A home "bit of everything" server?

SolarNexus

just wondering if the following specs are enough for a 'bit of everything' home server:

AMD Semperon 3400+
1024mb PC3200
Maxtor DiamondMax Plus10 300Gb S150
Gigabyte VIA K8M800M Socket 754 MATX

this would basically be for a 24/7 server for torrent downloading (cpu and ram intensive I expect), music streaming, apache, ftp, email, and everything else I can fling at it.

DemonOfTheFall

Much more than enough tbh. Even azureus, the most processor and ram intensive bittorrent client, runs ok on a P2 266mhz with 192 megs of ram. Sure, it likes a bit more ram, but 512 megs is heaps.

Not trying to put you off your choices there, but jsut saying that u wont need that much ram just for azureus. FTP at 100mbit speeds, eg, inside your LAN puts a bit of a dent into processor cycles, but other than that I'd say youll be absolutely grand.

Sounds like a sweet pc to have jsut as a server.

commited

you need a minimum of 512mb to run XP properly though

1gb of ram is pretty much the norm now. Will you be using it to watch movies etc.
Rather than focussing on speed, I'd focus on making it as quiet as possible. possibly look at the "mobile" cpu's instead of the normal ones!

Stephen

Looks fine for a home server. What operating system are you putting on it? For running Apache/ftp servers/mail etc I would stick some flavour of Linux on it. That'll do for bittorrent as well.

SolarNexus

DemonOfTheFall wrote:

Much more than enough tbh. Even azureus, the most processor and ram intensive bittorrent client, runs ok on a P2 266mhz with 192 megs of ram. Sure, it likes a bit more ram, but 512 megs is heaps.

Not trying to put you off your choices there, but jsut saying that u wont need that much ram just for azureus. FTP at 100mbit speeds, eg, inside your LAN puts a bit of a dent into processor cycles, but other than that I'd say youll be absolutely grand.

Sounds like a sweet pc to have jsut as a server.

'tis nothing compared to the computer I'm building for myself at the same time. Been saving/waiting years for this, so its aboot time me thinks.

the idea is pretty simple, a bittorrent client which is controlled via website (lan only accessible) that downloads and organises the files accordingly. In addition, the server would hold any dvd we have lying around, music cd etc. (got a stack of western digitals from way back for extra space). essentially the server would hold every file in the network, act as a domain controller, router, print server, etc.

I also hope that in the distant future, if I ever have money again (probably not after this.. probably be pennyless for a while), a htpc that streams audio/video off of this server to a tv.

its quite an ambitious project, really.

SolarNexus

Stephen wrote:

Looks fine for a home server. What operating system are you putting on it? For running Apache/ftp servers/mail etc I would stick some flavour of Linux on it. That'll do for bittorrent as well.

I was thinking the same, I'm usually a windows nut, but windows is crap for server environments so linux would be the perfect balance. Probably redhat fedora core 4

deckie27

I see two problems

No.1 Maxtor Hdd. I wouldn't trust all my data on one, buy another and setup as raid 1
No.2 There is a virus on p2p networks that will delete music and stuff.

I'd recommend a seperate machine for the download of stuff. Or use MS virtual Machine ie where you have a copy of XP running inside your host OS so it there are any problems you just delete the OS file and copy over a good copy

Dec

Cabaal

I use my old machine as a server and its been on basically non-stop for 2 and a half years without any issues
AMD Athlon 850Mhz overclocked to 1000Mhz
Abit KT7A-RAID Motherboard
512MB SDRAM
2x 120GB hd's
1x 20GB hd (OS)
1x 200GB hd
2x 60GB

Its used for hosting files, downloading has even run as a games server all at once at one point.
Personally it would be a waste to have a seperate machine for downloading/hosting files when one can do it all as long as its fully patched and you don't execute random code on it.
Easiest thing to do is just remote into the box from your main desktop.

SolarNexus wrote:

I also hope that in the distant future, if I ever have money again (probably not after this.. probably be pennyless for a while), a htpc that streams audio/video off of this server to a tv.
its quite an ambitious project, really.

As in stream your video files on your PC to your tv? or videocapture tv with the server and stream to TV?
If your doing the first option I highly suggest you get yourself as modded x-box with XBMC and connect it to your network, you'll be able to view movie trailers from the apple site, play on videos on your server on your tv and even stream shoutcast feeds.
Its the bees nees tbh

gline

im using my socket 754 machine as a fileserver, bittorrent client, dc++ client and ftp server, i stream EVERYTHING off it over a gigabit lan, does the job and then some, defo recommend 1gig of ram though. Im only using XP to do the job though, i'd love to use linux but i havent a breeze how to use it, thinking of setting up a dual boot with linux on it aswell so i can figure out how to use it. As for original question, yeh those specs would be adaquete.

MrPinK

deckie27 wrote:

No.2 There is a virus on p2p networks that will delete music and stuff.

He'll unlikely have to worry about it if he's running linux.

wavin

commited wrote:

you need a minimum of 512mb to run XP properly though

i got xp running on 384mb ram and 800mhz p3 and it has no problems

unless ive a few(3-4) big programs open at the same time

commited

I had Xp running on a 866mhz, 256mb machine and it was pretty pathetic tbh - even after it was fully optimised.

It's a well known fact that XP needs at least 512mb. I know several people who have laptops with 256mb ram and XP and they are really really really slow. Irritatingly so!

SolarNexus

The reason for a seperate box for the downloading etc is:

1) isolated from viruses
2) network backup of files for other two pcs
3) dont want downloading etc. intefering with my other 'real' work

As for possible viruses, as none of the files will be executed on the server, and that since it will be linux, I have no worries about it getting infected; as for the pcs that use the files, if they get infected, the server will maintain backup images of the pcs.