New home server build - Low Power

[Carson89]

So i recently decided to build myself a home server to keep a variety of documents backed up, store my ever expanding music and video collection, and run a small variety of programs in the background.
After days or browsing the net for a pre-built system that met my spec or at least come close, i gave up and desided to build one from scratch.

Parts:
CPU - AMD Sempron LE-1200 - £21.98
MOBO - Gigabyte GA-MA74GM-S2H Socket AM2+ - £42.99
RAM - 1GB Kingston ValueRam DDR2 667MHz - £9.76 (To my suprise, this turned out to be low profile which was nice)
CPU Cooler - Sycthe Ninja II - £26.32
PSU - Corsair VX Series 450w - £47.99
CASE - Thermaltake M9 VI1000BNS Midi Tower - £42.16
FAN - Sycthe S-Flex 120mm 800rpm - £12.46
HDD - Samsung HD753LJ - £59.37 (To go with another Samsung HD753, and 3 Samsung HD501's that will be moved into the server)
OS - Windows Home Server OEM - £77.91

I also purchased 5 3m reels of 1.8mm stretch magic to suspend as many hard disks as i could fit in the case. - £11.25

Total price, with all postage £377.52
(Not too bad i dont think considering its going to be almost entirely new.)


So the majority of the parts arrived in the last few days, and since i had some of the more major parts, i decided to start building the server.
Here's the progress so far. (Just waiting on the PSU, CPU Cooler and the 750GB Hard disk.)







When the last few parts arrive, i shall post up some pictures of the finished build. (Perhaps a couple more after i remove the fan grill on the rear of the case and tweaked it a little.)

Any comments or suggestions greatly appreciated.

[Jipa]

Good work with the HDD-suspensions, but you really should have done something to that horrid airflowkiller (fan guard) in the rear...

[Carson89]

Good work with the HDD-suspensions, but you really should have done something to that horrid airflowkiller (fan guard) in the rear...

Tell me about it, it wont be there for long. As soon as i get the time to remove it, it'll go.

As for the HDD suspension, that took me somewhere around 2-3 hours to complete, right pain but will be worth it int he end.

[Carson89]

Well.. the remaining bits for the server arrived on Wednesday, and after 2 solid days of transfering files across as well as hard disks from my main pc to the server, it is finally complete.

I am stunned at how quiet it is, only thing to solve now, is the slight whine from the hard disks when the room is dead quiet.

Here are some photos of how it turned out.







(The above shows a small step in my attempts to keep good airflow over the hard disks and through the case, whilst supressing some of the noise from the disks. Anyone got any other ideas on what might help?)




Temps:
Each HDD hovers around 30c when idle and rises to about 35-40c when under heavy load.
CPU is apparently at -49c (through temp monitor software running on the of), which definatley does not seem right. However, when toughing the base of the CPU heatsink, it feels luke warm even under load. and thwe BIOS claims that the CPU is also hovering around 30c.

HDD's:
3x 500GB Samsung HD501LJ (Ones with the smaller white sticker visible from the front fo the case.)
2x 750GB Samsung HD753LJ (Ones with the larger white sticker visible from the front of the case.)

Oh and for those who are thinking about using Stretch Magic to suspend your hard disk, a small word of warning.
It is VERY difficult to tie a knot that will not undo, so be prepared to use something to keep the knot from undoing itself. (In my case, i used a cable tie wrapped twice around the knot and pulled tight.)

[didi]

(The above shows a small step in my attempts to keep good airflow over the hard disks and through the case, whilst supressing some of the noise from the disks. Anyone got any other ideas on what might help?)

Make a sound absorbing duct using foam. Air passes freely through an S shaped duct, but sound is somewhat absorbed.

Oh and for those who are thinking about using Stretch Magic to suspend your hard disk, a small word of warning.
It is VERY difficult to tie a knot that will not undo, so be prepared to use something to keep the knot from undoing itself. (In my case, i used a cable tie wrapped twice around the knot and pulled tight.)

A drop of super glue ?

[sanse]

i like the way you 'suspended' the stretch magic with tie wraps to the harddisk-cage. very neat and original.

[sanse]

i like the way you 'suspended' the stretch magic with tie wraps to the harddisk-cage. very neat and original.

[thejamppa]

Very nice job generally. Now you asked how could be noise be confied while air flow secured. With full mesh build it might be difficult. But here's hint: Sound works like light. Preventing direct access would dampen the sound.

Just bit planning and so forth. Easiest solution I think is making the front section so that sound gets indirect path:

You could think building small extension to case that has all vents side and that front section would be closed and lined with foam. Depending how good you are with your hands and what space you have avaiblable it shouldn't be too hard.

you could think make such thing hard or thick cardboard. If you have better skills and tools then with plywood.