HP ProLiant MicroServer

[PostmanPot]

Out of interest, how much did you get it for on BoB? I have a second one on the way

R999 I think.

[Cruelty]

I paid R1,050.
There are 2 available at R999 but shipping is from Oudtshoorn ... $$$ and risky with our postal service.

[SomeoneEls]

What you using for audio?

I purchased a Sunix USB sound card from Take2 R199.
Works great!

Couldn't you have just used HDMI audio? The GT210 supports audio out over HDMI

I managed to pick up one of these servers from BoB over the weekend. Last night I squashed the following into it:

- 2 x 4GB DDR3 DIMMs. Cheap, generic Kingston stuff (like R300 per DIMM). BIOS and OS are happy with it.

- 1 x 2.5" 320GB hard drive. This was mounted upside down under the ODD bay. I drilled 2 holes through the bottom of the ODD bay to secure the drive with only 2 screws. I sellotaped some cardboard to the underside of the drive so that the drive's circuitboard does not touch the chassis. The drive is connected via the single onboard SATA port. OS (WinSrv 2k8) is installed on this drive. I did not flash the BIOS with the custom firmware; drive performance seems reasonable so I probably won't flash it.

- 4 x 3.5" 1.5TB drives in the standard bays and connected via the SAS cable.

- 2 x 3.5" 1.5TB drives in the ODD bay - I used 4 x 5.25" to 3.5" brackets as described in fish's post somewhere in this thread. The drives are upside down because that's just how it worked out with the brackets. The drives are connected via a 2-port PCI Express SATA controller (R200 odd) which is in the 16x slot. If I put it in the x1 slot, straight SATA connectors stood up too high and 90 degree connectors pushed the card at too much of an angle. The card works fine in the 16x slot.

The 6 x 1.5TB drives are in a RAID5 array and are current resynching. I expect the resync to take 2-3 days. There are no signs of insufficient power.

Desired usage of the machine is : Windows AD, DNS, DHCP, Internet Proxy/gateway, local mail server (which will also fetch from external accounts), NAS, SQL Server 2k5 (I need this for development ... that's why this box runs WinSrv instead of OpenSuse), download box (scheduled HTTP).

Nice Setup! I've only got 4 drives in mine and booting off a usb drive. Going to look at adding another 2 drives in the ODD bay

[PostmanPot]

Couldn't you have just used HDMI audio? The GT210 supports audio out over HDMI

It does? Did not know.

[SomeoneEls]

It does? Did not know.

It does supports HDMI 1.3a

Makes the Microserver + GT210 a cheapish option for a XBMC PC. Then again he may not have had a HDMI monitor or TV

Any good prices on a Microsserver at the moment don't particularly want to buy one off BoB from a guy in Oudtshoorn...

[PostmanPot]

It does supports HDMI 1.3a

Makes the Microserver + GT210 a cheapish option for a XBMC PC. Then again he may not have had a HDMI monitor or TV

Any good prices on a Microsserver at the moment don't particularly want to buy one off BoB from a guy in Oudtshoorn...

GT210 vs HD5450?

[SomeoneEls]

GT210 vs HD5450?

Both will work, the HD5450 is the better card (less power usage, slightly more grunt) but if you use it with XBMC live (linux) I'd go for the Nvidia Card, radeon drivers have only recently started to improve on linux.
A HD520 should also work, with all these cards the trick is to get one which actually has a low-profile bracket in the box and is actively cooled(The passive one's are usually to big to fit in the Microserver) and a TDP around 25w(both Nvidia cards mentioned are around 30w but no side affects seem to have been reported). A lot of guys have ordered ones which say actively cooled and low-profile bracket in box but when them arrive them get a passively cooled one without a low profile bracket.

[TJ99]

It does supports HDMI 1.3a

Makes the Microserver + GT210 a cheapish option for a XBMC PC. Then again he may not have had a HDMI monitor or TV

Any good prices on a Microsserver at the moment don't particularly want to buy one off BoB from a guy in Oudtshoorn...

R1367 at hpshop. A bit more than I paid but still a bargain. I thought you had one already?

[SomeoneEls]

R1367 at hpshop. A bit more than I paid but still a bargain. I thought you had one already?

I do... when is one ever enough

[shubz]

Hi I also have a Hp Proliant server got it for R600 busy of mine works for HP and staff got it for this price. I've been messing with it and put my old Nvidia 9400Gt in for the HDMI. Unfortunately this card does not have built in sound. Can anybody recomend where I can buy a cheap low profile card in the Cape Town area to enable sound. Thanks

Or a low profile sound card will also do

[PostmanPot]

Hi I also have a Hp Proliant server got it for R600 busy of mine works for HP and staff got it for this price. I've been messing with it and put my old Nvidia 9400Gt in for the HDMI. Unfortunately this card does not have built in sound. Can anybody recomend where I can buy a cheap low profile card in the Cape Town area to enable sound. Thanks

You can send me a PM, picking up some Sapphire HD5450's today or tomorrow.

[xrapidx]

Hi I also have a Hp Proliant server got it for R600 busy of mine works for HP and staff got it for this price. I've been messing with it and put my old Nvidia 9400Gt in for the HDMI. Unfortunately this card does not have built in sound. Can anybody recomend where I can buy a cheap low profile card in the Cape Town area to enable sound. Thanks

I got my two for a little more than that Not sure how some guys got them so cheap...

You can send me a PM, picking up some Sapphire HD5450's today or tomorrow.

PM me the price please

[jarrodr]

http://hpshop.co.za/p-7357-hp-prolia...33724-421.aspx

Got myself 3 of these HP micro-servers for R600 each. Brand new and legit. NIIIIIIIIIIIICE.

[SomeoneEls]

http://hpshop.co.za/p-7357-hp-prolia...33724-421.aspx

Got myself 3 of these HP micro-servers for R600 each. Brand new and legit. NIIIIIIIIIIIICE.

I hate you! How?? Know someone who works at HP?

[jarrodr]

I hate you! How?? Know someone who works at HP?

My friend's company had it on sale, think they buy directly from HP. So I jumped at the chance, should receive it tomorrow. So amped.