Media Center PC help needed

[LostMyMind]

That depends on the RAID card. Some card requires same sizes and even models. Others don't care.

[MadMike]

OK, I finished putting together a parts list for the server. If anyone would care to check it out...

http://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion/...Number=4575345

I'm starting out with 5 drives for now. I can add up to 3 more with this card if I need it.

The 160GB drive is the one that's not part of the array. I figured I wouldn't need that one to be very big.

I also assumed I'd need a floppy drive, since most of the cards I looked at come with a driver disk.

[JustADude]

They're usually on CD these days, MadMike, and you could get by with a tiny little IDE drive, like about 40 GB or 80 GB if you wanted, since JUST the OS and critical apps are going there.

If you do want a floppy, go ahead and spring for the ones that do the memory-device reading as well. It's a couple bucks extra, but you'll get your money's worth out of it if you (like I) have a phone with a MicroSD memory card or use digital cameras. Stick it in your tower and use your tower's current floppy for the server.

[MadMike]

You're right -- I went back and checked, and it does come with a CD, not a floppy. I'll think about whether or not I want to keep the floppy drive, and if I want to go with a smaller hard drive.

I don't really need a card reader on the server. I already have one on the main computer, and if I want to put anything on the server from a card, I can just use a shared folder.

I believe the board I picked only has one IDE connector, which the DVD drive will need, so I think I'm going to have to stick with SATA.

Does everything else look OK?

[JustADude]

I believe the board I picked only has one IDE connector, which the DVD drive will need, so I think I'm going to have to stick with SATA.

Does everything else look OK?

Otherwise, everything looks great, but you can plug 2 IDE devices into one connector, since they have the 'master' device 'slave' device thing. Don't ask me how that works since they had jumperless setup on drives by the time I got on the scene, but you plug one into a connector in the middle of the cable and one into the end.

[MadMike]

Otherwise, everything looks great, but you can plug 2 IDE devices into one connector, since they have the 'master' device 'slave' device thing.

I know, but I heard that it can cause problems if you try to mix and match like that (hard drives and optical drives.)

Thanks for all your help. I'm hoping to be able to place the orders soon.