Building A Server

Bangor

Bangor

Active member
DISCLAMER: This is for people who know what the fuck I'm talking about.

Anyway, I've inherited a Dell P4 1.8ghz system with 256mb RAM and a CD-RW drive. Problem is, after extensive testing on my part, the 60GB HD is 100% toast. (*cry*, I wanted that HD)

Now, I've got an older PC, a P3 650mhz with 256 of ram in it (2 128 chips) and room for 1 more chip (which I would gank out of the new system for a total of 512mb RAM.) This has a 12GB HD in it. I'd also steal the CDRW out of the new PC and have 2 CDRW's in the old PC.

OR

I can gank 1 128 chip from the old PC and the 12GB HD and put it in the P4 box.

Basically, I want to run a small Web/File/Print server off my home network. I'll deal with all the networking and shit myself, but it's basically DSL hooked up to a Linksys wireless router.

The basic question is which system to build for the said Web/File/Print server?

P3 650mhz 512RAM

vs

P4 1.8ghz 384RAM

Probably going to start off running WinXP Pro. Mabye eventually moving over to Linux, once I figure out the Static IP's and port forwarding and such.

Thoughts?

 
Back in the old days servers had slow CPUs (because there weren't always fast CPUs), but always had lots of RAM (because you could always put more in). But that was for serving websites to hundreds/thousands of people at once. And they were probably multicore. I'm not sure how running a server for yourself will affect the performance.

I can tell you Windows XP runs ok on a P2 400Mhz with 256 megs of ram once you turn off all the extra crap, so 384 megs won't be a bottleneck for the operating system alone.

I need to stop thinking with my keyboard.
 
a server running on a dsl connection is gonna be super shitty. you should spend your money on getting a connection with real uplink capability
 
I'm debating whether I really even want to host my site to the world off this. I'm more looking at the FTP server so I can get shit when I'm not at home, and a print server for the home network.

I'm leaning more toward the old box with more ram right now.

This isn't for serious hosting, more for my own shits and giggles.
 
thats a tough one. I would probably use the 1.8ghz one just because it gives you the capabilties of upgrading instead of being stuck with a slower computer. You can always later throw in a stick of 512 when you find some cheap ram for it. And if you decide to do anything slighty more serious you are able to.
 
if you are just doing stuff like that, the p4 with the less ram should be fine. but for not too much, you could get another 512 chip, and something like a 40GB hard drive.

My brother runs a server on his computer that hosts his website and mine, and a Call of Duty game server. We have a WiMax connection (similar speed to DSL), off of a P4...but it is the 3.3 GHz P4, and he has a gig of ram.

i think if you make a few upgrades, you should be perfectly fine.
 
are you sure the ram will work in either system?

id keep the p4 and just install the 12 gig drive

or caugh up 60 bucks and buy a new HDD
 
actually it is important what programs will be running because it will determine how much RAM is needed. Also, you'd have to make sure the RAM matches, as Piot said. Also, typically, if you have a 2 128 RAM cards, you can't mix and match RAM cards, even if they are compatible. You want matching RAM cards and want to use typically either 1, 2, or 4 cards (depends on what type of RAM your machine uses).

If all that is wrong with the first machine is a junk HD, either swap that 12G into it, or just get a new one (they are supper cheap now).
 
^uhhh it doesnt matter dude hahaha thats classic... i have a 512mb and a 256mb and a 128mb running in my system. works like a charm
 
Skip the XP. Use W2K3 Server with IIS6. Otherwise, and better, do the Linux thing. If you don't know it start with Knoppix, boots and runs with CD, has GUI interface and before you know it you will have Apache Webserver going and the Micro$oft hog can be gone.

Rough crowd here, these skiers.
 
sry i didnt check your info you are from ny, but anyway your isp will shut off the service if you run the server.

Thtats what happened to me.
 
if all thats wrong with teh P4 is the HD then the obvious answer is to move the old HD into it. If you were planning on moving the new ram to the old machine you "should" aslo be able to move it from the old to the new. The P4 just seems like a better place to start building
 
Yeah, I've already dumped memory chips back and forth between the two systems multiple times. 1 256 stick of PC133 ram, 1 128 of PC133, and 1 stick of 128 PC100 which was originally in the old box.

The old box ran with 256 ram between the PC100 and PC133 128mb chips fine for like, 3 years.

As much as I'd rather have 512 of RAM, I'm going to build off the new system. Case is soooo much easier to work in, and it's got more room, and it'll be better for upgrades if I ever scrape together $100 or so for parts. Only thing that's bumming me out is that to get more ram in it, I'm gonna need to dump the stick of 128 first, as it's only got 2 ram slots, where the old box has 3.

So off I go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top