[SOLVED] Noob doing Home Server Build Needs Advice

[0me0]

TOMS HARDWARE QUESTIONS

Noob doing Home Server Build Needs Advice

Greetings. I am planning to do a home server build using Linux / Ubuntu to host an SQL database (Firebird) starting with 6K names that will go over 500K names, also, I will be hosting photos using Lychee. I have some old parts lying around and I need advice regarding whether to use the old parts or just start fresh with New or Newer parts.

Old parts I have lying around:


1 x CPU

Intel i3-540
LGA1156
3.06 Ghz
4MB cache
73W
Product Code: BX8061613540
NIB - never opened

1 x CPU

Intel i7-960
3.20GHz
8M
4.80
3041A979
loose part - no box or instructions - but it's been taken care of.

18 X CORSAIR HX#X12G1333C9 XMS3 DDR3
1.50 ver2.12
9-9-9-24
1333MHz
2048MB
12GB(6.2GB)

1 X Power Supply

ANTEC Model TPQ-1000 TruePower Quattro

1 X Fan

Silent 120MM Extrema Pro series Quiet Fan


A call to ASUS got me the following recommendations (however everything I found was used or refurb - not a good way to go for a noob I'm guessing...)

ASUS Sabertooth x58 (LGA1366)

ASUS P6X58 Pro


My questions are:

1. Should I try to find a MOBO compatible with the used parts I have - for what I am planning would they be sufficient? Where would I get one new or with manuals bios info etc. so I am not lost...

2. Should I take all this stuff and sell it on eBay or amazon and get new stuff to do the build and get a new / or newer at least MOBO?

Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

 

[mdd1963]

If you are running Win10 Pro, you could install Hyper-V, and just virtualize the Ubuntu install on whatever decent desktop you are already running....(vice using much older hardware), you might get better performance from your current rig, vice buidling up an older one, and at additional expense, no less...

a virtualized Win2016 Server (w/ GUI!) on HyperV is quite darn snappy/responsive on my HyperV/Win10 Pro host (7700K, 32 GB RAM, 960 EVO)....; certainly Linux would be even snappier yet on any modern desktop...and naturally, any GUI-less/ headless Linux installs zip right along with the 7700K at 4.5 GHz ...

 

[doolittle]

The Intel i7-960 with the ASUS Sabertooth x58 and your 12Gb of ram would be a very decent home server running ubuntu. Since you already have a good PSU just need to get a decent case, an SSD (which would speed up the database immensely) and a cheap, cheap gpu.

Just run KVM as your open-source hypervisor if you need one, why would you run hyper-v on windows on old hardware that old! ¯\(ツ)/¯

EDIT - ok re-read that and apparently you don't have a motherboard, that changes things a bit...

If you are not comfortable buying used parts, don't bother just sell all this stuff you can get some decent coin from them then just get a refurb tower like this one or just splurge and build a new quad like this mini-itx build

 

[0me0]

The Intel i7-960 with the ASUS Sabertooth x58 and your 12Gb of ram would be a very decent home server running ubuntu. Since you already have a good PSU just need to get a decent case, an SSD (which would speed up the database immensely) and a cheap, cheap gpu.

Just run KVM as your open-source hypervisor if you need one, why would you run hyper-v on windows on old hardware that old! ¯\(ツ)/¯

EDIT - ok re-read that and apparently you don't have a motherboard, that changes things a bit...

If you are not comfortable buying used parts, don't bother just sell all this stuff you can get some decent coin from them then just get a refurb tower like this one or just splurge and build a new quad like this mini-itx build

I have a decent case:
Fractal Design Define R5 Black Silent ATX Midtower Computer Case (291316926650)

so if I am starting with new parts for this case.... I would appreciate your suggestions for where to start on a "newer parts" build...

At this point I would appreciate your suggestions for:

What CPU will the i7-960 still work with a newer MOBO or do I just need to sell these ones I have and get a new CPU and MOBO?

What SSD size / brand?

What GPU?

thank you in advance for any additional help you can provide.

 

[0me0]

If you are running Win10 Pro, you could install Hyper-V, and just virtualize the Ubuntu install on whatever decent desktop you are already running....(vice using much older hardware), you might get better performance from your current rig, vice buidling up an older one, and at additional expense, no less...

a virtualized Win2016 Server (w/ GUI!) on HyperV is quite darn snappy/responsive on my HyperV/Win10 Pro host (7700K, 32 GB RAM, 960 EVO)....; certainly Linux would be even snappier yet on any modern desktop...and naturally, any GUI-less/ headless Linux installs zip right along with the 7700K at 4.5 GHz ...

I appreciate your virtualization suggestion... but the only desktop i really have to use for this purpose is the non-built one i am looking at the parts for ... I have a Dell laptop but I really want to use / build / learn a Linux box

 

[doolittle]

I have a decent case:
Fractal Design Define R5 Black Silent ATX Midtower Computer Case (291316926650)

so if I am starting with new parts for this case.... I would appreciate your suggestions for where to start on a "newer parts" build...

At this point I would appreciate your suggestions for:

What CPU will the i7-960 still work with a newer MOBO or do I just need to sell these ones I have and get a new CPU and MOBO?...

No problem, I still think you should sell off the 1156 / 1366 stuff after a quick search for used motherboards - all from sellers with no ratings, they are difficult to come buy reliably.

Here is a modified version of my mini-itx build I previously mentioned, with your parts added:

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/FB7LRJ
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/FB7LRJ/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock - B450 Pro4 ATX AM4 Motherboard ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill - Aegis 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Kingston - A400 240 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($31.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($44.89 @ OutletPC)
Case: Fractal Design - Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case (Purchased For $0.00)
Power Supply: Antec - TruePower Quattro 1000 W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (Purchased For $0.00)
Total: $316.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-03-09 09:49 EST-0500

I went with the best bang-per-buck here.

What SSD size / brand?

I went with a 240gb, should be good for plenty of OS & apps and the sale price makes it a very good value for your $

What GPU?

The 2200G is an APU and has a built-in Vega 8 graphics, will be plenty to drive a linux desktop (and need a kernel version of 4.15+). Usually with a server install there is only the need for a text console, so the APU would be overkill.

 

[0me0]

No problem, I still think you should sell off the 1156 / 1366 stuff after a quick search for used motherboards - all from sellers with no ratings, they are difficult to come buy reliably.

Here is a modified version of my mini-itx build I previously mentioned, with your parts added:

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/FB7LRJ
Price breakdown by merchant: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/FB7LRJ/by_merchant/

CPU: AMD - Ryzen 3 2200G 3.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor ($94.99 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: ASRock - B450 Pro4 ATX AM4 Motherboard ($64.99 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill - Aegis 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Kingston - A400 240 GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($31.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1 TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($44.89 @ OutletPC)
Case: Fractal Design - Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower Case (Purchased For $0.00)
Power Supply: Antec - TruePower Quattro 1000 W 80+ Bronze Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply (Purchased For $0.00)
Total: $316.85
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2019-03-09 09:49 EST-0500

I went with the best bang-per-buck here.



I went with a 240gb, should be good for plenty of OS & apps and the sale price makes it a very good value for your $


The 2200G is an APU and has a built-in Vega 8 graphics, will be plenty to drive a linux desktop (and need a kernel version of 4.15+). Usually with a server install there is only the need for a text console, so the APU would be overkill.

Thank you so much for the detailed message doolittle! Now I am excited about the build

Everything is on the way except G.Skill - Aegis 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory which for some reason is on backorder... not sure how Newegg is with backorders, but if I don't receive it anytime soon... I suppose I might have to figure out how PCpartpicker works to find an alternative or come back here to post a new query to my new friends here at this forum - this place is a fantastic resource, so thank you a million times over for your help. I truly appreciate it.

I wasn't aware of pcpartpicker.com I am going to bookmark that one on pinboard - a bookmarking site you might enjoy.

Thank you again and have a great weekend!

 

[0me0]

Thank you so much for the detailed message doolittle! Now I am excited about the build

Everything is on the way except G.Skill - Aegis 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory which for some reason is on backorder... not sure how Newegg is with backorders, but if I don't receive it anytime soon... I suppose I might have to figure out how PCpartpicker works to find an alternative or come back here to post a new query to my new friends here at this forum - this place is a fantastic resource, so thank you a million times over for your help. I truly appreciate it.

I wasn't aware of pcpartpicker.com I am going to bookmark that one on pinboard - a bookmarking site you might enjoy.

Thank you again and have a great weekend!

 

[das_stig]

Also take in to account, you will be covered by GDPR so need to register and ensure everything is encrypted and locked down.

 

[0me0]

Also take in to account, you will be covered by GDPR so need to register and ensure everything is encrypted and locked down.

thank you for that important advice. ⚗ where does one register / learn more about encrypting server hardware etc. thank you in advance for any help you can provide

 

[0me0]

Thank you so much for the detailed message doolittle! Now I am excited about the build

Everything is on the way except G.Skill - Aegis 16 GB (2 x 8 GB) DDR4-3000 Memory which for some reason is on backorder... not sure how Newegg is with backorders, but if I don't receive it anytime soon... I suppose I might have to figure out how PCpartpicker works to find an alternative or come back here to post a new query to my new friends here at this forum - this place is a fantastic resource, so thank you a million times over for your help. I truly appreciate it.

I wasn't aware of pcpartpicker.com I am going to bookmark that one on pinboard - a bookmarking site you might enjoy.

Thank you again and have a great weekend!

one last question: will the Corsair memory I have fit on that MOBO or should i get rid of it. Seems worth nothing these days so it's probably e-waste at this point... 18 sticks to get rid of.... TR3X6G1333C9 thank you again for sharing your knowledge on the subject

 

[doolittle]

one last question: will the Corsair memory I have fit on that MOBO or should i get rid of it. Seems worth nothing these days so it's probably e-waste at this point... 18 sticks to get rid of.... TR3X6G1333C9 thank you again for sharing your knowledge on the subject

It is DDR3 so unfortunately it will not work the new build - without a doubt sell it off along with the other gear and help fund the new parts