Totally silent system to use as a server

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xdzgor

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#57353 10-Feb-2010 19:06

Hi

I want to purchase or build a completely silent PC (I want to run windows) which I can use as a little webserver. The machine will be running 24/7, and sitting in my dining-room - so it needs to have a low power consumption and be totally silent - so no fans.

The machine will not be for anything mission-critical, and does not need any special graphics capabilities - nor does it require a screen or keyboard/mouse once it's up and running (I will access it via remote-desktop).

Where can I find such a machine, or the parts (and recommendations would be appreciated)?

Thanks,
Peter

wazzageek

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#297764 10-Feb-2010 20:00

Do you have a budget?

I find the older Small Form Factor Compaq Deskpros are pretty quiet (provided you don't need a lot of processing power). They'll also be very cheap (depending on the configuration)

An intel mac mini works quietly and well as a server.

This thread: http://www.geekzone.co.nz/foru... discusses a Dell Zino HD

Failing that, find a quiet fridge and put the computer in that instead ...

8d52797c436

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#297782 10-Feb-2010 21:28

In terms of the case I would recommend Lian Li, they build awesome cases that are virtually silent, however they are a little expensive.

The main other things to remember is bigger fans = slower rpm = less noise

Also, if you want to go really quiet, and maybe a little over the top, water cooling will mean you have no noise at all.

Regs

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Snowflake

#297802 10-Feb-2010 22:00

FAST, QUIET, CHEAP. Pick any two.

Does it need to be a windows pc? some of the home NAS devices have webserver and file serving protocols built in without the need for a full OS.

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xdzgor

23 posts

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#297872 11-Feb-2010 09:37

Hi, thanks for the replies. More info: yes I need to install windows. I will be running/testing .net web-applications.

The physical dimensions of the case are not that important, as there is room enough in my dining room, but the smaller the better of course. The major factors are noise and power consumption.

I would rather not go anything "fancy" like water-cooling. I was thinking like a passively cooled system (I think you can get them - eg mini itx systems).

Budget could be anything from $0 - $1500, but I am willing to go higher if it really is necessary. I would imagine (hope) though, that it would be possible to get something which satisfies my requirements for under $1000 (remember no screen is needed).

If anyone has ideas about a system that might be suitable, or parts (eg what motherboard, cpu, ram, case, psu), then I'd appreciate the info.

Thanks,
Peter

browned

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#297873 11-Feb-2010 09:42

I will throw some items out there.

AMD Athlon II X2 253e (45w)= $137
Asus M4N68T-M Motherboard = $100
2 x Kingston ValueRAM KVR1066D3N7/1G = $138
Caviar Green WD5000AADS, 500GB, 5400-7200rpm, 32MB Cache, SATA-2 = $96
Cooler Master Elite 341 M-ATX Mini Tower Case, 350W PSU, Black = $95

The low power CPU will not make much heat.
The case has a good amount of ventilation and fan mounts.
Low power slower HDD is less noisy and cooler to run.

You could run Microsoft Hyper-V on that and have enough capacity for 2 or 3 low use virtual machines. Maybe more ram would be required but that is easy to sort out.

Home Server: AMD Threadripper 1950X, 64GB, 56TB HDD, Define R6 Case, 10GbE, ESXi 6.7, UNRAID, NextPVR, Emby Server, Plex Server.
Lounge Media Center: NVIDIA Shield TV 16GB: Kodi18 with Titan MOD, Emby.
Kids Media Center: NVIDIA Shield TV 16GB: Kodi18 with Titan MOD, Emby.
Main PC: Ryzen 7 2700, 16GB RAM, RX 570, 2 x 24"

wazzageek

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#297876 11-Feb-2010 09:53

xdzgor: Hi, thanks for the replies. More info: yes I need to install windows. I will be running/testing .net web-applications.

Hrmmm - .net, I assume that rules out the older CPU's (too slow)

Do you know the specs of what you need to run your code?

I suspect that you'll want to go with Intel, given that the CPU's run at a lower temperature than equivalent AMD's (this is my experience - feel free to correct me if this is no longer relevant!)

The physical dimensions of the case are not that important, as there is room enough in my dining room, but the smaller the better of course. The major factors are noise and power consumption.

I would rather not go anything "fancy" like water-cooling. I was thinking like a passively cooled system (I think you can get them - eg mini itx systems).

Budget could be anything from $0 - $1500, but I am willing to go higher if it really is necessary. I would imagine (hope) though, that it would be possible to get something which satisfies my requirements for under $1000 (remember no screen is needed).

If anyone has ideas about a system that might be suitable, or parts (eg what motherboard, cpu, ram, case, psu), then I'd appreciate the info.

Having built (and enjoyed building) systems in the past, if this is for a specific task, I'd be more inclined to buy a prebuilt box, and rely on warranties for correcting system issues - that way you can spend your time concentrating on making sure that the web apps are running correctly.

I'd suggest something aimed at a business environment - they won't be silent, but close to it.

Depending on your storage requirements, you might consider an SSD - no moving parts, cooler (and less noise)

Cheers