My Own Server Part 1: DIY 1U Rack Servers

Last Act: Startup

We were somewhat astonished that the power switch actually lives up to its name. While the rack server starts up immediately after the network cable is plugged in, it shuts off instantly when the power switch is pressed. Particularly in connection with the two USB ports on the front panel, accidental "off switches" were pre-programmed.

What happens when you turn on the rack server is no different from the usual routine. The BIOS is exactly like the software of commercially available retail motherboards, except for a few details; installation is identical - including the laborious addition, with a disk drive, of drivers for a hard-disk controller not recognized by Windows.

In the case of the MSI server, however, the only thing left is to create a Windows CD with an integrated driver, because the floppy connector is no longer available on the motherboard.

Patrick Schmid
Editor-in-Chief (2005-2006)

Patrick Schmid was the editor-in-chief for Tom's Hardware from 2005 to 2006. He wrote numerous articles on a wide range of hardware topics, including storage, CPUs, and system builds.

  • jameshk
    if i buy this 1U server, can i use it for video edit and play games at home??the speed good then normal desktop?
    Reply