help picking server CPU + motherboard
 

im looking at building a budget server so far i have these two configurations but i'm not sure what will run smoother

cpu - Intel Pentium D 805 smithfield 533fsb dual core skt 775 2x1MB L2 cache
board - Gigabyte GA-8VM800PMD-775 Socket T (LGA 775) VIA P4M800 PRO Micro ATX Intel



cpu - AMD Sempron 64 3100+ Palermo 800MHz HT 256KB L2 Cache Socket 754 Processor
board - ASUS K8N-VM Socket 754 NVIDIA GeForce 6100 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard


which setup is better for a linux server
this is what i will be running on it mostly.
HTTP
FTP
EMAIL
and a couple other server apps like TV recording

thanks in advance

If you are using the server to actually record TV programs, I'd go with the Pentium D. Jump up to the 920, though, as you'll get more bang for the buck. Also, trash the stock cooler and get a heat pipe (Freezer 7 Pro is what I have). You'll get a much cooler & quieter system as a result.

If the system is going to store tv recordings (not generate them), a much lower system is more economical. The major bottle necks are the hard drive system & the network. 1GB networking is cheap and easy (same cabling as 100Mb). Get a couple of matching SATA drives and raid them for better speed. My server is a dual 550Mhz PIII system with 256Mb memory, and 4 hard drives in an LVM on raid (LVM for easy expansion). Hosts my mp3 collection (15k files or ~80G), along with a few DVD quality recordings. I also use it for storing Linux distribution ISO's (5 distros currently), for easy installation when helping users here on LQ. The kicker on it is that it has been running Mandrake 8.2 with only 1 powercycle in the last 3 years (moved my home office). Average load on the system is 0.16. I don't host HTTP or FTP (DSL line, no upload bw), but it has hosted an internal database when I was doing some development.

Pentium 4 are crap compared to AMD Athlon64 processors. I suggest using an AMD Athlon64 X2 3800+ with 1 GB of ECC memory. The motherboards I suggest are Abit A8N-Ultra, ABIT AX8, and EPoX EP-9HEAI because they use passive cooling for the chipset instead of active cooling. Then buy a GeForce6 6200. Next use Highpoint RocketRAID 1520 SATA controller to handle two hard drives. Setup software RAID-1 (mirroring) in Linux. Install Linux on PATA hard drive and use the RAID-1 array for your servers. Spend at least 100 US dollars on a good power supply from Zalman, Enermax, Power and Cooling, and Seasonic.

2 Western Digital Caviar RE WD3200SD 320GB 7200 RPM Serial ATA150
EPoX EP-9HEAI
2 Crucial 512MB DDR-400 ECC Unbuffered
AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
GeForce6 6200
20 or 40 GB PATA hard drive
Highpoint RocketRAID 1520

$800 - $900

thanks for the feedback, this is a budget server the CPU must be under ~$130 so no X2 option thats too much.

I think i may get that cheap Pentium D dual core its only $130, another question will linux utilize the dual core cpu or is single core more compatiable with linux?

also the pentium D will be louder and run hotter than the sempron, like you said i will probably need to ditch the stock cooler on the pentium so thats more cost added on.

I've had great luck running AMD for 5+ years now. No issues at all. I usually save quite a few bucks this way, and I don't feel I loose performace. It does what I need with cpu cycles to spare. :)

I've also had great luck with the ASUS MB's. I would guess either configuration would work, so I'd go with the cheapest. :) Good luck building it.

Linux will fully utilize the dual core, if your application needs require it. In other words, if you are just doing file sharing (HTTP, FTP, NFS, email, etc), then your system will be heavily over powered. If you are doing video capture as well, then it will run better with more processors.

I also recommend Intel over AMD for long term costs. I've had multiple cpu fans die over the years (both stock and higher end), and while the systems overheated, they never had a catestrophic failure requiring replacement cpus. But to each his own.

ride153, a server costing about $1000 is very, very budget minded. If you go the Intel route, you are going to pay more for utility bills.

I recommend the oppposite. AMD made their processors much better since you used them. They now include automatic shutdown when temperature threshold is reached.

FWIW, if it were my choice, I'd go with the Sempron/Asus combo. Two of the last 3 CPU's I've purchased have been AMD's, and I have been impressed. Just my 2 cents