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geekhack Community => Other Geeky Stuff => Topic started by: tipo33 on Sat, 14 September 2013, 10:41:36
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I'm trying to revive my PFsense server after a hardware failure. I am trying to do so on a budget, but it is flexible. Here are the parts I have:
Antec NSK3480 with power supply
C2D E6600
AMD 555 Black
a stock Intel LGA 775 cooler
4g Corsair XMS3
HP NC360T dual gigabit ethernet card
a Scythe Kama Rack 5.25 that I use for backups
a 3.5" floppy drive
some old 250gig SATA drive that is reasonably quiet
I need either an Intel 775 mobo, or an AMD AM3 mobo and a cooler. I need the motherboard to have a floppy drive connector, because I occasionaly write BIOS'es for vintage ThinkPads, and for some reason it doesn't like USB floppy drives. Video is obviously not a concern. If I got an AMD motherboard, I was looking at the Cooler Master Hyper 212 plus because it's cheap and noise is a concern, but I was not sure if it would fit. This will be a 24/7 system. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.
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For the mobo, I would try to find AM3 as the e6600 is starting to age a bit (not that the phenom isn't), but you might get lucky and unlock to a triple or quad core. If you can, try to find an old 790fx chipset, but baring that, the 785 (with ddr3), 890gx/fx are all great. The 785 and 790 should all have floppy compatibility.
Quick search of your ebay shows that pc parts are expensive over there.
this would work nicely: http://www.ebay.it/itm/SCHEDA-MADRE-MOTHERBOARD-BIOSTAR-TA785G3PLUS-mATX-AM3-/170611384804?pt=Schede_madri_per_PC_e_Server&hash=item27b93b21e4&_uhb=1 (http://www.ebay.it/itm/SCHEDA-MADRE-MOTHERBOARD-BIOSTAR-TA785G3PLUS-mATX-AM3-/170611384804?pt=Schede_madri_per_PC_e_Server&hash=item27b93b21e4&_uhb=1)
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I was leaning towards an AM3 mobo myself. I forgot to mention, I have an APO/FPO adress, So I can order from Amazon US and NewEgg. Thank you, I will search for some Micro ATX mobos with those chipsets.
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Personally for pfsense, I would sell that whole lot of stuff except pci-e dual gigabit card for as much as you can get and grab something like a cheap used HP t574X, gt7725 or similar with the pci-e expansion. I realize that doesn't help with your floppy concern since those don't have it, but they are really nice small ultra low power and slient which is always something I look for in a 24/7 machine for such dedicated tasks. You can often get these complete on ebay for anywhere between $40 and $120.
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I was leaning towards an AM3 mobo myself. I forgot to mention, I have an APO/FPO adress, So I can order from Amazon US and NewEgg. Thank you, I will search for some Micro ATX mobos with those chipsets.
That helps a lot.
Not very many good micro atx amd boards, but this one is pretty good and fits what you need:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ASUS-M4A88T-M-AMD-Socket-AM3-Micro-ATX-Motherboard-90-MIBD20-G0AAY0GZ-/271276475757?hash=item3f2956856d (http://www.ebay.com/itm/ASUS-M4A88T-M-AMD-Socket-AM3-Micro-ATX-Motherboard-90-MIBD20-G0AAY0GZ-/271276475757?hash=item3f2956856d)
This is one of the better amd micro boards: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gigabyte-78LMT-USB3-AMD760G-mATX-AM3-Motherboard-75286/400571595133?rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D261%26meid%3D1286016790526292897%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D1088%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D271262698351%26 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gigabyte-78LMT-USB3-AMD760G-mATX-AM3-Motherboard-75286/400571595133?rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D261%26meid%3D1286016790526292897%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D1088%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D5%26sd%3D271262698351%26)