Cheap, Low Power, Small Server

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 1:43 pm

I want to make a server to store movies and games on so I can access them from my modded Xboxes and PCs. Right now I just use our desktop, but it doesn't get much other use so its in sleep mode most of the time (and I have to get and hit a button on the keyboard whenever I want to watch a movie). So I need something to replace it with.
I want it to be cheap, low power, and small in that order. I would like to use SATA drives because they're generally cheaper and IDE seems to be going away. I was thinking of putting linux on it and using samba to share the files (all our other computers have XP). I'm not really looking for a parts list, mainly just ideas.

<s>PS: Does anyone know how to get ripped xbox games (which I own) to play from a network drive? I ripped it to my xbox (plays fine from there), but then I copied that copied folder to my laptop, and it doesn't play from there (movies and music play fine from my laptop). The game on the xbox is in E:\Games\Battlefront\, and it shows up as a game when I browse to it in XBMC. The game on my laptop is in C:\Battlefront\ (shared to xbox), and it just shows up as a file in XBMC (I can't open the folder more or start the game in XBMC).</s> EDIT: Found out its not possible, but if you do know a way, do tell.

DK · Post by DK » Mon Aug 04, 2008 2:18 pm

How about one of the new Asus EEE Pc's? Already have Linux on so that'll save you a job. Also they're cheap and low powered (electrically not hardware)

vskid · Post by **vskid** » Mon Aug 04, 2008 3:53 pm

I think I would be better off building an Atom power system than buying an EEE desktop.
Motherboard plus 1.6GHz Atom CPU - $100
1GB RAM - $20
500GB HD - $100ish
PSU - <$20
case - I'll just throw it in a plastic box
Total - $240

EEE Box (1.6GHz Atom, 1GB RAM, 80GB HD) - $270

So I would save money building it myself, and have a hard drive big enough to store about 100 DVDs. But I don't think my parents would go for that, unless it replaced our current desktop (the Atom probably out performs it). Maybe I'll just buy that setup when I get a job and mount it to the back of an LCD, let it be a server all the time and I'll use it as my desktop when I need it.....