Converting an OLD desktop PC to NAS

[Pyrux]

Hello guys,

first time posting here!

 

Motivated by a recent video from LTT, "Your Old PC is Your New Server", I decided to take a look at my older brother's old PC and see if there is any chance transforming it from a mid-tier 2005 PC to a "modern day" NAS.

 

The specs are the following:

 

• COLORSit EN60950 450W PSU (link here, this is listed as a 350W PSU but mine it's 480W, it's an old PSU from a discontinued Italian brand);
• ASUS P5LD2-X motherboard with LGA775 Intel socket, 2 slots for 4GB max supported RAM, 1 x PCI Express x16, 2 x PCI Express x1, 3 x PCI (link here);
• ASUS EAH2400PRO GDDR2 graphics card (link here);
• 2 x Kingston KVR667D2N5/1G 1G DIMM DDR2 667MHz RAM sticks (link here).

What's missing is storage (I have yet to buy the HDDs) and a CPU.

This is an old pre-assembled PC from a small local computer shop in Italy in a Philips case, so the old CPU (which is now missing) came with a Intel D60188-001 stock cooler (link here).

 

The main idea with this conversion is to create a private NAS to host a Plex Server and store personal files. 

I don't need it to well host multiple VMs at once, a webpage or gaming server, just stream media entertainment through local display or remote transcoding.

 

I've read from the official Plex website that the suggested CPU for a Plex Server should get a 2000+ PassMark to be able to transcode a single 1080 10Mbps H.264 file.

This fits well enough for me so I've dug through available CPU compatible with the MB's LGA775 socket and I've found what I think is the best suiting for this situation:

 

this Intel Core2 Quad Q9400 @ 2.66GHz strikes a ~2.050 PassMark and goes for ~€16 on Ebay.

 

I could get a slightly better performing one like the Intel Core2 Quad Q9650 @ 3.00GHz which strikes a ~2.390 Pass Mark and goes for €58,55 on Ebay, by the same seller as the above CPU, but I don't know if it's worth the extra on the limited LGA775 socket type.

 

I also need to figure out the best HDD with the current motherboard ports.

I've got what I think are 7 x 3,5" HDD-compatible slots, with one populated by a floppy disk reader, (first attached photo, sorry for the red-stained ruler) and 4 other slots (second attached photo) with one populated by a DVD reader (I know there are adapters on Amazon, named Caddy's(?), so that DVD readers slots can be populated by 3,5" HDDs).

That said, I will probably buy first-hand 7,200 RPM 2/4/8/12 or 16 TB NAS HDDs. However, I only have 4 SATA slots (third attached photo, with one cable remaining un-connected to anything in the case).

 

Adding all the costs, ~€16 for the CPU and the ~€100 for this IronWolf 4TB 7,200 RPM NAS HDD (for starting), it will be ~€116 for the first 4TB and ~€100 for every new HDD.

 

So, my question now are:

1. Should I got for the Intel Quad Q9400 or the Q9650?
2. Are both the CPUs enough for a Plex Server with remote streaming capabilities?
3. Can I keep using the stock Intel D60188-001 cooler for both those CPUs or should I switch for a better one?
4. Do I need to swap the 2 x 1GB Kington RAM sticks for something better?
5. What HDDs would you suggest me?
6. How do I know which SATA ports are SATA I, SATA II or SATA III types to get the best speed and to match the least expense on HDD purchase by compatability (black ones SATA II 3Gb/s and red one SATA III 6Gb/s?)?
7. Can I mount a fifth HDD using the current "HDD Cable" coming from the MB and going to the DVD reader (fourth attached photo)?
8. Is the IronWolf 4TB NAS HDD linked above a good choice or should I opt for a 5,000 RPM one, or a second-handed one or a less, or more, capacity drive?
9. I've checked the Wattage with multiple calculators including all componentsI should be safe; however, do you think I still should switch for a different PSU?
10. Are all of these efforts worth the costs or should I save some money until I have enough for a more performant and more future-proof NAS?

 

 

Thanks everybody who will take the time to read all of this!

 

(Mind that I'm really new to PC building, in therms of knowledge cause I've never built a PC lol, and that English is not my mother tongue)

 

I'm here waiting for the suggestions, critiques and discussions!

[aisle9]

I don't know anywhere near enough about Plex servers to help much there, but I do want to say that the pictures you've posted are dead sexy and I want to see more of the inside of that computer. I mid-2000's PC design aesthetic.

 

On a more general term, check the manual for that motherboard before making any purchases. LGA 775 was around forever, something like 2004-2009 in production. Like what Intel did with LGA 1151, lots of early LGA 775 boards were only compatible with certain types of CPUs. I remember having a PC in the mid to late '00s with an LGA 775 board that could only support Pentium 4 HTs. My ex-wife built a PC shortly after me, and her board could only take Pentium 4s, Celerons and Pentium Ds. Make sure the board can use the CPUs you want it to use.

 

Secondary concern: yes, you probably need more RAM, but make sure you're buying a matched set. On a DDR3 or DDR4 board, you can slap a 4GB Kingston stick next to a 32GB Corsair stick with a 16GB Crucial stick in between and a plain green 8GB stick of Hynix on the end, and all that'll happen is it will run at the speeds of the slowest stick. Try to do something like that with a DDR2 board, and there's a good chance the thing just doesn't POST. DDR2 boards were picky about RAM.

[Needfuldoer]

Oof, from what I can tell your motherboard does not support Core 2 Quad CPUs. (It's a limitation of the 945GC chipset.) Even if it did work, it wouldn't be very power efficient and you'll be very limited in how much RAM you can give it.

 

https://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-ASUS/P5LD2-X_1333.html

 

If you want to build a home server, I'd recommend looking for a newer office machine as your starting point. Even a ten-year-old Sandy Bridge PC will run circles around your Core 2, while using a lot less power.

[BondiBlue]

Unfortunately that board is not going to be a good base for a NAS/Plex server at all. It only has 10/100 ethernet, so your transfer speeds would be limited to a max of 12.5 MB/s (theoretical), and that's not even the worst of the problems. 

 

Your biggest issue is CPU and RAM support. That motherboard does not support ANY Core 2 Quad CPUs, and the only Core 2 Duos it supports are older ones. That motherboard also only supports up to a maximum of 2GB of RAM, and that's not much at all these days, even for a basic NAS. 

 

Personally I really like to reuse hardware as much as I can, and I like getting as much use out of things as I can. My older file server is an old Dell OptiPlex 755 from 2008, and I don't have any plans to retire it any time soon. Unfortunately your system is quite a bit older than that, and it's a lot more limited. The CPUs you'd be able to use are not very efficient, and you'd need to add an additional network controller just to get gigabit speeds. Add the minimal RAM support on top of that and you'd really be much better off with something newer. 

[Pyrux]

38 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

I don't know anywhere near enough about Plex servers to help much there, but I do want to say that the pictures you've posted are dead sexy and I want to see more of the inside of that computer. I mid-2000's PC design aesthetic.

 

On a more general term, check the manual for that motherboard before making any purchases. LGA 775 was around forever, something like 2004-2009 in production. Like what Intel did with LGA 1151, lots of early LGA 775 boards were only compatible with certain types of CPUs. I remember having a PC in the mid to late '00s with an LGA 775 board that could only support Pentium 4 HTs. My ex-wife built a PC shortly after me, and her board could only take Pentium 4s, Celerons and Pentium Ds. Make sure the board can use the CPUs you want it to use.

 

Secondary concern: yes, you probably need more RAM, but make sure you're buying a matched set. On a DDR3 or DDR4 board, you can slap a 4GB Kingston stick next to a 32GB Corsair stick with a 16GB Crucial stick in between and a plain green 8GB stick of Hynix on the end, and all that'll happen is it will run at the speeds of the slowest stick. Try to do something like that with a DDR2 board, and there's a good chance the thing just doesn't POST. DDR2 boards were picky about RAM.

I'm glad you're loving this old lady! 

I also kinda like mid-2000's PCs, I find them "pretty" and "infantile" compared to what we're used today. Aesthetics were not a factor when assembling these units but they still managed to deliver great competitiveness and enjoyment for gamers.

I've included more dusty pictures from this since-2012-not-used machine for you!

 

Replying to your concerns:

 

1. I didn't know same CPU socket could vary on their compatability based on the chipset they mount. This shows my little knowledge but I'm so glad I've posted this topic here before purchasing any piece of hardware. Another commentor has posted a reply with an useful website I didn't know of from which I can figure out with CPU I could buy to populated the empty 775 socket.

 

2. This is again a thing I didn't know of. Used to modern day great RAM compatability I thought whatever DDR2 sticks I could grab would be good but I'll have to dig deep in them too.

I know the MB can only accept up to 4GB max capacity. Do you think I should get 2 more Kingston KVR667D2N5/1G 1G DIMM DDR2 667MHz RAM sticks (the ones I got now) or should I opt for a different 2x2GB or 4x1GB set?

 

Thanks again for the kind and informative reply, wish you a great day/evening!

[Pyrux]

42 minutes ago, Needfuldoer said:

Oof, from what I can tell your motherboard does not support Core 2 Quad CPUs. (It's a limitation of the 945GC chipset.) Even if it did work, it wouldn't be very power efficient and you'll be very limited in how much RAM you can give it.

 

https://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-ASUS/P5LD2-X_1333.html

 

If you want to build a home server, I'd recommend looking for a newer office machine as your starting point. Even a ten-year-old Sandy Bridge PC will run circles around your Core 2, while using a lot less power.

That's a big oof indeed!

I didn't really know that the 945GC chipset mounted in this LGA775 socket wasn't going to accommodate any LGA775 compatible CPU.

 

The website you've linked me, which btw I've never seen but seems so useful to compare and check compatability, shows some other CPU compatible with the chipset.

 

Would you suggest me to try and check for another CPU compatible with my chipset that still match PLEX's 2000+ PassMark minimum requirements or would it be worthless try on the start?

 

Anyway, while waiting for a reply (if you got time to continue the thread), I wish you a good day!

 

[Pyrux]

21 minutes ago, BondiBlue said:

Unfortunately that board is not going to be a good base for a NAS/Plex server at all. It only has 10/100 ethernet, so your transfer speeds would be limited to a max of 12.5 MB/s (theoretical), and that's not even the worst of the problems. 

 

Your biggest issue is CPU and RAM support. That motherboard does not support ANY Core 2 Quad CPUs, and the only Core 2 Duos it supports are older ones. That motherboard also only supports up to a maximum of 2GB of RAM, and that's not much at all these days, even for a basic NAS. 

 

Personally I really like to reuse hardware as much as I can, and I like getting as much use out of things as I can. My older file server is an old Dell OptiPlex 755 from 2008, and I don't have any plans to retire it any time soon. Unfortunately your system is quite a bit older than that, and it's a lot more limited. The CPUs you'd be able to use are not very efficient, and you'd need to add an additional network controller just to get gigabit speeds. Add the minimal RAM support on top of that and you'd really be much better off with something newer. 

Damn, I didn't even considered ethernet speed, not to talk about CPU limitations (as pointed out by other commentors as well)..

 

12,5MB/s theoretical speed, as far as I can read online, seems barely enough for PLEX's media streaming, while that would horrible for file transfers, backup, storage, etc..

Not that my Internet speed is higher than that, I get a max of 2,8MB/s down and 0,8MB/s up on ethernet from the router, which is already a pretty much death declaration for a NAS now that I think about..

 

At this point, with all the extra costs (better network card and compatible CPU purchases), would you suggest me to at least try to convert this machine to local network file storage, much like a an HDD connected to LAN and nothing else or is it only worth the landfield?

I can personally work with 12,5MB/s speed for monthly photos, music, videos, etc. backups, just leave it there overnight, phone to PC to files storing NAS, no?

[dbx10]

Since it's established your old PC is just too slow for your needs, a good option with Emby instead of Plex on a budget would be to try and get a Dell or Lenovo refurbished office PC. Anything with Iris HD520 (i5 6300 and up) has an integrated H.264 and HEVC encoder. I'm not sure about european listings, but those can be had for about 200CAD with a 500GB hard drive on ebay.

[Needfuldoer]

10 hours ago, Pyrux said:

That's a big oof indeed!

I didn't really know that the 945GC chipset mounted in this LGA775 socket wasn't going to accommodate any LGA775 compatible CPU.

 

The website you've linked me, which btw I've never seen but seems so useful to compare and check compatability, shows some other CPU compatible with the chipset.

 

Would you suggest me to try and check for another CPU compatible with my chipset that still match PLEX's 2000+ PassMark minimum requirements or would it be worthless try on the start?

 

Anyway, while waiting for a reply (if you got time to continue the thread), I wish you a good day!

 

I think you'd be better off using it as a Windows XP retro gaming PC. It's a great starting point for that!

 

It would be okay as a NAS if you just wanted it to store files, but Plex really needs more muscle than that motherboard can economically give.

 

See if you can find an inexpensive motherboard that supports newer CPUs.