Most reliable mobo for home server?

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mlah384

Senior member
Dec 17, 2008
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I'm trying to set up a home server using flexraid... I tried to install Windows Server 2012 r2 BUT it wouldn't work with my motherboard nic cards (ASrock Extreme6 Z97). So I settled on a copy of Windows 8.1 I had... I may just go back to Win 7 though! The ASrock seems to be buggy since the display will blink on and off in bios and even in windows...

I want to replace the ASrock with a more reliable motherboard, but the "server motherboards" don't seem to accept my Intel i7-4790K CPU... What's a totally rock solid, reliable motherboard?

Any advice, help, or direction is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
 
dave_the_nerd

dave_the_nerd

Lifer
Feb 25, 2011
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I would have said an Asrock.

If you're looking for a "real" server/workstation class motherboard, SuperMicro makes a few motherboards that are compatible with your CPU. (They use a Z97 chipset.) The C-series chipsets are typically paired with ECC RAM, which the i7 doesn't support.

Alternatively, if you're willing to buy new RAM too, you could probably sell/trade your i7 for a similar-spec Xeon. (There are several models in the same price ballpark.) Combined with ECC RAM and a server-grade motherboard (like the SuperMicro X10 in my sig server rig) you should be able to see some impressive uptime numbers and stable operation.

I cannot emphasize enough how trouble-free my sig rig has been, compared to the hardware that preceded it. I was running essentially the same software (in the past, I was using FreeNAS, now I'm just using vanilla FreeBSD) and something would get gummed up at least once every week or two, requiring a reboot. Since I upgraded from consumer-class components last Thanksgiving, it's been up 24/7, except for the time in late January that I "oops"-ed the power cable with my foot. (64 days of uptime at the moment.) It's freakin' magic.
 
crashtech

crashtech

Lifer
Jan 4, 2013
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Supermicro, imo. Any of their LGA 1150 boards will take an i7 (afaik), but you will not gain the ability to use ECC just by utilizing a server board.
 
dave_the_nerd

dave_the_nerd

Lifer
Feb 25, 2011
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crashtech said:
Any of their LGA 1150 boards will take an i7 (afaik)
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, this is incorrect. (The motherboard I have would be one that doesn't.)

Their hardware is very, very picky - checking the supported CPU and RAM lists before you buy is a must.
 
crashtech

crashtech

Lifer
Jan 4, 2013
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Well, you are right. I was lucky enough to click on several that did support i7s, but many apparently will not. I apologize for the misinformation.
 
Burpo

Burpo

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Sep 10, 2013
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http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813132126

$_1.JPG


http://www.ebay.com/itm/ASUS-Z97-WS...547?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c992859fb
 
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M

mlah384

Senior member
Dec 17, 2008
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Newegg agreed to RMA the i7 for store credit and $30 restocking fee... Think I'll return mobo, i7, and ram and start from scratch... what would be the recommendations now that I have a clean slate!? I need a solid, stable and reliable home server ... thanks!
 
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Z

Z15CAM

Platinum Member
Nov 20, 2010
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TYAN MB's for either AMD or Intel Exon - That is if you can afford it.

There is very little difference between the I7K and Exon E3 CPU's where the E3 is cheaper, not a K with or without out IGP and you can Dual CPU.
 
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Burpo

Burpo

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Carson Dyle

Carson Dyle

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Jul 2, 2012
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mlah384 said:
What about something like this? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA4GH27M2356

Or will energy consumption be too high for home? Or is it too outdated?
Click to expand...

Do you have a convenient place for a rackmount server? (Like, um, a rack?)

Can you live with a server that sounds a little like a jet taking off from a nearby airport?

Make sure you know what series of CPUs that a given motherboard requires, their cost, and their energy use.

~~~

You need to answer a few questions, first. Among them:

What type of use with the server be put to? Just file serving? Application server? Other?

How much disk storage do you need the server to house?

What is your budget?
 
R

rchunter

Senior member
Feb 26, 2015
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I vote supermicro. I've got a x10sl7-f and it's never once had a monitor hooked to it. IPMI sure is nice. Very reliable. Only time it ever goes down is when I reboot it.
 
P

pitz

Senior member
Feb 11, 2010
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Another vote for IPMI or at the very least, Intel AMT capability. Which probably will lead you back to the Supermicro boards. Its a capability I regret not buying when I pieced together my server system hastily from a H67 motherboard slightly over 4 years ago!
 
C

Crab Balls

Junior Member
Apr 5, 2015
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rchunter said:
I vote supermicro. I've got a x10sl7-f and it's never once had a monitor hooked to it. IPMI sure is nice. Very reliable. Only time it ever goes down is when I reboot it.
Click to expand...

I'll second Supermicro, that's all I use.

I know this is an old thread and for some reason it takes a lot of time for new members to get posting privileges. I pretty much gave up on this forum and surprisingly I got my registration e-mail last night.

As for NAS and servers, I went the opposite way, I went backwards by using D525 Atom processors based 1u servers due the low cost of ownership and small footprint. These take 20W max. I gave up on using full blown Xeon servers and rack cabinets for 24/7/365 home use as the electric bill was killing me. I'm using two of these right now that I bought used on eBay.

http://www.supermicro.com/products/system/1U/5015/SYS-5015A-EHF-D525.cfm

One is for my pfSense router which has 4GB RAM, 80GB SSD, and an additional 4-port 1Gbit Intel network card. Total overkill for home use using VPNs and other features, but 100% reliable and trouble free, Plenty of room for growth. Total cost $250.

The second one is for freeNAS. Came with 8GB RAM and 1TB harddrive. I bought a cheap PCIe CF card adapter and used an old CF card I had in my junk drawer. This is used for a media server with Plex and also as a NAS. Works nicely for streaming movies and MP3s. Painfully slow when doing administrative tasks, which you don't have to do that often when it is set up like you want. Total cost $225.

These boxes have been extremely reliable and haven't been shut off until yesterday when the utility company changed the transformer on our street.

Eventually I would like to upgrade to a Supermicro C2758 based Atom 1u server once they become available on eBay for under $200. They still sip 20W of electricity, which is very important to me.
 
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Crab Balls

Junior Member
Apr 5, 2015
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Carson Dyle said:
Do you have a convenient place for a rackmount server? (Like, um, a rack?)
Click to expand...

Wall mount. I got rid of the bulky cabinets and built a short depth wall system out of wood and aluminum angle stock. The two Atom units, switches, and security related stuff slide right in. Got a small desk right under it that has two monitors and free space for testing and working on computers.

Can you live with a server that sounds a little like a jet taking off from a nearby airport?
Click to expand...

Agree! I hate noise. Atom based servers are fanless.

Make sure you know what series of CPUs that a given motherboard requires, their cost, and their energy use.
Click to expand...

Yep, the more features you need the cost of ownership can get expensive. I would stay away from very old tech even though the initial cost is high;y appealing. They are energy hogs that generate a lot of heat and noise,

You need to answer a few questions, first. Among them:

What type of use with the server be put to? Just file serving? Application server? Other?

How much disk storage do you need the server to house?

What is your budget?
Click to expand...

Good pointers. If money is no object just build a killer system that will meet your needs for many years to come. I built for overkill years ago but the electric bill became a deal breaker for me.
 
Ketchup

Ketchup

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Sep 1, 2002
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OP, I would invite you to look at this thread:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2427433

In a nutshell, if you buy a consumer board for a Server OS, be prepared to do some "manual" driver installs. Or, buy a true "server" grade board.

What kind of server are you building? A 4790k would be better in a gaming/video editing machine than running server duty.

Why? Putting one of the hottest CPUs Intel currently makes in a case with several hard drives for server duty is not a good mix IMO (read = elevated drive failure rates).
 
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BonzaiDuck

BonzaiDuck

Lifer
Jun 30, 2004
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ketchup79 said:
OP, I would invite you to look at this thread:
http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2427433

In a nutshell, if you buy a consumer board for a Server OS, be prepared to do some "manual" driver installs. Or, buy a true "server" grade board.

What kind of server are you building? A 4790k would be better in a gaming/video editing machine than running server duty.

Why? Putting one of the hottest CPUs Intel currently makes in a case with several hard drives for server duty is not a good mix IMO (read = elevated drive failure rates).
Click to expand...

I'd +1 and :thumbsup: to that. I have no criticism for enthusiasts who spend for and build dual Xeon servers, but for home use, it seems to be profound overkill. Nor do I want twenty spinners running 24/7.

If I ever had a thought about adding web-server duty to my WHS-2011 (Win 2008 R2, really . . ), the priority for me was sharing files, some media server duty and auto-backup of four household workstations.

The hardware? An old 680i board with a Q6600, a couple PCI-E HDD controllers and 8GB RAM far beyond what is needed. So I cannot really imagine why someone would want to use of a 4790K in ANY type of server. Between the drives and controllers and the Gbit Ethernet, I don't have any "hourglass" experiences with it.

And I'll probably spend the next three years plotting its replacement. If that means using one of my Sandy boxes for server use, it would STILL be overpowered.
 
X

XavierMace

Diamond Member
Apr 20, 2013
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BonzaiDuck said:
I'd +1 and :thumbsup: to that. I have no criticism for enthusiasts who spend for and build dual Xeon servers, but for home use, it seems to be profound overkill. Nor do I want twenty spinners running 24/7.
Click to expand...

Some would say the same about your case ducting. :) What we do usually makes no sense to most people.

/Because nerd
 
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