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New cheap file server build have a few questions

L

leglez

Platinum Member
1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing: Being a file server and most likely running FreeNAS

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread: I would like to keep it around $400 or less.

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from. USA

4. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc, etc, etc, you get the picture. No preference whatever is cheap and reliable

5. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.

6. IF YOU have searched and/or read similar threads. Yes and I found a couple but didn't really have the same price range

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds. I don't want to overclock or do anything to make the system less reliable

8. WHEN do you plan to build it? Within the next 3-4 weeks

Will everything be compatible is there anything I could change to lessen the total? Also I am ordering all the extra stuff right now so that we have it on hand as soon as we need to add a new hdd.


Complete Build

Mobo $59.99
RAM $9.99
CPU $39.99
Video Card $19.99
PSU $22.99
HDD $119.99
Case $29.99
DVD Drive $16.99

Boot Device:
Compact Flash Card Reader $14.99
Compact Flash Card $7.99

Extras:
5.25" to 3.5" Converter $16.99
SATA Power Splitter $2.99
SATA Cables (5) $1.49 each ($7.45 total)

Sub-Total: $353.84
Shipping: $55.97
Total: $409.81

I think I could even find some stuff on ebay for cheaper. Like a cheaper CPU and DVD drive to bring the cost down a bit. I plan on eventually in a few months upgrading the case to something with 8 or 10 3.5" slots, and the PSU to something more reliable. But other than that is there anything I should change or anything to make it cheaper/more reliable?

With that by itself we could add 3 more 750GB drives and have almost 3TBs. I looked at a few different OS's and decided it had to be a free OS to save money so of course I had to go with Linux. Then I found FreeNAS which looks like exactly what I am looking for. It says it in the name. And it can be ran from a Flash Drive so no need to take up space on the HDD with the OS. The other thing that I like about it is that you can plug externals in and the can be accessible. So if I am correct we can take all our old externals and plug them into the USBs on this new server and then all the other computers can access it. It also has the web interface so we don't have to have a keyboard, mouse, and monitor hooked up to the server.

The one thing I am not sure about is how to access FreeNas from a Mac. Is there anyway that we could mount the server on each mac and then you can access the files whenever you want on any of the macs?

Thanks!
 
Ok thanks, so is that list of parts good? Is there anything I should/could change to get a lower price or more reliability or anything? Also I completely re-did the list. I decided that a complete new build rather than a bare bones build would be easier. I would rather pay an extra $100 now than probably double that later to upgrade.
 
Why the el cheapo $23 power supply? That's going to probably be the least reliable part in the system. I'd go with a name brand power supply that has a good power efficiency rating even for a cheap NAS. That'll make it more reliable and cheaper on the electric bill, hopefully.
 
When dealing with Network (which) file server is part of), the gamer approach does not work.

In Networking you have to start with the application used and then choose the Hardware accordingly.

If you just want to use FreeNAS any computer above P-II 500 would do.

There is few recent discussion on the issue, http://forums.anandtech.com/me...ght_key=y&keyword1=whs
 
Why discrete graphics? You want integrated graphics, any will do, IMO.
(Considered D201GLY2? Or D945GCLF? No gigabit ethernet though.)
 
If you want cheap, get the Antec NSK4480 from newegg for $45 right now. It comes with the Earthwatts 380W power supply, which is 80+ efficiency and enough power for even a moderately high-end gaming system.
 
I second the NSK4480. I've got the black version in which I'm building my new AMD server. It should hold three hard drives comfortable. More if you're willing to crowd them or use 5.25-inch mounting brackets. The EarthWatts power supply is excellent.

Don't skimp on the power supply and case, especially for something that's supposed to be reliable. Instead, buy qualite on a supercheap deal, like this.

Oh ah heck, the case is sold out, and isn't expected to be replenished until the summer...
 
I still feel very uncomfortable with a lot of your selections. The power supply, though qualite, seems overkill for your needs. I'm sure you could make do with 500 W, probably 430 or less, since the biggest power draws are probably going to be the many drives you'll eventually amass. I doubt the cpu will do much work unless you settle on software RAID (not a great idea in any case).

Why are you getting an SLI board and a discrete video card? I think I may already have recommended this Gigabyte board to you in a previous thread. It's $50, offers sufficient integrated graphics (which usually save power over discrete cards), four SATA and an IDE interface, and is well reviewed. If I were going Intel, I'd probably have bought this board and almost did for my girlfriend when her server died.

See my signature for the parts I'm mustering for my own future file server. So far my cost is $292 not counting drives.

Edited: if you can wait, the next-generation mini-ITX solutions from Intel ('Atom') and VIA ('Nano', aka Isaiah) have begun arriving. These will use far less power, at least for the cpu, than mainstream desktop processors.
 
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