Game server Help MOBO, AMD, XPpro

[MOSWR]

Salutations, I'm about to biuld a game server for 18 of my pals to log into for Tribes 2 and Mech War4. Should I do a raid, and if so what type? (0,1,2) Please explain strengths of each. (were can I get directions)

I also need some suguestions on what Socket A MOBO and AMD processor I should use? I'm pritty sure I need a high FSB (400) and Raid. I need a clue. I have 11 pc to my credit but this is my first server.

I would like to use XP Pro if posible. Please advise. Thx MOSWR

[Blakhart]

Ahh, one of my favorite subjects....
Anymore, once you get the cpu above a gig, and the mem at least to 512, you can serve at least one instance of most any game. With more mem and a faster cpu, you can serve mutiple instances. With dual cpus and a gig or two, you can host about as many instances as you want. Raid is not needed, as long as the drives are 7200 or faster. Mem is the key. The game server app will probably load everything into mem anyway, so it will be faster than a raid setup. Use a good nic, I prefer the Intel Pro100+, cheap and fast, lowest cpu usage I know of in the price range. In reality, any old nic will do. For server duty in xp(any ver thereof), you want to set the performance settings to best performance of "background services", and memory usage to "system cache". The background setting gives everything an equal timeslice of the cpu, rather than the usual foreground apps taking a greater share. System cacheing will allow faster access to anything the system needs for handling networking and general housekeeping, windows has a life of its own... and as to that, a dual system is nice in that respect.

As you probably want it to be as stable as possible, no ocing or fast mem timings should be used, let everything run at defaults, save for bios and vid card cacheing, disable those. If you want to get crazy, get a dual sys and a scsi disk subsystem. Let it be known, I prefer Intel for server duties. No offense to AMD, I have a feeling that Intels are more reliable. For example: no AMD cpu I know of has passed crashme, while Intels of most any type do. Google it.
It's like a worst-case testbed for hack attempts/bad code that will happen to your server, eventualy. Especialy if you ban people who have the knowledge and the motivation.
Priorities are as follows:
1. Bandwidth, and this does not include cable. Cable sucks at game serving. YMMV.
2. Memory total.
3. Cpu speed.
4. Wether I build the box for you or not.