Building Small Server.

[Huttfuzz]

Hey guys. I have some spare parts and i will put up a small server for files and so on.

What i have is

Case : Antec Sonata Midtower
PSU: Antec 500 watts
Mobo: Asus P5K (p35 chipset)
HD : WD 320 GB, Sata 2

What i would buy would be:
CPU : E2200
RAM : 4 GB (2x2gb) Adata 5-5-5-18
HDs : 2x 1TB Samsung Spinpoint F1 running in Raid 1 for data security
Video : Random cheap Pci Express card.

Questions:

-Would i be better saving 20 bucks and get a Celeron D 430?
-Would i need a Raid card ( is it safer or better? Note that the system will serve exclusively as a server)
-All my other systems connected to that network will run Vista Ultimate x64, but the laptop, which runs on XP 32 bit and the Xbox 360 that would be used to run movies and so on, on my HDTV.

Thanks for your usual inputs.

 

[PsyKhiqZero]

I'd stick with the e2200, I know you said you would use it exclusively as a server, but you may want to start playing back HD videos with it as well. You'll be fine with the onboard raid IMO. However I put a little more though into the video card. The 4550 should do well with video playback, for 60 bucks won't be too expensive. plus it has hdmi out w/ sound.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121281

 

[Huttfuzz]

Ok i get you. But it will really just be for server purpose. I have a 2600 pro somewhere i could use.

 

[col-p-todd]

Stick with the e2200 for sure as for a video card a 4550 would be good, peronaly i use a asus 4350 in my server it has passive cooling and real low power.

and you don't need a raid card unless you have a crappy cpu, but a e2200 should be good enough.

 

[Huttfuzz]

Also, is it easy to set a Raid 1 Array with Vista 64?
I never setted up Raid so i dont know. I did quite a lot of reading and it seems simple enough. What i would like to do is have my 320 GB for my OS and the 1TB Raid 1 as secondary. Would that be easy?

 

[Shadow703793]

Imo, you could run a small file + print server on a Atom 330 with Linux. Might be an option for you.

 

[Huttfuzz]

I already got the socket 775 mobo. But nice idea.