Spec me: Low power, home server

[Deleted User 298457]

I currently run an Intel Pentium E5200 - and was surprised to learn it uses a hell of a lot of power (169w idle, 216w under load) - and is also slow as hell.

I am looking therefore to build a new home server, with a more server grade orientation - possibly running a VM of PFsense so I can retire my router as well.

What do people recommend? Will an Intel atom have the grunt? This server struggles streaming HD content (gigabit network) and transcoding on the fly.

Any help appreciated, as always.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

HP Microserver is less powerful than what I have now.

I am considering something like an Intel G620?

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Sorry, updated Op.

It seems I may have took an all guns blazing approach to this, and I wouldn't be able to recoup any benefits from upgrading.

I may just throw some extra RAM in and change the system drive to a smaller disk, or even an SSD.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

CPU may be the bottleneck, but in all fairness a dual core E5200 should still cope.

Maybe the lack of RAM is what's killing it - I believe it had 2 gb, but it's only showing up as 1gb. A stick may have failed or come lose.

The PS3 Media Server and Serviio both use Java which is pretty intensive so maybe why.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

You missed this thread then?

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18216324

You missed the posts above?

An E5200 shouldn't use that much power, unless you have a beefy GPU too? I set up a few HTPCs a year or two ago with an E5200 and a GA-E7AUM-DS2H board - with a cheapo fairly accurate watt meter it was taking a max of around 45 watts from the wall, maybe a bit less - I can't remember exactly, but certainly less than 50.

If your power supply is old, then old PSUs can become very inefficient over time - this could be a sign that it's dying.

It's an E5200 (although CPUZ shows it as a Xeon??), with 2GB DDR3 (which windows registers as 1gb..??) and 6 1TB HDD's. I'm not 100% it's taking that power, it's just that is what I have seen on review websites for this particular chip.

If it's less than 50 I am happy, and will just work on swapping out the faulty drives (2 have bad sector warnings through SMART) and putting another stick of RAM in. The mobo isn't really made for this purpose and the SATA card im using I bought for flashing xbox drives so may not be that great either.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

I have a more sensible home server in the attic, lol.

Those HP's draw so much power and noise that I am looking to get shot of them!

Home server I may bite the bullet and build a new rig in the future, or at least change the hard drives to 3tb drives now that they're coming down in price (3tb 7200rpm seagates seem good value)