HP ProLiant MicroServer

xrapidx

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With FreeNAS - can you add drives (extend) a RAID 5 array?

e.g have 3 drives...and another later and so on... without loosing data.
 

TopCa7

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Nov 19, 2009
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I've encountered no issues with FreeNAS 8.

That said, I have nothing else running on that VM and I have added no customizations (or hacks until it supports extensions).

My block was seeing it over a network using windows 7. Have not fiddled much at all though :/
 

SomeoneEls

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Jun 10, 2009
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Yeah, if you MUST install freenas DO NOT USE version 8, it is utter GARBAGE! Use version 7. Or an even better plan just load Ubuntu with Webmin and save yourself many headaches. FREENAS 8 = FAIL!

It has it's issues definitely wouldn't say it's utter garbage though. The directions they're moving allowing add-ons to be added without hacking will probably make it a lot more user/noob friendly in the end. Webmin is good too but probably over kill for most people.
 

TopCa7

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I wonder how many people are now going to carry their little HPs to lans now that just about everyone has one!
 

rorz0r

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Does anyone have any tips for reducing boot times? My ubuntu loads quickly but the BIOS takes forever checking stuff and that PXE boot screen etc. I've disabled whatever I could in the BIOS. I know all servers generally take ages to boot but looking to cut it down a bit as I don't have it on 24/7.
 

yeti

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Does anyone have any tips for reducing boot times? My ubuntu loads quickly but the BIOS takes forever checking stuff and that PXE boot screen etc. I've disabled whatever I could in the BIOS. I know all servers generally take ages to boot but looking to cut it down a bit as I don't have it on 24/7.

Are you unable to leave it running 24/7? Only suggestion I can make, besides using one of the custom BIOS firmwares floating around (which may or may not address your issue), is a generic one: get a SSD or boot off a flash drive.
 

Re83L

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rorz0r are you using XBMC with your ubuntu? Having any issues viewing 1080p content with your GT210?

We're having stuttering with the 5450 in Ubuntu, don't think it's using the GPU hardware accelleration.
 

endlesslyonline

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Aug 22, 2008
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Have not seen this answered yer, maybe I missed it...

What are you guys using for a remote control when using xbmc with the HP MG, I have played around with the Android remote, but would like a physical remote instead.

Sent from my Desire HD using MyBroadband Android App
 

rorz0r

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Yeti, I currently have it in the bedroom and while it's very quiet I even used to switch off my external drive because I could hear it spinning when trying to sleep. I was considering an SSD but there's not point if it's the bios that takes long.

Frag, sorry I didn't reply to your pm but I'll reply here. I tried a 14gb avatar 1080p mkv and it played fine. The one and only time I checked cpu usage it was about 20% on both cores. I'll run avatar tonight and take a look at what the cpu is doing. And what you asked about the bracket no the GT210 did not come with a low profile bracket, at the moment it's "loose" but it's not that loose, I've managed to unplug and plug in an hdmi and it's still working.

endlesslyonline, I'm using the mini keyboard from esquire but it's a bit of a pain to use because you really need 2 hands to operate it and the trackball isn't great. I also quite often "slip" on the dpad type direction arrows and while going down, down, down, down, down, etc will hit left and then that other menu slides out etc. Also it can't wake up the pc. I've gotten WOL working from the android remote when the server is hibernated but not when it's shut down. The antec veris basic or elite look like good options to me.

I also have slight a problem at the moment where xbmc starts up in windowed mode when it's set to fullscreen, once you move the mouse to it and click it then it goes fullscreen.
 

rorz0r

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Well I tried avatar. "top" said the cpu was on about 20-25% but the info thing in xbmc was sometimes at 20% each and then sometimes jumped to 60%ish. It did say it was using vdpau though.
Now I'm playing an sd episode of a series and top is saying 35% cpu.
 

karnuffel

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Right so I bought one of these puppies this morning and can't wait for it to be delivered.

I have a few question though... I will be using it as a NAS server so no need for addning a graphics card. I however want to upgrade the RAM. From what I read online it seems you can go ECC or non-ECC. What would you guys suggest? I looked at the following three options for example

http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?mai...oducts_id=5398
or
2 x http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?mai...oducts_id=7589
or
http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?mai...oducts_id=7591

Further more I am planning to run the OS from a flashdrive. Whould you reccomend this and if so which flashdrive?
 

PostmanPot

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Right so I bought one of these puppies this morning and can't wait for it to be delivered.

I have a few question though... I will be using it as a NAS server so no need for addning a graphics card. I however want to upgrade the RAM. From what I read online it seems you can go ECC or non-ECC. What would you guys suggest? I looked at the following three options for example

http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?mai...oducts_id=5398
or
2 x http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?mai...oducts_id=7589
or
http://rebeltech.co.za/index.php?mai...oducts_id=7591

Further more I am planning to run the OS from a flashdrive. Whould you reccomend this and if so which flashdrive?

Something wrong with your links.

Get a Sapphire HD5450 1GB version, about R490.

Get 1 or 2x Corsair 4GB DDR3-1333 Valueselect, about R350 each.

I've seen normal flash drives (with average read/write speeds) being used. Not sure if you need a faster one. There are some 'matching' HP micro falsh drives floating around, you need micro if you want it to fit in the onboard USB slot of the HP MS.

I've sold about 10 graphics cards and 5 sets of RAM like above to forumites, you're welcome to PM me if you want to arrange the same.
 

Re83L

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Mar 28, 2007
Messages
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Right so I bought one of these puppies this morning and can't wait for it to be delivered.

I have a few question though... I will be using it as a NAS server so no need for addning a graphics card. I however want to upgrade the RAM. From what I read online it seems you can go ECC or non-ECC. What would you guys suggest? I looked at the following three options for example
.........
.......... Whould you reccomend this and if so which flashdrive?

Normal flash if you want to run it from there - I'm using the internal USB port for a wireless card as well (need to upgrade it to 300MBps though)
I'm running 2 x 2GB Kingston DDR1333, but you can even run the ECC RAM with non-ECC, eg 1x 1GB supplied ECC RAM and add a 4GB Non-ECC stick.
The 5450 is perfect, but you're not going to use an extra GPU - so get extra RAM and allocate 512MB to the onboard GPU in the BIOS.

Can't help with the NAS OS though, maybe FreeNAS - make sure to get v7 for now.
 

yeti

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Oct 13, 2009
Messages
434
With respect to the RAM, the HP MicroServer will be happy with both ECC and non-ECC. There have been people on the avforums that used a mix of both- and it worked. As long as the RAM does not have a heatsink, is low profile or value RAM, it will fit in the DDR3 slots of the HP MS.

I would recommend running your OS from the flash drive, as this allows you to utilize an additional SATA connection for either your optical drive or an additional harddrive. The flash drive should 8 GB or less (obviously it can be more, but you get diminishing returns on the value/size of the flash drive), try stick to a decent brand, but any non-roadside-special flash drive should do.
 

xrapidx

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I'm running non-ECC ram :)

Really hope someone gets the 5450 drivers working in XBMC Live...
 

karnuffel

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Thanx for the replies gents.

I found Corsair CMV8GX3M2A1333C9 , value select , 4Gb x2
Link
and
Flash drive (worried about its physical size though)

Looks like what I need, now just to shop for prices
 

iDOL

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Nov 20, 2006
Messages
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I grabbed me some generic kingstons 4gb x 2 for total 8gb capacity.

I am really appreciating my Microserver.

I didn't notice any real performance lag issues, whilst running my VM's, with my ubuntu handling sabznbd running solidly for the last 2 days now. I have another VM running and installed a backup from WHS machine in a VM on the N36L and it's been handling everything with aplomb.

I also managed to configure the remote access, so I can view my sabnzb d/l's via my ipad - whilst I am out and about.

Being able to monitor the vm's via the ipad client also makes it a really great and nifty solution for me.
 

Cruelty

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SomeoneEls

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Jun 10, 2009
Messages
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I'm running non-ECC ram :)

Really hope someone gets the 5450 drivers working in XBMC Live...

Try XBMC Live 10.0 I read somewhere it works with that build... apparently the ATI drivers are only broken in 10.1 on-wards. Seems a bit suspect to me but might be worth a try
 
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