Hardware for a basic server

[w4rren]

Hi. I have decided to build a server to store my music and possibly some data backups.

I have read this thread http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=31072 (and the helpful website) with interest, but the case seems a little compact for my liking. I want a more conventional PC spec (standard mobo, fans, HDD’s), which will allow for future modifications etc.

Purely for aesthetics and fitting, I have chosen a HTPC type case but it will really just be running Linux with SlimServer. I’m not at all worried about TV etc. The Silverstone LC13 (possibly LC04?) seems to get good reviews and it appears to fit nicely inside my hi-fi cabinet.

If this is the case to go for, can anyone push me in the right direction of a decent motherboard / CPU / PSU? There are so many choices and to be honest, although I’ve searched, I’m still not really sure which suits my needs!

Thanks in advance, Warren

[bergek]

Just out of curiosity, why do you want to have a fan-based server in your stack of hi-fi equipment?

[w4rren]

That’s a good point, actually! I guess while reading through various small form factor builds people seem to have had lots of problems with fan-less builds and I know that should a ‘conventional’ unit not work as I hoped, I could still install XP, add a monitor and use it as a file server / spare PC.

So, fear, I suppose – do you think I have read too many scare stories? Is there really not much difference?

[JJZolx]

Yeah, those two little 60mm fans in the back of the case will be screamers. You might be able to put together a very silent system with quiet PSU and CPU fans, and a motherboard and video card that don't require fans, but ventilating that case is going to be loud.

What kind of expandibility are you looking for?

Does the system need to fit in your hi fi cabinet?

If it needs to fit in the cabinet, you'll want a silent or nearly silent system, like the mini-ITX you mentioned. If it doesn't need to be located there, but you need the expandibility, then a conventional case located somewhere else in the house would be a better choice.

[w4rren]

Ok, I’m easily influenced – the PC in another room does seem logical. I will re-read the mini-ITX web guide as well.

I actually have a spare PC w/ 250gb in another room already but it’s not networked as yet. I haven’t got any CAT5 cabling running through the house, but will take a punt on the HomePlug if I go this route.

[Benway]

I've got a quiet server in the living room running fedora and all the parts are standard. The only time i can hear it is when doing rips from cd (bought a bog standard lg dvd-rw) and when doing a re-scan.

Silverstone LC20 Case
Asus M2NPV-MX AMD64 X2 3800+ (passive mobo cooling)
Zalman CNPS8000 CPU cooler
Q Technology Semi Fanless PSU (never starts the fan up)
Samsung T Series Hard Drive

There is no extra cooling going on so it is quiet. The CPU fan runs at 1200 RPM with the CPU temp at low 40's. The Case is large for a HTPC type but you can get 6 drives in it and it is roomy.

[egd]

I haven’t got any CAT5 cabling running through the house, but will take a punt on the HomePlug if I go this route.

homeplug works a treat.

[bergek]

There is no extra cooling going on so it is quiet.

My SlimServer runs off an IDE flash memory on a fanless computer but there is still a spinning hard drive for the music. Anyone would probably say that it is quiet but there is a huge difference between not noisy and silent and I will argue that anything that contains any moving part is not silent.

Due to space constraints the server is currently in the living room but the minute we move it goes down to the basement.

[w4rren]

Thanks for all the info. I have decided to initially buy the HomePlug and install SlimServer to a PC in another room. SB3 hasn’t arrived yet so I won’t be able to test how well this works. It does seem the cheapest, quickest and most reliable root.

I also intend to build a mini-ITX unit, but I hopefully won’t have to rely on it from the off (with the PC working) and can take my time.

I have taken JJZolx’s advice re the silent system, but they don’t seem to have much room for a CD-ROM drive if want multi-HDD’s. Does anyone know if it’s possible to create a virtual drive in Linux to mount ISO images? I guess it wouldn’t be used much, but it would be nice to have.

Thanks, Warren

[egd]

Does anyone know if it’s possible to create a virtual drive in Linux to mount ISO images? I guess it wouldn’t be used much, but it would be nice to have.

# mkdir -p /mnt/disk
# mount -o loop isoimagefilename.iso /mnt/disk

from there all you need do is point your ripping software etc. to /mnt/disk to access the ISO