently have no real backup solution). As its mostly media/mass storage then a lot of the time most of the hdds will be spundown, as generally only a couple of drives would be in access at any time. So in order of backups I've been reading that I could set up FlexRaid and add a 3tb drive (or 2) to be a parity drive(s ). backing up the movies isn't entirely essential (tho a bonus) but making a decent backup of our home movies and photos etc is.
Now at the same time I'd considered a gaming rig, but I cannot afford/justify/permission-from-she-who-wears-the-trousers, to buy another full setup, as I don't game much these days (been years since was heavy on the PC games - relegating the PC to point n click adventures)....
....however as i'm spending a few hundred on this rig, then it wouldn't matter so much (she wouldnt notice so much
), upping the CPU speed and sticking in a GTX 570 card, and being able to do a spot of gaming on the 55" new TV downstairs once in a while (maybe try out 3d too)
Soooooo.....basically I'm looking at an Antec 1200 case, will begin with running around 10 drives to begin with, but then as need to increase drives, will buy the 5.25" 5 in 3 3.5" hdd caddies, eventually hitting a 20 drive limit.
How do these specs sound to you?
Antec 1200 v3 case http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-165-AN £149.99
Asus P8Z68-V gen 3 motherboard (6 sata ports to get me started) http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-493-AS £144.98
i7 2600k Retail (stock fans probably to start as don't plan to OC for a while - might change mind on this - just not looked into recent options) http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-358-IN £239.99
8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600MHz ram http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-299-CS £39.98
750W OCZ ZS psu http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-057-OC £72.98
Crucial RealSSD M4 64GB (OS drive) http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-008-CR £87.98
MSI 1280MB MSI GTX 570 http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-112-MS £269.99
Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 SATA expansion card (to add 8 more sata connections) £84.32
3Ware CBL-SFF8087OCF-1.0M, SFF-8087 forward breakout cable £10.19
total price around the region of £1100
That to begin with would give me initially up to 12 hdds (13 including the SSD), with room to add more later by adding an extra SAS card and getting the bay adapters.
Does this spec match up or have I got anything wrong/missing do you know?
Thanks guys,
Tuck
ok so I've been considering this for a while now and researching some parts etc. Maybe while time has passed some parts have now been surpassed/improved.
I want to replace my small HTPC (a regular Dell GX760) which can only use an external 3.5" hdd docking station due to its small case holding only 1 drive inside.
I was at first looking at the HP ProLiant Microserver N40L but I can foresee that being filled up pretty quickly with existing drives (and would be costly replacing current drives for larger 3tb drives at current hdd prices), not to mention its comparatively slow processor. So I decided something bigger is the order of the day, and read that some guys have made decent 20 bay nas's using Antec 1200 cases and some 5 in 3 case adapters. Currently there are primarily 8 or 9 mixed size hdds in use, hotswapping in the port.
Most of my hdds are movie media, with a mix of movies, and lots of family video content and photos (of which I'd be slaughtered if I lost and currently have no real backup solution). As its mostly media/mass storage then a lot of the time most of the hdds will be spundown, as generally only a couple of drives would be in access at any time. So in order of backups I've been reading that I could set up FlexRaid and add a 3tb drive (or 2) to be a parity drive(s ). backing up the movies isn't entirely essential (tho a bonus) but making a decent backup of our home movies and photos etc is.
Now at the same time I'd considered a gaming rig, but I cannot afford/justify/permission-from-she-who-wears-the-trousers, to buy another full setup, as I don't game much these days (been years since was heavy on the PC games - relegating the PC to point n click adventures)....
....however as i'm spending a few hundred on this rig, then it wouldn't matter so much (she wouldnt notice so much
), upping the CPU speed and sticking in a GTX 570 card, and being able to do a spot of gaming on the 55" new TV downstairs once in a while (maybe try out 3d too)Soooooo.....basically I'm looking at an Antec 1200 case, will begin with running around 10 drives to begin with, but then as need to increase drives, will buy the 5.25" 5 in 3 3.5" hdd caddies, eventually hitting a 20 drive limit.
How do these specs sound to you?
Antec 1200 v3 case http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-165-AN £149.99
Asus P8Z68-V gen 3 motherboard (6 sata ports to get me started) http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-493-AS £144.98
i7 2600k Retail (stock fans probably to start as don't plan to OC for a while - might change mind on this - just not looked into recent options) http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-358-IN £239.99
8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600MHz ram http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MY-299-CS £39.98
750W OCZ ZS psu http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CA-057-OC £72.98
Crucial RealSSD M4 64GB (OS drive) http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-008-CR £87.98
MSI 1280MB MSI GTX 570 http://overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=GX-112-MS £269.99
Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 SATA expansion card (to add 8 more sata connections) £84.32
3Ware CBL-SFF8087OCF-1.0M, SFF-8087 forward breakout cable £10.19
total price around the region of £1100
That to begin with would give me initially up to 12 hdds (13 including the SSD), with room to add more later by adding an extra SAS card and getting the bay adapters.
Does this spec match up or have I got anything wrong/missing do you know?
Thanks guys,
Tuck