# Ultra-low power file server



## johnsmith1261 (Sep 6, 2011)

Hi!

I would like to build an ultra-low power file server. It will be used only for network file storage and downloading.

What is the lowest possible power consumption that I could achieve (just the basic system without HDDs)?

What parts do you recommend (CPU, mobo, RAM, case, PSU)?
My primary goal is to make it the most energy efficient and preferably cheap. Performance is secondary.

Thanks,
j


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## Frick (Sep 6, 2011)

What form factors are you looking at? ITX or ATX?


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## caleb (Sep 6, 2011)

A router supported by OpenWRT with a USB/Internal slot for HDD.
I use wl500gp for torrent box.


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## TRWOV (Sep 6, 2011)

Anandtech just did a piece on file servers, might come in handy: http://www.anandtech.com/show/4666/file-server-builders-guide

The article's coverage is pretty light but should give you a few ideas. 

For software, apart from Anand's recommendations, I'd tell you to look into unRAID


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## von kain (Sep 6, 2011)

for 25$ thats more than you need.


http://www.raspberrypi.org/


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## Frick (Sep 6, 2011)

von kain said:


> for 25$ thats more than you need.
> 
> 
> http://www.raspberrypi.org/



With one hickup - you can't buy it yet.


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## W1zzard (Sep 6, 2011)

i think amd e-350 is the lowest x86 power consumption you can readily find. intel atom + nm10 should be close but slightly higher


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## temp02 (Sep 6, 2011)

La Fonera 2.0g (5W Max) + USB Hard Drive should be one of the lowest power combinations for Torrentin' and file server. That is as long as the purpose of the system never changes, if you later on want to, lets say, host a multiplayer game on this so called file server, go by *W1zzard*'s sugestion.


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## von kain (Sep 7, 2011)

temp02 said:


> La Fonera 2.0g (5W Max) + USB Hard Drive should be one of the lowest power combinations for Torrentin' and file server. That is as long as the purpose of the system never changes, if you later on want to, lets say, host a multiplayer game on this so called file server, go by *W1zzard*'s sugestion.



this idea is the best i guess since it sports everything with little hassle.


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