New Server for Myself

[acelefty]

So I am looking to build a new server and I am leaning towards putting it in a rackable case. Someday I hope to rack server/network stuff out in the garage FAR from my ears...
I was browsin through E-Ghey last night with LawJP and we came across this http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3400916406&category=14 84 Does anyone have an opinion about these? Anything that I should know about?
Also, it says you can use ECC or non-ECC RAM but that some people experience errors with non-ECC RAM? WTF does that mean? Can you use non-ECC RAM or not?
If it matters, it will either be used for mail duties running Exchange 2000, or a FreeBSD-based webserver.
Thanks for any comments.
Acelefty

[Hoss]

Not a bad price at all, but the limit to a PIII 800 isn't all that great. You'll kill that thing even with a gig of ram if you have a heavy traffic mail server. It's only a PC100 based system, so low bandwidths and throughput. Not bad for the price....

I have a complimentary CPU (PIII 650) for you also if you do buy it.

LMK zhossp@yahoo.com

[edit] Oh yea, you can use regular PC100 ram. ECC is an option for data integrity, that's all.

[surferdude9k]

Somewhere on EBay I saw a dual socket 370 server (motherboard only), but it could hold up to 16 gigs of PC200 DDR...

[Bullfrog]

If you decide to go rack mount it all really depends on your budget. The smaller the rack case the higher the cost. The hardware just becomes too specialized for anything smaller then 3U. Unless you go with stuff that is 2 or 3 generations behind....like that ebay special. Overall the deal on ebay is a pretty good one...especially if you have a lot of older parts laying around that you can throw into the thing.

Look at how much traffic you plan to generate. If what you are talking is small home-based applications that do not generate a ton a traffic. Then the ebay item would work pretty good. In all honesty your biggest limit will be your internet connection. Unless you have the Winfirst service you couldn't saturate that box with a DSL or cable line. Buying big expensive hardware to run a bunch of apps over the web via a 128K upload pipe doesn't make a lot of sense to me. That is the logical side of me talking...

My 'geek' nature says buy BIG and get some cool hardware. If you see my computer room at home you can understand which side of me wins computer decisions. Logical or geek?...you decide. :cool:

[acelefty]

Thanks for the input.

You'll kill that thing even with a gig of ram if you have a heavy traffic mail server.

No worries there. Just me, the wife, and the folks... :D

I have a complimentary CPU (PIII 650) for you also if you do buy it.

LMK zhossp@yahoo.com

I think I am going to go for it. I haven't heard anything here that would be a deal-breaker for me, so you can expect an email!

[acelefty]

Buying big expensive hardware to run a bunch of apps over the web via a 128K upload pipe doesn't make a lot of sense to me. That is the logical side of me talking...

Well, that pretty much explains my situation, except for that I have a 384K pipe :cool: so I think that the older P!!! hardware will work just fine for me. I have most of the other stuff that I will need to get that 1U up and running at the house and it looks like I may have found a complimentary P!!! 650 :D (Thanks Hoss) Plus, the fact that it is racked in a 1U appeals to the geek in me... hehehe.

[Bullfrog]

Then it's all GOOD from there! Let me know if you need ANY software....I have just about anything you need.

[surferdude9k]

Do you have a copy of Redhat 8? It takes about 1-2 weeks just to download 2 of the 5 ISO's off their FTp at home. If you can make a copy, can you bring it to the next LAN 40 at the KoC? I have a copy of Mandrake, but need Redhat.

[Bullfrog]

Do you have a copy of Redhat 8? It takes about 1-2 weeks just to download 2 of the 5 ISO's off their FTp at home. If you can make a copy, can you bring it to the next LAN 40 at the KoC? I have a copy of Mandrake, but need Redhat.

I believe I have a copy of RH8 on my ftp server at home. I will check tonight for you.

You are also welcome to attend OUR event on March 15th! :D Go to the Events section and look for FLG#2.

[acelefty]

Just bought the server!! Finally got around to filing the taxes and I got a little back so I decided to spend a little of it! Hopefully I will get it this week - you all can expect pictures of it when it comes through.
Bullfrog - Right now I think I am going to burn it in with Win2k Pro just to make sure that it is suitably stable and then I think I will try to migrate my existing Exchange 2000 mail system over to this bad boy :eek: But if I need any software for the new system, I'll be sure to give yah a buzz :D
Acelefty

[LawJp]

Nice! About time you pulled the trigger on that thing! :cool:

[Bullfrog]

Just bought the server!! Finally got around to filing the taxes and I got a little back so I decided to spend a little of it! Hopefully I will get it this week - you all can expect pictures of it when it comes through.
Bullfrog - Right now I think I am going to burn it in with Win2k Pro just to make sure that it is suitably stable and then I think I will try to migrate my existing Exchange 2000 mail system over to this bad boy :eek: But if I need any software for the new system, I'll be sure to give yah a buzz :D
Acelefty


Sweet deal....let me know if you need any extra hardware. I got some stuff that you might be able to use. Add me to you IM list.... frog3136@hotmail.com

[surferdude9k]

Do you have a copy of Redhat 8? It takes about 1-2 weeks just to download 2 of the 5 ISO's off their FTp at home. If you can make a copy, can you bring it to the next LAN 40 at the KoC? I have a copy of Mandrake, but need Redhat.

I believe I have a copy of RH8 on my ftp server at home. I will check tonight for you.

You are also welcome to attend OUR event on March 15th! :D Go to the Events section and look for FLG#2.


I will try to come, but no guarantee. I might (most likely) be out. I usually do stuff on saturdays. I also have small lans, so they take up lots of my time also. I will guarantee that i will be at LANtrocity 40, but I cant guarantee being here. Besides, i dont know where it is, besides that its based out of charmichael. :)

As for RH8, I need it for a server of mine. I have mandrake, but its a mac version.

[Moddy]

Do you have a copy of Redhat 8? It takes about 1-2 weeks just to download 2 of the 5 ISO's off their FTp at home. If you can make a copy, can you bring it to the next LAN 40 at the KoC? I have a copy of Mandrake, but need Redhat.

I believe I have a copy of RH8 on my ftp server at home. I will check tonight for you.

You are also welcome to attend OUR event on March 15th! :D Go to the Events section and look for FLG#2.


I will try to come, but no guarantee. I might (most likely) be out. I usually do stuff on saturdays. I also have small lans, so they take up lots of my time also. I will guarantee that i will be at LANtrocity 40, but I cant guarantee being here. Besides, i dont know where it is, besides that its based out of charmichael. :)

As for RH8, I need it for a server of mine. I have mandrake, but its a mac version.

Do you have broadband? If so, just download RH8...it's free....

[surferdude9k]

I do have broadband. I tend to start downloads in the night, to avoid traffic. but what MY downloads do is start off slow (around 20kb/sec) and then go way up to about 250-300 kb/sec and it holds that speed for about an hour, then goes back down to about 25. Doing this makes the ISO images for redhat to take up about 3-4 days each. Not user friendly. Definitley. :fukpika:

[Bullfrog]

I went looking through all my Linux distros and I don't RH8...only 7.3. I do have SuSE 8.0 Professinal which has everything that you will ever need. Downside is the set is 7 CDs which is a little much to dl via broadband.

Speaking of 'your small lans'...if you need assistance equipment wise, etc....FLG is more then willing to help you out. Drop Modfather or myself an email. But I would also suggest just try stopping by FLG#2 and worst case we can cut you the cd's right there. Just let us know...

I will not be able to attend LT#40....have other family obligations to take care of on the 8th.

[surferdude9k]

Thanks, for right now I have the switch and some lan cables... so I am pretty good for now.

[Bullfrog]

Well, we have a few more things to offer then just switches and lan cables. If you want assistance IM with us and we can share you what is available.

[Silly]

Hey Acelefty,

If you want to do a little upgrade to that box I have the dual version of the MB for that system. The one you're getting is a BX based board (I have 2 of those laying around too) hence the 100MHz limit. Nice board, thoug. Dual onboard Intel 82559 10/100 controllers. Anyway, back to the board I have. It's the dual board from that system, uses a serverworks chipset, needs registered SDRAM, onboard adaptec dual-ch U160. It looks like you'd need to get one of those ATX power exteneders, though, since the ATX connector is on the opposite side of this board. Ooh. Just found this post about it:
http://www.lantrocity.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=297&highlight=intel

And, for those who don't feel like reading it all, here's the link to the Intel info for this board:
http://support.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/srmk2/index.htm

OK, that was a lot...

["Get to the money!!!"]

Hehe. Alright. I paid $40 for this board, so if you want it I'll take $400. j/k. $40 if you want it. Or, if you have any extra hardware around I'm allways open to trades. Oh, and I have one more of these if anyone else is thinking of building a system.

[acelefty]

Yes, I am very interested in this upgrade! I tried to read through the data on the Intel site to find out if the front panel is the same as my ISP1100, but I was unable to locate this information. But the front bezels look similar, even if reversed, so I might as well give it a shot! Good thing I bought two of those 1u copper HSFs, hehehe (damn dog chewed through one of the connectors tho, sigh). One concern that I have tho is the 64 bit PCI riser. Right now, the riser that I have is a 32 bit riser with my vid card and SCSI card plugged into it. Well, since this board has onboard SCSI and vid, I guess it doesn't matter.
So, yeah I want it and I have cash and Corona! In order to save on shipping I could cruise up to Sac some time and pick it up! Woot!
Ace

[Silly]

Where abouts are you? I might be heading down to the bay area this sunday (walnut creek) if that's any closer. LMK, I'm sure we can work something out...

[acelefty]

I grew up in the Walnut Creek but I got a house in Concord now. I'll be around the house all weekend working on the bathroom, so just let me know if you want to meet up somewhere and I'll get you the cash for the board. The best way to reach me is through ace at acelefty.com but if you have an email hosted on adivity you have to buzz me at acelfty at hotmail.com. There is a glitch sending mail from the adivity server to me for some reason :mad:
See yah this weekend!

[Silly]

Heh. Cool. I'll probably be driving through Concord on the way, so I could probably just drop it by. I'm planning on heading down Sunday morning and heading back Sunday night. LMK which would be better for you. BTW, whereabouts in WC did you grow up? I used to live over by where Walnut hits Oak Grove, near Northgate HS...

[acelefty]

I used to live over by where Walnut hits Oak Grove, near Northgate HS...

Dang man, we were practically neighbors. I grew up on Bowling Green Dr. on the east side of Castle Rock. You go to Northgate? Class of '95 here :cool:

In any case, I am just gonna be workin here at the house most of the day - except for in the evening when I am gonna go out to dinner with some friends. If you want, you can give me a call on your way down and I can meet you down at the Togo's or something. I'll buy yah a lunch to cover shipping :D

[Silly]

Holy fucking shit! Actually, I think we were neighbors. I lived at the end of bowling green (don't know if it was east or west, but it's the end at the big empty field.) So, if you're going down castle rock twords Northgate did you turn left or right on bowling green? Too funny!

[acelefty]

Hahaha... our parents don't live more than 10 houses apart :D I lived on the left side of Bowling Green at the first bend in the road - you prolly saw my beat-up, red Toyota 4x4 out front for a couple years.

Why don't you just give me a call when you get down here and I can cruise by your place and pick it up. Only takes a couple minutes to get down to my parent's house.