I would like everyone to meet Watson

The server is built. It's name, by the way, is Watson.

Powered up to check connections and everything worked beautifully--and I say this knowing tomorrow when I get home it will all go to hell and blow up or something--but it powered up and asked for an OS and I almost cried, but dreamatdrew says there is no crying in servers, and I believe this. I've been building this since five o'clock, I'm bleeding from several metal cuts I don't remember getting, but holy shit I just built my first computer. And apparently, I christened it in my own blood, which when you think about it is probably something I would have done deliberately anyway.

My OS is also loaded and installed on a jump drive and ready to go (Ubuntu Server, yeah, I know, why make this easy when I can do this learning a whole new operating system?), it has 2T of 3.5 drives and about 600 G of 2.5 drives, since I got a hot swap for the 5.3 by that holds four laptop drives. It has bluray, six SATA connections, and by the way, nothing came with goddamn screws so thank God I went through and did a huge screw organization drive earlier this year and had some (read: many). Then I had to go find more for the fan, which IDEK what is up with that. The board came with VGA and DVI, so I hooked it up to my TV to watch it open up for me, gorgeous, a huge black screen with blocky white writing that spelled out You totally fucking didn't blow anything up if you read between the lines. Which I did.

Did I mention nothing came with screws? Because it didn't. Okay, the power source did, but everything else, not so much. So many lies.

Anyway, I can't find a spare keyboard--Child is going to be in pain tomorrow, let me tell you--so installation of drivers and OS commence when I get home. I'll also write up the breakdown of the build for my own reference, because there's a few thing I want to remember.

Hardest parts:

1.) the goddamn fan installation.
2.) The realization that yes, they expect me to divine how to install the CPU in the board with pictures alone.
3.) restraining myself from reorganizing all the cables in the case. It looks terrible, but I don't think I can help the situation trying to make it neater, since I don't think that's possible.
4.) not setting things on fire.

Things to Do Tomorrow:
1.) Verify all connections are secure and working.
2.) Install OS and drivers (remember to change boot to USB)
3.) Not set things on fire.
4.) Learn Ubuntu Server. Oh God, I'm an idiot.
5.) Watch it, enchanted, as it boots up.

Things to Do This Weekend:
1.) Set up ethernet access.
2.) Configure for FTP.
3.) Configure network access to Adam the laptop for interface purposes, since it will more or less run headless.
4.) Watch it, enchanted, as it boots up.
5.) Start moving files.
6.) Pray.

Things to Add Someday Later:

1.) PCI RAID controller with SATA ports.
2.) Still not setting anything on fire.
3.) Another T of hard drive.
4.) Watch it, enchanted, as it boots up.

Things to Do This Year:
1.) Configure a RAID array.
2.) Keep learning Ubuntu Server.
3.) Don't set anything on fire.
4.) Everything else I don't know that I need to learn how to do.
5.) Watch it, enchanted, as it boots up.

Ladies and gentleman, Watson has entered the building.

ETA: Fixed spelling of dreamatdrew as he will cut me off chat and that's terrifying.

Comments

[lorelei76]

This is, by far, the sexist thing I have read all week. I am pretty sure I orgasmed when I read "Ubuntu." oops, I came again. I also got tingly when you mentioned all those SATA connections and sexy drives.

I am so fucking impressed especially because computer innards intimidate the shit outta me after I had to crack my box open and replace pretty much evertyhing. (nothing has caught on fire...yet, though sometimes I swear I can smell something burning. Friend says it's all in my head.)

[meredyth]

Oh, well done you!

*is impressed by uber awesome impressiveness*

[scy]

Congrats, hon!

[dreamatdrew]

YOU GOT MY NAME RONG!!!!
*Disowns you*

[seperis]

Fixed! I JUST FIXED IT!

[lorem_ipsum]

> apparently, I christened it in my own blood

I've heard this is traditional.

[lydiabell]

It absolutely is. You have to make a blood sacrifice to the computer gods.

[randomreader]

That's pretty fucking awesome! I mean, I don't understand like, four out of five words, but what I understand was impressive.

(Hi, I've been lurking and uh, this is apparently what it finally takes to make me poke my head out.)

[zulu]

YOUR BRAIN IS SHINY.

[calligrafiti]

Your techie posts are great! I feel like I get +2 hardware just from reading them.

[aivilo_18]

I just built my first computer.

If you didn't actually have this declaration in your post, I'd have no idea what you were talking about, only because my knowledge of computers is laughable, at best. My reaction to my computer not turning on is to glare balefully at it like it murdered my dog before making a sandwich or something.

However, there is nothing about this that doesn't sound hot. Go you!!!

::cheers::

[revolutionaryjo]

Awesome! I am completely jealous. :)

[gchick]

Whee! You DID NOT SET THINGS ON FIRE!!! Congratulations!

[lydiabell]

The realization that yes, they expect me to divine how to install the CPU in the board with pictures alone.

::shudder::

God, why do they DO that? Were the pictures at least decent?

[seperis]

...yes? Except after setting the chip and putting the cover and lever back down it wasn't entirely clear whether t pull them together or the cover first, lever second, and it feels like you're putting too much pressure on the chip. *shivers*

[pixel]

Erm, you know the Server version of Ubuntu is command line only right? I mean you could install X and the rest if you wanted, but that'd be kinda silly. If you like command line (I like it, I'd do it!) then go for it, but yeah, that's one thing most people are not excepting. The regular Ubuntu can provide a very nice server setup too, with GUI if you need it.

Then again if you plan to run it mostly headless, getting over the hump of dealing with command line is probably good.

[seperis]

Erm, you know the Server version of Ubuntu is command line only right?

Yes. I read the documentation on-site first. If it's too difficult I can switch to something else later, but since I'm starting with clean drives and a new setup, it seemed like a good time to try.

I mean you could install X and the rest if you wanted, but that'd be kinda silly.

Not sure I follow. What would be silly?

[pixel]

Ok, go for it, wasn't trying to discourage, just a head's up, as it's not something most computer users expect.

Going through the trouble of installing X and something like GNOME, there are quite a few packages, and some tweaking (if I remember right, it's been a while since I tried to do that) to get GUI working on top of the Server install. It certainly can be done, but it would be much more straightforward to just install the desktop version if the CLI wasn't something you were interested in. It's a bit of a non-point since you're well aware of what you're getting into :)


Anyway, kudos and good luck!

[hildy]

You rock!

[fyrdrakken]

Congrats on not setting anything on fire!

[beadattitude.livejournal.com]

You ROCK

[omglawdork.livejournal.com]

Girl, I literally COULD NOT BE more impressed. Holy crap. Go you!

[lunefin.livejournal.com]

Do you know Ubuntu is not a made-up word?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_%28philosophy%29

I think I saw a translation of it as "I am who I am because of you."
School teaches you such crazy things.

[clairshadows.livejournal.com]

This all sounds amazing. I love hearing about your computers and the names you give them. I imagine Adam as sparkly and very fast, while John as jet black or otherwise too cool for school looking and with fancy things that I would have no idea of how to use.

My own relationship with computers could probably be best described as 'alt, ctrl delete' as the one true solution to all ills. Though I did spend the better part of one night with my previous laptop jury-rigging the power supply with electrical tape, a pen barrel and pure will. Good times. Good times.

[moirarogers.livejournal.com]

Totally missed you last night, but I like Ubuntu. I've never used it for a server, but if I didn't have a few tetchy software issues that involve making nice with our editors' word processors & the idiosyncratic mess of track comments, I'd totally still be using it.

And OMG it sounds like you have been busy. :D

-Bree

[kkpixie.livejournal.com]

Congradumalations! Couldn't you just weep, the first time you see everything working together?

\o/

[ariadne83]

*claps hands* Story time!

My ex-boyfriend tried to build a completely silent PC because the noise was keeping him awake at night. He bought a fancy cooling system to try, but first he decided to experiment... and removed the fan.

My tech-illiterate self thought: umm, I don't think that's going to work. But he had a degree in computer science so I just gave him the side-eye and kept my mouth shut (or he would've screamed at me, because he was just that charming)

Cue my utter lack of surprise when the new components he'd installed got utterly fried. But the thing that puzzled me most was that he was SHOCKED and ANGRY and blamed the manufacturer. Y'know, for the fact that since his PC had NO COOLING SYSTEM it got overheated.

/rambling

I love telling that story to people who build their own systems. The bug-eyes are epic.

[(Anonymous)]

So, basically, this weekend is the only window where it's okay for you to set something on fire? :)

--Jessica