Work in progress Home File Server - Modding Rack mount Server Chassis

[CoolHandL]

SO in the Next Few weeks I will be building a Home File Server Using the following:

Parts I have and Or were Given:

ABMX 1U Rack mount Server Chassis

Intel P4 Prescott 3.0ghz

1GB Ram 2 x 512mb PC 3200 DDR400

Coolermaster HYPER 212

4x D 640GB Black HDD (Raid 5)

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Coolermaster STB-3T4-E3 3X5.25IN to 4X3.5IN Drive Bay Converter[/FONT]

1x Kingston 64GB SSD (OS, Server 2003?)

PSU (server PSU, or Dell 350W ATX PSU)

PCI Riser Card


Need:

Raid Card (something similar to the Promise TX 4310) Im looking for donations and or a low cost Raid card.


My goal is to modify the top cover to accommodate the Hyper 212+, kinda like a hot rods engine / blower poking through.

Since the case only holds 2 HDD's , I bought the Coolermaster Hard drive converter, it holds 4 HDD's, and i can modify the top of the server chassis so this peeks through the top as well or simply attaches to the top of the cover. ( i should mention i will not be rack mounting this)

Updated Photos, I removed the Stock Heat Sink And fitted the Hyper 212+ so i can measure the cover for the cuts needed, also removed the Jet Engine Front intake fan. Marked the Cover for where i need to make cuts (Hole allowing for the cover to be slid on and off)

 

[KaptCrunch]

Intel P4 Prescott 3.0ghz
is only a single core, does MB support dual core cpu's

 

[Neolithium_Wpg]

Single core is more than good enough if he'll be using a hardware RAID card, as it will handle the calculations for him.

 

[lcdguy]

for raid cards i would look for either a used perc5i or 6i if you want to do raid 5 or look at a used ibm br10i for raid 0, 1 and 1e. both are usually in the 120-150 price range in the used market.

 

[CoolHandL]

Thanks LCD Guy i will scour the used for sales sites.

 

[CoolHandL]

Anyone have experience with this Raid Card? the egg has it for $79.99, High point Rocket Raid 2640x4 PCI Express Four Port Sata and SAS Raid Controller Card?
LCD guy I can only find the cards you suggested in retail like 500+ Bucks, could not find used anywhere, i suppose i could wait but anyone have comments about the rocket raid card?
thanks!!

 

[lcdguy]

try this site -> SCSI4ME: Best place for your SCSI and data storage needs!

also fleabay is your friend.

 

[CoolHandL]

LCD guy i should also mention I'll be using a PCI slot, Since thats the free riser i have.

Good site(scsi4me) lots of stuff, thanks again. fleabay has gone to shits, not easy finding a deal anymore. people are too greedy these days.

 

[lcdguy]

if your using pci then your choice of hardware raid controllers is going to be quite limiting as a 32bit pci bus just doesn't have the throughput for that kind of solution. If it were me i would be considering loading either freenas or openfiler and using linux software raid or windows home server and using drive extender. i have used all three and IMHO they rate as following.

Openfiler
WHS
Freenas

 

[CoolHandL]

so use the cheaper sata controller (promise TX4 etc...) and use software raid? wont that tax the CPU, its only a single core P4 Prescott 3.0ghz?
sorry for all the questions in my own thread i'm a total noob when it comes to Raid and servers. thanks for your assistance.