Dell Poweredge sc1435 Server OS recommendation

[Boris Morozov]

hello, I picked up the above dell server computer for really cheap. 2 dual core amd opteron processors. Will be purchasing 2 sata hard drives and a pci x riser card if I decide to install a graphics card although options are limited.

Any, the server had windows server standard 2003 installed. Key code sticker is on the computer. What do you recommend for an OS for it? Should I stick to server 2003 or should I go for the newest windows server OS? I really wish the operating systems weren't so expensive though.

Thanks!

 

[Rifter]

what do you intend to do with it?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

what do you intend to do with it?

This is the important question.

Although I usually recommend a well-supported Linux distro. Debian, Arch, etc.

 

[Boris Morozov]

I just want to have a dedicated server for games. I'm going to skip on the riser and video card as that won't be important for what I want to do with it. Unless I want to just play games on the server computer. Lol

Anyway, I do have an old Linux box however that computers hardware is way outdated and has ubuntu 9 point something. I do have Linux experience so I am open to a distro

 

[Rifter]

well if you are worried about price, and arnt deploying this into a environment that requires windows software i see no reason not to go linux.

 

[Boris Morozov]

Ya I will go Linux. Maybe later I will consider windows.

Thank you all!

 

[XavierMace]

a pci x riser card if I decide to install a graphics card although options are limited.

That server has a PCI-e 8x slot. Not sure why you'd put a GPU in the PCI-X slot instead. But it's really not worth putting a GPU in it of any sort. That server's really old and wasn't exactly a powerhouse when new. Linux generally runs thinner than Windows, so as long as you're comfortable with it, that'd be my recommendation as well.

 

[Boris Morozov]

That server has a PCI-e 8x slot. Not sure why you'd put a GPU in the PCI-X slot instead. But it's really not worth putting a GPU in it of any sort. That server's really old and wasn't exactly a powerhouse when new. Linux generally runs thinner than Windows, so as long as you're comfortable with it, that'd be my recommendation as well.

Well I figure that pci 8x card would be too bulky so pci x would be better fit. But this is just my mind going wild. No point in really investing in old hardware anyway. I've fallen way behind in computerS. But I've been playing the same old school games for so long I never needed much. Hardware and software becoming obsolete so fast now or I just have not been paying attention.

Anyway, I install Linux ubuntu server successfully. I was curious of the GUI so I install it. Very choppy and Linux no longer supports the gpu in the server. But does not matter anyway.

 

[XavierMace]

Red Hat or SuSE would probably be a better option for compatibility.

 

[Boris Morozov]

Ok I will give those a shot as well!

 

[ultimatebob]

How much memory is in that old server? If it's a lot, it might be worthwhile to put something like VMWare ESXi 5.5 on it and partition it into multiple VM's.

 

[PliotronX]

These things a very picky about AIB graphics, this SC1430 I am repurposing for a client just to browse the web doesn't like one of the only physically compatible cards, a Zotac GT 710 x1. The Super VGA is terrible for even browsing the web. As a headless server, I can see it running CentOS nicely though.

 

[Boris Morozov]

The server has 2gb of ram. I decided against setting it up as a dedicated gaming server; honestly I'm not sure what to use it for now other than setting up a home network for fun.

I'm assuming centOS will run similar to ubuntu? Very choppy unless I choose no GUI??

 

[ultimatebob]

The server has 2gb of ram. I decided against setting it up as a dedicated gaming server; honestly I'm not sure what to use it for now other than setting up a home network for fun.

I'm assuming centOS will run similar to ubuntu? Very choppy unless I choose no GUI??

CentOS 6 (but probably not 7) would run OK on that server. If you're going to install a GUI, choose something light weight like LXDE in the install options instead of choosing GNOME.

 

[Boris Morozov]

CentOS 6 (but probably not 7) would run OK on that server. If you're going to install a GUI, choose something light weight like LXDE in the install options instead of choosing GNOME.

Ok thank you! I appreciate it! I'll be firing up the server tonight when I get home. I need to stop being lazy, haha