Custom Windows Home Server Machine

[latch]

I'm looking at putting together a custom windows home server machine. To me the biggest requirement are lower power (why waste money?), 1000mbps lan, 4 internal SATA drives.

I was considering going with a barebone system, such one of the many offered by Asus like the ASUS P3-PH4C (http://www.newegg.com/Product/...?Item=N82E16856110075)

I was curious what the lowest power LGA775 chip is? I was thinking the E2140.

I'd also consider something based on the VIA C7 CPU (1.5ghz or better), but I haven't found anything that really stands out.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

[ViRGE]

You're pretty much on the right track. Without having a VIA C7 in front of me I wouldn't recommend it (gigE is processor intensive), but just go with the cheapest Core2 you can get your paws on and then undervolt it if you can get away with it. Couple that with 1GB(2x512MB) of RAM and all the hard drives you can afford, and you'll be set.

 

[MDE]

You may also want to look at an Athlon 64 or Sempron machine. The lower end chips are low power and will kick the pants off of anything VIA has.

 

[ViRGE]

Humm, that's only true to an extent. The Brisbanes are the same TDP as the E2140 Allendale at 65W, he'd have to go with a BE to get something lower (45W). Though the 4000+ Brisbane is really cheap right now and is would out perform the E2140. The Brisbane won't undervolt like a C2D though, I'd imagine.

 

[MDE]

Originally posted by: ViRGE
Humm, that's only true to an extent. The Brisbanes are the same TDP as the E2140 Allendale at 65W, he'd have to go with a BE to get something lower (45W). Though the 4000+ Brisbane is really cheap right now and is would out perform the E2140. The Brisbane won't undervolt like a C2D though, I'd imagine.

Exactly, they're dirt cheap and have a ton of stable, mature (and cheap) motherboards out there to pick from. Depending on what exactly Home Server does, he could save power and money with a single core CPU, although if it's doing any kind of video encoding I'd go with a dual core, and preferably a C2D.

 

[latch]

Thanks for the help. The AMD Athlon X2 BE-2350 Brisbane looks like it might be the right CPU. I'd actually consider a Sempron 3400+ Energy Efficient Small Form Factor (which is 10 watts less and likely cheaper), but can't find any.

I do plan on putting 1gb in there, and, if the price is right, start off with 2x1TB GreenPower drives.

I'm surprised there isn't more talk in the forums about custom WHS systems.

 

[JackMDS]

You want need a server and you plan like a gamer.

Any P-III 800 to 1000MHz would very well for a Server.

You add SATA PCI card USB2 Card and Giga LAN card using Win2000 or Win XP and you are ready to go.

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
You want need a server and you plan like a gamer.

Any P-III 800 to 1000MHz would very well for a Server.

You add SATA PCI card USB2 Card and Giga LAN card using Win2000 or Win XP and you are ready to go.

Although WHS would generally work fine with such a weak processor, I can't imagine him being able to actually transfer data at gigE speeds with such a processor. Handling all the packets a gigE connection can generate is processor intensive; at around 50% network utilization(~60MB/sec) a decent CPU is going to be required to keep from the CPU being the bottleneck. That said, even the 3400+ Sempron should be enough.

As for why no one is talking about WHS right now, MS isn't yet promoting it very hard. Furthermore it's looking like it'll be decently expensive($180ish) and Vista users right now are having to cope with the stupid media scheduler/gigE transfer snafu.

 

[JackMDS]

The current Giga is a problem right now with any Client OS, it has nothing to do with the strength of the CPU.

P.S. Microsoft plans first to offer WHS installed in HP Home server, and make it available to OEM partners. Later on it would be available to the public in general.

BTW, as a beta tester, it is really a great product.

I would not suggest to run it on a P-III computer. However it does not seems that the OP was talking about WHS the OS but rather meant Home server in general.

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: latch
I'm looking at putting together a custom windows home server machine. To me the biggest requirement are lower power (why waste money?), 1000mbps lan, 4 internal SATA drives.

I suggest looking into the new Energy Star 4.0 standard and desktops. Using auto-sleep, wake-on-LAN and not downloading 24/7.

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
The current Giga is a problem right now with any Client OS, it has nothing to do with the strength of the CPU.

Well there's two different things going on. On any version of Windows gigE processing is moderately expensive, a lot of interupts and computational time are needed to handle the 80K+ packets that can result. AT's latest uATX article is noting around 20% CPU usage on a C2D at max speeds.

The other problem is Vista's packet throttle when the multimedia class scheduler is active. That's not a problem with WHS, but you can't use your WHS server as a file server if your OS is going to keep you limited to about 1/5th the speed of the hard drives on either end.

I do agree with you though that it's a sweet beta. I have a box running RC right now and it's great. I just wish it had x64 client support and MS fixed the damn Vista throttle so that I can use it like I intended.

 

[ForumMaster]

Originally posted by: ViRGE

Originally posted by: JackMDS
The current Giga is a problem right now with any Client OS, it has nothing to do with the strength of the CPU.

Well there's two different things going on. On any version of Windows gigE processing is moderately expensive, a lot of interupts and computational time are needed to handle the 80K+ packets that can result. AT's latest uATX article is noting around 20% CPU usage on a C2D at max speeds.

The other problem is Vista's packet throttle when the multimedia class scheduler is active. That's not a problem with WHS, but you can't use your WHS server as a file server if your OS is going to keep you limited to about 1/5th the speed of the hard drives on either end.

I do agree with you though that it's a sweet beta. I have a box running RC right now and it's great. I just wish it had x64 client support and MS fixed the damn Vista throttle so that I can use it like I intended.

i belive vista SP1 should fix that. as a beta user, you may or may not have access to it. then again, you can easily find it elsewhere...

 

[ViRGE]

Originally posted by: ForumMaster

Originally posted by: ViRGE

Originally posted by: JackMDS
The current Giga is a problem right now with any Client OS, it has nothing to do with the strength of the CPU.

Well there's two different things going on. On any version of Windows gigE processing is moderately expensive, a lot of interupts and computational time are needed to handle the 80K+ packets that can result. AT's latest uATX article is noting around 20% CPU usage on a C2D at max speeds.

The other problem is Vista's packet throttle when the multimedia class scheduler is active. That's not a problem with WHS, but you can't use your WHS server as a file server if your OS is going to keep you limited to about 1/5th the speed of the hard drives on either end.

I do agree with you though that it's a sweet beta. I have a box running RC right now and it's great. I just wish it had x64 client support and MS fixed the damn Vista throttle so that I can use it like I intended.

i belive vista SP1 should fix that. as a beta user, you may or may not have access to it. then again, you can easily find it elsewhere...

It may, I haven't seen SP1 yet. However considering how new it is, it doesn't seem like MS has a solution yet according to their own blog entries.

 

[JackBurton]

Just get one of these when they come out. Done! Small footprint, 4 SATA drives, and best of all, low power usage.

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: JackBurton
Just get one of these when they come out. Done! Small footprint, 4 SATA drives, and best of all, low power usage.

These = http://h71036.www7.hp.com/hho/...47351-0-0-225-121.html

Yeah that is suppose to be the first public release of Windows Home Server (WHS).

The only question, is When?

As a frame of reference based on rumors over the Internet (so do not hold me responsible).

The Model name is HP EX470, it comes with 64-bit (and therefore WHS v2 compatible) 1.8GHz AMD Sempron.

Base model comes with 500GB Drive should cost around $590 (including WHS).

The Case Front Door can be easily opened to add 3 more Drives.

 

[JackBurton]

Originally posted by: JackMDS

Originally posted by: JackBurton
Just get one of these when they come out. Done! Small footprint, 4 SATA drives, and best of all, low power usage.

These = http://h71036.www7.hp.com/hho/...47351-0-0-225-121.html

Yeah that is suppose to be the first public release of Windows Home Server (WHS).

The only question, is When?

As a frame of reference based on rumors over the Internet (so do not hold me responsible).

The Model name is HP EX470, it comes with 64-bit (and therefore WHS v2 compatible) 1.8GHz AMD Sempron.

Base model comes with 500GB Drive should cost around $590 (including WHS).

The Case Front Door can be easily opened to add 3 more Drives.

Yep. But I think I heard it was due out sometime in September. Also, if the $590 pricetag is accurate, that is a GREAT deal. Infrant's ReadyNAS NV+ with NO drives is $600+. And I believe the HP Home Server unit will have better performance too.