After weeks of internal debate, I pulled the trigger on most of the gear I need for my build:

 

Case: Antec P180 - solid case, not server specific, but that means I can always repurpose it later

Asus P5B-E mobo - more than I need, but it was important that the GigE hangs off of PCI-E

Intel D-820 - cheapest dual core I could find

Two sticks of Corsair 512MB DDR2 5300 - nothing fancy, will experiment to see how 512MB works vs. 1GB - I will also experiment with a set of 1GB sticks to see if going to 2GB makes any difference

Ultra X-finity 600W PS - impressive reviews offset my normal paranoia

Corsair 1GB USB flash - 1GB was cheaper than 512MB

 

Once I get the USB key, I'll order the software.  I didn't buy a graphics card, but I'm pretty sure I have a few of them sitting around gathering dust.

 

Now I need cheap SATA 500GB Seagates so I'll be on the prowl.  If I happen to trip across 750GBs at the right price ....

 

My objective was to build a driveless version for $500 or less.  I was nearly successful.  Including the 6-drive version of Unraid, the total (including tax and shipping) will come to $518.  Newegg is the source of everything but the PS, which I am getting at Fry's B&M.

 

 

Bill

Good choices Bill.  I'm not familiar with the case (I'm using the standard Coolermaster Stacker), but my P5B-E based unRAID system is performing very well indeed, and with only a Celeron CPU!

 

I will be interested to hear what your 1GB versus 2GB memory testing determines.  Tom once mentioned that unRAID only used a maximum of 1GB RAM, but not sure if that was referring only to the older 2.4 kernel version, and whether the newer 2.6 kernel has changed this limit at all?

 

Antec makes a fine case (I'm using an older version of that one).  And you already know that I'm using that PSU and it's working just fine.  One thing on the PSU, the 4 pin connectors are hooked together to look like one 8 pin, so you'll have to snap them apart (no big deal, it's a clip that holds them together).  Also remember to go to the website and register it to get the lifetime warranty.

After weeks of internal debate, I pulled the trigger on most of the gear I need for my build:

 

Case: Antec P180 - solid case, not server specific, but that means I can always repurpose it later

Asus P5B-E mobo - more than I need, but it was important that the GigE hangs off of PCI-E

Intel D-820 - cheapest dual core I could find

Two sticks of Corsair 512MB DDR2 5300 - nothing fancy, will experiment to see how 512MB works vs. 1GB - I will also experiment with a set of 1GB sticks to see if going to 2GB makes any difference

Ultra X-finity 600W PS - impressive reviews offset my normal paranoia

Corsair 1GB USB flash - 1GB was cheaper than 512MB

 

Once I get the USB key, I'll order the software.  I didn't buy a graphics card, but I'm pretty sure I have a few of them sitting around gathering dust.

 

Now I need cheap SATA 500GB Seagates so I'll be on the prowl.  If I happen to trip across 750GBs at the right price ....

 

My objective was to build a driveless version for $500 or less.  I was nearly successful.  Including the 6-drive version of Unraid, the total (including tax and shipping) will come to $518.  Newegg is the source of everything but the PS, which I am getting at Fry's B&M.

 

 

Bill

 

Hey Billy,

 

Curious to know if there were any speed difference from the 1GB, 2GB, 512MB USB Sticks?

 

I've been using a 64MB USB 2.0 and 128MB USB 2.0 stick that I had from my prior company, lol. 

I can't tell any difference in speed that I could tell.  Only con I can think of w/ the 64MB would be if the unRAID OS doubled it's size in the near future then I might be out of luck but so far, so good.

 

 

 

 

Matthew,

 

I never got around to doing full performance testing.

 

This weekend will be spent ripping my new Star Trek DVDs (on sale at Buy.com), so perhaps I'll do something after that.

 

I am also still sitting on 100Mb (yeah, I know), so testing is a bit moot.  Maybe Chris can send me a nice shiny Linksys GigE box for Christmas.  ;-)

 

 

Bill