[Windows] Server build - Suggestions on hardware?

T800 · 2012-04-27 10:36

Hi Guys,

A good friend of mine is getting into the whole digital media storage game and he would like to build his own server. Can anyone advise a motherboard, ram and cpu combination for a PC running windows 7. It needs to have the potential to serve files, run SABNZbd, Sickbeard, CouchPotato and Headphones. Rip discs and some (not very much) re-encoding. It won't be used for watching content or playing games. Cheap as possible but still up to the job.
Ideally stuff from the UK.

Thanks

Michael.F · 2012-04-27 13:00

Look at the Amd E350/E450 platform.
Should be cheap enough, but most likely not suitable for much HD-encoding.

Or something beetween the Intel G530 and i3 2100.
Well Sandy Bridge is most likely much better than Zacate, especially if you don't need the gpu of the apu.

GavinCampbell · 2012-04-27 16:11

You really don't need that power of a pc to do that. I was doing all that and more using a Dell GX620. I threw in an SSD for the primary drive and it helped out a lot.

The main problem is the ripping of disks and encoding. That will require the cpu speed. Ripping disks to an ISO is not so bad but re encoding is the killer.

Dougie Fresh · 2012-04-27 20:24

I have an E35M1-I (non deluxe) in mine with 4GB ram and Windows Home Server 2011. I like that the E35M1-I has six SATA ports. I have it in a Lian Li PC-Q08 case. I wanted something small and non-tower.

A G530 and H67 motherboard would also be a good choice and likely comparable in price.

Michael.F Junior Member Posts: 46 Joined: Mar 2012 Reputation: 0	2012-04-27 13:00 Post: #2 Look at the Amd E350/E450 platform. Should be cheap enough, but most likely not suitable for much HD-encoding. Or something beetween the Intel G530 and i3 2100. Well Sandy Bridge is most likely much better than Zacate, especially if you don't need the gpu of the apu.
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GavinCampbell Junior Member Posts: 37 Joined: Jan 2012 Reputation: 0	2012-04-27 16:11 Post: #3 You really don't need that power of a pc to do that. I was doing all that and more using a Dell GX620. I threw in an SSD for the primary drive and it helped out a lot. The main problem is the ripping of disks and encoding. That will require the cpu speed. Ripping disks to an ISO is not so bad but re encoding is the killer.
	find quote

Dougie Fresh Member+ Posts: 2,345 Joined: Feb 2009 Reputation: 49 Location: New Hampshire	2012-04-27 20:24 Post: #4 I have an E35M1-I (non deluxe) in mine with 4GB ram and Windows Home Server 2011. I like that the E35M1-I has six SATA ports. I have it in a Lian Li PC-Q08 case. I wanted something small and non-tower. A G530 and H67 motherboard would also be a good choice and likely comparable in price.
	find quote