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Hey all,

I'm thinking about making a Linux HTPC box that I could also use as a home file server. When the new System Guild came out, I thought I'd put together a list:

PCPartPicker part list: https://pcpartpicker.com/list/qBkqjc
Price breakdown by merchant: pcpartpicker.com/list/qBkqjc/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel - Pentium G4600 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master - Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler
Motherboard: MSI - B250M PRO-VDH Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory: G.Skill - Aegis 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory
Memory: G.Skill - Aegis 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR4-2400 Memory
Storage: Hitachi - Deskstar NAS 6TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Storage: Hitachi - Deskstar NAS 6TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive
Case: Cooler Master - N200 MicroATX Mini Tower Case
Power Supply: Corsair - CXM (2015) 450W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply
Optical Drive: LG - WH16NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer
Total: $951.69
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-09-25 00:22 EDT-0400

Going for the Cooler Master N200 case over the Corsair's Carbide Air 240 because I want to put an optical drive in there so my mom can play DVDs from the library. It's been ages since I've built a system with an optical drive. One downside of that case is that it only holds three 3.5 drives, so I'm restricted if I want to add more storage.

From what I hear, Intel iGPU are pretty decent, more than enough for streaming movies and files. Is that right?

I was going to RAID those two drive and run the OS off one of these (which don't show up on pcpartpicker):

Intel 545s Series M.2 256GB SATA III 64-Layer 3D NAND TLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) SSDSCKKW256G8X1

Any suggestions?

-krish

The Intel gpu will be fine streaming HD content, but it may struggle with 4K content

I'd most DEFINITELY get a better PSU(you do want this to last a long time-yes?)
viewtopic.php?f=16&t=111399
Consider a case capable of handling more storage...........
You don't really need a 212 with that CPU,the smaller TX3/103 will be fine.Use what you save there to buy a better PSU.
EDIT
Depending what your going to be doing-8GB ram might be enough.
If you do want 16GB I'd go for 2X8GB..........................

Don't use 4x 4 GiB DIMMs with your Kaby Lake processor. You'd do better with 2x 8 GiB, instead.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product. ... 6820231888

HERETIC wrote:

Depending what your going to be doing-8GB ram might be enough.
If you do want 16GB I'd go for 2X8GB..........................

JustAnEngineer wrote:

Don't use 4x 4 GiB DIMMs with your Kaby Lake processor. You'd do better with 2x 8 GiB, instead.
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product. ... 6820231888

Is that because the Kaby Lakes won't do dual channel memory with 4 DIMMS? Need exactly 2?

Build a Linux server but let it feed content to a Chromecast or Apple TV via Plex (or something similiar).

As someone who has been down this path (too many times): don't combine your HTPC and your NAS/file server. Build two boxes, one suited to each task.

Waco wrote:

As someone who has been down this path (too many times): don't combine your HTPC and your NAS/file server. Build two boxes, one suited to each task.

Waco, can you elaborate a little on the issues there? Is it the NAS and HTPC fighting for bandwidth, network and SATA? I expect to be a pretty light user of both aspects (HTPC and NAS).

I consistently got annoyed with my dual-purpose HTPC for various reasons.

1. Windows isn't a great file server / NAS OS. Storage options are limited.
2. HTPC needing updates for unrelated software causing file server outage.
3. HTPC crashing when playing a game due to random driver bugs causing RAID resyncs (if using Windows RAID).
4. Competition for CPU time during heavy HTPC use (purely gaming related, if you're doing to do that).
5. Windows *always* trusts the primary copy of a mirror on a rebuild. Windows also tends to break the array if the primary goes missing - it's not a true mirror (or at least, it wasn't in Windows 7/8. I can't vouch for 10).

Waco wrote:

As someone who has been down this path (too many times): don't combine your HTPC and your NAS/file server. Build two boxes, one suited to each task.

I'd take it one step further. Don't combine you fileserver/media front end server/HTPC.

End User wrote:

Waco wrote:

As someone who has been down this path (too many times): don't combine your HTPC and your NAS/file server. Build two boxes, one suited to each task.

I'd take it one step further. Don't combine you fileserver/media front end server/HTPC.

This is good advice. It's better to ignore your budget and just build two boxes. You'll thank the money spent just in lack of downtime/OS-updates for the NAS box alone.

Vhalidictes wrote:

End User wrote:

Waco wrote:

As someone who has been down this path (too many times): don't combine your HTPC and your NAS/file server. Build two boxes, one suited to each task.

I'd take it one step further. Don't combine you fileserver/media front end server/HTPC.

This is good advice. It's better to ignore your budget and just build two boxes. You'll thank the money spent just in lack of downtime/OS-updates for the NAS box alone.

You can be very creative with a $1,000 budget.

I've been very happy using an old desktop as a linux NAS and then using a raspberry pi hidden behind the TV as the front end (Kodi). All the media on the NAS is shared over NFS and the pi can handle HD content encoded in H.264. I'm in the process of switching to a FreeNAS setup, however. FreeNAS and ZFS seems really sweet, but it's a little complicated if you're used to Linux filesystems.

End User wrote:

I'd take it one step further. Don't combine you fileserver/media front end server/HTPC.

Well fileserver / media front end can be combined pretty straightforwardly for many purposes, so I commit that sin on my setup. FreeNAS just makes it too easy to run Plex.

krishnaroskin wrote:

Is that because the Kaby Lakes won't do dual channel memory with 4 DIMMS? Need exactly 2?

No, it's because 4x4GB costs basically the same as 2x8GB. Going with 2x8GB leaves you the ability to add RAM later without having to remove some of what you already have.

Doing the same, but with this embedded board.

http://www.congatec.com/en/products/com ... -b7ac.html

AMDisDEC wrote:

Doing the same, but with this embedded board.

http://www.congatec.com/en/products/com ... -b7ac.html

4x 10GbE?

AMDisDEC wrote:

Doing the same, but with this embedded board.

http://www.congatec.com/en/products/com ... -b7ac.html

I have to assume you're getting the eval board to go with it? It's not exactly a standard form factor for the board or the I/O. Can you give us a rough cost total for that config (since I don't feel like getting spammed by the company)?