[Gllug] Low Power / Quiet - Silent PCs

[Christian Smith]

Andy Farnsworth uttered:

> Does anyone have any experience with Low Power and Quiet to Silent PCs?
> I am looking at building one to use as a combination media server,
> Asterisk (VoIP) server, general server, home web / app server.  I know I
> could get a mini-itx system, but due to the "general server" section I
> want something that can take 4-6 SATA drives so that I can backup to it
> as well as store a very large media collection (200+ DVDs).  I am also
> not very comfortable with the VIA processors that are on these boards.
> I am much happier with an Intel or AMD CPU.  This server will be sitting
> in my home office / living room which is why I want it quiet, not so
> much when under heavy load but during normal operations.  I am
> considering using a Compact Flash card as the main drive so that all
> normal hard drives can spin down.  My current server is just an old PC I
> had and it doesn't support most of the modern power saving features.  In
> fact, other than drive spin down, it doesn't even support CPU stepping
> (it is an AMD Athlon XP CPU).


I have found that an old laptop (if sufficiently quiet enough) makes a 
good home server. They are:
- Low power
- Compact
- Quiet
- Expandable with external USB drives (HD and DVD-RW.)
- Built in kb and display (if working)
- Built in UPS

My old laptop, which had a display backlight problem, serves as my home 
server very well. It occasionally fires up it's CPU fan, but it's not 
intrusive especially when the TV is on.

Just pick up a cheap laptop off ebay, perhaps one with a broken display 
that's being sold for parts.

I wouldn't worry about using VIA processors. They may not be as fast as an 
Intel or AMD CPU, but for home server use, they're perfectly adequate.


>
> Andrew
>


Christian

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