Time for update.
The parts for the first server ( such as it is) will all be here by tomorrow.
Now our only remaining purchase is the OS (Windows Server 2003 with extra 5 CAL) and that should be done today*.
Turns out that the office in California where this will be used is undergoing some renovation and part of the work includes converting an old storage area (read: closet) to a dedicated computer room. New AC ducting is being installed ( with filters) so the server will have it's very own (semi-) clean, cool space.
Accordingly, my plans for cooling the case have changed.
Obviously, there is no way to know until we run her if my solution will be adequate, but the initial config will be:
Lower front of case...120mm Sunon (intake)...metal case grill removed, but front plastic bezel remains stock as the intake venting appears large enough to be useful.
The motherboard wall has been skeletonized and a low profile Zalman 80mm fan installed inside the RH sidepanel (intake).
This is a mod that Sprocket has thrived with and , although somewhat contraversial, seems like cheap insurance to me. The back of the CPU socket, the northbridge and the mosfets all get airflow from this addition so how can it hurt?
On the LH sidepanel I'm using one of my "speaker grill" tubes to mount a 92mm ( intake) fan...this will bring in outside air to the front of the motherboard and the HSF.
On the CPU (Barton core 2600+) we'll be using the stock AMD HS with an adaptor and 80mm fan.
The first case has already been so modified, and a quick and dirty mock up( case empty) shows that with the three case fans running on 12v ( noise isn't an issue) there is a very good amount of air flowing throgh the case and exiting the extensive punched grillwork on the back panel. This will change of course when the board and other components are installed, but I think it's a good base setup.
My only concern now is the Raptors...I have zero experience with them and opinion seems to be mixed as to whether they require any special cooling or not.
For now I'm just going to install them in the stock mounting bracket and see what happens. I have a plan for special mounting should it be necessary, but it will be a lot easier to implement once all the other parts are installed and I can see just how much room I have to work with.
Minor additions to the board (NF7-S, rev2.0) include swapping out the POS ABIT northbridge HSF for a passive Zalman sink ( the tall blue one) and (possibly) some sort of cooling for the southbridge and SATA chips. I'll decide about the latter after it's up and running and I get an idea of how warm these things get.
I'm quite looking forward to seeing how this works out.
I'm getting the chance to try some new equipment (Raptors in mirrored RAID and a 400w Fortron PSU) and a different OS , so it'll be a learning experience.
I'll take some pics as the build progresses and let you know how it all turns out.
*OS purchased on eBay early this AM...not sure about delivery date right now.
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