Another fileserver thread

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dandragonrage

[H]F Junkie
Joined
Jun 5, 2004
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I have decided not to use this huge old server I received, so I want to build a file server. I want it to be cheap and low power. It'll probably run FreeBSD. I'd like to go with a Via Nano if possible, but I need a motherboard with at least a PCI-E x8 that can be used with a RAID controller and a PCI-E x1 that can be used with a LAN controller. Onboard gigabit is good too. Intel Atom would be cool but the only motherboard I see for that has no PCI-E. Otherwise I might need to go for a Conroe-L which draws a lot of power comparatively.

Suggestions?
 
honestly, i would look for a 423/478 p4 intel db850 / 845 / 840 system (depending i you want a sata card or onboard)

My old computer was a 423 socket 1.8 p4 with the intel db850, running a 350 watt PSU 4hdd's and it rain for YEARS it's still going as my file server, you can pick one up cheap i think ... ~500 gb of hdd space in it right now... throw a sata / usb2.0 card in it and you're good to go. The boards are rugged, don't require huge amounts of power, and will run for months with out a reboot. I run win2kpro on it because imo thats the best.


otherwise anything cheap and rugged, you don't need huge power to serve files...

i stream stuff off this no problem.
 
Question is whether that x16 slot will work with a RAID card. Not all do. Many of them are graphics only and only have 1 lane from the card back to the motherboard (because graphics cards don't send as much data back).

PCI-E for a RAID card is an absolute requirement. And 423/478/Netburst in general are very power inefficient.
 
i was under the impression you wanted something cheap.

buy a router with a port for a hard drive maybe? idk...

how much you wanna spend?
 
Up to maybe $100 for mobo+CPU or maybe a liiitle more if it will get me something better ($100 can get me a cheap P35 and a Conroe-L, but if $120 could get me a Via Nano with a board that fits the requirements, then....)
 
Come on guys, need some cheap motherboards that'll work with a RAID card in the PCI-E x16 slot.
 
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