Converting Mini-ITX Desktop to 1U Server

(1U Case) InWin RF100S-S265: amzn.to/3VzL5jl
More details here: ipc.in-win.com/rackmount-chas...
Jetway NF594-Q170 Mini-ITX Mobo: www.jetwaycomputer.com/NF594....
Would recommend ebay, but selling here new: mitxpc.com/products/nf594t2-q170
Dynatron K2 1U Intel 115X CPU Cooler: amzn.to/4amLWsf
Timetec 16GB SODIMM Ram: amzn.to/3VNql8c
USB 2.0 to 3.0 Header adapter: amzn.to/4amVbZw
MITX 5 8" SATA Ultra Thin Cables: amzn.to/3VFOi13
Items I did not keep:
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Crucial Ram 8GB DDR4: amzn.to/3vGI6Lz
Silverstone LGA115X Low Profile CPU Cooler: amzn.to/3JaAwvG
5 Piece of 5" SATA Cables: amzn.to/3vGrNhU
USB 3.0 20 Pin Extender: amzn.to/3VM45vb
PWM Fan Splitter 1 to 2: amzn.to/3xx1evZ
Noctua Premium Fan for Server: amzn.to/3U1bFki
Left Angle SATA: amzn.to/3VELwsW
Right Angle SATA: amzn.to/3JaALa4
90 Degree SATA Adapter: amzn.to/43LbkWa
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warnerdiscovers.com
tiktok.com/warnerdiscovers
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Equipment used to film
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Canon 50mm Lens: amzn.to/2XS5rF3
Canon T5i: amzn.to/2MmJJnj
Canon T7i (Updated version of T5i): amzn.to/3gDNmU1
GoPro Hero 4 Black: amzn.to/2ZXFjLR
GoPro Hero 8 (Updated version of Hero 4): amzn.to/36Py9KQ
Amazon Basics 60" Tripod: amzn.to/2Arak02
Rode SmartLav+ Microphone: amzn.to/2XpNqz3
SanDisk 64gb SD Card: amzn.to/3eANmSE
Hyperdrive 6 in 1 USB Adapter for iPad: amzn.to/2U1izXt
*All Amazon links are affiliate, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

[@dorinxtg]

Great video! Small suggestion: always look for a motherboard where the memory memory modules are 90° so they won't block your cooling, that way you could use some 5k RPM PWM fans and get almost silent operation

[@WarnerDiscovers]

Thanks!

[@jamescollins6085]

When I find these 3 pin fans are too loud, I usually connect them straight to the 5V rail on the PSU and connect only the speed signal to the motherboard to prevent fan errors. Those Noctua low noise adapters are designed with the load of the Noctua fans in mind, so in my experience, the resistor inside gets very hot and burns out in time. Buying proper PWM fans was definitely the right way to go.

[@WarnerDiscovers]

Hey thanks for the feedback and suggestions! Glad to hear I went down the right route with the proper PWM fans. It seemed to be the right step to take at the time and glad I did rather than mess with the adapters.

[@ChuckNorris-lf6vo]

Good job fitting all this in the small space.

[@WarnerDiscovers]

Thanks!

[@BrunodeSouzaLino]

Looking at where the I/O plate goes, you could've probably used a sheet of metal or mesh with the correct cutouts for the ports and screwed that from the inside.

[@ChuckNorris-lf6vo]

Ah yes mesh I like this idea.

[@WarnerDiscovers]

Yeah definitely could have customized something like that. I noticed one or two things online I potentially could have bought then cut out. Some of the other 1U cases on Amazon also came with customizable I/O shields which I wish this one did! Fortunately the new mobo I got had an I/O shield that fit the case perfectly.

[@arthurswart4436]

Nice one. I think the RAM in the first setup blocked a lot of air flow, which ramped those fans way up. Swapping the RAM for low profile sticks might have quieted things down. The second setup is a lot cleaner, but probably a lot more expensive. And you ended up not converting the desktop to a 1U server, you tried different ways to populate a 1U chassis. Really nice project though, you might be able to get it near inaudible with another set of fans. Four of those at 1400 rpm and you're wondering if it's running at all. The empty space next to the drive looks like a perfect fit for a quad 2.5"- or dual 3.5" drive housing. That board probably has an on-board sas controller. With a couple of cheap 10TB sas drives off eBay, you can squeeze a fast faux NAS in there (or a Plex server). Looking forward to the following iterations. Why stick to 1U? You've got plenty of space in that rack. A 2U adds so much breathing room. Or just lose the lid on a 1U and go for it.

[@WarnerDiscovers]

Thanks for watching! Yeah it definitely was a consideration that the ram was blocking the fans. I noticed this in some of the more "server" mobo style boards that took this into better consideration. The first fans I had didn't have PWM and only had 3 pin so there was no mobo control for the fan speed so that had to run at 100% unfortunately. Yeah the second converted setup was definitely the way to go with the new Mobo but you're right turned out more expensive. I'm glad I ended up going that route anyway in the end. Much cleaner / neater and end up learning a lot in the process. I've been monitoring the temps for the past month or so and they seem to be good with the two for now thankfully! I was poking around with SAS drives and it potentially might, good idea. The reason I went with 1U is because I was planning on converting my seperate NAS over to a 1U as well. With this, my top rack is completely full now. I have another rack underneath that is 4U, but the last 2U that I have available I already have a plan for, so was sort of restricted unless I swap out the racks and remount a bigger one, but I don't think I'll end up doing all that.

[@thrawnis]

Are there any power usage stats of the machine running at idle vs full load? Thanks for the video!

[@WarnerDiscovers]

Hey thanks for watching! I’m glad so many people found interest in this process. I did have it hooked up to a kill-a-watt and now it’s on a UPS. I never wrote down the numbers, but if I remember correctly it was in the low 100-200 watts. Sorry that I can’t recall exactly! I just checked my UPS and it’s running right now at ~130w with multiple other rack mounted devices. So it’s probably idling under 100 watts at the moment.

[@thrawnis]

@@WarnerDiscovers ~100w at idle is quite a lot for the relatively low end performance of that CPU (by modern standards). I am on a journey to build a budget Ryzen 5 or Core i5 level system with consumer hardware in the same Inwin chassis you are using. Not sure if it is possible or feasible but you’ve given me a lot to consider. My goal is to eventually build a “cheap” and low power Proxmox cluster for home lab use for things like Pihole, Home Assistant, etc. Thanks again!

[@magesnz]

did you think about using one of those 1u blower fan that blows the air side ways out of the case? and why a 3TB drive? what the use case of this 1u system?

[@WarnerDiscovers]

Yeah, I end up utilizing the Dynatron K2 later in the video which sounds like you’re describing. Just a personal server running some docker containers and home assistant and such.

[@mfrederikson]

Just a thought: I think the cpu cooler does not make sense in this setup, as its just going to blow at the roof of the case. A heatsink would make more sense and then heat is sucked out by the case fans in the back. Maybe im missing something

[@BrunodeSouzaLino]

Pretty much. You only see CPU coolers in 4U racks. And sometimes not even that. Just larger heatsinks and intake fans.

[@WarnerDiscovers]

Thankfully the second CPU cooler I ended up installing, the Dynatron K2 is moreso specifically made for 1U cases. It blows out the side / rear of the heatsink since the top is covered and it all gets sucked out the back from the rear fans. Take a look at the image of it here: www.dynatron.co/product-page/k2 I also have been monitoring the temperatures for the past week or so and they’ve been keeping down really well