Recommendations on a new file server

[prn1357]

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Strictly for being a file server, NAS, media server, backups, and a couple more tasks that I'l throw at it later. Low power consumption is a must.
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
about $800. Price can be adjusted if needed
3) Where do you live?
New Jersey
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
Pretty much all the main components: Case, Motherboard, PSU, CPU, Ram, DVD drive, OS.
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
None. I can use a spare keyboard, mouse and monitor for setup. Otherwise, I will probably be running headless. (this might change in the future tho)
6) Will you be overclocking?
No
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
----
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Couple weeks
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.
At least 5 SATA ports, Onboard Video, AMD
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? 32bit or 64bit?
Probably WHS or Linux


http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=14613686


Low power consumption is a main factor though, though I want decent processing power for "future-proofing" and expandability.

Thanks

 

[Dangman]

You'll need hard drives, right? If so, how much storage do you need?

 

[prn1357]

oops. I forgot to link the newegg wishlist. I'll put it in the OP

 

[Dangman]

Ditch the Corsair 450VX since it's a bad choice for the money considering you can get this larger and better quality PSU for the same price:
$70 - Antec NEO ECO 620C 620W PSU

Besides that, looks good to me. However, try to buy as much of the parts as possible from Amazon.com: They don't charge NJ residents tax AFAIK. In addition, they usually offer free shipping on most parts. Like that Coolermaster RC-590 case for example. It has free shipping over at Amazon.com right now.

 

[prn1357]

I'll switch out the PSU. Though are there any other parts - like the case and mobo - that would be better for a file server. And if i want to go with raid later, how much would a decent raid card cost me.

 

[Dangman]

I'll switch out the PSU. Though are there any other parts - like the case and mobo - that would be better for a file server. And if i want to go with raid later, how much would a decent raid card cost me.

The case is a good choice for a file server. Mobo seems fine.

A decent RAID card is about $430 minimum brand new for a 8 port card. A 4 port card is only about $50 to $100 cheaper in most cases.

 

[ghost6303]

Ditch the Corsair 450VX since it's a bad choice for the money considering you can get this larger and better quality PSU for the same price:

on low power servers, larger PSU doesnt = better. getting a power supply much larger then you need only increases energy usage. if you calculate your server will pull 150watts at full load, buy a 200-250w PSU. no need for larger.

 

[dydx]

I also agree in that I dont think you should get an oversized power supply. How many hard drives are you going to use? If it's something modest, I would say to get a small, cheap, and efficient 80plus PSU such as the Antec Earthwatts 380. You really dont need a 500+ watt power supply unless you are running a ton of hard drives and raid card.

 

[MotionBlur]

The case is a good choice for a file server. Mobo seems fine.

A decent RAID card is about $430 minimum brand new for a 8 port card. A 4 port card is only about $50 to $100 cheaper in most cases.

Agreed, glad I got in on the Highpoint Tech 4320 deal a year in a half ago, having an 8 port hardware RAID controller is night and day between the AMD/INTEL Onboard RAID solutions.

 

[MotionBlur]

I also agree in that I dont think you should get an oversized power supply. How many hard drives are you going to use? If it's something modest, I would say to get a small, cheap, and efficient 80plus PSU such as the Antec Earthwatts 380. You really dont need a 500+ watt power supply unless you are running a ton of hard drives and raid card.

Agreed, I'm running 1 2TB WD Green, 8 1.5TB Seagate 7200.11s, 1 Toshiba 2.5", a Sempron 140 and my RocketRaid 4320 all off a 500W Antec EarthWatt and have had 0 stability issues for what it is worth.

 

[MotionBlur]

1) What will you be doing with this PC? Gaming? Photoshop? Web browsing? etc
Strictly for being a file server, NAS, media server, backups, and a couple more tasks that I'l throw at it later. Low power consumption is a must.
2) What's your budget? Are tax and shipping included?
about $800. Price can be adjusted if needed
3) Where do you live?
New Jersey
4) What exact parts do you need for that budget? CPU, RAM, case, etc. "Everything" is not a valid answer. Please list out all the parts you'll need.
Pretty much all the main components: Case, Motherboard, PSU, CPU, Ram, DVD drive, OS.
5) If reusing any parts, what parts will you be reusing? Please be especially specific about the power supply. List make and model.
None. I can use a spare keyboard, mouse and monitor for setup. Otherwise, I will probably be running headless. (this might change in the future tho)
6) Will you be overclocking?
No
7) What size monitor do you have and/or plan to have?
----
8) When do you plan on building/buying the PC?
Couple weeks
9) What features do you need in a motherboard? RAID? Firewire? Crossfire or SLI support? etc.
At least 5 SATA ports, Onboard Video, AMD
10) Do you already have a legit and reusable/transferable OS key/license? If so, what OS? 32bit or 64bit?
Probably WHS or Linux


http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=14613686


Low power consumption is a main factor though, though I want decent processing power for "future-proofing" and expandability.

Thanks

That looks a lot like my new setup, except I went with a Sempron. I've got the same motherboard with a Highpoint-Tech RocketRaid 4320 8 port SAS/Sata controller.

 

[outspoken]

there is a microcenter in jersey, go there instead for your mobo/cpu combo.

 

[Trepidati0n]

Black Friday is coming up...you should be able to snag 2GB drives for less than $95...if not $90.

If you aren't going to maximize RAID card right away (slow growth), going WHS and pooling isn't a bad financial move.

If you don't plan on burning DVD's or ripping from this machine, ditch the DVD drive. Steal the one from your main machine for 2 or 3 hours you might need it. No reason to spend $25 on something that does ZERO after the machine is built.

 

[john4200]

on low power servers, larger PSU doesnt = better. getting a power supply much larger then you need only increases energy usage.

This statement is misleading. A higher max output power supply does not necessarily increase energy usage. The deciding factor is the efficiency of the power supply under the loads your computer will experience.

Some of the most comprehensive PS reviews I've seen are from silentpcreview.com. Out of curiosity, I compiled a list of SPCR's measured efficiency at ~40W output and ~150W output for a number of PS. Note that, for example, the Corsair AX850 and the Seasonic X-650 achieve 77% efficiency at 40W output. That is quite a bit better than the Antec 430 or Nexus 430. So you cannot judge only by maximum rated power.

EFFICIENCY AT
40W 150W
====================
70.8 81.0 Antec EW 430
70.9 81.6 Corsair TX650
71.7 82.1 Nexus Val 430
72.8 82.6 Corsair VX450
73.1 83.9 Seasonic M12D-850
73.8 84.2 Antec TP-750
76.3 82.1 Seasonic S12II-380
77.3 87.4 Corsair AX850
77.3 88.3 Seasonic X-650
77.5 88.5 Enermax Modu87+ 500W
80.4 88.8 Seasonic X-400

Probably your best bet, if you want high efficiency, is to go with an 80-PLUS GOLD certified power supply (or 80+ Platinum, which should be called 90-PLUS, but I do not think there are any for sale yet). The 80+ gold spec guarantees 87% or higher efficiency from 20% to 100% of max rated power.

NZXT HALE90-550-S 550W
http://www.nzxt.com/new/products/power_supplies/hale90_550w
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817116009

The least expensive 80+ GOLD PS on newegg.com is the NZXT HALE90-550-S 550W power supply, at $100. It is new-ish, so there is not much of a track record, and not many reviews. However, all 80+ GOLD PS have about the same efficiency profile, so you can get a rough idea of the efficiency vs. power profile from silentpcreview's measurement of the 80+ GOLD Enermax 500:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/article1044-page4.html

There is a jonnyguru review of the 850W model:

http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=199

Or, if you can afford it, the most efficient power supply at low power output is the Seasonic X-400. It achieves 80% efficiency at an output power of 40W!