need help with my hdds backup + setting up whs

r4sh1d

Member
Feb 21, 2012
137
31
101
I have 2 systems, an HTPC hooked up to my TV, and a gaming machine in my office room at home.

My gaming PC is running windows 7 ultimate X64 and I have 6 HDDs. A Crucial M4 256GB for the OS, and 2X500GB, 3X1TB SAMSUNG HDDs.
Specs: i5 3570k @ stock, asrock extreme4 , 16GB samsung memory, NZXT HALE82 750 PSU, ASUS GTX 670 DC2T, Define XL case.

My HTPC is running windows 7 ultimate X64 as well, and has an Intel X-25M Gen2 80GB for the OS, 2X1.5TB, 3X2TB HDDs.
Specs: intel e6750 @ stock, Gigabit P35-DS3R rev.1 (has 3X PCI & 3PCI-e X1 rev.1 unused), 6GB DDR2, ATI 5850, thermaltake toughpower 750W (W0116), Cooler Master storm scout case.

Now, I'd like to install my HTPC's parts in the DEFINE XL case, along with all HDDs (except the Crucial M4) and install windos home server, so I can add mismatched HDDs. I'm tired of having to do manual backups.
The problem is with not enough SATA ports in my Gigabit P35-DS3R mobo, it has 8 SATA2 ports, I'll have a total of 11 HDDs + room for more HDDs down the line). I've been browsing newegg & amazon for the right SATA controller card, since I don't plan to RAID, should this card be enough? Or should I spend more $$? I've never dealt with server OS before, I'll be getting 2X, since my mobo only support PCI & PCI-e X1 rev.1:
PCI-E X1
http://www.amazon.com/Syba-Express-P...pr_product_top

PCI
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16816124028
Would the thermaltake PSU be enough to power this system? It's a 3 or 4 years old system.
I just purchased 4X3TB WD HDDs that I'll install into my gaming system and have weekly auto. backup from my server to my gaming machine that are connected through 2 gigabit dd-wrt routers.
Thanks!
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,552
10,171
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Neither one of those cards has decent reviews.

The PCI-E x1 4-port SATA2 solution one might have been a viable choice, but it appears that since 2012, they have been shipping with an outdated BIOS, and a flash memory chip that is not supported by the chipset vendor (Silicon Image)'s flash update utility.

Thus making that card kind of useless.
 

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
17,484
33
86
IMO, either get a better video card, or change motherboards. In this case, a "better" video would be something like a Geforce 8400GS, or GT 210: passively cooled, low-profile-capable (stays out of the way), and only taking up 1 slot. A 5850 creates unnecessary heat, unnecessary noise, and blocks one of your precious PCI-e 1x slots.

Then, this is what I'd get for PCI-e:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16816124064

No RAID support, right out of the box, a good chip, and fairly cheap. That can get you to 20 drives, before using PCI (6 ICH, 2 JMicron, 3*4 Marvell). Do not even think about putting more than 2 HDDs on your PCI slots (they all share the same 133MBps simplex bus!).

If you intend to actually max out to or past 20 drives, you should be using a motherboard more suited to such a system, such as an older server mobo, with IGP and multiple PCI-e 8x slots, or a newer desktop mobo with several physical 16x slots. If that's the case, trying to make the P35-DS3R work for you will result in spending as much as a new low-end Intel/AMD setup would have cost you, and thus not be worth it, when there are other uses it could be put to.
 
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r4sh1d

Member
Feb 21, 2012
137
31
101
IMO, either get a better video card, or change motherboards. In this case, a "better" video would be something like a Geforce 8400GS, or GT 210: passively cooled, low-profile-capable (stays out of the way), and only taking up 1 slot. A 5850 creates unnecessary heat, unnecessary noise, and blocks one of your precious PCI-e 1x slots.

I do plan on playing VERY light sports/car racing games once in a while (old-2007-09 graphics type games) setting on my couch with a game pad.


Then, this is what I'd get for PCI-e:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16816124064

No RAID support, right out of the box, a good chip, and fairly cheap. That can get you to 20 drives, before using PCI (6 ICH, 2 JMicron, 3*4 Marvell). Do not even think about putting more than 2 HDDs on your PCI slots (they all share the same 133MBps simplex bus!).

If I'm mainly using 5400RPM storage HDDs then a pci-e X1 rev1 running 4 drives per card under whs shouldn't be terribly slow, right? I'll probably get a couple of PCI SATA cards (2 SATA ports per card) so I wouldn't max out each card's SATA slots. I should be OK, right? Or is it going to drive me insane with terrible slow speeds while accessing, downloading torrents, streaming...etc?

I'll probably be streaming to max 2 devices at the same time, while have a bittorent client download in the background.



If you intend to actually max out to or past 20 drives, you should be using a motherboard more suited to such a system, such as an older server mobo, with IGP and multiple PCI-e 8x slots, or a newer desktop mobo with several physical 16x slots. If that's the case, trying to make the P35-DS3R work for you will result in spending as much as a new low-end Intel/AMD setup would have cost you, and thus not be worth it, when there are other uses it could be put to.


I'm planning to use the system for very light gaming/ browsing the internet.. I have never used whs before, I'm assuming I can use the system as a normal windows setup as well, right?

I have this system perfectly running, this's why I want to use it. I think I'll end up with max 15 drives in this setup. If I find the need for more, I'll look into server hardware in the future I guess.

Would the thermaltake toughpower 750W (W0116) 4 year old unit be enough to drive my system right now with a total of 11 drives? I see that the syba card doesn't support Staggered Spinup though.
 

Cerb

Elite Member
Aug 26, 2000
17,484
33
86
If I'm mainly using 5400RPM storage HDDs then a pci-e X1 rev1 running 4 drives per card under whs shouldn't be terribly slow, right?
You'll have 250MBps (full-duplex) per card (500MBps in a newer motherboard). Since each card will have that much, it won't be a big deal, and won't show up as a bottleneck over a GbE LAN. The drives share the bandwidth of the PCI-e 1x lane, but more cards means more total bandwidth, which is not the case for PCI.

I'll probably get a couple of PCI SATA cards (2 SATA ports per card) so I wouldn't max out each card's SATA slots. I should be OK, right? Or is it going to drive me insane with terrible slow speeds while accessing, downloading torrents, streaming...etc?
If you start filling them up, yes. Don't do that. If you get 2 PCI Cards, 2 SATA ports each, those 4 drives have to share 133MBps, simplex at that (more like ~110MBps after overheads, and worse-than-linear scaling as multiple cards compete for bandwidth). 5400 RPM 1TB/platter drives can each saturate that, today, with a sequential transfer, and if you have a GbE LAN, then yes, it could become a noticeably bottleneck. Let PCI go, or leave it for capture cards. It's nice that you can still get PCI slots and all, but even slow HDDs can outrun the whole bus.

Would the thermaltake toughpower 750W (W0116) 4 year old unit be enough to drive my system right now with a total of 11 drives?
It should. Drives don't use as much power as they used to, so I doubt that will be a problem.
 
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