IDE+Ethernet controller?

[Fabien LE LEZ]

Hello,

I've got a few noisy IDE hard disks, and I would like to put them in a
room far away from where I work, along with a IDE controller and a
Ethernet controller.

A solution would be to throw away my hard disks and buy an external
Ethernet hard disk. However, I'm afraid that would be pretty
expensive...

Another solution would be to build a PC with Linux and Samba, and to
stuff the hard disks in there. Not too bad, especially since low-end
motherboards and CPUs are quite cheap.

But, is there another solution, like a machine designed especially for
that kind of use?

Thanks in advance...

 

[J. Clarke]

Hello,

I've got a few noisy IDE hard disks, and I would like to put them in a
room far away from where I work, along with a IDE controller and a
Ethernet controller.

A solution would be to throw away my hard disks and buy an external
Ethernet hard disk. However, I'm afraid that would be pretty
expensive...

Basically does the same thing you propose only with a canned solution.

Another solution would be to build a PC with Linux and Samba, and to
stuff the hard disks in there. Not too bad, especially since low-end
motherboards and CPUs are quite cheap.

But, is there another solution, like a machine designed especially for
that kind of use?

It's called a "server". Some are sold as canned solutions as "network
attached storage", which is another name for an overpriced crippled server.

The cheap solution though would probably be to get a big quiet IDE drive and
replace your noisy old ones with it.

 

[Fabien LE LEZ]

The cheap solution though would probably be to get a big quiet IDE drive and
replace your noisy old ones with it.

Well, I've already got an ATX power supply, a Ethernet card and a
video card. I suppose that I can get a complete PC (w/o hard disks of
course) for $100 or so.
How much would 650 GB worth of quiet IDE drives would cost?

 

[J. Clarke]

Well, I've already got an ATX power supply, a Ethernet card and a
video card. I suppose that I can get a complete PC (w/o hard disks of
course) for $100 or so.
How much would 650 GB worth of quiet IDE drives would cost?

Samsung 160s, which are some of the quietest drives on the market, are going
for about 93 bucks each so that would be $372. Hitachis, also quiet except
for a very soft periodic (like every couple or three hours) "catcall" on
recalibration, go for about the same. Seagates, which were the quietest at
one time, are a couple of bucks more. Western Digital has 250 gig FDB
drives for 190 each--that would give you 750 gig for 570, about the price
of a 120 gig NAS. Personally I'd probably spend a bit more and put in an
additional drive with RAID 5.

 

[Peter]

www.ximeta.com
(not my favourite solution)

Basically does the same thing you propose only with a canned solution.


It's called a "server". Some are sold as canned solutions as "network
attached storage", which is another name for an overpriced crippled server.

The cheap solution though would probably be to get a big quiet IDE drive and
replace your noisy old ones with it.

 

[Impmon]

How much would 650 GB worth of quiet IDE drives would cost?

Oh under $500 if you buy 2x 250GB and 1x 160GB. And you won't need a
top of the line CPU/mobo, you could dust off any first generation
Pentium.

 

[Fabien LE LEZ]

Oh under $500 if you buy 2x 250GB and 1x 160GB.

Still "a bit" more expensive than a low-end brand new PC ;-)

And you won't need a
top of the line CPU/mobo, you could dust off any first generation
Pentium.

I won't get a decent transfert rate with an older Pentium.

I think I'll buy a Duron 1.2 GHz ($30 or so) and a low-end motherboard
($30 too). Add $15 for 128 MB RAM, and it's done

 

[Fabien LE LEZ]

The cheap solution though would probably be to get a big quiet IDE drive and
replace your noisy old ones with it.

Well, it's definitely the most expensive solution. And, when I've
filled those disks up I'll have to carry on and buy (expensive) silent
disks, whereas with an external file server I'll be able to buy
noisy-and-cheap disks.

 

[J. Clarke]

Well, it's definitely the most expensive solution. And, when I've
filled those disks up I'll have to carry on and buy (expensive) silent
disks, whereas with an external file server I'll be able to buy
noisy-and-cheap disks.

I'm sorry but (a) you're not going to be able to buy a machine with 650 gig
for less than that and (b) Samsung drives are both quiet and cheap.

 

[Peter Hucker]

Samsung 160s, which are some of the quietest drives on the market, are going
for about 93 bucks each so that would be $372. Hitachis, also quiet except
for a very soft periodic (like every couple or three hours) "catcall" on
recalibration,

You have calmed my nerves slightly - is that what mine are doing? I thought of it as a "struggling squeaking noise", and assumed imminent death. It sounds to me like it is having difficulty doing something - although there is no delay in reading data at this point, and the PC appears happy.

go for about the same. Seagates, which were the quietest at
one time, are a couple of bucks more.

And very unreliable! Great idea - shove them in sponge to make them quiet, and don't let any heat out.


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[Peter Hucker]

Well, it's definitely the most expensive solution. And, when I've
filled those disks up I'll have to carry on and buy (expensive) silent
disks, whereas with an external file server I'll be able to buy
noisy-and-cheap disks.

I've not seen (in the UK) much price differnce between models. So what do you mean "noisy and cheap"?


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[Fabien LE LEZ]

you're not going to be able to buy a machine with 650 gig
for less than that

I wrote in my first message "I've got a few noisy IDE hard disks",
meaning I've already got the disks.

 

[Impmon]

Still "a bit" more expensive than a low-end brand new PC ;-)

Well, the hard drive isn't free. For getting 650GB, around $500 is
what you would be spending.

I won't get a decent transfert rate with an older Pentium.

A 10/100 NIC and an ATA133 IDE card, the CPU wouldn't be doing that
much. But if you planned to use the extra PC for other things...

I think I'll buy a Duron 1.2 GHz ($30 or so) and a low-end motherboard
($30 too). Add $15 for 128 MB RAM, and it's done

Just make sure the onboard IDE can support 48 bit hard drive or you
won't be able to use any hard drive bigger than 137GB.

 

[J. Clarke]

I wrote in my first message "I've got a few noisy IDE hard disks",
meaning I've already got the disks.

Now, when you've moved your disks, what are you going to use to boot your
machine?

 

[Fabien LE LEZ]

Now, when you've moved your disks, what are you going to use to boot your
machine?

The easiest way: a small, silent hard disk. Maybe the best way, since
the PC will work even if the server stops.

Another possible way: a USB stick.

 

[Fabien LE LEZ]

Just make sure the onboard IDE can support 48 bit hard drive

Actually, I've already got a IDE PCI card.

 

[Peter Hucker]

The easiest way: a small, silent hard disk. Maybe the best way, since
the PC will work even if the server stops.

Another possible way: a USB stick.

On the subject of silence, has anyone ever watercooled a PSU?


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*****TWO BABY CONURES***** 15 parrots and increasing http://www.petersparrots.com
93 silly video clips http://www.insanevideoclips.com
1259 digital photos http://www.petersphotos.com
Served from a pentawatercooled dual silent Athlon 2.8 with terrabyte raid

Black holes are where God divided by zero.

 

[Fabien LE LEZ]

On the subject of silence, has anyone ever watercooled a PSU?

What's a PSU? A power-supply?

I was wondering about watercooling my PC a while ago, but I gave up
when I discovered Zalman products: for $80, I bought a
nearly-noiseless processor fan a power supply... and the noise from my
hard disks became a real problem ;-/

 

[Fabien LE LEZ]

Just make sure the onboard IDE can support 48 bit hard drive

BTW, do all modern motherboards (i.e. motherboard that you can buy
right now) support 48 bit hard drive?

 

[Peter Hucker]

What's a PSU? A power-supply?

Yes. Damn thing got too hot even with it's cover off, so I modified it to use two Zalman CPU water heatsinks connected to my reserator. Trouble is, those two, the two Athlon 2800+ CPUs, and the northbridge (also watercooled as it had a fan), makes the water temp quite high. I may put two reserators (the radiator part) in series! (Which would also cover me for water pump failure - although the Gigabyte motherbaord should cut the power if anything gets to 90C)

I was wondering about watercooling my PC a while ago, but I gave up
when I discovered Zalman products: for $80, I bought a
nearly-noiseless processor fan a power supply... and the noise from my
hard disks became a real problem ;-/

I've solved the hard disk problem. I have my tower case on its side (otherwise the height difference impedes the water flow from the small reserator water pump - especially to the power supply at the top, also a lot of things work better horizontally - graphics cards are cooled better, the heavy water-heatsinks are pushed onto the cpus by gravity, not pulled off). Anyway, I took the hard disks, put them in hard disk heatsinks (just a piece of copper a few mm thick surrounding the drive, plus some low profile heatisnk fins on one side), then HUNG them by string, vertically, in the 5.25" drive bay area. Hence - no vibration through to the case and/or floor. Both Seagate Barracudas and Hitachi Deskstars (both 7200rpm) make virtually no noise like this.


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*****TWO BABY CONURES***** 15 parrots and increasing http://www.petersparrots.com
93 silly video clips http://www.insanevideoclips.com
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Served from a pentawatercooled dual silent Athlon 2.8 with terrabyte raid

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