Help me design a NAS

[Muse]

I'm committed to building a NAS for my house. I have two PCs (connected to my Buffalo WHR-HP-G54 wireless router by ethernet) and a laptop, which connects wirelessly. I have a laser printer connected by ethernet to the router. I plan on getting a second laptop. I want all these PCs including the laptops to have access to data on a NAS. That will include my email client and its data (Forte Agent 1.9xx), and database files.

I figure the NAS will run WHS, but maybe some flavor of Linux or even Windows XP. I want it to be green (on 24/7 but little power use). I have been looking at either of these:

MSI Wind Nettop 100 Desktop PC (1.6 GHz Intel Atom Dual Core N330 Processor, Barebone) About $160 shipped.

MSI Wind PC Atom 1.6 MHz CPU Intel 945GC 1 x 200Pin Intel GMA 950 Barebone - Retail About $127 shipped after MIR.

Neither of these has built in Wifi, so I'd connect them to my router by ethernet. With either of these and green HDs (well, maybe just one HD), these are said to draw less than 35 watts (maybe 30), and ~25 watts when idle.

The first has a dual core processor but will cost more than $30 more, and I'm not sure if it's worth the extra money. The NAS's primary function will be as a data server. The email client will function on the server entirely, and I guess it's possible the extra processing power will speed up some functions there, I don't know. If I run WHS, I will use it do automate data backups, possibly having two HDs on the NAS.

I figure to get WD green HDs, probably 1TB, which seems to be the sweet spot right now in terms of bang for the buck.

I'll need a DVD drive (SATA, because my DVD drives right now are both IDE and the Wind PCs require SATA DVD) for installing the OS. Also, will need RAM, and I figure 2 GB would be the way to go in a single module for either of the Wind PCs. Am I right that a full size DVD drive is what's required here (not a laptop drive)?

I'm wondering if there's a better way to do this, in particular wondering if there's a better basic unit to get than either of those Wind PC barebones boxes. Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[JackMDS]

As a frame of reference.

http://www.homeserverhacks.com...mediasmart-server.html

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
As a frame of reference.

http://www.homeserverhacks.com...mediasmart-server.html

Thanks. For some reason I'm not able to access the links in the article:

Here's a list of everything that you'll need:

* Intel Atom 330 mainboard - $81
* 1GB RAM (optionally 2GB RAM) - $13
* Western Digital green 640GB hard drive (optionally 1TB) - $69
* Winsis Wi-01 Mini-ITX case w/ power supply - $38
* Windows Home Server System Builders DVD - $99




I get messages like this for each of the 5 links above:
- - - -
Failed to Connect



Firefox can't establish a connection to the server at *****.


Though the site seems valid, the browser was unable to establish a connection.

* Could the site be temporarily unavailable? Try again later.
* Are you unable to browse other sites? Check the computer's network connection.
* Is your computer or network protected by a firewall or proxy? Incorrect settings can interfere with Web browsing.
- - - -

The first link appears to be a page at Newegg. Maybe the item is no longer available or has a different URL now. I'm unable to determine the recommended components. It's therefore not very much help.

 

[JackMDS]

I do not know hy you do not get the links it works OK from my system.

In any case these are the links.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813121359

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...ern+Digital-_-22136298

http://www.newegg.com/Product/..._-Microsoft-_-32116550

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...+Technology-_-20134634

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...m)-_-Winsis-_-11234020

 

[Muse]

Poking around at Newegg I think I found the case suggested in the article and at least a similar motherboard:

Intel BOXD945GCLF2D Intel Atom processor 330 Intel 945GC Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo - Retail

Winsis Wi-01 Black SGCC / ABS Mini-ITX Tower Computer Case 200W Power Supply - Retail

The motherboard might be OK, but the case is questionable:

1. Has room for a 3.5" SATA HD and a 2.5" (I'd prefer two 3.5")

2. The power supply is suspect and has a loud fan as well.

3. Supports a slim DVD, but I don't know that I want a DVD drive permanently in there, just temporarily in order to install the OS.

To me, the Wind PC barebones systems seem better. I'm still wondering about the advantages of the dual core Atom over the other?

 

[JackMDS]

As I said it is a frame of reference with a little more poking you can do better.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
As I said it is a frame of reference with a little more poking you can do better.

Thanks. I like building systems. Don't do it often, but I like doing it.

 

[RebateMonger]

WHS is supposed to be hard-wired to your network (rather than using WiFi). All the client PCs can be on WiFi if you want, although the first WHS backup may take a while.

I've built a WHS using an MSI Wind. It works fine, is very low power, and dead quiet. The biggest "problem" is that you can, at most, put only two hard drives in the MSI case (by abandoning a fixed DVD drive). WHS will install fine from a USB stick, so there's really no need for a DVD drive on the Wind.

If you want to put together a low-power WHS server quickly and easily and cheaply, the MSI Wind works great.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: RebateMonger
WHS is supposed to be hard-wired to your network (rather than using WiFi). All the client PCs can be on WiFi if you want, although the first WHS backup may take a while.

I've built a WHS using an MSI Wind. It works fine, is very low power, and dead quiet. The biggest "problem" is that you can, at most, put only two hard drives in the MSI case (by abandoning a fixed DVD drive). WHS will install fine from a USB stick, so there's really no need for a DVD drive on the Wind.

If you want to put together a low-power WHS server quickly and easily and cheaply, the MSI Wind works great.

Thanks. How can you install WHS from a USB stick? Doesn't it come on a DVD? Do you just copy the whole directory structure to your USB stick? The biggest stick I have right now is 4 GB.

Also I wonder if someone can comment on how much advantage there is on having the dual core processor version of the MSI Wind.

Edit: Assuming I can install WHS from a USB stick and save the cost of an SATA DVD drive, the cost of the system would be around the following

160+85+85+25+100
case+mobo+cpu barebones (dual core), 2 HDs (WD green 1TB), RAM (2GB), WHS
$455

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
I do not know hy you do not get the links it works OK from my system.

In any case these are the links.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813121359

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...ern+Digital-_-22136298

http://www.newegg.com/Product/..._-Microsoft-_-32116550

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...+Technology-_-20134634

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...m)-_-Winsis-_-11234020

Thanks. Yes, I wonder why the links didn't work for me. Maybe my system is blocking the links somehow.

I suppose I can get a different HD (Amazon has the 1 TB WD green OEM for $85), and a 2GB stick instead of the 1 GB linked. The Winsis case seems a problem, like I said. I don't really want to get a 2.5" HD as a 2nd HD, and a better PSU would be smart IMO, and quieter. Right now I'm leaning to the MSI Wind systems. Still don't have a sense of whether it's worthwhile to go with the dual core system.

 

[JackMDS]

Originally posted by: Muse

Thanks. How can you install WHS from a USB stick? Doesn't it come on a DVD? Do you just copy the whole directory structure to your USB stick? The biggest stick I have right now is 4 GB.

First part of this page, http://www.homeserverhacks.com...ws-home-server_21.html

Also I wonder if someone can comment on how much advantage there is on having the dual core processor version of the MSI Wind.

According to a bench mark that I saw the other day the Dual Core is about 10 to 15% faster than the single core (Unfortunately I did not save the link).

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: JackMDS

Originally posted by: Muse

Thanks. How can you install WHS from a USB stick? Doesn't it come on a DVD? Do you just copy the whole directory structure to your USB stick? The biggest stick I have right now is 4 GB.

First part of this page, http://www.homeserverhacks.com...ws-home-server_21.html

The instructions specify for Windows Vista. I'm running XP Pro on all my machines. Would this work in XP Pro?

Edit: I guess the short answer is "no." Maybe I can work this by using my USB external HD. This from comments on that page:

- - - -
vansmack said...

@Subo: I fought with that exact same issue last night for a couple hours before giving up. The diskpart in XP (v. 5.1) does not recognize removable flash drives the way diskpart in Vista (v. 6.0) does. I tried everything to make a bootable USB Flash drive and gave up.

I ended up using a USB Disk Drive instead (non-flash), which XP recognized (although I was not able to format it in Diskpart XP), and assigned it a drive letter, which is the key.

After copying all the files, the Shuttle recognized it and all was good.

The easiest thing however, would have been to find someone with a Vista Machine. The same process on Vista took about 10 minutes this morning....
July 1, 2008 2:07 PM
- - - -

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: Muse


160+85+85+25+100
case+mobo+cpu barebones (dual core), 2 HDs (WD green 1TB), RAM (2GB), WHS
$455

Or, I can have just one 1TB HD and run Linux. I would do an occasional backup from the NAS to my main desktop. Wonder if I can install Linux without having to get an SATA DVD drive!

160+85+25+25
case+mobo+cpu barebones (dual core), 1 HD (WD green 1TB), RAM (2GB), DVD drive
$295

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: JackMDS

Originally posted by: Muse

Thanks. How can you install WHS from a USB stick? Doesn't it come on a DVD? Do you just copy the whole directory structure to your USB stick? The biggest stick I have right now is 4 GB.

First part of this page, http://www.homeserverhacks.com...ws-home-server_21.html

Also I wonder if someone can comment on how much advantage there is on having the dual core processor version of the MSI Wind.

According to a bench mark that I saw the other day the Dual Core is about 10 to 15% faster than the single core (Unfortunately I did not save the link).

anand did some reviews on a box atom system recently with some benchmarks, the box system used a dual core atom. dual core performance was nice when it was taken advantage of, i dont remember the specifics, been a couple months since the article was up.

 

[mc866]

Good choice on WHS! If you are looking for an Atom based WHS box why not look at something like the Acer H340. Also it looks like there has been a pretty good deal on this box that's on again off again in the hot deals thread, find it here.

With this you get 4 drive bays and WHS is installed out of the box so you don't have to worry about installing it yourself. Thought it may be a good option for you.

 

[imagoon]

Originally posted by: Muse

Originally posted by: JackMDS
I do not know hy you do not get the links it works OK from my system.

In any case these are the links.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813121359

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...ern+Digital-_-22136298

http://www.newegg.com/Product/..._-Microsoft-_-32116550

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...+Technology-_-20134634

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...m)-_-Winsis-_-11234020

Thanks. Yes, I wonder why the links didn't work for me. Maybe my system is blocking the links somehow.

I suppose I can get a different HD (Amazon has the 1 TB WD green OEM for $85), and a 2GB stick instead of the 1 GB linked. The Winsis case seems a problem, like I said. I don't really want to get a 2.5" HD as a 2nd HD, and a better PSU would be smart IMO, and quieter. Right now I'm leaning to the MSI Wind systems. Still don't have a sense of whether it's worthwhile to go with the dual core system.

The first one is linking out as this:

http://detonator.dynamitedata.com/cgi-bin/redirect.pl?user=u00000687&q=http%3a%2f%2fwww.newegg.com%2fProduct%2fProduct.aspx%3fItem%3dN82E16813121359

Yet when I quote out your links, it looks like you didn't do that intentionally. Is the board data mining?

Hrm must be since I just posted "http://detonator.dynamitedata.com/cgi-bin/redirect.pl" crap in a test link. Seems to only happen use the actual link function, just posting a link (and having the board auto link it) it doesn't happen.

 

[mcmilljb]

Originally posted by: imagoon

Originally posted by: Muse

Originally posted by: JackMDS
I do not know hy you do not get the links it works OK from my system.

In any case these are the links.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813121359

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...ern+Digital-_-22136298

http://www.newegg.com/Product/..._-Microsoft-_-32116550

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...+Technology-_-20134634

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...m)-_-Winsis-_-11234020

Thanks. Yes, I wonder why the links didn't work for me. Maybe my system is blocking the links somehow.

I suppose I can get a different HD (Amazon has the 1 TB WD green OEM for $85), and a 2GB stick instead of the 1 GB linked. The Winsis case seems a problem, like I said. I don't really want to get a 2.5" HD as a 2nd HD, and a better PSU would be smart IMO, and quieter. Right now I'm leaning to the MSI Wind systems. Still don't have a sense of whether it's worthwhile to go with the dual core system.

The first one is linking out as this:

http://detonator.dynamitedata.com/cgi-bin/redirect.pl?user=u00000687&q=http%3a%2f%2fwww.newegg.com%2fProduct%2fProduct.aspx%3fItem%3dN82E16813121359

Yet when I quote out your links, it looks like you didn't do that intentionally. Is the board data mining?

Hrm must be since I just posted "http://detonator.dynamitedata.com/cgi-bin/redirect.pl" crap in a test link. Seems to only happen use the actual link function, just posting a link (and having the board auto link it) it doesn't happen.

It's meant to be done - link

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: Muse

Originally posted by: Muse


160+85+85+25+100
case+mobo+cpu barebones (dual core), 2 HDs (WD green 1TB), RAM (2GB), WHS
$455

Or, I can have just one 1TB HD and run Linux. I would do an occasional backup from the NAS to my main desktop. Wonder if I can install Linux without having to get an SATA DVD drive!

160+85+25+25
case+mobo+cpu barebones (dual core), 1 HD (WD green 1TB), RAM (2GB), DVD drive
$295

If I go with the N230 Atom 1.6 GHz processor barebones instead of the one with the N330 dual core Atom 1.6 GHz processor the cost goes down to $262. If it turns out that I can install Linux without the use of a DVD drive, the cost is additionally reduced to $237. I could add another HD later.

 

[mloiterman]

Check out FreeNAS.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: mloiterman
Check out FreeNAS.

Thanks. A definite possibility and obviously a learning experience. Evidently it must be installed from a CD, so I'd need to either borrow a drive or buy one if I get one of the MSI Wind barebones machine (they're SATA only and my DVD drives are both IDE).

 

[JackMDS]

Check one thing to make sure.

If NTFS is of value to you make sure that whatever the software you choose is supporting NTFS.

Coz some of them do not support it.

 

[imagoon]

Originally posted by: mcmilljb

Originally posted by: imagoon

Originally posted by: Muse

Originally posted by: JackMDS
I do not know hy you do not get the links it works OK from my system.

In any case these are the links.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813121359

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...ern+Digital-_-22136298

http://www.newegg.com/Product/..._-Microsoft-_-32116550

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...+Technology-_-20134634

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...m)-_-Winsis-_-11234020

Thanks. Yes, I wonder why the links didn't work for me. Maybe my system is blocking the links somehow.

I suppose I can get a different HD (Amazon has the 1 TB WD green OEM for $85), and a 2GB stick instead of the 1 GB linked. The Winsis case seems a problem, like I said. I don't really want to get a 2.5" HD as a 2nd HD, and a better PSU would be smart IMO, and quieter. Right now I'm leaning to the MSI Wind systems. Still don't have a sense of whether it's worthwhile to go with the dual core system.

The first one is linking out as this:

http://detonator.dynamitedata.com/cgi-bin/redirect.pl?user=u00000687&q=http%3a%2f%2fwww.newegg.com%2fProduct%2fProduct.aspx%3fItem%3dN82E16813121359

Yet when I quote out your links, it looks like you didn't do that intentionally. Is the board data mining?

Hrm must be since I just posted "http://detonator.dynamitedata.com/cgi-bin/redirect.pl" crap in a test link. Seems to only happen use the actual link function, just posting a link (and having the board auto link it) it doesn't happen.

It's meant to be done - link

Oh. Heh guess that is what happens when you sell yourself and data-mining reflector stops working.

Any-who I am off topic.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: JackMDS
Check one thing to make sure.

If NTFS is of value to you make sure that whatever the software you choose is supporting NTFS.

Coz some of them do not support it.

Thanks. The great majority of the HD partitions on my PCs are NTFS. Only maybe a couple are FAT32.

 

[skyking]

Wonder if I can install Linux without having to get an SATA DVD drive!

I have a USB DVD or cd drive laying around for just that purpose. My latest project has no external bays at all.

 

[Muse]

Originally posted by: skyking

Wonder if I can install Linux without having to get an SATA DVD drive!

I have a USB DVD or cd drive laying around for just that purpose. My latest project has no external bays at all.

I guess I should get me one. USB has turned out to be quite a useful standard, eh? USB HDs, flash drives, sound cards, DVD/CD drives, scanners, turntables... what else? What next?