Home server build.. PSU?

[Jetpac]

I am currently using a desktop PC that was capable of gaming and whatnot, but i am downgrading because i want something more efficient, quieter and smaller.

I got a great deal on a nettop type box and am going to use that for my main needs.

HOWEVER.

My old desktop:

C2D E6300 1.8
4gb Ram
X1900XT
3/4 hard drives
500w (or 600w i cant remember) PSU.

Would be unused, so what i wanted to do was to turn it into a low power home server for streaming music and video and encoding video.

So i was going to buy an Atom board and use that My question is really what PSU am in going to need as i want it running low power 24/7.

Cheers!

 

[guanyu210379]

No siginificant changes could be seen if you reduce the maximum power rating of the PSU.
The PSU will draw power only as needed.
Some efficiency changes for under 50% load and near 100% load do exist but not really significant.
You won't need to replace the PSU because of that.
But you will perhaps need to replace the PSU if it is too old, due to the capacitor and transistor aging...but looking at your specs...the PSU is less than 4-5 years old..
So...no replacement is really needed.
If you wanna reduce the power consumption, the best way is to buy new low powered procs, etc. (components)...but not really necessary...

 

[Jetpac]

My thoughts were to Swap out the mobo, processor and GFX card and replace that with an atom board.
The PSU is a Tagan modular and probably bang on 5 years old now.

Would Windows home server be the way to go also?

 

[guanyu210379]

1. Windows Server will be the best solution.

2. If you are going to use Windows Server please also check the compatibility of all the mainstream products you are going to use. Some has driver problems.

3. If you are going to use the PC only for home server a.k.a no games.. an onboard GPU is better.

4. About the atom, I have no idea if it is enough for home system, I personally hate atom's performance...but perhaps it is enough...someone else please answer to this matter.

5. About the PSU, you don't have to replace it right away, if it is still working fine. You can do that later.

 

[4745454b]

Buying new parts won't really save you enough. I'd just underclock/volt what you already have. Atom doesn't perform that well anyways. Find the highest stable speed you can with a Vcore of 1.1 or 1.2V.

 

[Jetpac]

I would just be gettin a new atom 330 Mobo and canabalising 2gb ram from my current pc.

 

[guanyu210379]

I would prefer to underclock/volt the system as 4745454b has suggested.

 

[obsidian86]

get a board with and igp and get a 80+ rated power supply there has been good deals going round on the antec earthwatts 430 lately

 

[4745454b]

Even under volted and clocked, it would still be MUCH faster then the atom. You'll consume more electricity, but if you can get the vcore down enough it shouldn't be much more.

 

[Jetpac]

Ok thankyou folks, i will look at clocking it down!

 

[guanyu210379]

not much faster than atom...it is much much much much faster than atom

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I would evaluate the cost of Servers and components versus a simple NAS. I have 11 PC's in my home (7 in home office, 4 for mom and kids) being 'served" by this little thing for the last 4 years. Kids use the built in i-Tunes server and keep movies there but personally, I just use it for data storage.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822122010

 

[guanyu210379]

NAS is also worth considering. Because for home server, basically you will need it for your files such movies, musics, etc... and you can use your old PC as a HTPC.