Mobo for Linux File Server

[kirkdickinson]

I am wanting to set up a linux server for my otherwise Windows office. I just need it for a file server.

I have downloaded CentOS and Knoppix I have tried them on my computer that I want to use and they crash. I think there is something wrong with the motherboard.

The old motherboard isn't that great anyways, an old SuperMicro P-III slot motherboard, with a P-III 450. This system used to be a ReByte server and the ReByte started crashing. I thought it was the ReByte at the time, but they reflashed it and I can't get CentOS completely installed and Knoppix running from the CD will crash on me.

I would like to have something newer, but sure don't need bleeding edge. I just want something that will work smoothly with CentOS and serve up files for 5-6 Windows computers to access.

Any Motherboard/CPU combo recomendations? I need ATX size board.

I see some P-4 combos on Ebay that are used boards. I wonder if that is a good choice, or is it probably better to get a new board?

Thanks,

Kirk

 

[mitch074]

If you can put your hands on an Abit BH6 or BX6, these Slot1 mobos are the epitome of stability - on top of being quite bare and ATX size, PCI 2.1 compliant, passively cooled... Of course they're quite old.

 

[1Tanker]

If you can put your hands on an Abit BH6 or BX6, these Slot1 mobos are the epitome of stability - on top of being quite bare and ATX size, PCI 2.1 compliant, passively cooled... Of course they're quite old.

They're great(BH-6)...i have a three of them. The bummer about them is that they only support ATA33.

 

[mitch074]

...which is far enough for a file server on a 100 Mbit Ethernet network.

 

[kirkdickinson]

Do you think it would be better to go newer than that? That would be convienient because I could use the same CPU and memory.

(what if the memory is causing my crash instead of the mobo?)

I just thought, now mobo/cpu/memory would give me a fresh start.

Thanks,

Kirk

 

[mitch074]

well, those Abit boards were supremely stable memory-wise (you could almost restore failed memory chips on a BH6...) and they used SDRAM (I don't think any chipset could make early P-III run DDR or rambus), so...
On the other hand, an Asustek mobo, a sempron64 and a stick of RAM would not set you back a lot and would allow you to become the proud owner of a 64-bit Linux file server... with a 1Gbit Ethernet connector.

 

[kirkdickinson]

I will look into pricing for those. Thanks for the recomendation.

You said no early P-III could run DDR. How early is early? I have a Iwill board that is a dual socket 370 that runs DDR. Wouldn't recomend it highly though. Was a PIA to get running reliably.

Thanks,

Kirk

 

[kirkdickinson]

How about the ASUS K8N-E Socket 754 NVIDIA nForce3 250Gb ATX AMD Motherboard

I found it on Newegg for $58

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813131548

I see that I can get a Semperion 64 for as cheap as $45

That is for Socket 754, or should I be looking at Socket AM2.

The ASUS K8N-E would work pretty good for me, I have a couple of old AGP cards around.

Thanks for the help.

Kirk

 

[mitch074]

Socket AM2 is recommended if you wish to upgrade the system; if you have DDR to spare and just intend to make a single processor file server, 754 is more than good enough.
As for graphics card, if you intend to make a file server, use integrated graphics - no need to add an extra power draw to a system suposed to run 24/7.
If you make a file server, consider not loading X at boot, and not loading a console frame buffer.

Later Celeron for S370 were able to use DDR2 - after Intel could be convinced to forget Rambus, but those motherboards had limited (if any) support for earlier PIII. I don't really know, since I was AMD-equipped by that time.

 

[1Tanker]

Socket AM2 is recommended if you wish to upgrade the system; if you have DDR to spare and just intend to make a single processor file server, 754 is more than good enough.
As for graphics card, if you intend to make a file server, use integrated graphics - no need to add an extra power draw to a system suposed to run 24/7.
If you make a file server, consider not loading X at boot, and not loading a console frame buffer.

Later Celeron for S370 were able to use DDR2 - after Intel could be convinced to forget Rambus, but those motherboards had limited (if any) support for earlier PIII. I don't really know, since I was AMD-equipped by that time.

DDR, not DDR2.

 

[mitch074]

whoops; my bad. DDR it is.