Computer Hardware I've Built

Computer Hardware I've Built

Going from memory (always a scary proposition!), I believe I started messing with computer hardware in high school... Yes, my first foray into computer hardware was adding hard drives for my bulletin board system (see the about section).

As with so many things, you start small and grow from there. I first started playing with PCs on the family Packard Bell 286. I then got a Gateway 2000 486 dx2-66---this is the system to which I added hard drives for more BBS storage capacity. The rest is history, as they say. Since college, I've built all my own systems. I keep the list below, mainly for myself, so I can quickly reference the hardware I'm using (or have used) if I need to troubleshoot an issue.

current systems

retired systems

excrement

  • Role: firewall, gateway, NAT, router
  • MOBO: PC Engines APU2
  • OS: pfSense

Previous build:

  • Role: firewall, gateway, NAT, router
  • MOBO: Intel D2500CCE
  • OS: pfSense
  • PSU: picoPSU-90-XT

cesspool

  • Role: Media PC / Home-theater PC (HTPC)
  • OS: Unbuntu
  • SYSTEM: Intel NUC D54250WYK
  • CPU: Intel i5-4250U
  • SSD: PLEXTOR PX-64M6M 64 GB mSATA
  • RAM: 1x4GB DDR3 SO-DIMM
  • Uses about 5 Watts of AC power when idle!

Previous build:

  • Role: Media PC / Home-theater PC (HTPC)
  • OS: CentOS
  • Software: MythTV
  • CASE: Habey EMC-800B
  • MOBO: Asrock H67M-ITX
  • CPU: Intel i3-2100
  • RAM: Kingston KVR1333D3N9K2/8G
  • HSF: Scythe Big Shuriken
  • SSD: Kingston 64 GB
  • Writeup on SPCR (of an even older incarnation): new htpc - q11b, i5-2500k, axp-140, gt430, picoPSU

septictank

  • Role: fileserver
  • OS: CentOS
  • MOBO: Supermicro x10sdv-tln4f
  • CPU: Intel Xeon D 1541
  • MEM: Kingston ValueRAM 2x16GB ECC KVR21E15D8K2/32I
  • CASE: iStarUSA D-213-MATX
  • PSU: Antec EarthWatts 380W EA-380D
  • Rebuild Log: Home server rebuild - x10sdvt, d-213-matx

Rebuilt as above on Dec 27, 2015. Previous components:

Rebuilt as above on Dec 27, 2015. Previous components:

Another previous build:

  • Role: fileserver
  • MOBO: Supermicro X9SCF+-L
  • CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1230
  • CASE: SuperMicro SC836A-R1200B
  • HBA: IBM ServeRaid M1015
  • OS: CentOS

sewage

  • Role: workstation
  • MOBO: ASRock AB350 Gaming-ITX/ac Mini ITX
  • CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2400G
  • CASE: Fractal Design - Core 1100
  • RAM: G.Skill - Trident Z 2x8GB DDR4-3200 Memory
  • HDD: Samsung - 960 EVO 500GB M.2-2280
  • OS: Windows 10
  • PSU: SeaSonic - FOCUS Gold 550W Semi-Modular
  • MON: Dell - U3415W 34" 3440x1440

Rebuilt as above shortly after AMD Ryzen APU (Raven Ridge) released. Previous components:

  • Role: workstation
  • MOBO: ASRock H110M-ITX/ac
  • CPU: Intel i5-6500
  • CASE: M350 Mini-ITX
  • RAM: 4 x 4 GB
  • HDD: Intel 320-series SSD 300 GB
  • OS: Linux
  • PSU: picoPSU-160-XT
  • MON: 2x Dell UltraSharp 2005FPW

Another previous incarnation:

  • Role: workstation
  • MOBO: Intel DH67GD
  • CPU: Intel i5-2500k
  • CASE: SuperMicro CSE-731D-300B
  • RAM: 4 x 4 GB Kingston ValueRAM DDR3
  • HDD: Samsung 840 EVO 512GB
  • OS: Windows 7 Home Premium
  • PSU: Seasonic SS-300ET

dumpster

  • Role: backup server
  • MOBO: Tyan S5533 (S5533GM2NR-LE)
  • CPU: Intel Pentium G3258
  • HSF: Noctua NH-L9i
  • CASE: U-NAS NSC-800
  • PSU: PSU: Seasonic SS-300M1U
  • HBA: IBM ServeRaid M1015

Previous build:

  • Role: backup server
  • MOBO: Supermicro X8SIL-F
  • CPU: Intel Xeon X3440
  • CASE: Norco RPC-4020
  • PSU: Corsair AX750

fisherman

  • Role: MythTV / Media PC / Home-theater PC (HTPC)
  • OS: CentOS 7
  • Software: MythTV
  • CASE: iStarUSA S-35-DE1BK
  • PSU: Seasonic 250SU
  • MOBO: Asrock H67M-ITX
  • CPU: Intel i3-2100
  • RAM: Kingston KVR1333D3N9K2/8G
  • HSF: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO
  • SSD: Kingston 64 GB

ehjhey

  • Role: NAS / Media PC / Home-theater PC (HTPC)
  • OS: Unbuntu
  • Software: Plex
  • CASE: Apex MI-008
  • PSU: Undecided...
  • MOBO: ASRock J3455-ITX
  • CPU: Intel Celeron J3455
  • RAM: Crucial 2x4GB CT2KIT51264BF160B
  • SSD: Samsung 850 EVO 250 GB
  • HDD: WD RED 6TB

kessler

  • Role: NAS / Media PC / Home-theater PC (HTPC)
  • OS: Ubuntu
  • Software: Plex
  • CASE: Coolermaster
  • PSU: Antec EarthWatts Green EA-380D
  • MOBO: ASRock J3455-ITX
  • CPU: Intel Celeron J3455
  • RAM: Crucial 2x4GB CT2KIT51264BF160B
  • SSD: FIXME
  • HDD: FIXME

litterbox (retired)

  • Role: basement media PC
  • MOBO: Gigabyte GA-C847N-D Mini-ITX
  • CPU: Intel Celeron 847 1.1 GHz (integrated)
  • Case: Morex 2699 Mini-ITX
  • Notes: name due to proximity to our cats' litterbox

volumio (retired)

  • Role: whole-house MPD server
  • MOBO: Element14 BeagleBone Black
  • DAC: HiFiMeDIY Async USB
  • Software: Volumio