Small Form Factor I'm thinking torrent box,but I don't want all the peripherals

Good morning fine bit-techers!

I've got a question for you lot, it's probably pretty simple but my networking/remote access knowledge is...well it isn't.

Anyway, my super sig rig (sounding like something from black hawk down now) is great for everything, but its a power WHORE!!!

I specced a really low powered C2D system on micro atx (E2140 cpu, 1 GB of 533 Ram, Abit IP-95 mobo, Asus GeForce EN7300TC silent graphics card, 250gb spinpoint and Antec NSK1300 ATX Cube Case with its dinky psu). So I'm thinking nice and low powered, sweet, and quiet).

What I really need to know is: can I let this thing run with no monitor, keyboard or mouse? It will be running XP home as I have a legit version of that not being used, and I like windows, regardless. AND, of course, if I can run it this way, I am going to have to remotely access it to control all it's functions, is that possible? and how complicated is it?

TIA

 

You need a C2D for a torrent box?
Seriously thats pure overkill.

you could get away with a old P3 if you wanted to.

 

I used to use a P3 833 as a torrent box, but upgraded because it wasnt possible to download a few torrents at the same time at full speed (~2.5MB/sec). Now on a 2GHz P4 and no such problems.

A C2D would be overkill (as would a discrete graphics card), but depending on your net speed, a P3 may not be enough.

VNC should allow you to do pretty much anything on the box getting to it from your main rig, just keep a keyboard handy for bios operations. Its easy to set up and use, and reasonably snappy as well, certainly more than enough for a server.

 

uTorrent and Azeureusususeusues have web interfaces which means they can be remotely administered although I've never tried it, I've only previously used remote desktop.

Personally I think that rig is really over powered, you could get away with something mini-itx and passive, or how about an EQS 690G (£85 iirc) or mATX 690G/7050 (£45?) and a 45W AMD BE-2300 (£45?) or anything cheap cheap cheap. Onboard video is more than enough and then grab two 250GB HDDs and RAID-1 them? The hard drives will be the noisiest part of any setup, so if noise is a critical factor buy a single notebook drive instead, then dump the completed files to another drive periodically.

I'm only thinking small here, but if you don't care: whatever you can find in the bargain bin because the networking stack will be the only thing working. I'd probably even play around with Linux and think Smoothwall+Torrent?

 

the utorrent web interface is pretty good, but I generally just use VNC.

 

KVM switch?

 

Aha you have spotted my C2D idea lol there is method behind this, if my main rig went down, I would at least have something that I can work in properly.

However, I like bindi's 690G idea with that really low powered AMD.

I'm going to google VNc because I don't know what it is, not an OS I assume!? oh and I use azureusususususz too hehe

As for Linux, no, I can't be bothered, I just want it to work with minimal learning required.

And as for the hdd, I think I've got an old 160 and 120 laying around, I'll put them in and save more.

 

Run linux and use the python bittorrent client

 

VNC is a cross platform remote desktop app, you install a server and client app on the respective machines, allowing you to control the other machine as if you were in front of it.

 

Jamie, you be quiet, no linux! Naughty man.

I just had a look at VNC, looks spot on, I'm assuming the torrent box would be the client?

 

neigh, the torrent box is the server
you log on to a server from a client, think about it for a sec...

 

Why don't you just use remote desktop?

 

With remote desktop, correct me if I'm wrong, don't you need to create a session that has to be manually accepted on the other machine.
With VNC once you have set it up you just run the exe and you are in.

 

Remote desktop sucks. VNC is actually decent.

I'm going to be watching this develop; after having my "power whore" (sig) rig running solidly for a few days (and a week or so more to go :x) I realized I'm using torrents more and more. I'll probably end up going with an almost totally passive setup though.

 

I'll spec a 690g machine when I get home tonight and see what the price is like.

Regardless of the E2140 being over powered, it is pretty energy efficient right?

 

Remote desktop is great.
I used to use it all the time to control my home machine from work.
You just enable remote access, select which users can log in remotely (the account must have a password) and click accept.
Then type 'mstsc' into the run box on any XP machine, point to your server's IP, enter user/pass and away you go.

Also, there's an article on here that holds your hand every step of the way for making a linux fileserver server with torrenting ability.
I'm sure you'd manage it tbh.

 

If you run windows server remote desktop works better

 

remote access from vista to XP works ok?

 

Your hardware list seems serious overkill for a torrent box

I know you seem set on windows, but do at least try out the Bit-tech linux server guide it's really good.

Got it installed on my old 1st-gen mini-ITX machine (800mhz Via C3, 512MB PC133, 2x80GB IDE) and it rarely goes above 10% cpu usage with 5x torrents running

 

bleurgh alright I may have a look at doing it, I've read gliders guide already lol still didn't want to do it, even though it now seems idiot proof.

The main bind I've got here hardware wise is that I do actually have an old socket 939 3500 laying around and a gig of DDR ram somewhere, BUT it isn't that energy efficient and that is definitely the aim here.

Or should I just use my old kit on a 939matx?