RE-Building The House of RagE - AGAIN

Well thanks for the idea with the shelf rails, I've already stolen the idea ;) I only have 4x250GB drives in raid5 and 2x160GB ones in raid1... all samsung drives tho so they look identical and even though 6 drives isn't 12 it still looks sexy to me ;). All with a opty 170 slightly oced ( one thing at a time ) and a massive 300watt seasonic powersupply.
 
As for the SATA cables, if you're a madman you CAN shorten them, IF they are a clipped style connector and not a injected mould style (unable to dissemble).

As you can see, there's 4 signal lines and 4 ground lines (2 of which only have a single connection point in the middle, so they're just tied together).

I wouldn't recommend cutting and splicing the cable mid-run, as it'd probably weaken the signal and increase likelyhood of a short.

For example:
SATA1.JPG

SATA2.JPG

SATA3.JPG
 
I built a similar system a year ago. Its a 3 TB array using a similar 3ware controller and 10 300gb disks. Your wiring is better than mine though, because my power supply did not have sata power, and all those adaptors uglify it :(

Im a little surprized you went through so much trouble for the case. With VERY insignificant modding (remount the power button onto a side panel), the coolermaster stacker can support 16 3.5" disks cooled by four 120mm fans. Your setup clearly works, but you had to work pretty hard for the case mod; could of been done with off the shelf components, and with more fans. A larger system (say, 20 TB) could be more elegantly implemented with a case from mountainmods, too.

I wish there was 3.5" vantec ez-swap things that could fit into the 3.5" disk mounts. I've had to since replace 2 dying disks, and its anoying to reach back there and pull out the sata/power connectors.
 
If you are worried about voiding the warranty on the PSU which I would be as well, why not make an extension cable?

You aren't using the 3.3v line so why not make your SATA wiring onto its own cable. then add a molex connector on the top of it then just plug it into a molex connector on the PSU?
 
I see people using more than one PSU. Did you dismiss that from the get go?
 
I built a similar array (3TB) in a very similar case.

My question is how did you deal with the issue of vibration?

I found when all the drives were on, they tended to create a harmonic vibration that
used to drive me nuts at night.

Right now I'm at 4TB, but I chose to convert all the drives to external USB 2.0
cases as they are for archive storage and don't need to be on all the time.

It's a pain in the behind, as it's ten power adapters, a big power bar.. But I got tired
of changing everything each time I upgraded my system or replaced the motherboard.

Keep up the good work! looks good. I wish I could run wiring like that.
 
someone buy this man a rounded blue ide cable. no machine such as that should have that old pos ide cable :p
 
what speed xeons did you go with? also, did you get a good deal on the board? i know its a $400 board but the least expensive that i've seen it is like $389.

thx.

CB
 
To the OP. call me a terrible newB if you will, but could you go into a little bit of detail on how you went about the cable mod. That cabling job is a work of art and I would kill to know how to do it. Again call me a newB if you must, but I don't know how to do that.
 
Building my own file server I have found that the Areca cards were far supirior to the 3ware cards.
I highly recommend you use these cards for future upgrade and hardcore performance for any JBOD or raid solution.

http://www.areca.us/
 
PS-RagE,

I know it may be to late but if you would like I can donate a totally legal copy of Server 2003 Enterprise with 25 CALs to your project. I don't know if you would want to rebuild it just to get it off XP though.

Just let me know and i'll ship it out.

CertificationMan
 
Ya, I was planning on upgrading to 12 x 250 gig WD SE drives, running on a 3ware 9500S-12 raid controller.

Since I'm not rich, I've only got the 3ware card and 2 x 250 gig WD SE drives. My current setup has just been small upgrades over time, leading to 2286 gigs.

Adaptec 1200A raid controller
Highpoint 404 raid controller
1 x 100 gig WD SE (system)
5 x 200 gig Seagate/WD SE (RAID 0)
5 x 120 gig WD SE (RAID 0)
2 x 250 gig WD SE (RAID 0)

Ya...I know. I should go Raid 5. That's what the new controller is for, plus drives that are all the same size. I got the raid controller (brand new) from a friend for $400.

Old Pic (Before the 250 gig drives)
http://www.afkrotch.com/My_Comp/Omiokane/IMG_0218 (Latest 01 Apr 05).JPG

I don't expect my upgrade to last long, as I'm close to maxing out my 2.2 TB right now, but not to big a deal, as all the hdds I've accumulated will be crammed into my other computer........somehow. I'm thinking case panel left open, with hdds laying on a table and a desk fan blowing on them.

Can you believe in 2000, I was only using half my storage. During that time, I had a 5.5 gig hdd. Then I found the greatness of mp3s, AVIs, and ASFs. Course, that's all changed. ASFs, died out.

Anyways, how do you take care of heat? My case temps sit at 37 - 40C. I've had to take off the case panels and randomly place 120 mm fans. I hung them up with the wires inside Cat-5. Proc temp was around 48C, for a 3.06 ghz P4 Northwood.

Case vibration and noise. I didn't care. It's still quieter than my gaming rig. : P
 
Wow now that's a project I can only hope to look forward to emulating one day. What a sweet sweet sweet rig indeed. My old lanning rig looks like a junyard and with only 3.2TB of storage.

Sure makes my old lanning clunker look a little old

http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~codebasher/rigview.JPG
http://www.members.iinet.net.au/~codebasher/rigrear.JPG

With the stacking job you've done on the drives I certainly know what to do next time there is a majour overhaul. Fark that's excellent.

top marks indeed
 
Good freaking job!

Could you post IOmeter test results? 16-32 workers, 100% seq read/write , 128k, 256k, or 512k block size.

Thanks!!!
 
PS-RagE said:
The SATA cables were around 18" longer than really necessary. Oh well......
].[/COLOR]
Click to expand...
WTF why not buy shorter cables?

I mean you've got $32159831756437 in hardware and can't spare $24 for a dozen SATA cables that would be the correct length :confused:
 
alcky said:
WTF why not buy shorter cables?

I mean you've got $32159831756437 in hardware and can't spare $24 for a dozen SATA cables that would be the correct length :confused:
Click to expand...

he is useings a raid setup, for a large set like this, the cables need to be the same lenght for timeing reasons, still, looks like he only needs like 15, and not 24 in cable...

meh.. i agree, but i dont really think it matters that much...or he would have fixed it already

thore
 
Magog said:
If you are worried about voiding the warranty on the PSU which I would be as well, why not make an extension cable?

You aren't using the 3.3v line so why not make your SATA wiring onto its own cable. then add a molex connector on the top of it then just plug it into a molex connector on the PSU?
Click to expand...

I'm letting it burn in for now and once I'm convinced it works OK, I'm going to just cut into it like I did the Thermaltake.
 
Pkirk618 said:
I see people using more than one PSU. Did you dismiss that from the get go?
Click to expand...

Yeah, no way I could have fit two in there. Future expansions will, no doubt, require additional supplys though
 
ASSEMbler said:
I built a similar array (3TB) in a very similar case.

My question is how did you deal with the issue of vibration?

I found when all the drives were on, they tended to create a harmonic vibration that
used to drive me nuts at night.

Right now I'm at 4TB, but I chose to convert all the drives to external USB 2.0
cases as they are for archive storage and don't need to be on all the time.

It's a pain in the behind, as it's ten power adapters, a big power bar.. But I got tired
of changing everything each time I upgraded my system or replaced the motherboard.

Keep up the good work! looks good. I wish I could run wiring like that.
Click to expand...

When I'm in that room, I have my big machine on so any sound that comes from this one is drowned out. These drives are not too loud anyhow. The Seagate in my HTPC chatters much more
 
Good gravey I wish I had the money, time, skill to build half that! Freakin' sweet!


I have two things.

1) XP supports Dynamic Drives, why can't it's support of DD be used? and I thought NTFS supported lager thatn 2TB drives with the later update, I'm not sure that it comes with XP but I think I've read few things you could install that would update NTFS on XP


2) Just an FYI, if you ever want to take clean shots of the task manager or if you leave it up for quick peering just double click the actual information part of the window and all the non- info is hidden.


Good work, Good luck!
 
cyberbone said:
what speed xeons did you go with? also, did you get a good deal on the board? i know its a $400 board but the least expensive that i've seen it is like $389.

thx.

CB
Click to expand...


They are 2.8G Nocanas (800MHZ FSB). I actually overpaid for the board but it was not exactly a stock item.
 
covertclocker said:
To the OP. call me a terrible newB if you will, but could you go into a little bit of detail on how you went about the cable mod. That cabling job is a work of art and I would kill to know how to do it. Again call me a newB if you must, but I don't know how to do that.
Click to expand...

I assume you are referring to the power cabling? Those connectors are the "Punch Down" type. I cut off the original ones and lined the cables up to reach the bottom most drive with the correct amount of slack for the "bend" at the top. I then simply lightly punched it down. Repeat for the other two in the chain then remove them, punch all the way and put aside to do the next grouping.
 
bigstusexy said:
Good gravey I wish I had the money, time, skill to build half that! Freakin' sweet!


I have two things.

1) XP supports Dynamic Drives, why can't it's support of DD be used? and I thought NTFS supported lager thatn 2TB drives with the later update, I'm not sure that it comes with XP but I think I've read few things you could install that would update NTFS on XP


2) Just an FYI, if you ever want to take clean shots of the task manager or if you leave it up for quick peering just double click the actual information part of the window and all the non- info is hidden.


Good work, Good luck!
Click to expand...

Thanks

1) The two big partitions is fine. I'm keeping the movies in one and the other is for everything else including the music and photographs (a single compressed NEF is 10M and a TIF is 50M+ so those add up pretty fast too)

2) Cool!
 
thore said:
he is useings a raid setup, for a large set like this, the cables need to be the same lenght for timeing reasons, still, looks like he only needs like 15, and not 24 in cable...

meh.. i agree, but i dont really think it matters that much...or he would have fixed it already

thore
Click to expand...
well I knew about the timing... but he has like 18" extra on those puppies :eek:
 
Yeah, they are the ones that came with the RAID controller. The only other ones I could find in town were real cheapos and they didn't have 12 the same.
 
I had to do the same thing to our mail server and backup machines with the copper standoffs. Only thing I didn't do was JB-Weld them to the motherboard "tray."

Very well done! :D

edit

If you ever want to upgrade your case, look into the Enlight 8950. Very, very, very well put together pieces like your Aopen.
 
Rage, I don't know if I should feel envy for your rigs or pitty for your electric bill :p
 
I'm using an Addtronics #ET7890A server case with dual power supplies (redundant ps capable) This thing has 7 exposed 5 1/4 drive bays, 1-3 1/2 exposed, & 3-internal 3 1/2 slots. If you used a pair of those 5 in 3 drive cages along with two of the internals you would have space for all 12 of your drives, the DVD drive, and dual power supplies. It has 1-6cm fan(rear), 6-8cm fans(2 front[plan to swap these to 12cm soon to cut noise] & 2 each side), & I added 1-12cm blow hole so cooling would be no problem either. This case is rugged as hell and takes all kinds of abuse. Bought mine in 1998 ($165) and have used it for many builds/rebuilds.
 
I was suprised to see the Tt psu turn on at all. right now I have 13hd's running on a single PC P&C 510deluxe psu and another PC P&C 510deluxe psu running cpu, mobo, ram, vid card, sound card, ide cards, ect..

the reason i have two PC P&C psu's running is because i built my server way way before the beefy psu were even an idea. if i had to build it again i would go with the 1Kw psu like yours. :D


great build btw :cool:
 
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