Need help building a new server.

[Staz]

When I upgrade my main system this Xmas, I want to recycle some of my old parts and build myself an Internet server. The parts I have to use are:

AMD Athlon XP-M 2500+ CPU
Three 256MB PC2100 Micron DDR sticks
Maxtor ATA133 120GB Hard Drive
Generic Floppy drive and CDROM
MISC old video cards
Antec Truepower 330W PS

Parts I need to buy:
Case and Motherboard.


I want to make this unit as small and quiet as possible, thus I want mATX parts. I have limited space to put a 2nd system. I like the Antec Aria, but that system is too wide, I need tall and thin. The case I have in mind is the Antec Minuet and the motherboard I am leading towards is the CHAINTECH "7NIL1-SUMMIT" or the BIOSTAR "M7NCG 400". While I prefer Chaintech, the Biostar has a built-in videocard and the Chaintech does not. I was considering the CHAINTECH "7NIF2", but heard horror stories about it in relation to how picky it is with memory. I need 3 or more slots for memory as that is key on a server, and that rules out most AMD mATX boards.

Basically what I am asking is for tips on making a mATX AMD XP server.

 

[akira34]

I'd go with a mobo from MSI... I don't recall seeing any mATX mobo's with more than two memory slots, so you might have to rethink that area. I had a server running with an AMD XP1800+ and it ran well... It was using onboard video, which dragged a bit at 1280x1024 (native res of the display it was connected to). Otherwise it ran fine I would recommend getting a small boot drive and then using the larger one for just storage. If you go with Windows Server 2003 you won't have nearly the difficulties as other, older, versions did... I used the enterprise edition (ms partner program is wonderful thing), and it has a lot built into it (and you can add more to it easily).

 

[Staz]

The 3 mATX mobo's I listed where the only 3 at Newegg that have 3 memory slots. 2 memory slots would only allow me to have 512MB, and that isn't a lot for a server as far as memory goes. The 3 slots would give me 768, and that is a bit better.

I am more interested in which case might be good for this setup.

 

[BigJimbo]

I built my server using a SOYO Dragon 2 (4 IDE slots and 4 SATA = 12 deviced onboard) It had onboard gigabit ethernet and raid. Im running a simple 1.1 tbird with a single 512 stick and it runs smooth with 2003 w/ AD

Other specs were

550 Watt antec PS
Large antec SOHO 12 bays
5 x 200 gig WD drives 4x200 on raid 0 & 1x200 as ghost image drive
40 gig 7200 OS dual booting 2003 and XP Pro
128mb Ti 4200

overall i pieced this together for just shy of $500

i still have yet to use my sata slots but as im nearing 70% on my raid it maybe time to purchase some more drives (looking at seagates w/ 5yr or may go WD's 250gb)