Building a server, need some help.

[taters343]

I want to build a server from which I can stream files and for connecting to a file share with DC++ or something similar. I'd like to have at least 8TB of storage space.

My budget for parts, not including the hard drives, is $200. I already purchased a case and some RAM a while ago because they were severely discounted, but I am willing to not use them if I can get recommendations on other parts.

The case I have is this one: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0059205KE/?tag=pcpapi-20

The memory is this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148149&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

I need help picking out a motherboard, CPU, and power supply.. I plan on using a RAID 5 and I don't have any idea what parts I should buy to do this, or even if this is my best option. Any help would be very appreciated.

I'm definitely willing to use parts other than the ones I already have, but either way my budget is still $200.

If possible, it would be cool to have enough room in my budget for a small SSD, just to boot off of.

Thanks in advance for any help and suggestions you can offer.

 

[choucove]

Unfortunately I don't know any configuration options really that I can recommend to cover your necessary hardware for only $200. A processor and motherboard alone are going to require at minimum $200 reasonably.

 

[popatim]

^^^ what he said.^^^

With a $200 budget all you're going to get is file sharing capabilility. If you need to transcode your streams on the fly you're going to need a processor that costs more than your budget all by itself.

In the mean time, you need to determine your actual needs and decide if you want to go the amd route or intel. For a simple file sharing server (i run an athlon2 x2) and it can easily stream 2 hd movies at the same time because no transcoding is involved nor do I ever plan on it doing this.
Something simular to my build below:
$60 cpu: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103953
$115 mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131733
$60 PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151074

you will also need:
ata to sata bridge unless you can find ata harddrive for the OS drive: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812119257&Tpk=ata%20to%20sata

and keep a few sata power adapters on hand: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812196459

What you do is install the OS drive onto the ata133 port and a dvd drive onto a any sata and load the OS. Be sure to install the raid drivers. Shutdown and remove the dvd drive and install your harddrives onto the raid sata ports. Boot up and press the keystroke to get into the raid setup when prompted and setup your raid. Once that is done, reboot into the OS and continue wiuth your folder/sharing and users setups.

 

[taters343]

I don't need to do transcoding, as far as I know. I just want it as a place to store my files.

 

[taters343]

Ok, new plan. I can spend over $200 eventually, but $200 is what I have now. If someone could help me pick out all the parts I'm going to need, I can just get as much as I can afford now.

I'm not sure how possible it is to do what I want to do with this server, but I'll try to explain it as well as I can.

I want to be able to store movies and music and other various files on the server and access them from my computer. I'd rather have my computer do the bulk of the actual processing of the files, rather than the server, essentially as if I were just connecting to an external hard drive.

I'd like to be able to connect to it via LAN while I'm in my dorm room. It would be nice to be able to leave the server at school when I go home on breaks and still be able to access it, but it isn't a deal breaker; It's easy enough to just bring the server home with me if I have to.

Other people need to be able to access it, but not in the same way as me. I want to run DC++, or a similar program, to share files, both uploading and downloading.

I want to be able to completely control the server from my other computer. I'd imagine that I'll have to use a monitor and keyboard hooked up to the server when I'm installing the OS, but after that I'd like it to be completely headless, if possible.

As far as Operating Systems go, I am open for absolutely anything that can meet my needs and still be free. I have free access to Windows Server through the MSDNAA, so I can use that or anything else that is actually free to use.