Build a Green $400 Windows Home Server - Part 1: Getting started

>> Read Next Part 2

I love my HP EX470 MediaSmart Server. List priced at $599 (street price $569) for 512MB RAM and a 500GB hard drive, it's a great little machine at a great price. But I'm always searching for creative WHS platforms. After all, it's supposed to be a "home server" and thus no one wants a regular looking tower PC case sitting in their living room.

Back in January, when I first read about Shuttle Computer's KPC barebones system, I thought "what an interesting WHS that would make" and I started plotting how to make your own WHS on the cheap. At only 11(L)x7.5(W)x6.7(H) inches, it is shorter than the HP EX470 but only a few inches wider. So as soon as I could get my hands on one, I did it.

Over 5 parts, this article will show you how to use the Shuttle KPC as a platform to build a full featured, low cost, environmentally friendly (i.e. green) Microsoft Windows Home Server (WHS). This is for those of you who either love to tinker and/or are looking to save a little cash.

Let's go shopping

I've put together a system that matches up pretty well against the performance specs of the HP EX470. Plus, I've been able to keep the cost at right around $400. Here is my shopping list:

Item	Cost
Shuttle KPC Barebone	$99
Intel Celeron 430 1.8GHz	$39
WD 500GB hard drive	$64
Windows Home Server DVD	$99
Kingston 512MB Memory	$8
Any random 92mm case fan	$2
T O T A L	$311

I’ve recently updated the prices (again). What once totaled $409 is now $311. Sweet!

When we add it all up, you get a total cost savings of over $200 compared to a comparably equipped HP EX470 MediaSmart Server. With that kind of dough, you can afford another 500GB hard drive AND take your wife or girlfriend out for night on the town (or a 1TB hard drive and dinner at Applebees).

In addition, I'm assuming you have the following components available just for the build (i.e. we won't need them after we are done): A mouse, keyboard, monitor and a either a 2 GB USB flash drive or an IDE DVD drive (more on this below). If you don't have a flash dive, they are very inexpensive. NewEgg has them for under $9.

Feature wise, I wanted to compare apples to apples, but optionally you can build out a dual core system (which I did), bump it up to 2GB of memory, add a second hard drive, etc. Because the processors in my list are "retail", the heat sink and Fan are included.

Here are a list of optional items that you should consider if you want to upgrade or add to the basic system:

Item	Cost
Kingston 2GB USB Flash Drive	$8
WD 1TB hard drive (green)	$129
WD 750GB hard drive	$99
WD 1 TB external drive	$229
G.SKILL 2GB Memory (1GBx2)	$30
SATA Data & Power combo cable	$2
Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound	$5

Be aware that the internal KPC power supply has just one SATA and one old style IDE power connector. If you plan on installing a second SATA hard drive you will need to order the handy SATA data and power combo cable listed above.

What am I giving up?

OK, so our $400 DIY system costs less than the HP EX470. What kind of features are we giving up? About the only thing is internal hard drive expandability. The EX470 has 4 internal drive bays while the KPC has only two. Of course we can always add an external hard drive to the KPC via USB (with one of the 4 USB ports) or even eSATA (by adding a PCI eSATA card in the lone PCI slot).

Going Green

Low power consumption is important for an "always on" appliance such as a Windows Home Server. According to the Shuttle website, the KPC is optimized to be energy efficient, using 55 Watts when in full use and just 33 Watts when idle. In contrast HP's documentation claims that a single drive EX470 uses 60 Watts under full load and 52 Watts when idle (a full 20 Watts more than the KPC).

If you are really concerned about power, you should consider the lower power Western Digital Caviar GP series "green drives". The 1TB green model (listed above) uses 1.3 Watts less power during read/write operations and a full 4.4 Watts less when Idle than the Caviar SE16 series drives.

No DVD drive? How do I install the OS?

Even though our WHS will run "headless", we'll still need the monitor, mouse and keyboard for installation. But without a DVD drive, how do we install the OS?

We have two options. Because the KPC does have an integrated IDE port, we can temporarily attach a DVD drive. I'm sure a a lot of you DIY-ers have one laying around or at least another PC that you can "borrow" one from. Because this is a standard installation, we won't go into detail on the DVD method.

The other option is to install WHS from a USB flash drive, which is what I've done here. Why? 1) I wanted to show that it could be done and 2) if you don't have a DVD drive you will need to do this. The flash drive installation is a little trickier, so Parts 2 and 3 are devoted to this process.

Now that we have laid the groundwork for what you need and what you might want to consider, if you are game, read Part 2 to start building!

>> Read Next Part 2

Add "Wow!" Performance to your HP EX470 with a Processor Upgrade

The HP EX470/475 MediaSmart Server is a great little box at a great price. But this comes at the compromise of performance. I've already told you how to upgrade the skinny 512k to a whopping 2GB (Note: if you haven't done that yet, then stop reading this right now and go do that first). Now lets really get our hands dirty and upgrade the processor!

The stock processor in the HP EX470 is the paltry 1.8GHz AMD Sempron 3400+ which is a Socket AM2 (940) (AMD part # SDD3400IAA3CN) which is fine for schlepping files between hard drives. But we want real power so in this article as will be upgrading to an 2.6GHz AMD LE-1640 Orleans (45W). Those of you with at least a fifth grade education may have noticed that 2.6GHz is substantially greater than 1.8GHz (sixth graders know that it's 45% greater), but the LE-1640 also increases the processor's L2 cache to 1MB (from 256KB in the Sempron).

Before we proceed, a little fine print.

Replacing the processor will most definitely void your warranty. Although this operation worked for me and my particular computer, I can not guarantee and will not be held liable if it does not work for you or causes damage to your computer. It's also not for the faint of heart. You alone are responsible for your actions.

That out of the way, lets begin.

What you'll need (or Get out your Credit Card)

The processor we will be using is the 2.6GHz AMD LE-1640 Orleans (45w) which can be ordered from Amazon.com for the bargain basement price of only $51 (click here to order).

It appears as thought the LE-1640 had been discontinued on Newegg, but they now sell it again and for only $35. So you should probably check both Newegg and Amazon.com.

You will also need some thermal grease. Everyone that I know of who has ever built their own PC recommends Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound and NewEgg has conveniently placed it near the bottom on the screen as one of the "Essentials".

Normally I skip by all of these up-sell items, but this one you do really need. Just check the box and click "Add item with Selected" which will add both the processor and the thermal grease to your cart.

Installation Instructions

Before you begin, do yourself a favor and run out and get a #00 Phillips head screwdriver. I paid $2.49 for this one at my local hardware store.

1. In my article "Upgrade the Memory in your HP EX470 or EX475", I've already explained how to disassemble the HP EX470 so I won't waste column inches here. First, follow steps 1-14 of that article to remove the motherboard and the memory.
2. With the motherboard removed and on a work surface, unplug the power supply (the large 20 pin connector) and bend it out of the way. This will help when we remove/replace the heat sink. Note: Click on this and any subsequent picture to enlarge.
3. Next we will need to remove the processor's heat sink. To do this, use a medium Phillips head screw driver to loosen the 4 spring loaded screws.
4. Gently twist the heat sink back and forth a few times and then use a flat screwdriver to gently pry it upward. Be careful not to damage the motherboard, memory socket or the heat sink. The heat sink is bonded to the processor with thermal paste (which acts like, well, paste) so a little resistance can be expected.
5. Now is a good time to thoroughly clean off the old thermal paste as we will be reusing the heat sink. It is recommended that you use isopropyl alcohol, but as I was fresh out, I settled for Vodka.
6. Now lets remove the processor. Move the silver lever that locks in the processor, by pulling it outward, to clear the incredibly small white plastic tab holding it down, and then up. Move the lever until it snaps into place, so that it is perpendicular to the motherboard.
7. You should now be able to easily remove the processor. Beware that the pins bend very easily, so you should lift straight out of the holes. Assuming that you will be saving this old processor, handle with care and set aside.
8. Carefully open the new box containing our new processor. Again, as with removing the old processor, beware that the pins bend very easily if you are not careful. Before you even bring the processor near the socket, orient it correctly so that you can just pick it up and drop it in. The less handling time with this little brain, the better. How do you orient it? Note the key indication (a small triangle) on both the socket and processor. The triangle on the socket is faintly embossed on the white plastic, in the lower left hand corner (so faint it evades photography) while the triangle on the processor is copper (see photo). Pick up the processor (by the green corners or sides) so that it's triangle is in the lower left hand corner and now you may bring it to the socket, lining up the pins with the holes. Again, be nice to those pins. It should just drop in. Do not push, jam, force or otherwise cajole it. If it doesn't fall in, gently realign until it does.
9. Lower the lever on the socket to lock the processor in place.
10. This might be a good time to place the old processor in the new processor's packaging and put it away in case you ever need it again (like if you ever need to return the EX470 to HP for servicing).
11. Apply a small drop of Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound to the new processor (about the size of 1 and 1/2 grains of rice). A good tutorial on best practices can be read here. As Arctic Silver recommends: "less is more".
12. Place the heat sink back on the new processor. It should only fit on one way, but the trick here is to look for the serial number. It should be facing you. A printed manufacturer's date should face away from you (at least that's how mine is).
13. Tighten the screws in this order: 1 upper-left, 2 lower-right, 3 upper-right, 4 lower-left (i.e. you are making an "X" pattern). Hold the heat sink down with your other hand firmly, so that it really stays put as you as you tighten the screws. But not so forcefully that you crush anything, big guy.
14. Reattach the power supply connector that we removed in step 2 above.
15. Reassemble the computer, reversing steps 14 - 1 from the "Upgrade the Memory in your HP EX470 or EX475" article.
16. Power up the EX470 and you are back in business.
17. Use the Vodka from step 5 above and pour yourself a celebration shot!

Oh, if you are just noticing that we didn't use the heat sink and fan that come with the processor, you didn't miss anything. Throw it away, recycle it, paint a face on it and play chess with it, but you don't need it here.

Before and After

Here is a series of before and after snapshots of tests of the system, showing that vital statistics (e.g. system temperature) stay basically the same while we gain roughly 40% in raw system performance over various parameters.

Hardware Status

Here is a look at my hardware status BEFORE the processor upgrade (left) and after (right). You get to this by going to the Hardware Status panel of the Windows Home Server Settings dialog. I have all 4 drive bays loaded with 500 and 750 GB drives and the system was idle and not balancing storage. At first the CPU (and thus the system) ran 3-4 degrees hotter than before. The next morning I was happy to see that it had settled down such that the CPU is now running the same (or 1 degree cooler) and the system temperature is actually 3 degrees cooler.

Resources

On the Resource panel of the Windows Home Server Settings dialog it shows the processor and amount of memory installed. The operating system can not determine the model name of the new processor for some reason, and is reported as "model unknown". This is normal and the likely cause is the BIOS.

CPU-Z Results

Here are the results from running CPU-Z both before and after (click to enlarge):

Both of these screen shots were taken when the processor was active, when idle the core speed would show 1000 and 1800 MHz respectively. This is because AMD CPUs have Cool'n'Quiet Technology which reduces the core speed during periods of low CPU utilization.

Again we see that the new processor is reported as "unknown model".

CPU Test

In the following test, I used PerformanceTest by Passmark Software to to evaluate the system performance before (graph in red) and after (shown in green) the processor upgrade. In this first set of tests, we measure the CPU performance. FYI, in the charts, a larger number is better, although I have no idea why the default report is a negative percent slower rather than a positive percent faster, but that is neither here nor there.

Memory Tests

In this next set of tests, we measure Memory access. Again, a larger "Result" number shows better performance.

Disk Tests

In this last test, we measure disk read and write performance. Here I wouldn't expect such dramatic performance increases as we are dealing with the same hard drive.

Overall Performance Marks

Overall, the new processor performed very well against it's 1.8 GHz predecessor. Making our $55 investment well worth the cost in my opinion.

I stand on the shoulders of giants

Sure I took the time to write out these instructions and did a little background digging and may have suggested that a processor upgrade should be possible in my article "Processor Upgrade for EX470", but I can't take all of the credit. I read over on the MSDN forums that someone by the name of rtsirois and a bunch of folks at mediasmartserver.net had first upgraded their EX470 with a processor that would work. Their work motivated me to turn it into a tutorial so congratulations and thanks for the find!

Will It Float?

Sure the new processor hold up under idle conditions, but how does it fare under full load stress test conditions? I put it to the test in my next article... "Heating Things Up".

HP EX470/EX475 MediaSmart Server Easter Egg (just in time for Xmas)

The HP EX470 MediaSmart Server has a hidden "Easter Egg" that allows you to change the behavior of the drive LEDs. Here's how you enable the hidden feature:

1. Launch the Home Server Console by double clicking on the tray icon.
2. Hold down the Ctrl + Alt + Shift keys and click on the picture of the computer next to the LED brightness control.
3. The control changes to "HP MediaSmart Server LED Light Show"

You can now select from the following options:

• Default System Lights
• Holiday Lights (perfect for this time of year)
• Descending Chasers (in blue, red or purple)
• Ascending Chasers (in blue, red or purple)
• Pulsing (in all colors)
• Night Rider (in all colors)
• Morse Code Credits

My Morse code is a little rusty, so if anyone has deciphered the message, please leave a reply here. Now we know why the HP EX470 was delayed for such a long time. :)

Here is a Youtube video showing the LEDs in action:

Upgrade the Memory in your HP EX470 or EX475

The HP EX470/475 MediaSmart Server is a great little box. But if you're a power user and plan on adding any applications and/or services to your machine, the factory installed 512 MB of RAM just won't cut it. HP claims that the RAM is not upgradable, but that just isn't so. The HP EX470/475 contains a single 512 MB stick of PC2 - 5300 667MHz memory.

I recently upgraded my machine by replacing the 512 MB memory with the single 2GB module. I spent about $43 after rebate for this Patriot 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) that I bought from NewEgg. But if money is an issue, you can opt for 1GB of RAM for around $22.

*** NOTE *** Prices have come down a bit since I wrote this article. The Patriot 2GB memory is now just $18 and the G.SKILL 2GB module (which is what I'm now recommending) goes for just $22.

*** ALSO *** Upgrading the memory in the HP MediaSmart Server now does NOT void your warranty. This in a statement from HP:

"Based on customer feedback HP is now allowing owners of MediaSmart Server’s to upgrade the memory without voiding the warranty after research showed that some customers were installing multiple add-ins and/or additional software, which could lead to a need for additional memory."

Before you begin, I must warn you that this upgrade is not for the faint of heart. You are literally going to remove every component of the machine just to get to the memory. Doing so *may* void your warranty so proceed at your own risk. I am not responsible anything that may happen to your precious little Home Server.

Step by Step Instructions

Still with me? Good. Let's begin (click on an image to enlarge):

Some have reported (read the comments) that they have come close to stripping the 2 small screws discussed in step 10. Before you begin, do yourself a favor and run out and get a #00 Phillips head screwdriver. I paid $2.49 for this one at my local hardware store.

1. Power down the unit and find a nice flat, clean work surface. Give yourself enough room where you can lay out the parts as you remove them. (You'll thank me when is's time to put it all back together.)
2. Open the front panel door.
3. Unlock the system drive using a penny.
4. Remove all of the drives. Be sure to note the order in which you remove them as you will need to replace them *exactly* in the same slots as you removed them. Bad things will happen if you mix them up. The idiot-proof method is to remove them from the bottom to the top, creating a stack as you go. They will be in the same position as the slots where they should go back.
5. Remove the top by sliding the silver plate forward. This might take a little effort and you will need two hands, one to pull the plate forward, the other to hold the case still. It will seem to unlock or pop out after sliding forward about 1 cm and then it is easily removable. Put top aside.
6. Remove the 2 fan cables from the drive back plane. Keep track of which cable goes into which port. I use a black Sharpie to mark one of the cables and it's corresponding port, along the edge of the back plane. I went overkill and marked the second cable and it's port in a second color (red). When it comes time to back this sucker back together, it will be a simple game of color matching.
7. Remove the cable that controls the drive LEDs. I found it comes out easily with gently rocking it side to side.
8. Turn the two blue plastic levers a quarter turn.
9. Stick your hand inside of the drive bay and lift up the drive back plane, removing it from the motherboard. Simply stick your fingers into a couple of the holes, pushing up, and use your other hand to pull up and out. Put back plane aside.
10. Using a small #00 Phillips head screwdriver, remove the 2 black screws on the right side of the front grate. Put screws aside. The front grate will probably spring open a little as soon as you remove second screw.
11. Gently pull out the front grate and you'll see it is tethered by one cable (the front IO LED board cable). Unplug this cable and put front grate aside.
12. Use a small Phillips head screwdriver to remove the 2 silver screws that hold the motherboard in place.
13. Remove the motherboard by sliding it forward. If you encounter some resistance, jiggle gently from side to side as you pull. I had a little trouble initially and found it helpful to push from the right side while pulling. Put the case aside and place your motherboard on your work surface.
14. Replace the existing memory with your new stick. Be sure that it is well seated. It's probably a good idea to hang on to the old memory. If you even have to return the unit for service, you may want to replace the original equipment.
15. Put your machine back together by reversing steps 13 - 1. Remember, when you get to step 4, put your hard drives back in in reverse order - the top drive in the stack goes into the top slot and so on to the bottom slot.
16. Open up the Windows Home Server Console by double clicking on the tray icon. After you log in, click Settings, the Resources. If all went as planned, it should report 1.97GB of RAM as shown here.
17. You should also change you Virtual Memory page file size. Read here for instructions.

I'd like to thank my fiancee and hand model Alyssa for her help with this article.

Next Steps

Now that you've upgraded your RAM, why not go "whole hog" and upgrade the processor! Read about how you can get a 40% increase in processor speed for around $50. A detailed step-by-step guide can be found here.