Video card suggestions for File Server

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civic00typer

Gawd
Joined
Dec 5, 2003
Messages
517
I have about 125 max to spend on a video card for my file server. The board I am using has a pci express x16 slot. Whats the best bang for my buck to get this done?
 
To be honest...In your situation, I'd say the absolute cheapest you can find....If you're just using it to share files, although you're using pci-e, if you were using agp you could use a Savage or Geforce 4 and get away with it...I'm using onboard Geforce 4 for mine....But for pci-e and a file server that you won't be gaming on...Get the chepest pci-e card you can find
 
Well the cheapest I can find sounds good. But I know there are quality issues, and in some cases the video card will borrow or allot a certain amount of memory from the system memory.
 
The only reason why I bought a PCI-Express mobo is because of the SATA raid card that I am going to be putting in. I was going to just simply get a microATX board with integrated video and PCI-E, but I figured that would limit me if I decided to use this computer for something else. Also the onboard video would eat up cpu cycles that I am going to need for software RAID 5.
 
I probably should have been more specific when I ask for a vidoe card recommendation.

I am basically looking for something that has its own memory, and will be powerful enough to display on my dell 2405fpw at full resolution.
 
civic00typer said:
I probably should have been more specific when I ask for a vidoe card recommendation.

I am basically looking for something that has its own memory, and will be powerful enough to display on my dell 2405fpw at full resolution.
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What's the ful res of a 2405FPW?

You are talking about a fileserver. - Just go on the cheap. - Don't be brand snob.

Looks as if it's 1920x1200?

This card does that, and costs $39.00

Searching Newegg for Keyword "1920" shows that the next card that does it is $152..

As it's a *file server* you don't need a performance 3d gaming card.

that $39 card will run windows as fast as you need it to.

Apparantly some 6600s do it. But, seriously, that's a gaming card.
 
civic00typer said:
Well I don't like ATI, so I want to stay away from them.
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Why? Do you know how many server boards used integrated Rage graphics? That used to be the defactor standard. There's nothing wrong with the X300 cards, and right now the drivers are every bit as good, if not better than NV, especially if all you need is 2D support.

That card also has a standard 400MHz DAC supporting resolutions to 2048x1536.

I still agree that for what you want you should get whatever will support the resolution you need at the least amount of money, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with ATi cards.
 
Un4given said:
Why? Do you know how many server boards used integrated Rage graphics? That used to be the defactor standard. There's nothing wrong with the X300 cards, and right now the drivers are every bit as good, if not better than NV, especially if all you need is 2D support.

That card also has a standard 400MHz DAC supporting resolutions to 2048x1536.

I still agree that for what you want you should get whatever will support the resolution you need at the least amount of money, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with ATi cards.
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Use to? We just bought a few servers sporting dual Opterons, guess what kinda video they have? Mmmhmmm. ;)

Why exactly drop all that cash on a sytem that is just going to host files? :confused:
 
why would you waste a 2405fpw on a fileserver?

get the cheapest card you can find, setup vnc, and never worry about it again
 
Malogato said:
What's the ful res of a 2405FPW?

You are talking about a fileserver. - Just go on the cheap. - Don't be brand snob.

Looks as if it's 1920x1200?

This card does that, and costs $39.00

Searching Newegg for Keyword "1920" shows that the next card that does it is $152..

As it's a *file server* you don't need a performance 3d gaming card.

that $39 card will run windows as fast as you need it to.

Apparantly some 6600s do it. But, seriously, that's a gaming card.
Click to expand...


Or, better yet, go headless, and use remote administration.
 
inotocracy said:
Use to? We just bought a few servers sporting dual Opterons, guess what kinda video they have? Mmmhmmm. ;)

Why exactly drop all that cash on a sytem that is just going to host files? :confused:
Click to expand...

Wow, I didn't even know ATi was still making the Rage chipset. I guess if there is sufficient call for it, why not keep making it. I know server board makers like to stick with what works. Helps keep their validation time down.
 
Malogato said:
Or, better yet, go headless, and use remote administration.
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Beat me to it!

But I still find it rediculous that the OP doesn't want an ATi card yet he needs a card with good IQ :rolleyes:
 
wtf do you need to run a file server with 1920x1200 resolution? This conversation is ridiculous, get something cheap. There's absolutely no need to talk about memory and cpu cycles. Get the card, put it in, set the resolution to something readable, and move on with your life. Why does it even need to be PCI-E? PCI will work just fine. The optimal solution would be onboard because it's free but that's not going to happen is it?
 
Headless for the win.

It's a server. You don't use the CPU unless you are running 3D apps. You don't need a monitor AT ALL.

Get the cheapest POS that'll let the thing POST. Worse case, get the cheapest PCI-E card and you'll get basic 3D support, though you'd never need it.

Are you *really* sure this is a server? Better question, why do you need video at all on a server, what are your planned uses?
 
Phoenix86 said:
Headless for the win.

It's a server. You don't use the CPU unless you are running 3D apps. You don't need a monitor AT ALL.

Get the cheapest POS that'll let the thing POST. Worse case, get the cheapest PCI-E card and you'll get basic 3D support, though you'd never need it.

Are you *really* sure this is a server? Better question, why do you need video at all on a server, what are your planned uses?
Click to expand...

Funny thing is.. last 5 servers we've built didn't have pci-e x16, or agp8x slots on them.

PCI-X.. yes..

PCI-E x16 "Graphics slots" .. no

Maybe a few had pci-e x4 or x8 slots.
 
Soul.Survivor said:
wtf do you need to run a file server with 1920x1200 resolution? This conversation is ridiculous, get something cheap. There's absolutely no need to talk about memory and cpu cycles. Get the card, put it in, set the resolution to something readable, and move on with your life. Why does it even need to be PCI-E? PCI will work just fine. The optimal solution would be onboard because it's free but that's not going to happen is it?
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All depends on what motherboard he opts for.

Then again.. why do you need a highend processor for a file server for home use? My 2.53ghz celeron dell does QUITE well.
 
Malogato said:
All depends on what motherboard he opts for.

Then again.. why do you need a highend processor for a file server for home use? My 2.53ghz celeron dell does QUITE well.
Click to expand...

My 533mhz k6-II does QUITE well also.
 
Just get an ATi x300 PCI-E

I'm surprised that you bought a motherboard for a fileserver that didn't just have integrated graphics.
 
The 2405fpw is shared between the server and my gaming rig. I am going to be running Raid 5, which I know is cpu intensive. Also a web server, ftp server, and smb server. I might also use the server as a workstation sometimes... so why not use my largest lcd? What do you mean my remote management? You mean remote desktop?
 
And btw I don't think Athlon's lowest end line processor in the 939 64-bit is lavish. I will be able to upgrade in the future, and maybe run a streaming media server as well.
 
noobman said:
Just get an ATi x300 PCI-E

I'm surprised that you bought a motherboard for a fileserver that didn't just have integrated graphics.
Click to expand...

Yeah, my Intel E7221 chipset comes with onboard GFX...

Terra - And I use UltraVNC as remote adminitration
 
Thanks I will give VNC a try. I looked at the product reviews, it has just about every function I would ever want. I like the fact that it interfaces with the video driver.
 
Is this a windows server? Because windows sucks as for servers! I have Debian Linux installed on mine and might switch over to Gentoo Linux soon. I run my file server with only power and ethernet connected and completly control it through ssh. Don't even have an X Server installed :p
 
Just get some really really cheap, used PCI video card! I run my file server with an old 2mb S3-Virge vid card, works fine.
 
LongShotHero said:
That card only has 16MB on it, and he would have to borrow from system mem which he does not want.
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Only borrows the memory when in 3d mode. Not all the time. Otherwise while doing his file server thing he'll be fine. I'm not saying you are totally wrong I just dont see your point as a disadvantage in his case. I still stand behind my recomendation.

6200TC SM 3.0 under $75 ;)
 
heliotrope said:
Just get some really really cheap, used PCI video card! I run my file server with an old 2mb S3-Virge vid card, works fine.
Click to expand...

Frankly, if you're not going to use a GUI for the most part, (beyond initial setup, anyway) a 1mb Trident or 2-4mb Matrox PCI card off Ebay will work fine.

That is, unless you're seriously strapped for free slots or something.
 
Un4given said:
Wow, I didn't even know ATi was still making the Rage chipset. I guess if there is sufficient call for it, why not keep making it. I know server board makers like to stick with what works. Helps keep their validation time down.
Click to expand...
It's obvious you don't deal with real servers very often.

Any card will work, doesn't even have to be PCI-e...a piece of shit PCI card will work just fine. 8MB minimum.

http://www.adita.com/two-e.htm

To summarize, it takes 3 BYTES to store a true color in any pixel.
For a 640 x 480 true color screen, you need video memory of 640 x 480 x 3 BYTES = 921,600 BYTES
For an 800 x 600 true color screen, you need video memory of 800 x 600 x 3 BYTES = 1,440,000 BYTES
For a 1,024 x 768 true color screen, you need video memory of 1,024 x 768 x 3 BYTES = 2,359,296 BYTES
For a 1,280 x 1,024 true color screen, you need video memory of 1,280 x 1,024 x 3 BYTES = 3,932,160 BYTES
Click to expand...

Extrapolating a little bit: 1920x1200 x 3 = 6,912,000 or just under 7MB of video memory for true color reproduction.

Stop the conjecture, please.
 
I say stick your good vid card in it, build it out, set bios to halt on no errors, pull the card out and go headless.

No money spent.

Works great.
 
slithy said:
Is this a windows server? Because windows sucks as for servers! I have Debian Linux installed on mine and might switch over to Gentoo Linux soon. I run my file server with only power and ethernet connected and completly control it through ssh. Don't even have an X Server installed :p
Click to expand...

This is 100%, completely, unrelated to the subject at hand.
 
heliotrope said:
Just get some really really cheap, used PCI video card! I run my file server with an old 2mb S3-Virge vid card, works fine.
Click to expand...

Doesn't do 1920x1200.

My suggestion of the radeon 7000 64mb pci for $39 does, however.
 
BBA said:
I say stick your good vid card in it, build it out, set bios to halt on no errors, pull the card out and go headless.

No money spent.

Works great.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but it's become obvious he doesn't want to do that.
 
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