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Player0
11-12-2003, 01:21 PM
As a few of you know, LiquidNinjas.com will be moving on to a new server very soon. I've purchased a dual AMD server board and two XP2400+ processors which will soon be running the whole show. I have two 36g U160 SCSI drives which should provide excellent performance and security.

Unfortunately, LiquidNinjas.com has grown so large that a simple desktop PC can't act as a server anymore. The current XP2000+ KT266 board running things is slowing to a crawl. Memory is the biggest killer, and I had to throw in another 256m stick for a total of 768m last night. However, using three sticks of RAM in this board may affect stability, especially since the RAM is all mismatched. However, LN.com can peak to over 700m of memory usage, and the recent review traffic was crashing the server every few hours because of the terrible load being put on the HD array, a couple 20g 75GXPs on the onboard RAID1 controller.

The new LiquidNinjas.com server should have at least 1g of RAM. Matched ram and ECC would be best, and the fewer sticks the better. 2x512 would be great. The cost for this ram will be about $250, of which $50 of which I may have left from some recent sponsors and waterblock sales.

The new server will also need a power supply. The dually will drink lots of power, and will also need a powersupply capable of running 24x7 with that load. There's no going cheap here, so we need about $100 for a good powersupply, probably an Antec TruePower 550 or Vantec 520w.

The SCSI array needs to be RAID1. Of course, a U160/U320 SCSI card will run about $300-$350, and I don't expect we can afford one. So I will have to use software raid, which means the operating system will need to run on two drives on IDE RAID1, while the server data is on the SCSI. A good set up, but also requires two IDE hard drives. I need $110 for two WD 40g 8m drives for RAID1. About the cheapest 8m cache drive I can find.

So, I need to come up with $400 to complete this upgrade, which is absolutely necessary for the future of LiquidNinjas.com. Most of this hardware on the system (case, cpus, scsi drives, etc) I have donated to the site myself, so I don't want to have to contribute any more if I have too. Any contributions, even if its only $5-$10 will help, and you will get Sponsored Member status to boot. Many hands make light work, so I hope you guys will help support us.

Without the new server, I will have to take down many features of this site, including DCS, the image gallery, disable the search function, permanently remove the FTP, remove images from signatures, and possibly remove Email. We need to get the new server online within the next month.

Thanks guys.

WesM63
11-12-2003, 05:41 PM
Tom,
I'lll IM you tonight :D

mdzcpa
11-12-2003, 08:34 PM
Although I've recently made a donation, I'll certainly make another if need be. But I'm hoping we can get everyone who loves this site to step and help....there is a lot we can do if everyone contributes just a little:)

Farabomb
11-12-2003, 08:53 PM
Any help is very welcome. If it's $5 or $500 every little bit helps.

Thank you to all that have donated. It's not easy to keep everything running. The people that have been behind the scenes know this.

So, again every little bit helps. If you feel like "giving back" there is the paypal donation button on the front page.

Thank you for your support.

tripodal
11-12-2003, 09:38 PM
Im stretched for $$ atm. Are you limited to running 100%of LN on a single server?

I ask as I do have an extra Dual P2 450, which could take some strain off of a rig you have ATM.

Player0
11-12-2003, 10:08 PM
Its running off three servers. But the main web/sql server is what needs to be updated badly. Unfortunately, its well beyond needing second-hand hardware. We need some high-quality, modern server hardware.

killernoodle
11-12-2003, 11:17 PM
I have a maxtor 40gb 7,200rpm HDD that I'm not using currently, also a 30gb 7,200rpm WD HDD that is sitting on top of it. Do you think you could truly use them?

joemac
11-13-2003, 05:45 AM
Don't forget those growing banner ads :P

BigBen
11-13-2003, 07:47 AM
Hi Player,
I would like to make a donation but I don't want to use paypal etc ..... I was hoping there was a UK based member who has already donated and would not mind doing it for me and I will send them the money .... unless there is another way?

Regards
Tony

Player0
11-13-2003, 11:14 AM
Hey ben, thanks for the support.

Um...i know dicki and karl have contributed. i can send my addy if youd rather just do that.

dicki
11-14-2003, 02:39 PM
ben... i'm actually going to meet, p0 fara and the others in america next week... i could hand deliver your donation if you'd like

BigBen
11-14-2003, 07:20 PM
Hi dicki,
That would be great m8 :) if you email me or PM me with where to send the money and how you would like it?

Regards

Snowman
11-14-2003, 07:40 PM
Hay Player0, send me your addy too and I'll send some green backs your way:)

ralf_c
11-16-2003, 01:45 PM
i throw an envelope in the mail box tomorrow.

BigBen
11-18-2003, 11:55 AM
Hi Player,
I have just posted £20 to dicki (whatever that is in that funny money you have over there :D ) which he is going to pass onto you when he gets over your side of the pond :)

Regards

Cabal
11-18-2003, 01:38 PM
The new server will also need a power supply. The dually will drink lots of power, and will also need a powersupply capable of running 24x7 with that load. There's no going cheap here, so we need about $100 for a good powersupply, probably an Antec TruePower 550 or Vantec 520w.

I have a Vantec520w that i will donate if you still need it. Also some cash for you as well, i'll see you at the LAN.

Get ahold of me in AIM Cabalrayz or PM i need to know what connectors that motherboard will need for power? as the vantec doesnt have some of the odd ones.

Player0
11-18-2003, 02:49 PM
A vantec 520w would be my top choice, and if you have one to donate that would be extra spifftacular. LN.com is running on an old enermax 465 which i hacked to run at 13v lol. And i couldnt unhack it, so i wouldnt call it exactly stable, but its all i had at the time ;)

tripodal
11-18-2003, 09:30 PM
how the heck did you do that! I wonder if i can make some of my old AT psu's go to 14.5 or so... nice to charge a car battery with.
its a lot easier than wiring 12 + 5 psu's in series cause im too cheap to buy a regualar one

Player0
11-18-2003, 09:42 PM
*laughs*

I think you can charge a battery with 12v... actually....

tripodal
11-18-2003, 10:49 PM
nominal voltage on a typical leadacid cell is 2.1v and car batter is 12.6 you need about 13 -14 to charge to car starting level. althou a solid steady 12v would be great for storage

Player0
11-18-2003, 11:23 PM
Ah, okay :) I thought maybe you could charge batteries with a lower voltage, since your just replacing ampers, but I guess I was wrong :)

tripodal
11-18-2003, 11:56 PM
as long as you are admitting that you are wrong.. WTF is up with your avatar?
Who is Sue?
Thats a bit scarey to me.

Player0
11-19-2003, 12:33 AM
Sunday Night Sex show :) Shes this old lady who talks about sex on TV, its funny :)

tripodal
11-19-2003, 02:07 AM
Well now that we have successfully hijacked your thread.

can you? Hijack your own thread?

Player0
11-19-2003, 12:18 PM
I found a memory price that I couldnt refuse. 1g registered ECC for $145. So this ones coming out of my own pocket too. Thanks Cabal for stepping up, we might get drives and a PSU out of the deal, and a second PSU from Wes for the current server problems. (Oh Wes, I finally got that 8-port switch to run too).

Im about $250 in the hole here. Any ideas on how I can get the rest of this?

WesM63
11-19-2003, 05:43 PM
Tom,
I packaged up all the stuff for ya so hopefully it was sent out today. ;) It's a nice lil package.

Whatca have to do to get the switch to work?

Player0
11-19-2003, 07:08 PM
I originally only gave it 1amp, it wanted 2 :)

WesM63
11-20-2003, 12:48 AM
Tom,
Glad ya got it to work :)

Will these connections work? If not this is all I got scsi wise.

Player0
11-20-2003, 01:38 AM
i dont know...that doesnt look like your standard 68pin connector...

tripodal
11-20-2003, 01:39 AM
Looks like and 80pin, if you need an adaptor I have a spare.

WesM63
11-20-2003, 12:52 PM
Yea I don't know either. There is'nt really any pins, just one big connector in the middle.

I was trying to upload a pic but my connection is begin gay. Anyway, they are 8.8gb, 10K rpm compaq drives (IBM). Drive says ultra wide scsi on it.

tripodal
11-20-2003, 08:45 PM
how many do you have wes?

WesM63
11-20-2003, 08:59 PM
Trip,
A few :D

I sent 2 tom's way for the server. Why you need some?

Player0
11-20-2003, 10:40 PM
I could certainly use some 80-pin to 68-pin adapters :)

tripodal
11-21-2003, 02:08 AM
Im sure they can be had inexpensively on ebay... now i have a conflict of interest... what would you want for a pair or 3 wes?

illmatik
11-25-2003, 01:19 PM
Those are SCA drives. I have a ton of those, and adapters for them as well. Let me know if you need any.

I just noticed you got the 1GB ECCs.. I had a couple of those I could have thrown your way, but ebayed em already :(

I do have 256MB ECC chips tho

Player0
11-25-2003, 01:38 PM
Well, if anyone has those adapters, I could certainly use a couple :) LN.com is broke (more than broke) though, so theyd have to be donations :)

illmatik
11-25-2003, 09:15 PM
p0 I think I could spare a couple. Let me go into the basement to see what I've got.

Player0
11-25-2003, 09:26 PM
Groovy, thx m8.

Hey wes, i got the drives and PSU today. thanks!

WesM63
11-25-2003, 10:04 PM
Tom,
No prob M8. :)

You got that green peice of paper too right? ;)

tripodal
11-25-2003, 10:47 PM
Hey illmatik, how many can you spare?
Id be willing to buy some for LN and myself as well :)

illmatik
11-25-2003, 11:33 PM
I think I have about 4 or 5. I need to keep one to test drives. I'll do one better and find you the place I bought em for like $9 from... when I first bought em locally I paid almost $50 for these f***erz

illmatik
11-25-2003, 11:39 PM
http://www.axiontech.com/prdt.php?src=PW&item=4453



http://www.vastercable.com/default.php?cPath=425