Walmart.com is selling a full machine for $199.86. For that price, the machine is pretty weak, but would make a great/cheap base for a quiet MP3 server. It even has ethernet and an OS loaded! I'm thinking about picking up a couple for no real reason. Enjoy.

Well hell, it's faster than the machine I just replaced, and probably about equal overall. That's pretty funny. And sad.

Note it has a VIA C3 processor. Even at 800Mhz it's nowhere near equivalent to its peers.

Calvin

Not so sure about the part that says the VIA C3 processor is equivalent to a Celeron in performance. Everywhere I've seen it reviewed says the C3 sucks in comparision to a Celeron/P3. The selling points of the C3 are that it is very low power consumption compared to a Celeron/P3 and that it's cheap

It is nice and cheap though. And as you say, would make a great fileserver or MP3 server. For just under $200 you can't really go wrong.

- Trevor

Yes, I own a couple C3 processors already. You will not be playing Quake3 on these.

I paid $280 after mail in rebate for a 1.2 ghz celeron server from dell 2 days ago. No monitor (the video is crap, but it's a server). It's a little more for a machine I know I can actually run stuff on.

Note it has a VIA C3 processor. Even at 800Mhz it's nowhere near equivalent to its peers.

Yes, I realize this. I just said it was faster than the computer I just replaced, which was a crappy 550MHz. It may not be much faster, but I'm willing to bet it's faster.

Someone please explain to me what LindowsOS is?

It's actually Linux made to look Windowish. It's got WINE installed (or equiv) so you can run some Windows applications. homepage

- Trevor

Tony,
Check out http://www.lindows.com/lindows_products_lindowsos.php
Basically, its Linux with a new face and WINE

Lindows is merely a Debian Linux/KDE based package touting the "ease of Windows with the stability of Linux." It also claims compatibility with a <bs>few</bs> Windows "bridge" apps. (mostly office 2000.) They are called bridge apps because they are supposed to help you migrate away from Windows. I get the feeling they won't be supporting that feature for long.

Like this?

From www.gotapex.com :

DellSB - Dell PowerEdge 500SC with Intel® Celeron® III 1.2GHz for $259.10 +tax, Shipped FREE!!! (Posted by: Apex)
You can no longer get a P3 processor for this speed, but you can get a 1.2Ghz Celeron based one (Tualatin core with 256kb L2 cache). This is one CHEAP server! To get the PowerEdge 500SC for less than $300 is pretty great and something to brag about.

Go to DELLSB
Choose PowerEdge SC Server
Click on Customize It under PowerEdge 500SC
Choose:
1.13 GHz Intel® Celeron® Processor
IDE Hard Drive
Click on Continue
The lowest priced options should be chosen already. However, we`d suggest adding these, since they`re no-cost options:
Standard Windows Keyboard,Gray
Logitech System Mouse, Midnight Gray
DO NOT choose the free memory upgrade or you will void your rebate
Scroll to the bottom and click on Continue
Scroll down and Add to Cart
Enter coupon code: 42AB04C56FE3 (expires 09/12/2002) for 10% off.
Shipping is free. Send in the $100 mail in rebate (expires 9/12/02).

That's precisely the one.

OK, this is just MY opinion but, I would rather have the Walmart one.

It is smaller, almost definitely much quieter, and draws less power. My main machine is an Athlon XP 2000+, so any machine in addition to that one would be used as a server. In a small apartment, the quieter the better since there is no basement to hide noisy machines in.

My point is that neither of the machines are fit for use as a workstation... only file server duty. So, for me, it is better to have something that is cheaper and quieter. That's just me though.

Point taken. Heat is a factor too. For me, I've got so much stuff in my room already that another loud machine wouldn't make a bit of difference. There is no such thing as silence in my room.

Too bad the case is as big as it is. The motherboard used is an incredibly small micro-ITX form factor board, not much larger than the Empeg PCB. Special matching cases exist, but are probably too expensive.

Check the linitx and the via sites.

This machine is not ITX. ITX spec allows for one slot. This board has 2 PCI and 1 ISA. Also, ITX boards are much bigger than the empeg PCB. I think you are thinking of VIA Eden chips which are normally only found on ITX boards. This is a C3 which is a Socketed (Socket 370) chip. ITX boards can also be installed in any ATX case.

See my C3 Machine (Flex ATX) and my Eden machine (ITX).

EDIT: Looking at the walmart page, it clearly states the machine is Micro ATX. See my Duron machine (Micro ATX)

Sorry for bringing this thread back up, but i finally got one (backordered for a while). I have to say I am very impressed. I thought it was going to be a shitbox. I was pleasently surprised to to see an Enlight case, MSI CD-Rom drive, VIA VPSD PLE01 motherboard, Maxtor hard drive, Kingston memory, and PCI RealTek NIC. Any one of these components could have been skimped on to make it seem more like a $199 PC. The computer is also very well assembled. Eveything is tied up and secure. I am totally pleased with this machine at the moment. It also comes with a crappy keyboard, crappy ball mouse, and a burned copy of Lindows. I am loading RH 7.3 on this thing right now.

It is totally worth it for building a low volume server versus assembling a computer yourself. It would have been much nicer if it came within the week I ordered it, but maybe they can improve that in the future.

keep the reviews coming
a cheap box is a cheap box, and if it is a decent PC all the better

That suprises me as well. My Dell included far more generic parts than that thing does. Makes me hate Dell just a little more

In learning of this machine from here, and my sister asking me all the time to build her a cheap computer, I thought i'd give this a shot. She's been running it fine for a little over a month now running win2k with no problems. I actually did a test and originally had her try using it for the 1st week with the preinstalled Lindows. Bad idea. Redhat is more user/application friendly than Lindows. I was very dissapointed with it. It was just a form of debian with tons of basic linux utils remove and lots of missing libraries and such not installed so getting even the simplest of apps for her to play with installed (gaim, tux racer, lbreakout) was either a pain or just not possible (within my patience). Finally I gave up trying to bandaid it for her and teach her a bit of linux and just installed win2k. No problems so far.

How many 3.5" hard disks could the case hold? I need another cheap PC for a backup mp3 server. I'm running RedHat with 3x120GB drives with software raid. I need something I can stick 3 drives in that has a halfway decent sound card. Thoughts?

Jim

The machine comes without a floppy drive installed, so you have 2 3.5" bays. You can use an adapter to mount a third hard drive in the unused 5.25" bay.

The sound used is the AC97 codec built into the VIA 686B southbridge. You could add a PCI sound card. I remeber there being 2 free PCI slots when the ethernet card is installed.

once fully set up is the CD rom drive of floppy drive needed?
possible not
and even so a bit of work and hey presto! plenty of drives fit

who said it had to be pretty?

It would likely run a tad hot though. That'd be a lot of drives.