WHS Processor Requirements

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humvee

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#40952 7-Sep-2009 12:28

I have nearly decided everything for my WHS and have already bought and received the case and will get everything else on Wed or Thurs.

I am going with an AM3 Board(Gigabyte GA-MA785GT-UD3H) with 2GB DDR 3 Ram.
Now am down to choosing between 2 processors

AMD #140 AM3 SEMPRON 2.7GHZ - 45Watt
AMD #250 AM3 ATHLON II X2 (3.0 GHZ) - 65 Watt

I guess the question is... is a single core 2.7GHz enough? Using the #140 would save ~$75 and also 20 watt heat/power.

It is likely I would run torrents/downloads directly on the WHS.

For simplicity's sake since I am trying to keep heat/power (and to some degree cost but wont sacrifice quality) I have picked the fastest AM3 45 watt processor and Fastest 65 watt processor and am ignoring the other processors in between

xpd

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#253723 7-Sep-2009 12:35

From APCMag....

"Microsoft cites the minimum hardware requirements for Windows Home Server as a 1GHz Pentium III (although a Pentium 4, AMD x64 or newer CPU is recommended) with 512MB of RAM. It's not an overly optimistic spec: even on our meagre machine (a 1.2GHz Pentium III with 512MB of RAM and a Seagate 160GB hard drive) Windows Home Server was surprisingly responsive and stable. After all, home servers don't carry much of a load if they're just sharing files and printers."

So dont spend too much on gear for it when a cheaper option will do :)

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freitasm

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#253725 7-Sep-2009 12:40

I am running on an old AMD 2100XP+ and it's plenty enough. Only if you want to run something like a Freeview|HD stream server you would need a bit more. What you really have to worry about it disk space and network - 1Gbps and a gigabit switch is a must for your network.

humvee

196 posts

Master Geek

#253743 7-Sep-2009 13:27

xpd: From APCMag....

"Microsoft cites the minimum hardware requirements for Windows Home Server as a 1GHz Pentium III (although a Pentium 4, AMD x64 or newer CPU is recommended) with 512MB of RAM. It's not an overly optimistic spec: even on our meagre machine (a 1.2GHz Pentium III with 512MB of RAM and a Seagate 160GB hard drive) Windows Home Server was surprisingly responsive and stable. After all, home servers don't carry much of a load if they're just sharing files and printers."

So dont spend too much on gear for it when a cheaper option will do :)

I never trust microsoft minimum requirements, in most cases I find double what they say is the bare min that is actually OK to use in the real world (but I guess the 2.7Ghz is more the double)

humvee

196 posts

Master Geek

#253744 7-Sep-2009 13:30

freitasm: I am running on an old AMD 2100XP+ and it's plenty enough. Only if you want to run something like a Freeview|HD stream server you would need a bit more. What you really have to worry about it disk space and network - 1Gbps and a gigabit switch is a must for your network.

I already have gigabit network throughout the house so that side of it is fine.

My current media center is an XBOX 1 (100mbps) and I do plan on streaming video to that and maybe I would get something that could do HD in future but not yet

browned

636 posts

Ultimate Geek

#253769 7-Sep-2009 14:34

There is the Athlon X2 5050e 45w option for a dual core energy efficent option but it is more $$$ than the Sempron and only AM2. Edit: Then again can you run a AM2 cpu with DDR3 Ram?

I would definately go dual core, but purely from a WHS Version 2 pespective, ie minimum requirements for Win7/2008 R2 are likely similar for WHS Version 2. Also from what I briefly read about the more HDD's you have the more performance is required to keep it all going well (mind you not many WHS would running more than 10 HDD).

Aside from that I have found my WHS is doing a lot more than I originally intended. VM's, MyMovies Database, EPG downloads and processing, Webcam recording, Website hosting, not to mention the standard music, photo, video hosting.

Edit: If I get the chance and prices meet my range I will drop my Q6600 for a Q9550S (low poer) not that the Q6600 is using much when idle.

cheers
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humvee

196 posts

Master Geek

#253785 7-Sep-2009 16:07

freitasm: I am running on an old AMD 2100XP+ and it's plenty enough. Only if you want to run something like a Freeview|HD stream server you would need a bit more. What you really have to worry about it disk space and network - 1Gbps and a gigabit switch is a must for your network.

Hells bells new pages on your site get indexed fast... I only posted 4 hours ago and you are already indexed by google and ranked #1 for whs processor requirements

sbiddle

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#253793 7-Sep-2009 16:51

humvee:
xpd: From APCMag....

"Microsoft cites the minimum hardware requirements for Windows Home Server as a 1GHz Pentium III (although a Pentium 4, AMD x64 or newer CPU is recommended) with 512MB of RAM. It's not an overly optimistic spec: even on our meagre machine (a 1.2GHz Pentium III with 512MB of RAM and a Seagate 160GB hard drive) Windows Home Server was surprisingly responsive and stable. After all, home servers don't carry much of a load if they're just sharing files and printers."

So dont spend too much on gear for it when a cheaper option will do :)

I never trust microsoft minimum requirements, in most cases I find double what they say is the bare min that is actually OK to use in the real world (but I guess the 2.7Ghz is more the double)

You obviously haven't used WHS..

If you had you would realise that it does not require a high spec machine, HDD throughput is almost a bigger issue than CPU speed. WHS actually runs fine on some of the new mini ITX mobo's around.

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humvee

196 posts

Master Geek

#253798 7-Sep-2009 17:18

sbiddle:
humvee:
xpd: From APCMag....

"Microsoft cites the minimum hardware requirements for Windows Home Server as a 1GHz Pentium III (although a Pentium 4, AMD x64 or newer CPU is recommended) with 512MB of RAM. It's not an overly optimistic spec: even on our meagre machine (a 1.2GHz Pentium III with 512MB of RAM and a Seagate 160GB hard drive) Windows Home Server was surprisingly responsive and stable. After all, home servers don't carry much of a load if they're just sharing files and printers."

So dont spend too much on gear for it when a cheaper option will do :)

I never trust microsoft minimum requirements, in most cases I find double what they say is the bare min that is actually OK to use in the real world (but I guess the 2.7Ghz is more the double)

You obviously haven't used WHS..

If you had you would realise that it does not require a high spec machine, HDD throughput is almost a bigger issue than CPU speed. WHS actually runs fine on some of the new mini ITX mobo's around.

I have only played around with it on a P4 3.2Ghz with 2gb ram (and it ran fine), so it does not really give you an idea if 2.7Ghz is enough, but sounds like it is, so the AMD #140 AM3 SEMPRON 2.7GHZ it is then

CYaBro

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#253801 7-Sep-2009 17:28

My WHS is an AMD Athlon64 3400+ @2.2Ghz and it is running great.
It is also running the Mediaportal TV Server for Freeview DVB-S.

I am just setting up one of the new Acer Aspire easyStore WHS units here and it is only an Intel Atom 230 @ 1.6Ghz and seems to be running great too.

I think storage is the most important part, the more hard drives the better :), and then RAM.
Both the above machines have 2GB of RAM.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.