chickensoup Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 My unRAID build from 12 months ago (yes, I am THAT lazy it takes me a year to upload the photos). It all started with "does anyone want these? i'm going to throw them out.." I couldn't resist. About a month and a half of casual modifying and more kebabs and beer than you can poke a stick at.. Before: After: Before: After Painting: After Painting + Parts: Specs: OS at time of building: unRAID Pro v4.6 rc2 (now 4.7) CPU: Intel Core i3 540 (3.06GHz Dual Core) Motherboard: Gigabyte H57M-USB3 RAM: 2GB DDR3 1333Mhz Kingmax Case: Custom Modified Full Tower Drive Cage(s): 5x Welland ME-751 3.5" SATA Trayless Racks Power Supply: Corsair VX550W 80 Plus SATA Expansion Card(s): Nil Cables: 10x 90cm Right Angled SATA Cables Fans: Stock CPU Cooler, 2x 120mm CM Intake, 2x 92mm Antec Exhaust, 1x 120mm PSU Exhaust Other: Deepcool Rockman 3.5" Bay Controller & Epic Smiley Badge Parity Drive: 2TB Seagate Barracuda LP Data Drives: 5x 2TB Seagate Barracuda LP, 1x Western Digital GP Cache Drive: 1x 150GB Western Digital Raptor 10K RPM Total Drive Capacity: Raw 11TB, Redundant 9TB, Formatted 8.17TB Primary Use: Media & Backup Server Likes: Custom modified makes it unique and "my own." Sound proofing makes it VERY quiet. Dislikes: Internal drives not easily removed, next time will use more mobile racks. Wheels are terrible on carpet. Server is "Top Heavy" :-P Add Ons Used: Nil Future Plans: 1x Adaptec Raid 1430SA PCI-E, more drives, eventually a new case Power Usage: Not much, although my home energy monitor is too inaccurate to post numbers. Modifications Made: - Replaced top drive cage with a better one - Upgraded top exhaust fans from 2x80mm to 2x92mm - Added 2x120mm intake fans (previously none) - Cut out much larger intake on the bottom of the front panel - Replaced rear slot covers with black vented ones - Cutout motherboard tray for cable management - Polished and installed custom hard drive rails (inspired by bjp999 - thanks!) - Removed feet and replaced with wheels - Bogged up front reset switch, power & HDD LEDs - Spray painted everything black - Installed sound deadening to top, front, bottom, middle and side panels - Installed 5x Welland Trayless HDD Racks - Other minor cuts/modifications to make stuff "fit" - Increased total drive support from ~6 drives to 17 :-) I only ended up using one box but i figured if we cut something we shouldn't at least we would have a "spare" from the other case. LOTS of photos of the whole build but I havent bothered uploading the whole log here. Let me know if you want any more pics :-) 92mm Fans (Test fit over where the 80mm fans used to sit.. they barely fit): 92mm Fans mounted & exhausting right off drives: 92mm Fans (Rear): 120mm front fans & drives mounted: WebUI: Shares: 26/06/12 Edit: Fixed broken image links & added some new images 28/06/12 Edit: Removed 5x2TB image as already posted below (didn't notice) - Will fix other doubles and add more photos when i get more time Quote Link to comment
Johnm Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 OMG.... You just gave me nightmares... I have 5 very similar server towers in my garage. Mine have square edges instead of rounded and vents on the top cover. I picked them up from a job i did in like 1999. They are dual CPU Pentium Pros (P1 lol) and Ultra SCSI drives. I think i used those puppies for about 5 years. About once a year i stop and look at them and picture some sort of crazy server mod. 120mm fan mods including top blowholes.. maybe dremeling out the front to fit 4 5in3 cages. I think the only reason i kept them is because i had 5 matching cases (and i have 4 mid towers that match them). I like it when all of my stuff is the same. there is something about it cosmetically. You just made me shiver thinking about that.. Anyways, nice mod. I bet it felt good once you were done and it powered up. nothing like the bragging rights to say "i made that"..... Quote Link to comment
Point7 Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Very nice custom build ! I like what you have done. Convert an ugly old case to a modern looking case. Quote Link to comment
Chris Pollard Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Like it. Good job. Quote Link to comment
Rajahal Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Wow, that is a lot of work, good job! By the way, your 'before' pic isn't loading for me, might be something amiss with imageshack's servers. My favorite part is the happy face sticker... Edit: 'before' pic is loading now. What a makeover! Quote Link to comment
ProfQ Posted October 31, 2011 Share Posted October 31, 2011 Really like it...it's a full metamorphosis. Excellent!! Quote Link to comment
chickensoup Posted November 1, 2011 Author Share Posted November 1, 2011 I bet it felt good once you were done and it powered up. nothing like the bragging rights to say "i made that"..... You bet. I did do a "test build" on the bench first and checked all the drives etc. Overall I'm really happy with it though.. temperatures are fantastic and the box is extremely quiet, even with all the drives running. I do have to give a massive thanks to my mate Jono for all his help with the mods, couldn't have done it without him. I've included a photo of him plasma-cutting in thongs as a reminder of how awesome he is Quote Link to comment
kizer Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Lol, when I read he was plasma cutting in thongs I got scared and pictured some hairy guy in a thong (underware) LOL Quote Link to comment
Johnm Posted November 1, 2011 Share Posted November 1, 2011 Lol, when I read he was plasma cutting in thongs I got scared and pictured some hairy guy in a thong (underware) LOL that was exactly what i thought... to my releif it was not. Quote Link to comment
vl1969 Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 hay, you inspired me :-), I am building mu first unRaid using very similar case as you did. mine is not a server case though, but an old full tower from P4 PC no room to route cables behind the MB, and after I put int my PSU not much room for a drive cage either. but will work for now... Quote Link to comment
BobPhoenix Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Got two cases almost identical to the BEFORE myself. Just missing the fan and drive cage at the top back of the case. Now I know what can be done with them besides the garbage Quote Link to comment
Johnm Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I still like this... I have some of these http://www.dansdata.com/q500.htm inwin q500 in my garage... to nice to toss out, but not sure what to do with them in a time in my life where "smaller is better".. The best use for me is to put a board across 2 of them and make a desk/workbench... maybe.... although the OP found a use. Quote Link to comment
vl1969 Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 I still like this... I have some of these http://www.dansdata.com/q500.htm inwin q500 in my garage... to nice to toss out, but not sure what to do with them in a time in my life where "smaller is better".. The best use for me is to put a board across 2 of them and make a desk/workbench... maybe.... although the OP found a use. Can I have one!!!!? can I ? ,can I ? ,can I ? ,can I ? ,can I ? ,can I ? ,can I ? ,can I ? , PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Quote Link to comment
chickensoup Posted November 20, 2011 Author Share Posted November 20, 2011 More photos to keep people interested; The old drive cage held 4 drives and the drives sat horizontally, we butchered a cage from an old Antec case that held 5 drives but needed to be mounted sideways. The new cage has MUCH better airflow, there was no way I was using the cage the case came with. Side view of old cage (4x junk drives) Side view of new cage (5x junk drives) Front view of old cage (4x junk drives) Front view of new cage (5x junk drives) New cage painted w/ drives (5x 2TB Seagate LP's) Top view w/ SATA cables 28/06/12 Edit: Removed double posted images Quote Link to comment
Rajahal Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 Looks great! Still just using spray paint? It looks too clean for spray paint...or maybe I'm just no good with it. Quote Link to comment
chickensoup Posted November 25, 2011 Author Share Posted November 25, 2011 Sandpaper, finer sandpaper, finer sandpaper, wax & grease remover, primer, matte black spray paint, sometimes second coat black spray paint No clears or anything, kept the "matte" look. Have photos of a lot of the painting process, if you want me to post just let me know :-) Quote Link to comment
vl1969 Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Sandpaper, finer sandpaper, finer sandpaper, wax & grease remover, primer, matte black spray paint, sometimes second coat black spray paint No clears or anything, kept the "matte" look. Have photos of a lot of the painting process, if you want me to post just let me know :-) makes me fell like a lazy bum. all I did was hose wash it with soap in the backyard, "Rustoleum" brown rustproof primer, and "Rustoleum" black satin paint. but this is not the end as I am planning to get a better case some time in the future sao this is just to tie me over for a year or so Quote Link to comment
ubuntuaddicted Posted November 28, 2011 Share Posted November 28, 2011 Awesome, nice pain job. Everything looks so clean. Very impressive Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment
chickensoup Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Added some new images and fixed broken links, will upload a few more when not quite so tired Quote Link to comment
GFOviedo Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 Looks awesome. I went to the Thursday "flea market" in town. I saw a guy selling an old Dell Full server tower, and I started thinking about modifying it to make a possible monster server, but my dreams were literally destroyed when the wife said, "Don't even think about it." Quote Link to comment
Influencer Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 My wife says the same thing to me all the time! It doesn't help our bedroom closet is half full of my old pc stuff. Sent from my HTC Vivid Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.