£80 cash back only if you buy it with an OS, £40 otherwise.

I like this. Can you clarify where the part number is shown? thanks

Now £150 with free delivery?

Sod it, for £80 its time I upgraded the old N40!

Yup, now £149.99 with free delivery - after cashback that's £79.99. I got one of these a couple of weeks ago from Servers Plus. Mine will have worked out at about £85 after cashback. It's a pretty good deal, the T20 isn't as well put together as the HP servers, but it's still very cheap for what you're getting.

good for plex? Can it transcode 1080p?

Yup, its a pass feature only for now:

https://support.plex.tv/hc/en-us/articles/214079318-Media-Optimizer-Overview

This doesn't come with an OS on it does it?
So what OS can you put on this, and roughly how much would it be? I'm guessing Windows 2012 R2 would be the best options, but what would that cost?
Also, would PLEX be ok to install on this, and use as a NAS, as an alternative to a Synology DS215J.
I pressume this would be a much better option to a Synology NAS would it?

I use my N54L (being upgraded to a T20) as a NAS with Xpenology installed. That gives me access to plex etc as well. Very easy to set up and a great interface.

So, may be stupid question, but can I stick windows 10 on this and use as web browser / office as well?

Looking for something to stream Plex and dl torrents primarily, so low power consumption - cant see any details on Wattage on this?

Yes.

When idle with 3 x 3.5" SATA Disks and a DVD/Blu-ray reader fitted it pulls around 32W - possibly lower with the disks spun down. When the CPU is busy (but little disk activity) that ries to around 60W

How many hdd will this take. My n40l is still working but when it comes to replacing will need to take the 5 storage drives currently in the n40l and the os ssd so 6 drives in total.

What are people's thoughts on this for running ESXi?
(None of the virtual machines will be particularly resource intensive, just allows them different functions to be given individual machines.)

I bought this from ServersPlus last week. Was £185 including delivery but came with a 500GB HD (and also £70 cashback). I bought an SSD for £27, DVD drive for £15 and cable for £5. Assuming I get my cashback, new computer for £162. I installed Windows 10 and Office, all runs fast and quietly. Also looks like it has good upgrade potential so this should last me for quite a few years (the PC it replaced was originally a 1.8 GHz Core Duo that I've had since around 2008 with several upgrades during that time).

Can I ask a silly question. I'm looking for a new desktop PC. Will this do if I add my own Hard drive? I don't know what is meant by server

Anyone know what sort of monitor outputs this has? Can i dual monitor from this or would i need to install a graphics card?

Correction...Cheapest option would be Linux for free.

hmmm, could add ti my existing home lab with this......
Need to price up 32GB RAM

Also.. .can generic RAM be used in this, or does it need to be Dell specific?
(They always used to be bad with custom types of RAM, but don't think they're so bad these days.)

And... can all three video outputs be used at once?

Gone for it - thanks.

It says wait 30days for the claim on ebuyer site, but can't see any mention on Dell... anyone just gone for it?
EDIT: never mind - need a serial number...

Iam after a cheap solution to back up via a wired network my sons win 7 ultimate gaming PC could I install freeNAS and run a daily complete backup of his machine with this?

Have this. Bought it from several plus. Have installed an ssd. And it's running Windows 10 very nicely. I have also added a internal sata card to expand the number of hard drives it can take. Way easier to set up than the hp ml10 I bought.

Why is Linux not the best option? Anything Windows can do Linux can and it's free.

Learning curve.

This or HP Gen8 MicroServer?

It's easy and has a GUI like Windows, I prefer it (for a server)

Now, for all intents and purposes, so is Windows.

The HP ML10 with Xeon E3-1220v3 Quad Core with 8gb ram and 1tb hard drive is on offer at £279 after cashback. It features Hardware raid as well, this Dell is only software raid (all pc's can do software raid)

Also the Lenovo TS140 with a Xeon E3-1226v3 4gb ram and 1tb HDD again with hardware raid for £224 after cash back

Not Windows Server isn't well not legally anyway. This would run faster and more reliable on Linux.

It's up to 99.99 after cash back now.

I just made a bootable USB using Rufus, worked first time!

Looks like this could be a great Plex server.

Windows remote management is a lot nicer imo

This should work fine as a VMware host, windows hyper v server is also free to run as a server, can also migrate to windows hosts using with hyper v if using windows 8+

Free edition ESXi should run on this fine, I know they used to have low ram usage limits, I assume they removed them to compete with hyper v, of course if usb support is essential in the vm forget hyper v

(as you can see I'm a big fan of windows, so probably biased, but for me its always just worked with little fiddling)

Everyone to their own, i'm an "Ex-windows convertee" and still use it daily at work and at home for my clients, once I got over the initial learning I soon realised Linux (I use Kubuntu) makes for a much better server, particularly for media than windows, it boots faster, uses less resources and is more stable than Windows server. I have discovered many things in Linux also that Windows machines simply can't do!

Windows 10 is my favourite client OS followed by Mac OSX but wouldn't use anything else but Linux for a server! I have even converted several Servers at work over to Linux.

Very easy to set up. Easy to use interface across many platforms 9this is the best part). Probably is cpu hungry, and less flexible when compared with others like Kodi, but if you are going to be running at most one 1080p video, then that shouldn't be a problem. Someone just offered me a Dell Latitude laptop for £390, so will be using that as a Plex Server now.

​No need for Windows Server, it's not like you are going to deploy Active Directory, are you?

Is there any evidence whatsoever for this "faster and more reliable" claim?

And although I've been using *nixes since well before Linux started, it is certainly nowhere near as easy to use nor as familiar to most users as Windows.

There may be arguments as to when Linux is better to use than Windows for any other than the tiny minority of home users, but I'm afraid you've not presented any of them and indeed I can't think of any.

Who said "there was no need for windows?" certainly not me!. Active directory can be achieved with Linux should you require it, however this is unnecessary in a home environment.

As for faster and more reliable? there is plenty evidence to support this statement, Virus's are the Achilles heel of Windows machines, a problem that doesn't affect Linux due to it's secure kernel and superior security.
Windows requires constant updates to keep them "secure" additionally Windows installations slow down with age, another problem that doesn't affect Linux.
The speed from Linux is largely attained due to the drivers being physically compiled into the Kernel (rather than externally accessed) this, combined with the fact a Linux install is much lighter and smaller, resulting in much less overhead on the hardware.

Again I never said it was easier to use, my only statement was Linux makes a faster, more reliable media server. A statement that I stand behind, there are more advantages to Linux in a home media server environment than there are for windows. I have used both extensively and the most reliable and fastest for me has been Linux especially on low power hardware such as my N54L, the difference is quite significant.

Of course there are advantages to Windows too, ease of use for example, wider availability of hardware drivers, wider range of available software etc.

It's horses for courses, there are pro's and cons to each, but don't discount Linux for a home media server as when set up correctly will simply run superbly.

I did some more tests last night, with a single 3.5" SATA disk installed, running Ubuntu 14.04LTS it was drawing 23.5W when idle.

Does any one know which motherboard this machine has? I've read about issues regarding win10 and G3220. Last time I checked they were deemed incompatible. Comments from knowledgable people regarding these issues would be helpful. Thanks and have some heat

specialised applications

Just posted up a 4gb stick on F/S pulled from a new T20 if anyone is interested so would be a matched pair I imagine


http://www.hotukdeals.com/for-sale-trade/4gb-ddr3-pc3-12800-unbuffered-ecc-server-memory-suitable-for-hp-proliant-gen-8-dell-2344848

We're talking about servers here, what applications do you mean?

You may be, but a good number of people checking this post won't be ...

It's a post about servers......

Contemplating this or the Micro server gen8 at the minute...both out of stock at the minute, but servers plus had some stock in yesterday...

Now listed as 'discontinued' 500GB version still available for £99 after cashback.

Are you using the disk controller in "B120i Raid mode" or AHCI. If AHCI you should just be able to see the disk(s) and install your OS. If "B120i Raid mode" then you need to boot with either the HP SPP or HP offline SSA to configure the disk(s) and then also maybe supply the B120i driver during OS install. I got the ML10V2 a few weeks ago and have installed Windows 2012R2 both ways without issue.

Someone posted just a few days ago about this (with good screenshots) here: http://homeservershow.com/forums/index.php?/topic/10417-using-spp-to-update-firmware-and-load-ssa-on-my-ml10v2/

Mine just arrived - great bit of kit for the money... SSD HDD arrives tomorrow from one of the other posts on here, but I have two 1tb drives i want to set up in mirror - anyone know how i do this on this device? Is it a bios setting, or am i gonna have to go software?

All gone now, including the ones with 500gb drive for £99 after cashback it seems.

could any one suggest a compatible mid range graphic card for this machine please? Thanks

Can these run registered memory, or just unbuffered?

Nope, not registered it seems. Wonder if I can use the PC3-10600E thats in my N54L?

I set up Raid 1 (mirroring) on two 1TB WD drives i had out of an old NAS unit and the transfer rate is PAINFULLY slow... is this usual?
It's quite possible the drives are broken (or one of them), but i've never used RAID before so could be normal? It's mostly small files ~1.5mb ea i'm copying and i'm only getting around 1mb/s...

Anyone running esxi? Installs fine but stops at snmpd when booting if I use my SSD, if I install to a USB stick it seems to work fine.

The chipset appears to support non-ECC ram if using a client OS, obviously that doesn't mean this particular board will:

http://www.intel.co.uk/content/dam/technology-provider/secure/us/en/documents/product-brief/547407-xeon-e3-refresh-whatsnew.pdf

Anyone having issues with theirs? I installed esxi 6 on it but it keeps crashing when I access the SSD used for the datastore.

Turns out mine was a dodgy SSD, replaced with a BX200 and its fine. I used the standard esxi 6 build and it seems to work fine, I still use DHCP myself and just assign the IP at the router and its been fine.

Thanks - I now reinstalled and it seems ok now as I can access vSphere.

Is everything working and what VMs you got running? I read somewhere else the inbuilt RAID didnt work - but maybe that was under 5.5 too.

Cheers - appreciate the swift reply!

I have a plex box and a specific vm with a vpn on for downloads. Upgraded the ram to 16GB, got a 240GB ssd and seems to be working fine.

Would this work as a upgrade from a N36L?

Adding a HD low Profile graphic cards (for the hdmi, sound etc), 4 x 5TB HDDs, never used NAS before and have been on win7 with network share with the home pcs.

Just wondering if this will be a good upgrade

I went from an N54L to this and noticed the difference massively, I did also get extra RAM though so now have 16 rather than 8.

Cheers for that, whats the upgraded processor out of interest?

I will be basically stripping down the N36L and placing its drives and other drives from other machine into this.

Is there a guide on the mint or basic NAS which can talk to other machines in the house.

Ideally I need a machine hooked on the main TV room with a basic keyboard so that the kids can go into a TV folder and watch their cartoons. At the moment they are using the N36L with win7 almost as a PC and I have another PC sharing as a home network to transfer files.

Guess I really need to upgrade this setup all together

Be aware this box only has 4 SATA ports, and IIRC you'll have to put some HDs into the optical drive bays.

On the sata points - was thinking about a 3-1 sata card to cover any extra connectors that may fall short

I have:

N40L with 4Gb
N54L with 8Gb
T20 with 16Gb

All three use SSDs, the N40L as a boot drive and the other two have virtual machines stored on them (they boot ESXi off USB sticks). I'm about to wipe the N54L and make it my new file server, I'm using the T20 for my virtual machines (plex, a web server and a dedicated downloads box). No idea what I'll do with the N40L after that!

nice setup, I need to YouTube like mad, no
clue whatsoever about NAS, never looked at it and will need to do a noob guide to setup.

Reminder for those that grabbed this that Cashback is ready to be claimed!! (well it is tomorrow for me...)

order via serversdirect and should be arriving monday

Anybody made a successful claim? as my invoice has no model number on it which makes me think Dell wont be able to validate the purchase against the cashback claim.

I have. They mailed me saying they needed more info. Took photos etc and sent and they validated. I wouldnt worry too much - if they need more info they contact :smiley:

I've not had a single email off them yet, did you receive anything when you first claimed?

Hmm, still not anything 4 days later.

I still got to wait 25 odd days yet!

Had mine confirmed now. They wanted the service tag and a vat invoice, I thought I'd sent the latter but don't remember being asked for the former? Oh well, money is on its way :smiley:

Got mine, no extra info requested.

"We are pleased to advise you we have validated your claim.
Your Claim value is 70.00 and this amount will be paid to your bank account within 30 working days."