Obelisk - Phase 1.5 (Software)

Operating System....................DONE
Remote Access.......................DONE
Network Power-On................DONE
ZFS-RAID configuration.........DONE
Network File Access...............DONE
Building Test Library................DONE
Media Server Setup.................DONE
Building Media Library
Bit-Torrent setup

Project: Obelisk - Phase 1

Managed to put it all together in one night, and I have been wrestling with linux software ever since so I'm just going to break the construction down in half.

 Here is the unboxed motherboard.

 And this is the CPU with stock fan (can't wait to get further with the project and watercool it all)

This is what's new for me with this build. Above is an mSSD card. Basically a small (32gb) SSD that plugs into an mPCIE slot. Other hard drives plug into your motherboard via SATA cables, but the speed of those are capped to 6 GB/s. Plugging into an mPCIE slot skips the cable and puts it directly onto the motherboard...

... with the help on an adapter like this. It came with the motherboard.

I like to start with putting everything on the motherboard. Makes it easy when it's already on a decent surface. Far in the upper left you can see the mPCIE adapter, with the SSD snug inside.

 Internal shot of empty case.

And here it is with everything inside it.

And this is its home (though it now sits on a board of wood rather than foam.

It all boots up fine. STILL trying to get the operating system though. FreeBSD is giving me some headaches.

New Project: Obelisk

Been a while, but at long last have a new project on the way.

Unfortunately, it will have to be worked on in phases. I plan on getting into the more serious side of modding: creation. From scratch I will be building a TV stand with a NAS built into it, viewable to the world. I already have the designs far along, and as of tonight... the parts for the NAS are on the way!

For now it shall be a modless project, built into an adequate case and air-cooled. Parts list follows:

* Fractal Design Define Mini

* ASUS E45M1-M Pro

* 6 x WD Red 3TB

* Corsair XMS3 8GB RAM

* SanDisk USB to run the OS (FreeNAS) and a discreet delivery system

* Corsair GS600 PSU

CHANGE OF PLANS!

Apparently I misunderstood the amount of SATA connectors for the E45m1-M PRO so on my hunt for a different motherboard I was inspired to go even further with my NAS project.

Now it will be a server. The combination of NAS-like file sharing, RAID backup, and the big thing: it will play video on its own. I feel that making everything done in a single box rather than hoping everything can flawlessly connect to my network (I don't trust TVs). So instead of a simple NAS, it will be itself a small computer to handle not just data storage but other server related tasks, of which there quite a few that interest me.

With that, the components are changed as such:

* E45M1-M PRO ---> MAXIMUS VI GENE
+ Intel Pentium Processor G3220
+ GTX 560 ti
* SanDisk USB ---> PCIe SSD (running the new OS: FreeBSD, another Linux platform), plugs into a special PCIe slot on the new motherboard which the industry believes will be the new standard for SSDs (SATA will be limited to 6 gb/s for a long time, apparently).


Not only will this all make the computer more powerful and capable, but when I eventually get to making the TV stand, I will be able to watercool all of the components (couldn't watercool the GPU/CPU combo of previous mobo) and thus open it up to overclocking and more server capabilities.