Building a little server

[Barrucadu]

I've decided to build myself a little server, and offload all the server programs currently running on my laptop to it - and use it as a network file storage. It will be running: Arch Linux, Apache, MySQL, BIND, rTorrent, SSH, Samba, (possibly) Bitlbee, and (possibly) Icecast.

I've ordered a case, and a small mobo. Planning to keep it lightweight so I can have it running all the time. I'll be salvaging the rest of the hardware from an unused desktop of mine. No graphics card, obviously.

Installing Arch will be interesting. I can't fit a temporary graphics card or optical drive in the case, so I'll have to assemble it outside the case, install Arch and SSH, and resume configuration from there. Pictures will be supplied

The stuff arrives tomorrow, so I expect to have a fully documented and photographed interesting server build by the end of the day :D

 

[turnhardtoeasy]

how much are u spending dude..
i guess 45 pounds is for the cxs system but what about other expences...
by the way congrax.

 

[Barrucadu]

The mobo was £49.95 (seems to have vanished from the scan.co.uk website, changed link), so in total (including postage and 'installation insurance') I've spent £117.45.

Unfortunately it hasn't been dispatched yet. So it looks like it won't arrive tomorrow. Argh…

 

[Barrucadu]

Well, the stuff arrived today, and I immediately began putting it together.


Sexy case - actually upside down in this photo :P

I opened it up and put the mobo in:

Taking care not to lose the screws… it's always best to hang on to those. I knew it would be small but I didn't realise *that* small. To my chagrin I discovered that I did not, as I thought, have any DDR2 RAM, I had DDR, so I had to rush out to buy some.

There are a lot of wires and cables and suchlike:

I haven't actually tested the USB or the audio ports yet, but I imagine they work. I probably won't need them, anyway…
I might add a laptop DVD-RW drive (I have one spare) hacked and glued to use the shiny cover thing rather than the current cover, as it looks so much nicer. As I'm turning this into a server I'd then add a way to share discs over the network, which could be nice.

Needing a way to actually install Arch, I connected a temporary DVD-RW drive from my desktop:

That's since been removed and replaced in the desktop. I also stole a HDD from it, I've ordered a 2.5" to 3.5" adapter which will arrive tomorrow, so I'll be able to use a laptop HDD once I transfer all the files across and reinstall GRUB on it. That'll run (hopefully) quieter, and (definitely) more low-powered. I have a spare 40GB one.

---------- Post added at 08:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:24 PM ----------

Here it is, on the Arch livecd:

My mum's room is the most dog hair free room in the house, and so was the computer workroom. Impressive-looking user interface, isn't it?

Downloading and installing packages:

Not much to look at here. It's a blue screen. With a box on. Magic is, however, happening.

Arch has installed, I've removed the DVD drive, put it together, and am now setting up SSH:

Unless I want to keep stealing my brother's monitor, SSH is sort of required. If I want to see what I'm doing, that is. All further configuration is being done over SSH.

Here it is, in all its glory, in my room:

Next to the HDD I'll be putting in it tomorrow. Wonderful, yes?