PC in a gun safe?

[ivans]

The new safe I'm getting this weekend has a built in power outlet and USB and RJ45 ports. I got to thinking about this, what a neat idea to put a PC configured as a server inside the safe.

I'll build up a cheap box using a couple of mirrored 2TB drives and put it in the safe. The family can store all the pictures and important files via automatic backup routines on their laptops to the server. The PC in the safe would be protected from theft and much more likely to survive a fire in a fire resistant gun safe.

The server would be on 24/7 - generating a little heat and circulating air inside the safe because of the fan on the PC power supply. This would eliminate the the need for a Goldenrod or descant more than likely.

What do y'all think about this idea?

BTW, there is plenty of room in the safe - it's an extra wide version.

[Willieboy]

Quite a coincidence in that I ordered a handgun gun safe yesterday.

Regarding putting a PC in your safe, I have no idea, except that I'm not sure the fan in the PC will overcome the heat generated by the PC in a confined space. Good luck to you though.

[johnh]

Another option would be to put a NAS box in there. I have a few relatively inexpensive ones at work for various staff in my department. They tend to run cool, take less space than a PC, and often have a built-in OS that performs various server functions. The Synology units I have run a Linux distro and can do web serving, file backup, file downloads, IP camera surveillance, streaming music/video, etc. Lots of features for a $500 box + cost of up to four hard drives (in this model). The user community for Synology stuff is pretty active, with lots of support for customization. I am sure other brands have similar followings.

[O'Dell]

I keep my laptop in the gun safe. My desktop is cable locked to my desk.

[CJB]

Someplace, I've got a picture of a "computer case" a guy fabricated from one of those polymer RPG cans. They're hard to get these days... maybe at a gun show, but you dont see them online like you used to (been phased out?). Anyway, it was neat looking, and would be great for a safe based 'puter. If you do that, remember to either duct the air down to the bottom, or just place the 'puter at the bottom - heat rises.

FWIW, I run four PC's on the home network. One PC is a dedicated file server for storage of stuff. Every night it sends everything to the Linux server, which multitasks as back up file server, HTTP server, and PDC for the network. The Linux server also sends all its stuff to the Window's based file server. You might say, they "cross pollinate". Fire comes... I've got lots more to worry about than the stuff on the computers.

[TheTman]

I don't think it's a bad idea to put a PC or one of those boxes johnh mentioned in there, and keep all your important info on it. Heat would be my biggest concern, so I'd want something with a cool running processor, or perhaps underclock a bit to keep the heat down. Probably just want 1 lage capcity HD, so you didn't have them building up heat.

[Bawanna]

I go to my man cave, home of my gun safe and several less secure cabinets to relax, enjoy, savor. Nothing at all related to anything computer.
I did take a little laptop my wife got me out there so I could touch bases on kahrtalk during my cave time but I put it back out by my recliner where I do my fishing lure stuff which is a job and not an adventure.
Nothing computer in my man cave. No room now that I ponder it.
I'm doing a deep clean today, months of sawdust production has a mountain of dust on everything in there. Finding stuff I forgot I had or didn't recognize buried in dust.

[ivans]

Another option would be to put a NAS box in there. I have a few relatively inexpensive ones at work for various staff in my department. They tend to run cool, take less space than a PC, and often have a built-in OS that performs various server functions. The Synology units I have run a Linux distro and can do web serving, file backup, file downloads, IP camera surveillance, streaming music/video, etc. Lots of features for a $500 box + cost of up to four hard drives (in this model). The user community for Synology stuff is pretty active, with lots of support for customization. I am sure other brands have similar followings.

John,
The NAS is an excellent idea. I have found a Buffalo Technologies unit that looks promising, do you have any experience with these in terms of reliability? The unit I was looking at has 45 watts of consumption, might just be perfect to keep the safe dry inside. http://www.amazon.com/Buffalo-Technology-LinkStation-LS-WV2-0TL-R1/dp/B0048TWIX6/ref=pd_cp_e_3

Thanks for the reminder about NAS boxes. Cheaper, simpler and less heat than a full PC.

[johnh]

I do not, but you might check www.newegg.com and see if they have user reviews on the model you are looking at. My experience has been anything with a high quantity of positives there is usually good-to-go. They have a bunch of brands to consider. Also a good place to grab deals on hard drives. :D

[TheTman]

I build computers and Newegg is where I get the majority of the parts. Very rarely have I had a problem with them, and when I did it was corrected promptly. www.tigerdirect.com (http://www.tigerdirect.com) is about the only other place I shop. Newegg usually has better prices than Tiger Direct, but once in awhile Tiger has an item on sale at a better price, or has items Newegg doesn't. (and vice versa) Pays to check both. Both have excellent customer comment sections. I've found some good info by reading Newegg comments, stuff they don't tell you in the item description. Both of them get the product to you quickly, usually in 2-4 business days.

[O'Dell]

I build computers and Newegg is where I get the majority of the parts. Very rarely have I had a problem with them, and when I did it was corrected promptly. www.tigerdirect.com (http://www.tigerdirect.com) is about the only other place I shop. Newegg usually has better prices than Tiger Direct, but once in awhile Tiger has an item on sale at a better price, or has items Newegg doesn't. (and vice versa) Pays to check both. Both have excellent customer comment sections. I've found some good info by reading Newegg comments, stuff they don't tell you in the item description. Both of them get the product to you quickly, usually in 2-4 business days.

I still have my computer company, but with the cheap computers today, I don't build that many anymore. I agree about NewEgg, but I buy most of my parts from a local distributor. I have in the past bought quite a bit from 'Computer Geeks'. They don't usually have cutting edge parts, but the prices are sometimes good if you're putting together a cheap system.

[Alfonse]

I use a little iomega StorCenter. It works just fine and doesn't seem to use much power. It was simple to configure.

[TucsonMTB]

Let's see . . . install an electrically powered device that has a history of occasionally bursting into flames inside the safe where I secure guns with a significant total value? :eek:

I don't think so. Even the smoke damage from an overheated component in a sealed space would be a bummer.

[Rainman48314]

The new safe I'm getting this weekend has a built in power outlet and USB and RJ45 ports. I got to thinking about this, what a neat idea to put a PC configured as a server inside the safe.

I'll build up a cheap box using a couple of mirrored 2TB drives and put it in the safe. The family can store all the pictures and important files via automatic backup routines on their laptops to the server. The PC in the safe would be protected from theft and much more likely to survive a fire in a fire resistant gun safe.

The server would be on 24/7 - generating a little heat and circulating air inside the safe because of the fan on the PC power supply. This would eliminate the the need for a Goldenrod or descant more than likely.

What do y'all think about this idea?

BTW, there is plenty of room in the safe - it's an extra wide version.I like having redundant files on a Cloud service. I use DropBox. I think you'll get too much heat build up in a confined space.

[ivans]

I settled on a NAS, used a Link Station Pro Duo. Configured it for Mirrored 1 operation and installed it in the safe.

http://www.amazon.com/Buffalo-Technology-LinkStation-LS-WV2-0TL-R1/dp/B0048TWIX6/ref=pd_cp_e_3

It also streams music and movies if you like. Can also be accessed from the web, but I don't have an active internet connection at the house. We use our cell phones so if we are not home there is no internet connection.

For that same reason I can't use a cloud backup like Carbonite or similar. I have not had a chance to check temperatures inside the safe yet.

Cheers,
Dan

[darb21]

Hey Dan... do you still have this setup and working? I'm curious as to how high the temps got... I've got a safe on the way that has these ports as well and am thinking about the same thing. My concern was heat build up as well.

Thanks.
-Brad