Need a new motherboard

[pras1011]

Yes, to the hdmi port for the gui. I am looking for a cheap solution for £150 for mobo and CPU combined. Only old flat screens have VGA ports

[pras1011]

 

Again, when using the IPMI version of the board, you get KVM over IP...your WebBrowser is your Monitor.

 

This is no good as the Unraid GUI could have locked up so no web brwoser access or gone dodgy and then there will be no way to kill Unraid without external video.

[BobPhoenix]

Yes, to the hdmi port for the gui. I am looking for a cheap solution for £150 for mobo and CPU combined. Only old flat screens have VGA ports

Well not here anyway - unless ours are all old models.  My TV is a year old Samsung 32" LED so at most 2 model years old.  4 HDMI inputs,  Component and VGA input (listed as PC input) on mine.  Didn't think they would get rid of it so soon.  That's too bad.

[BobPhoenix]

 

Again, when using the IPMI version of the board, you get KVM over IP...your WebBrowser is your Monitor.

 

This is no good as the Unraid GUI could have locked up so no web brwoser access or gone dodgy and then there will be no way to kill Unraid without external video.

Right but you could use the IPMI to view the console from your web browser.  With IPMI you don't even need a console.  I have a couple of servers that I don't even have connected to a monitor or keyboard.  I can still get to the console and change bios settings etc because with IPMI I don't need them.  I can upload a picture of IPMI console when I get home from work to make it more clear if you want a visual.  I know a visual helps me a lot.

[Ford Prefect]

 

Again, when using the IPMI version of the board, you get KVM over IP...your WebBrowser is your Monitor.

 

This is no good as the Unraid GUI could have locked up so no web brwoser access or gone dodgy and then there will be no way to kill Unraid without external video.

 

...there is a difference between unRAID UI and KVM over IP (with IPMI)...as long as an IP address in the IPMI port is set (or acquired by DHCP) you can browse to it and see everything, including BIOS screen

 

Edit: ...and if unRAID is unresponsive/hangs...a GUI is of no use as well...with IPMI you can send power on/off/reset via Web-UI (IPMI UI, not unRAID UI that is).

[Ford Prefect]

Yes, to the hdmi port for the gui. I am looking for a cheap solution for £150 for mobo and CPU combined. Only old flat screens have VGA ports

 

...cheapest, not so outdated CPU with idle states and iGPU is an 1155 socket G630 for example...all you need in addition is a mobo with  two PCIe x4 slots or better and preferably intel NIC.

Intel has some of the media series on the list.

Although I don't have any experience with these in unRAID, I believe they will work fine.

 

Edit: http://geizhals.at/eu/?cat=mbp4_1155&bpmax=&filter=+Liste+aktualisieren+&asuch=%22LAN+%28Intel%22&asd=on&v=e&plz=&dist=&sort=p&xf=524_1

[pras1011]

If unraid gui has crashed I can plug the server via hdmi to the tv and then restart the server via the console.

[Ford Prefect]

If unraid gui has crashed I can plug the server via hdmi to the tv and then restart the server via the console.

 

...maybe 

Most likely, if GUI has crashed, you're ging to push the reset button anyways because the system is FUBAR

 

[pras1011]

All the unraid gui lockups I managed to get out of via the console.

[Ford Prefect]

Ah...running the betas, aren't you 

 

...ever tried to telnet into the box?

 

OK, again, lower 1155 Pentium G and board with Intel NIC should get you going along with the pricetag you had in mind.

See my link above (around 130GBP plus memory for an ASUS P8Q67-M and G630)

[BobPhoenix]

All the unraid gui lockups I managed to get out of via the console.

With IPMI you can press the reset button remotely.  And with IPMI you get full access to the console.  It is displayed in a browser window.  I didn't realize just how good it is until I got a motherboard that had it for other reasons.  I setup the IPMI because the MB had it and I heard such good things about it.  I won't go back.  The only time I touch the PC is to make a hardware change.  I don't even really need a power button any more - just on the power supply and I could unplug it to acheive the same thing there.  I shut down, reboot and change bios setting all from my laptop and recliner upstairs.

[pras1011]

You can't get IPMI on the unraid console. On a locked/crashed unraid gui the last thing you will want to do it press the reset button (remotely or otherwise) unless there is absolutely no choice. This is where the unraid console via hdmi comes in.

[Ford Prefect]

You can't get IPMI on the unraid console. On a locked/crashed unraid gui the last thing you will want to do it press the reset button (remotely or otherwise) unless there is absolutely no choice. This is where the unraid console via hdmi comes in.

 

Look, maybe you should check what IPMI and kvm-over-IP really is...you get an IPMI "console" even when the board is not operational/powered on...if the board is booted into the OS you get the OS console via KVM-over-IP

which is the same as hooking a monitor to the GPU....even if the networking of the OS is disabled...as long as IPMI has a network it works...it is INDEPENDENT of the OS.

You need another computer connected to that network and a WebBrowser to do this.

[BobPhoenix]

You can't get IPMI on the unraid console. On a locked/crashed unraid gui the last thing you will want to do it press the reset button (remotely or otherwise) unless there is absolutely no choice. This is where the unraid console via hdmi comes in.

You've got that backwards.  You have the unRAID console ON the IPMI browser window.  I realize you don't want to use the reset button I just was using that as an example of everything that IPMI is capable of.  I think you need to see a visual wish I had access to my servers from work.  A picture of the unRAID console showing the unRAID boot menu allowing you to pick MemTest for instance will go a long way.  When using IPMI it is just like being at the physical PC.  The only thing you have to have is a working network.

[Ford Prefect]

You've got that backwards.  You have the unRAID console ON the IPMI browser window.  I realize you don't want to use the reset button I just was using that as an example of everything that IPMI is capable of.  I think you need to see a visual wish I had access to my servers from work.  A picture of the unRAID console showing the unRAID boot menu allowing you to pick MemTest for instance will go a long way.  When using IPMI it is just like being at the physical PC.  The only thing you have to have is a working network.

 

Well explained.

I do have access from remote, but no unRAID ;-)

Here's a shot from my ESXi server..you see the WebBroser session in background and foreground window is the ESXi console, all via IPMI

 

[pras1011]

I see! So I can have access to my unraid motherboard console root text/dos/linux thing via my laptop. Ok I am sold.

 

Now which motherboard and cpu? Please refresh my mind!

[BobPhoenix]

I see! So I can have access to my unraid motherboard console root text/dos/linux thing via my laptop. Ok I am sold.

 

Now which motherboard and cpu? Please refresh my mind!

OK.  IPMI is usually only available on Server class MBs.  The cheapest I could find on Newegg (which I realize won't work for you) is X9SCL-F. Tyan and ASUS also have server class boards with IPMI so hopefully you can find one from them since Supermicro is hard to find in Europe from what I read.  AMD has their version of IPMI (ProV maybe?) but I don't remember what it is called.  IPMI is Intel only.

[pras1011]

http://www.asus.com/Server_Workstation/Server_Motherboards/P8BM/

 

I found this board but it has PCIe x8 (x4 link). What does this mean. I want to run SAS2LP which is PCIe x8. Will this run at full speed on this board?

[BobPhoenix]

According to the Specs page it has three PCIe slots.  x16, x8 and x4 electrical in x8 physical.  So you have 2 x8 compatible slots for 2 x8 HBA cards.  The slot "Slot Location 5" is x4 electrical x8 physical so will run with half the speed of the x8 slots.  If you are using spinners I doubt you will even notice the slow down if you used that slot with your SAS2LP.  You might see a difference if you have all SataIII SSD's.  The x16 slot is gen 3 PCIe and doesn't say what it would be if you DON'T use a Xeon processor but I suspect it falls back to gen 2 PCIe.  It should still be a x16 slot.  Your SAS2LP card is gen 2 compatible I believe.  But once again if you have spinners I don't think you would notice anything.

[Ford Prefect]

http://www.asus.com/Server_Workstation/Server_Motherboards/P8BM/

 

I found this board but it has PCIe x8 (x4 link). What does this mean. I want to run SAS2LP which is PCIe x8. Will this run at full speed on this board?

 

It has 1pcs x8, 1pcs x16 and 1pcs x4 (in 8 slot).

The x16 should be downwards compatible and work with a x8 card....that gives you 2 pcs x8 usable (1 in 16 and 1 in 8 slot).

 

Also note that normally KVM-over-IP only works with the onboard GPU...if you chosse a CPU with integrated GPU this part is waisted at best (need to disable it).

 

Here's one from supermicro: http://www.lambda-tek.com/MBD-X9SCM-IIF-B-Supermicro-MBD-X9SCM-IIF-B~cs/B932434&origin=skinflint4.9

[Ford Prefect]

...and an "older generation" one: http://www.lambda-tek.com/MBD-X8SIL-F-O-Supermicro-MBD-X8SIL-F-O-Single-SKT-Intel-3400-Ibex-Peak-Chipset-SATA-IPMI-Motherboard-Retail~cs/B443720

Works with a i3-540 ...disable iGPU and you still have IPMI with kvm-over-IP

 

Edit: this might be the combo for the lowest budget, as I could find the X8SIL to be amongst the cheapest XEON mobo ATM.

        Note: even with the i3, you need UDIMM ECC memory !!

[pras1011]

Rethinking things I want a cheap board. A micro board maybe. Something from here: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?p=21942083

[Ford Prefect]

Rethinking things I want a cheap board. A micro board maybe. Something from here: http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?p=21942083

 

These Z77 chipset based mobos are not cheaper than the XEON boards already suggested.

Again, choose one with an Intel NIC and required no. of x8 slots you need and you should be fine to go with unRAID.

[pras1011]

I very much like the Asus Maximus Gene V board which is £150 delivered. I may even replace the Asrock Fatal1ty Z68 in my gaming pc with and move the Asrock into the Unraid server. Or maybe no.

[pras1011]

Is it risky upgrading a motherboard? Is there a certain procedure I need to follow to go from one motherboard to another?