super low power PC

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deviant
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super low power PC

Post by deviant »

Hey, can anyone recommend a mobo (and possibly ARM processor) computer that I can run a server with minimum noise/power consumption

I run freeNAS and I think the old PC I'm using is a gas guzzler..

I'm looking for something like a beagle-board but with SATA and gigabit Ethernet,

also, where can you find this stuff in Melbourne? the usual PC parts places don't seam to have this stuff. i know there's plenty around but I haven't come across any with both SATA and gigabit lan
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fooishbar
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Re: super low power PC

Post by fooishbar »

tbh you won't find any decent arm with sata and gige other than what you get off the shelf.

if you want a nas, just buy a drobo -- they're fucking awesome. i've got a drobo + droboshare (4 drive bays, does its own RAID so you never have to worry about moving shit around or growing your filesystem or whatever, just put in a disk to add more storage, take one out if it's fucked, whatever, supports time machine, has a bittorrent client, upnp server, etc) here that i'll happily sell as soon as the drobo fs comes out in aus.
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Re: super low power PC

Post by deviant »

yeah, I've heard they are kickass....

it's really just a $$$ thing really...

freeNAS is well, free :) and does the same thing (besides RAID, which is a bee-arch to setup imo) The PC I'm using is one of the old E55 machines, full of dust, really loud and I'm sure our power bill has gone through the roof because of it. Apart from that the operation of the box is brilliant. Streams media to my tele/stereo storage for all comps/lappys in the house... love it.

just a bit broke to go the drobo option tbh
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Re: super low power PC

Post by fooishbar »

haha

yeah fair cop ... you're really not going to find a cheap beagleboard/sheevaplug-alike option with sata + gige. best you'll do arm-wise (aside from buying an actual nas, some of which like the linkys nslu2 are pretty cheap) is usb2 + 100mbit ethernet, which is enough to plug it into a drive enclosure.
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a1studmuffin
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Re: super low power PC

Post by a1studmuffin »

Do what I do and run an old laptop next to your router that just barely scrapes into what you need. The older processors consume a lot less power (since they're not as fast), and as long as it runs XP SP3 w/network, USB and CD it'll usually do the job, even if it is slow as shit to use. I use mine as a media server/download server. Disable any hardware components on it you don't need (they add up power-wise, eg. battery, CD drive, bluetooth, wifi etc), and set it up so you can remote log into it from anywhere. Even your iPhone. It's the best.
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Re: super low power PC

Post by JAMESSSS »

http://www.deviceguru.com/diy-80gb-ipod-touch/

Not what you are asking for, but pretty nifty anyway (and vaguely related)
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Re: super low power PC

Post by deviant »

I guess 100Mbit LAN is do-able, it's just a bitch when you are migrating 500GB or so to a new server... zzzzzzzzz dead

just found this...

http://www.fit-pc.com/

looks rad
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system
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Re: super low power PC

Post by system »

deviant wrote:ARM processor
deviant wrote:SATA and gigabit Ethernet
mutually exclusive terms. raid ready devices are never going to be cheap.

fooishbar had a good suggestion (especially if you're not comfortable setting up custom storage)
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Re: super low power PC

Post by fooishbar »

eh, basically all the current NASes are arm, it's just that the only fully-supported and hackable ones like the beagleboard and stuff you can get off the shelf have absolutely crap-all i/o throughput. :) they are ridiculously low power tho (~3-4mA at idle).
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Re: super low power PC

Post by JAMESSSS »

I think you should buy a Thumper Dan.

It won't solve your power issues, but it'll huss.
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Re: super low power PC

Post by fooishbar »

you think i should buy a what?
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Re: super low power PC

Post by JAMESSSS »

DOUBLE-DAN'ed!

A Thumper.

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Re: super low power PC

Post by fooishbar »

haha, you know you don't have to fanboy them now that they no longer exist, right? :teef:

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Re: super low power PC

Post by JAMESSSS »

WTF is that ugly thing?
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fooishbar
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Re: super low power PC

Post by fooishbar »

proliant dl785, with what looks like dl185s or 385s underneath. most of our stuff runs on dl385s, serious win.
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Re: super low power PC

Post by JAMESSSS »

HP fanboy eh?
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fooishbar
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Re: super low power PC

Post by fooishbar »

yep. i wish i had a dl785!
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spiral
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Re: super low power PC

Post by spiral »

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Re: super low power PC

Post by deviant »

that looks rad!

can you run other OSes on it though? how would I set it up with no monitor etc... is the storage external (via USB???)

interesting
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Re: super low power PC

Post by deviant »

also, it looks like it would be a bitch to get voltage convesion for
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Re: super low power PC

Post by system »

it runs at 100-240V though :?
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Re: super low power PC

Post by spiral »

it has OS on it and you plug ext HD into for storage
also UK is 240V same as here
just need adapter
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Re: super low power PC

Post by deviant »

system wrote:it runs at 100-240V though :?
haha, seen
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spiral
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Re: super low power PC

Post by spiral »

you can buy them here
http://www.newit.co.uk/shop/proddetail. ... ServerPlus
with wifi and bluetooth
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Re: super low power PC

Post by deviant »

I just realised I can get a Netgear ready NAS 1TB (with HD installed) for like $250 :? mind you, they are pretty big/ugly

meh, too many options tbh
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Re: super low power PC

Post by *catalyst »

I use a e6750 c2d with a 1tb drive in it, on an intel P45 board. Seems pretty good on juice/heat. Also has TV tuner etc, all running off Win7 the media center part is actually pretty sweet too. Windows means I can actually configure it and trouble shoot it easily. Also use it for Traktor as its near the DECKS BRO!
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