I'm getting into the idea of building a file server simply because I reformat my gaming machine too much to risk losing all my mp3s and videos I have backed up (re-ripping was a pain). With this in mind, I intend to build a file server with plenty of room for storage of more mp3s (as I buy CDs) and movies (as I buy DVDs). I will stream these files over a gigabit ethernet to my media PC so I can keep hdd space lower on my gaming rig and my media PC. Here is what I have planned to buy for the file server: Processor (I have a P4 already) P4 Motherboard (Abit IC-7 possible) 2 GB PC2700 Dual Channel ATI 9550 (doesn't need a kick ass card, just better than onboard) 2 WD 250GB SATA HDD (Raid 0) Server case What I need are basic recommendations on this idea. Gigabite should give me a fat enough pipe to stream video to the media pc and record tv streams from the media pc on the file server. I need a motherboard with onboard sound, onboard gigabit[/]i] ethernet, and at least 4 sata ports, and a power supply that is cheap and reliable (I'm leaning towards that 500W x-connect).
What's wrong with just a separate 300gig harddisk for your stuff? If you want some security get a RAID 1 array or start DVDRing them.
just get a cheap but stable board, you dont need the latest super clocking board for a simple fileserver OVERKILL!!! you're unlikely to need more than 512mb if its just a fileserver whats wrong with the onboard? its a server, run it headless tbh no, very bad idea either: 2x single disk or 2x raid 1 or 3/4x raid 5 dont even think about raid0 for a fileserver, you dont need the speed boost and you do need the redundancy that raid1/5 will give you overkill again, look at the bit-rate of your vids, you could easily stream over 10mbit let alone gigabit 100mbit would be fine but if you have gigabit already then go for it i'd reccomend going for an external pci sata raid card if you can afford it, why do you need onboard sound? 500w psu is overkill i just use my old 330w enermax in my server my fileserver Xp2000+ my old mobo, soyo kt333 256mb pc3200 (was cheaper than pc2700 really need another 256 tho) gf2mx i had lying around lite-on cd-rw i had lying around 4x Maxtor 250gig Maxline II+ sata's in raid 5 Promise S150-SX4 raid 5 card with 128mb pc133 cache 160gig Maxtor DM+9 boot + secondary data 330w enermax cheiftec dragon i had lying around works great
its a fantastic raid card also the only hardware raid 5 i could find that wasn't PCI-X and £300 komplett dont have them anymore tho i want another one hehe
well in my fileserver i have AMD 2000+ @ 2600+ ASUS a7v333 w/raid 2intel pro NIC 10/100 512mb ddr266 GF4 MX440 40gb for OS (i use it 4 gaming aswell) 80gb 2x 120gb 160gb DVD-RW 4x 450w codegen PSU this is using parts i had layin around do not raid 0 them, i did 2 me 120gb and the damn thing corrupted and i lost 240gb this is my idea of a fileserver tho P4 (u have this) any P4 mobo 512Mb DDR266 (is it really gonna need the extra ram speed as a fileserver?) 40gb for OS 4x 250gb HDD in raid 0+1 (if u really want the extra bandwidth this gives security and speed) IDE or SATA raid controller onboard gfx (as a fileserver u dont need any 3d gfx card) 400w PSU good six case with a few fans as hard drives heat up alot also having an 80gb in a mobile rack will b good if u need 2 quickly get data from 1 PC 2 another (but thats just me)
did you try and put 2 disks into raid 0 with data still on them? and raid 5 is better than 0+1 afaic only need 3 disks for one, and you get more space overall than 0+1
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=130258 its an s150 sx4 not sx150 its has one really odd quirk tho, it wont boot without a real working ps2 mouse plugged into the ps2 mouse port very strange, fortunately i had a box of old ones lying around
You must have extra money on your hands. 2GB is crazy. A file server is devoted to one task and it could live off 128 MB of RAM easily.
Exactly, your wasting money with that setup. My fileserver consists off the following: 733 MHz P3 256 MB RAm all onboard - why put a video card in a server?? 3 - 200 gb hard drives connected to promise controller Its keeps up with the 3 machines on my network plus the htpc - which I use to rip DVDs and such directly to the server - I have ripped and played a DVD at the same time from different PCs to the server and had NO problems. I just had this lying around so buying new parts obviously you have to go a little higher tech but your going overboard - bigtime.
nope i formated them both and got the data off me mate after i set the raid up, workd for a while then for some unknown reason it corrupted :shrugs:
I would agree with whats been said. If you want to do raid get a Hardware Raid card that can do either Raid Modes 0+1 or 5 for speed and redundacy. Personally my current fileserver/MP3 Streaming Server Amd Athlon XP 2500+ 512mb DDR 1X 40GB Boot Drive 2X 80GB Storage Drive in RaidMode 0 Creative Vodoo Banshee 16Mb PCI Future Plans A64 3000+ 512MB DDR 1X 36.7 GB Raptor SATA 2X 200GB Segate SATA raid 0 yes yes i know, ack raid 0, but i have never had any issues that i didn't cause.
well, my server is a dell optiplex something or other. p2 350. just upgraded to half a gig ram which has made a difference. and a 40 gig drive. and it's just fine. it's also my broadband router, domain controller, download machine etc. running server2003. no need for anything better i don't think. except maybe the drives. and there is definitely no need for monitor mouse etc. just user remote desktop connection... and the domain controller/fileserver/proxy server at work here is a p2 266 or something with 512mb ram and raid array. and that serves 350 machines. so you don't need even need a semi decent machine for a server
