I just picked up one of these servers from Sapiens in Cary. It's got a Xeon @ 2.8ghz w/ 4GB of RAM and two 40GB SCSI drives. I also got one of their "broken" servers and took the processor out of there and put it in the working machine. So now I'm running a dual-processor setup. Now to my questions....

1. Could I use this as a desktop PC? I don't really have a use for a server, and I don't know what else I could practically use it for. I don't even think this would sell on Craigslist. I saw some on EBay but there are few and they're not moving really fast.

2. IF I COULD USE IT AS A DESKTOP, which OS should I install and would I run into any problems with drivers and compatibility?

3. How much is a setup like this worth? I mean I've seen prices online new/refurb and seen them on Ebay for ~$400. I'm not as keen on the use of servers or even reselling them. So any information and help would be greatly appreciated. Getting blunt answer on TWW would be alot easier than browsing some other forums.

Thanks!

10/4/2008 2:17:32 PM

i really don't get your question.. it can easily be used as a desktop. just install windows (whatever version you have/want) and use the thing

10/4/2008 2:26:38 PM

1. sure, it's overkill and pretty inefficient (as far as power goes), but it'll work.

2. server 2008 x64. it's what vista should have been.

3. single core chips aren't used too often in enterprise grade servers much anymore, especially with only 4gb of ram and u320 (i'm assuming the drives are u320). for reference, we treat equipment with those specs as end of life at work and try to get rid of them whenever we can. $400 sounds about right, if not a little too much.

10/4/2008 2:42:52 PM

True that it wouldn't be a great corporate server it would make a good http/shoutcast/personal mail server/etc for home use. If I had that I'd put CentOS and get some bigger harddrives for storage, use the 2 HDs you have for the OS and RAID them.

10/4/2008 3:42:50 PM

how much did you pay for them? do they have any more?

10/4/2008 5:18:17 PM

you can get more flops (computing power) out of a current mac mini and run it about 1/10 the power consumption. those generation intel chips are orders of magnitude slower than current generation dual core chips.

[Edited on October 4, 2008 at 7:38 PM. Reason : get rid of it to someone ignorant]

10/4/2008 7:38:13 PM

^Really? Were the old netburst/p4 based xeon's that bad?

[Edited on October 4, 2008 at 8:39 PM. Reason : oh god, yeah forgot how old those are]

10/4/2008 8:39:33 PM

I cleared them out. I took all I could get. I have another one, but it might need new power supply at the most. As it is now its got 4GB of RAM, no processor (b/c i put the one remaining in my ProLiant that worked), and 2 SCSI drives.

10/4/2008 10:31:29 PM

Why were they getting rid of this stuff? Just curious b/c I used to work there when I was in school. I knew they have been struggling for a few years now...

10/6/2008 12:04:20 AM

Seotaji: if you want servers I have a ton of DL360's and DL380's with dual Xeon 3.4's and 4-8GB of ram that I need to move soon, heh.

10/6/2008 12:41:13 AM