A Cheap and Green Windows Home Server

This is part 3 in a series about building an Eco-Friendly Economical Windows Home Server.
Part 1: In search of an Eco-Friendly Economical Home Server
Part 2: In search of an Eco-Friendly Economical Home Server 2, Electric Boogaloo
Part 3: A Cheap and Green Windows Home Server
Part 4: Ordered parts for Eco-friendly Economical Windows Home Server
Part 5: Can I get a Mulligan on the Case Order?
Part 6: Adding a 1TB Drive to my WHS

A couple of months ago I wrote two posts with some specs that I had been considering for building an inexpensive Windows Home Server (”In Search of an eco-friendly economical Home Server” and ”In Search of an eco-friendly economical Home Server 2”). Unfortunately I have yet to pull the trigger on buying the hardware to build a little WHS box, but I am getting closer (and smaller and more energy efficient) to buying and building. I will post a list of parts once I’ve made my decision and completed my order.

In the meantime I found an article a few weeks ago on Home Server Hacks about building a WHS server on a Shuttle KPC Barebone setup for around $400 ($409 including the price of WHS!). That is tough to beat and I think you can actually do better now as the cost of the Shuttle KPC Barebone has dropped $10, the cost of hard drive used in the example has dropped $15, and you can now get a little bit more processor for less money than when the article was originally published. I think you can easily come in under $400, including shipping.

http://www.homeserverhacks.com/2008/04/build-green-400-windows-home-server_2871.html

Taking that idea and running with it - what if you started with this Intel Atom 945GC Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo as a base. Check out the Combo deal that includes the board/cpu with the tiny little APEX case for $118! Add a stick of RAM and a WD Green Power drive or two and that would be slick, small, and energy efficient package!