TL;DR
MoBo: PESH Dual 2011
CPU: 12 cores, 24 threads, 3.5/3.8GHz
RAM: 64GB DDR3 ECC Reg
Storage: 5x3TB plus 256GB Cache
Goal
Upgrade my 1156 NAS build to a dual 2011 anything build.
A few months ago, I built my first server. It was based around the NAS Killer v1.0 and can be found here. When I built it, I thought it was going to be enough, but somewhere in the back of my mind, I thought I might be upgrading to a NSFW build and turning the old one into a NAS for someone in my family if they want it. Well apparently that is happening just a few months later! Oops…
You can thank my friends for wanting to run a heavily modded Minecraft server with a dozen players at once and no lag. Guess its time to upgrade the CPUs. (Passmark went from 5000 to 21000 total and 1200 to 2000 single core)
Some of the hardware could be swapped over but some of it couldn’t. Here’s the breakdown of what went into my new NSFW build:
Build:
| Part | Model Number | Source | Quantity | Price | Shipping | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core | ||||||
| Motherboard | Gigabyte GA-7PESH2 | eBay | 1 | 225 | 17 | 242 |
| CPUs | Xeon E5-2643-v2 | eBay | 2 | 89 | 178 | |
| RAM | 64 GB Samsung 2Rx4 PC3-10600 ECC Reg 16x4GB) | eBay | 1 | 64 | 5 | 69 |
| Chassis | Rosewill L4500 | Amazon | 1 | 156 | 156 | |
| Power Supply | EVGA 650BQ | Old Build | 1 | 50 | ||
| Storage | ||||||
| Parity #1 | HGST 3TB Ultrastar 7K3000 | Old Build | 1 | 23 | ||
| Parity #2 | HGST 3TB Ultrastar 7K3000 | Old Build | 1 | 23 | ||
| Data #1 | HGST 3TB Ultrastar 7K3000 | Old Build | 1 | 23 | ||
| Data #2 | HGST 3TB Ultrastar 7K3000 | Old Build | 1 | 23 | ||
| Data #3 | HGST 3TB Ultrastar 7K3000 | Old Build | 1 | 23 | ||
| Cache SSD | Silicon Power 512GB SSD, 3D NAND, SATA III 2.5" | Old Build | 1 | 50 | ||
| Other Parts | ||||||
| Boot USB | Kingston Digital DataTraveler 32GB, USB 2.0 | Old Build | 1 | 6 | ||
| CPU Coolers | Arctic Freezer 33 | Amazon | 2 | 32.5 | 65 | |
| CPU Cooler Extra Fans | Arctic F12 PWM PST | Amazon | 2 | 6 | 12 | |
| Case Fans | Arctic F12 PWM PST | Amazon | 6 | 6 | 36 | |
| Case Fans | Arctic F8 PWM PST CO | Old Build | 2 | 5 | ||
| EPS Power Splitter | Generic 8-pin Splitter linked in build guide | eBay | 1 | 21 | 21 | |
| SAS Cable | Mini SAS Cable Connector with SATA power (1 to 4 breakout) | Old Build | 2 | 13.5 | ||
| SATA Cable | Generic SATA data cable | Old Build | 1 | 1 | ||
| Thermal Compound | ARCTIC MX-4 Thermal Compound with Carbon | Old Build | 1 | 10 | ||
| OS | Unraid Basic | Old Build | 1 | 59 | ||
| Total | $775 |
If I hadn’t had my old server to cannibalize from, my total would have been $1,075.
I left that old build as a chassis with fans, MoBo, CPU, CPU cooler, RAM, and a SAS controller card. If someone in my family wants a NAS, they just need to get a power supply, storage drives, cables to connect them, Unraid, and a USB to run it on.
I picked up a SAS expander card for $13 for future expansion room.
Also, I dont test mobo/cpus before I install them in a chassis because I have courage. So far I’m three-for-three successfully building machines in this way this year. First try. Give your balls a tug.
Here’s the build porn:
Parts all delivered and ready to get to know each other
Thought I’d give you all a static-induced heart attack and build on styrofoam 
Off go those heat sinks to reveal the dual sockets
There’s my beauties
Meet your new home
And these will be your bodyguards
Alright alright, enough with the styrofoam.
Memory and CPU coolers installed. Dual fans on each tower cooler, all flowing front-to-back.
Now on to the chassis. Thank you Rosewill for putting a box inside of another box…
Size comparison to my last Rosewill chassis
These stock fans just won’t do. Arctic to the rescue.
Same for the fan wall.
Don’t think you’re getting out of it, exhaust fans.
In goes the motherboard. Bringing out the donor build makes the new one look comically big.
In goes the power supply
All the drives as well
Cabling isn’t pretty but no one is going to see it 
Buttoning it all back up. I severely underestimated the size of this chassis.
Now to introduce my new server to my new Lack-Rack. As soon as I get some aluminium angle, I’ll be putting it in there along with my basic networking gear.
And now the moment of truth to see if it posts for the first time… SUCCESS.
After flashing the SAS controller to IT mode, it saw all my drives.
Unraid booted up with no problems on the same USB stick as before.
I had to set my static IP back to what I wanted, but that’s just about it.
Both CPUs are performing well.
For some reason, it only sees 56 gigs of RAM instead of 64. Maybe I have two dead sticks. It’s still more than I need for now so thats a problem for future-me.
All this for some heavy minecraft mods. Which it crushes at only 150 total watts from the wall.
I wonder what workloads I’ll be asking of this beast in the near future.
It’s quiet enough to run next to my bed as I sleep (I’m a light sleeper). I can barely hear it over the crickets outside.
I’m a very happy camper.
Thanks to @JDM_WAAAT and the whole ServerBuild community for the knowledge and resources you share. I never would have gotten into this stuff without your help.
