Mac for Server

[motherduce]

Wondering if this would be a good Mac to use as a file/media server. Is it loud/quiet? Is this a good price for all these items? Anyone expanded storage in one of these? How high can I go with HDs?

$300-350
Apple Powermac G4 867Mhz tower with 256MB ram, 60GB hd, dvd-r, 17" CRT monitor, speakers. Installed with OS9.2 and 10.1. Restore media supplied.

 

[mkrishnan]

If it has a single 867MHz processor, it's probably a QuickSilver.

It has an older P-ATA controller, and I'm pretty sure that, without modification, it wil not support drives larger than 120GB. There is a software hack floating around that's one option to get larger PATA drives; the better option is to get a SATA controller like the one discussed here:

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/feedback/Macsense_SUA-100E_card.html

Once you go to SATA, there isn't any real limitation in what you can use, so you can use the 500-750GB SATA drives.

This might be helpful, assuming you are able to read French:

http://forum.macbidouille.com/index.php?showtopic=193899

Finally, you are probably going to want to budget to get Panther or Tiger for it, as well as some memory -- probably adding 1GB would be grand, although you can probably live with adding 512MB. The OS upgrade is really worth it, I think, in terms of improved serving functionality and stability. You really do not want to be on 10.1. In fact, install Linux if you need to, but don't use 10.1....

Budgetary considerations:

- Copy of Tiger -- probably about $50
- 1GB memory - 2x PC133 SIMMs - $108 (according to Dealram.com)
- SATA controller -- seems that, if you shop around, maybe as little as $80, up to about $250.
- Hard drives -- depends on what you want

 

[Evangelion]

Wondering if this would be a good Mac to use as a file/media server. Is it loud/quiet? Is this a good price for all these items? Anyone expanded storage in one of these? How high can I go with HDs?

$300-350
Apple Powermac G4 867Mhz tower with 256MB ram, 60GB hd, dvd-r, 17" CRT monitor, speakers. Installed with OS9.2 and 10.1. Restore media supplied.

Is this mission-critical server, or for personal use? If the former, get a proper server, instead of used hardware. If the latter, get a Mac Mini instead. Either new of used G4-system. Either way it would work nicely in this task, and it would be whisper-quiet while taking minimal amount of space.

 

[mkrishnan]

Is this mission-critical server, or for personal use? If the former, get a proper server, instead of used hardware. If the latter, get a Mac Mini instead. Either new of used G4-system. Either way it would work nicely in this task, and it would be whisper-quiet while taking minimal amount of space.

I guess the Mac Mini would not be that much more expensive, when you consider everything. If you get one and perhaps an external firewire case that can hold 1-2 3.5" drives, it'll be fairly powerful. Although, I think if you want to go significantly above 1TB in space, then something in a tower factor -- even a Dell running Linux -- will be better than a Mini, since you'll be able to put four or more drives in it easily and add internal SATA cards.

 

[kalisphoenix]

I agree with mkrishnan. Evangelion's Mac mini idea is valid too, but it's more expensive, especially if you have to buy external hard drives. It's more versatile, smaller, and more attractive, though, so...

Edit: Mkrishnan beat me to it. Did I really take over ten minutes to write three sentences?

 

[Evangelion]

Well, to each on his own I guess 🙂. But I should say that I could _easily_ have over terabyte of storage in this thing (warning: large image). Those external HD-enclosures? IIRC they cost me about 20e a piece, plus the price of the hard-drives. They are connected through FireWire. Total storage-space (including the HD in the Mini): 460GB. And if I felt like, I could add a third or fourth enclosure, pushing me towards two terabytes if using 500GB HD's.

 

[motherduce]

Thanks for the quick responses, everyone.

I looked into a Mini, but it was too limiting. I'd like expansion possibilities. I already have an external drive in a MiniStack Hub/Enclosure.

I will be using this as a personal file/media server and website testing server, adding a SATA controller with two drives. Thinking about offering $250 for it, then selling the monitor, speakers, etc, or using them in the garage or something.

...thoughts?

 

[motherduce]

Ok. Offered $250 for it and she accepted.

Here's a photo - looks in great condition. Good deal?

 

[mkrishnan]

Should be fun! A lot of people consider the PMG4s (QS and MDD) to be the among the more beautiful Macs ever made. I'd guess there are probably collectors who'd want that CRT, and maybe the speakers. Who knows. Have some fun with it and ditch it if it doesn't work for you? 🙂