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Mini-itx server build advice please

  • 01-03-2011 11:39pm
    #1
    digitaldr
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,522 ✭✭✭


    Long post alert!

    I am planning to build a mini-itx based server to stream media files (lots of hi-def mkvs) to my Acer Revo 36100 dual booting XP and XBMC Live 9.11. At the moment my setup is pretty cumbersome - I’ve got a 2.5 inch 500 gb external drive hooked up to the Revo with some of my video files on it. My music is on the Revo’s internal disc. I do most of my downloading on a very old PC upstairs (AMD Athlon XP2700+ 2.16 GHz with 512mb RAM running XP home). For backup I use an USB RAID enclosure with 2x1.5 Tb discs in a RAID 1 array. I’ve already filled 2 of these discs - one is in the PC (had to get a cheap SATA card on Ebay as PC is so old it’s only got IDE connectors) and the other is in a drawer.

    The PC is too power hungry and noisy (despite fitting quieter fans) to leave on all the time so hence the plan for an itx based server. This would be my first system build. Having said that I’ve replaced the mother board and power supply on the PC. Not to mention adding discs, SATA cards etc so I figure it should be a piece of cake. What I do need advice about is the choice of components/RAID configuration.

    I’m considering just having a pair of discs in RAID 1 and once these fill up moving one to another SATA connector, putting the other one in storage and then buying another pair of discs to make a new RAID 1 array. That way I will have access to all my files and have everything backed up too. I am vaguely aware of RAID 5 and have read good things about it but haven’t really had the time to do much research (lots of family commitments – 2 year old twins!).

    As for the operating system I was going to go for XP home mainly because I’m comfortable with it and have a fully legit disc. I also plan to use the server to do most of my downloading and have recently discovered Usenet – bye bye p2p! Also planning to get to grips with Sickbeard

    Motherboard wise I was thinking of this:

    Jetway JNC9C Dual LAN Fanless Expandable Mini-ITX Board mainly because it’s got 4 SATA connectors and would also probably add a Jetway 4x SATA Motherboard Module http://www.mini-itx.com/store/?c=34#modules (scroll down a bit to view). Should be enough SATA ports to be getting on with.

    My main concern would be that Jetway is not exactly a well known manufacturer (I stand to be corrected).

    For a system disc I’d like to go solid state budget permitting. Failing that would probably use a laptop drive for power consumption reasons.

    PSU – I haven’t really researched this so open to suggestions.

    Case – I’ve got plenty of space so was thinking of an Antec three hundred . Would probably just use the supplied fans running on low.

    RAM – What would be the minimum I could get away with?

    Monitor - Don’t think I’ll bother with one. Will just use my PC one for intitial setup then VNC after that.

    There is always the option of retiring my PC and reusing i’s case and PSU but realistically case is like an oven and PSU is noisy.

    Finally a brief word about my experiences with XBMC. I recently tried the latest live version – 10.0. Add ons were much easier to install and worked better that in 9.11. Unfortunately SMB shares appear to be broken so after trying lots of fixes I downgraded to 9.11 again. I boot into XP for RTE Player, 4oD, BBC iPlayer and Hulu (via VPN).

    Anyone know of a script that would make XBMC wake/sleep the server automatically?

    Anyway any comments suggestions greatly appreciated.


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