Putting a retired datacenter rack mount server in your house is a great way to learn how unbearably loud a real rack mount datacenter server is.

To quote @swiftonsecurity - https://x.com/swiftonsecurity/status/1650223598903382016 ;

> DO NOT TAKE HOME THE FREE 1U SERVER YOU DO NOT WANT THAT ANYWHERE A CLOSET DOOR WILL NOT STOP ITS BANSHEE WAIL TO THE DARK LORD AN UNHOLY CONDUIT TO THE DEPTHS OF INSOMNIA BINDING DARKNESS TO EVEN THE DAY

This 1000%; and some 1us are extra 666. I had a sparc t2000 at one point, it was so much louder than a 1u Supermicro. Or whatever was in Microsoft HW labs, those you could hear from multiple hallways over… There were non optional earplugs at the doors.

ahah and pricey power wise.

Currently the cloud providers are dumping second gen xeon scalables and those things are pigs when it comes to power use.

Sound wise its like someone running a hair dryer at full speed all the time and it can be louder under load.

Buy a 3/4u case for $100 and put whatever board you want in it with standard PC fans and a decent cpu cooler. Dead silent.

True! They aren't quiet. I keep mine in a well-ventilated room that doesn't typically have people in it.

Not true. Have one running in the closet and never hear it.

Only if it’s a 1U. 2U units idle at silent.

If you're following this path, make sure to use the finest traditional server rack that money can buy: https://www.ikea.com/ie/en/p/lack-side-table-white-30449908/

No, again, just run VMs on your desktop/laptop. The software doesn't know or care if it's a rack mounted machine.