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A sub-$100 server. Can it be done?
Raggaholic
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Basically, I'm trying to build what will serve as a file server for my home network. I'd like to do it under $100, not including OS, monitor, keyboard/mouse, hard drives. I know it could be as simple as running to Newegg, but I know the hive mind of Penny-Arcade can do it a lot better than I can.
I'd like a DVD burner in it, but that's not even that important. The ability to take SATA/IDE drives is a must.
So, can it be done under $100?
I'd like a DVD burner in it, but that's not even that important. The ability to take SATA/IDE drives is a must.
So, can it be done under $100?
Raggaholic on
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Not unless you're getting a LOT of second hand parts.
Have a more usable budget? Have an old PC laying around? Let me try to throw you one together really quick.
You could try this thing, but I'm not sure how easy it is to upgrade the RAM/HDD.
$40 - CPU
$15 - RAM
$10 - RAID Card
$40 - 2x HDD
$20 - Power Supply
$25 - DVD Burner
$25 - Case
$35 - Internal HDD Enclosure for HDD hotswap
================
$230 before tax and shipping. These are flimsy products but to get them close to your original plan I had to cut back on brand name a lot. I also went with a desktop board and processor because really, it's not worth going all out for a file server used by 5 people.
With all the features and I'm throwing in extra in the form of Raid1. For a file server, trust me, you'll want at least that. I also tried not to skimp out on a PSU, because that'll fuck everything up if you do.
This.
Check out mini-itx.com (google it first in case there's no hyphen) or just google mini-itx.
The atom boards run about $70 to 100, with the gma 950 graphics included, and it will be fine for a home fileserver.
My reccomendation, albeit pricier, is to get the mobo and a slim case with a laptop dvd drive (maybe even slot load), 2gigs of ram, xp pro, and use the sata to compact flash converter to have your os and server tools on flash for faster boot and load, and then use a networked external drive for storage. That's just me though, and it will set you back closer to $500
500GB Hard Drive: $60
Done.
EDIT: oh wait, not including hard drives? hrm.
Pentium 3 box on Craigslist: $40
4 cases of fat tire: $60
That's better
You can buy a 32GB 2.5" solid state SATA HD for around $100 after discount now. Apparently their sustained transfer rates suck, but they work good as System drives.
You could get a very simple NAS box -- basically a self contained Fileserver -- for cheap. I think you can get barebones ones and just shove your own HDD in.
I don't live in Texas anymore...
Yargh, it's a Colorado brewery.
Is stability or fault tolerance desired? If so you'll get into the game cheaper with a NAS w/RAID.
The reason I don't need HDDs is because I have two 80GBs (IDE) and a 750GB (SATA). I'm figuring I'll do better by putting them in a server than having them as slaves on other machines, which they are now.
Yes, if you all you need is a fileserver, why aren't you buying a NAS box? You can get a Linksys NAS200 from TigerDirect for $125 and just throw your HDs in there.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
I've only worked with FreeNAS briefly, but it looks pretty good.
If you can find a P3 that can do SATA, I'd fucking love to see it.
Old computer on Craigslist (or bought from local public school, give it a look!) : $50-ish
4-port PCI SATA controller: $25 + S&H
PCI SATA controllers on old PCs can sometimes be a pain in the ass, but the upside is that Pentium-3s were rocking processors for the time and will run stuff that supposedly won't run at that clock speed. (I used to play City of Heroes on a 800 mhz P3.) That only applies if you're planning on using the box for more than a file server though, of course.
Edit: I'm still leaning towards the NAS appliance route if all Ragga needs is network storage. Easier setup, smaller footprint, lower power consumption, and just generally less pain all around.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
The SATA controller should be fine if he gets the drivers installed properly (slipstreaming them into a Windows install disc, for example, or making sure they're included in whatever Linux distro you throw on there). He's working with IDE drives, too, so that's even better: he can get the OS installed before worrying about drivers for the controller card.
And the Pentium 3 was really efficient. I mean, let's put it this way: Intel threw the entire Pentium 4 design in the garbage and based its modern processors on the Pentium 3 (and its derivative, the Pentium M)'s design, with a few improvements.