New build: all figured out, except system drive
Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:08 pm
Hi guys.
Long time SPCR reader, occasional forum scavenger when looking for info on silent stuff. I finally have a problem I can't solve on my own just by looking through the forums and the site, so I'm here to ask you for some help (I finally grew some sense and registered, too... hehehe)
So, this is the deal: I'm building a full-blown NAS. Not your "BYOD HDD case", or a pre-assembled multi-drive "thing". Those are either too dangerous on data (single drive), too small, WAAAAY too noisy (I want to be able to WORK while the thing is on...), just too under-performant, or so expensive (and still under-performant) I'd have to sell a couple of organs just to get one.
So, I started thinking about it (and saving money ), and came up with these specs:
- Custom-made case (either wood or aluminum), to fit where I need it to fit;
- Full suspension on drives, to prevent case resonance;
- Motherboard: GA-G33M-DS2R (I need RAID-5, and also I want to be able to upgrate to a 10-drive config by using a RAIDCore card, if possible)
- CPU: E1200
- Cooler: probably severely undervolted stock, or an Alpine 7 (not too much space available, and I want low vibration);
- RAM: I'm starting with 2x2GB, later I'll probably try 4x2GB (depending on server load, I'll try reusing it for more than just file server duties);
- PSU: the quietest I can get my hands on;
- Storage HDDs: 753LJs (3, for starters) or 750GB GP (depending on price and availability... sub-1TB GPs are hell to get hold of here in Portugal, and contrary to the 753's, which are sub-€100, the 7500AACS are at least €115 each...)
My biggest problem will be the system drive. I want to leave the system running at all times, if possible, which means the system drive will be running most of the time (or at least it will spin-up occasionally), maybe with maintenance routines, or downloading something.
So I'm torn on the system drive to choose from (I won't install my OS on a software RAID-5 array, its performance is limited as it is...) So my options are:
- 160GB SATA WD 5400rpm 2,5'' drive (I recently had one installed on my laptop, since the previous Seagate and Hitachi drives failed, and I almost can't hear it, compared to the other two...), the drawback being it seems kind of slow performant, and chokes up really fast when multitasking - I'm affraid it will have VERY slow startup times; also, I'd loose a SATA port, which could be used to install another storage drive in the future...
- 160GB SATA/PATA WD 3,5'' drive (1600AAJS or AABS, the second one being the PATA version of the first), only I don't really know how they fare sound and vibration-wise, and also there's the SATA port issue on the AAJS; on the other hand, they're dirt cheap right now (~€50, if memory serves me right), and I don't really think I'd need more for a system drive.
- 320GB SATA/PATA Samsung 3,5'' drive (321KJ or its PATA sibling), since I know they're THE most silent drives (have two, currently) I've EVER had to this date; also very cheap, around ~€60 (actually, its price tanked on the last two weeks...)
- 500GB GP (not sure if there is a PATA version of this one), prices starting on the high €70's (usually low €80's), and with VERY limited availability.
If possible, I'd like to leave the biggest amount of SATA ports free, so I can grow the RAID-5 array as I wish. However, with some configurations, at least one of the ports is lost (and PATA drives are actually becoming more expensive than the SATA versions, not to mention getting a 2,5'' PATA drive installed on a regular IDE port is just nuts... I can't find the adapter anywhere).
Also, I'd like to be able to sleep on the same room of the server... hehehe
So, there you have it. Which drive would you recomend? Thanks in advance for any help.
Cheers.
Miguel
Long time SPCR reader, occasional forum scavenger when looking for info on silent stuff. I finally have a problem I can't solve on my own just by looking through the forums and the site, so I'm here to ask you for some help (I finally grew some sense and registered, too... hehehe)
So, this is the deal: I'm building a full-blown NAS. Not your "BYOD HDD case", or a pre-assembled multi-drive "thing". Those are either too dangerous on data (single drive), too small, WAAAAY too noisy (I want to be able to WORK while the thing is on...), just too under-performant, or so expensive (and still under-performant) I'd have to sell a couple of organs just to get one.
So, I started thinking about it (and saving money ), and came up with these specs:
- Custom-made case (either wood or aluminum), to fit where I need it to fit;
- Full suspension on drives, to prevent case resonance;
- Motherboard: GA-G33M-DS2R (I need RAID-5, and also I want to be able to upgrate to a 10-drive config by using a RAIDCore card, if possible)
- CPU: E1200
- Cooler: probably severely undervolted stock, or an Alpine 7 (not too much space available, and I want low vibration);
- RAM: I'm starting with 2x2GB, later I'll probably try 4x2GB (depending on server load, I'll try reusing it for more than just file server duties);
- PSU: the quietest I can get my hands on;
- Storage HDDs: 753LJs (3, for starters) or 750GB GP (depending on price and availability... sub-1TB GPs are hell to get hold of here in Portugal, and contrary to the 753's, which are sub-€100, the 7500AACS are at least €115 each...)
My biggest problem will be the system drive. I want to leave the system running at all times, if possible, which means the system drive will be running most of the time (or at least it will spin-up occasionally), maybe with maintenance routines, or downloading something.
So I'm torn on the system drive to choose from (I won't install my OS on a software RAID-5 array, its performance is limited as it is...) So my options are:
- 160GB SATA WD 5400rpm 2,5'' drive (I recently had one installed on my laptop, since the previous Seagate and Hitachi drives failed, and I almost can't hear it, compared to the other two...), the drawback being it seems kind of slow performant, and chokes up really fast when multitasking - I'm affraid it will have VERY slow startup times; also, I'd loose a SATA port, which could be used to install another storage drive in the future...
- 160GB SATA/PATA WD 3,5'' drive (1600AAJS or AABS, the second one being the PATA version of the first), only I don't really know how they fare sound and vibration-wise, and also there's the SATA port issue on the AAJS; on the other hand, they're dirt cheap right now (~€50, if memory serves me right), and I don't really think I'd need more for a system drive.
- 320GB SATA/PATA Samsung 3,5'' drive (321KJ or its PATA sibling), since I know they're THE most silent drives (have two, currently) I've EVER had to this date; also very cheap, around ~€60 (actually, its price tanked on the last two weeks...)
- 500GB GP (not sure if there is a PATA version of this one), prices starting on the high €70's (usually low €80's), and with VERY limited availability.
If possible, I'd like to leave the biggest amount of SATA ports free, so I can grow the RAID-5 array as I wish. However, with some configurations, at least one of the ports is lost (and PATA drives are actually becoming more expensive than the SATA versions, not to mention getting a 2,5'' PATA drive installed on a regular IDE port is just nuts... I can't find the adapter anywhere).
Also, I'd like to be able to sleep on the same room of the server... hehehe
So, there you have it. Which drive would you recomend? Thanks in advance for any help.
Cheers.
Miguel