I want to build a home server. I want advice on the best motherboard/CPU combination to get - something which has proven much harder than I expected! I already have a few Gb of DD2 memory, and a number of 1Tb disks (currently containing backups from my main PC). I also have a cheap case, basic 450w PSU and spare Pioneer DVD writer. I've decided to build a central home server that can automatically take backups for my several PCs from around the house. It would also provide the central store for all my media (pictures, home-made films, commercial films, music). The server is unlikely to do much other than act as a central store. I've consider just using LAN Storage, but for a similar cost I thought a basic PC set up would provide flexibility to do other things in the background if I so wished. Now the one thing that is causing me problems is the critical task of identifying a suitable motherboard/CPU bundle. I 'thought' I could get a combination reasonably cheaply and certainly less than £100. This has proven impossible so far... My required specifications: * Any basic CPU, AMD or Intel - was expecting something like an Intel E5400 dual-core * An appropriate motherboard with the following features: - at least 3 x SATA II, to connect at least 3 separate disks. - RAID controller - I will want to use RAID 1 for two of the disks - on-board graphics - will only be used for initial OS installation and configuration, so I don't want to buy a separate graphics card - Gigabit ethernet connection - so I can network to it I thought it would be easy. It is not! I went and bought an Intel E5300 CPU with Asus P5QPL-AM motherboard. But then I realised that the motherboard has no RAID controller - silly me didn't check beforehand. So the motherboard at least will have to be returned. PLEASE... does anyone have any suggestions...? I've just spent the last hour searching around the internet, but just can't find a suitable motherboard. - well, certainly not a reasonably-priced one! Any advice greatly appreciated Cheers, Don
