I have repurposed an old Dell Optiplex to serve as a Windows Home Server box. This drive currently has 5 hard drives with a total of a little over 2TB of storage. The hard drives were running really hot - from 51-70C and this is with the case open. I hung a 120mm fan with a tie wrap so that it blows air onto the hard drives and this has dropped the temps to 34-43C.
I am thinking that I need a new case. What case would be recommended that has good ventilation to cool hard drives? I would like a case with room for at least 6 hard drives. Noise and size are not major considerations as this server sits in a basement room that is kind of a storage/junk room.
Would an Antec 300 make sense?
What about a PS that is relatively no frills but lots of HD connectors? Other than powering lots of HDs it wouldn't need to power much else.
Any recommendations on a lower end mobo that has lots of SATA ports but no real bells and whistles - in such a system I don't need fancy (if any) video, audio, etc.
I need a case with good hard drive ventilation!
Moderators: NeilBlanchard, Ralf Hutter, sthayashi, Devonavar
-
dhanson865
- Posts: 2198
- Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2005 11:20 am
- Location: TN, USA
Note any case listed below you'd have to buy some fans for the optional fan mounts.
4 hard drives would fit in an Antec Solo and be cooled well by two front 92mm fans.
Mini P180 would do 5 hard drives with a front 120mm fan. Not perfect cooling but it'd get the job done.
P182 would do 6 hard drives with better cooling than you could ask for. More options on configuring that than I'd care to list in this post.
The P182 would be easier to keep those drives cool without being loud but if you literally don't care about noise just buy some Yate Loon or Scythe fans that are medium/high speed (1200 to 1600 RPM for the 120mm size) and let em blow.
Given that the hard stuff doesn't matter to you the Antec 300 vs P182 decision can be just about cost for you. You can get an Antec 300 for about $55 + S&H definitely cheaper than the P180/P182.
On the PSU
Corsair VX450W has 6 SATA power connectors and tons of other power connectors should you need them. Can't imagine paying more than that if all you want to do is use it as a file server.
On the motherboard get anything you like 780G, 690G, whatever. $15 gets you a PCI card that adds 4 more drive connectors so any full decent motherboard will do the job. Just pick one that doesn't have a fan on the chipset...
4 hard drives would fit in an Antec Solo and be cooled well by two front 92mm fans.
Mini P180 would do 5 hard drives with a front 120mm fan. Not perfect cooling but it'd get the job done.
P182 would do 6 hard drives with better cooling than you could ask for. More options on configuring that than I'd care to list in this post.
The P182 would be easier to keep those drives cool without being loud but if you literally don't care about noise just buy some Yate Loon or Scythe fans that are medium/high speed (1200 to 1600 RPM for the 120mm size) and let em blow.
Given that the hard stuff doesn't matter to you the Antec 300 vs P182 decision can be just about cost for you. You can get an Antec 300 for about $55 + S&H definitely cheaper than the P180/P182.
On the PSU
Corsair VX450W has 6 SATA power connectors and tons of other power connectors should you need them. Can't imagine paying more than that if all you want to do is use it as a file server.
On the motherboard get anything you like 780G, 690G, whatever. $15 gets you a PCI card that adds 4 more drive connectors so any full decent motherboard will do the job. Just pick one that doesn't have a fan on the chipset...
Yes, I think the P182 would be overkill if the server will be tucked away in a basement and quietness isn't a priority.dhanson865 wrote: Given that the hard stuff doesn't matter to you the Antec 300 vs P182 decision can be just about cost for you. You can get an Antec 300 for about $55 + S&H definitely cheaper than the P180/P182.
There's plenty of cheapo cases that can easily handle six or more drives - in addition to the Antec 300 already mentioned, there's the Coolermaster 590 and the Sharkoon Rebel 9/12 range to name but two. If you pick one of the designs with 5.25" bays all the way from top to bottom, you can just whack in extra 4-in-3 device modules (they'll fit any make of case with 3 consecutive bays) as and when your storage requirements grow.