I've been reading mixed opinions about using HAMR drives for UNRAID?

 

Thank  you!

Shucked drives have always been both a bit of blessing (because they are cheaper) and a bit of a problem (because they are a way for drive manufacturers to dispose of excess inventory).  They can be sold without having to list any performance specifications except for capacity.  And they can change the type of drive being used in the enclosure anytime they want without changing the packaging/part_number.  So, yes, you do get a break on price but you are buying a pig-in-a-poke ('poke' is slang for a 'paper bag')!

On 1/11/2025 at 5:00 PM, Frank1940 said:

Shucked drives have always been both a bit of blessing (because they are cheaper) and a bit of a problem (because they are a way for drive manufacturers to dispose of excess inventory).  They can be sold without having to list any performance specifications except for capacity.  And they can change the type of drive being used in the enclosure anytime they want without changing the packaging/part_number.  So, yes, you do get a break on price but you are buying a pig-in-a-poke ('poke' is slang for a 'paper bag')!

Hahaha, thanks that makes sense.

I actually have always used shucked drives for NAS.

I was more curious to find out of there's any adv / disadv to using HAMR drives for UNRAID?

I think HAMR is still SMR.  If ok with that, then sure.

At this in the product cycle, I could not find much.  I would suggest Google hamr drives advantages and disadvantages.  I did not find much hard information or reviews of HARM drives.   I would think that the data transfer rates would be faster as the data density in the track is roughly double.  With product this new (December 2024 introduction), I would think that the information situation could be changing at a rapid pace. 

 

2 minutes ago, Veah said:

I think HAMR is still SMR

In my google search, I did  not find this to be completely true.  It is a separate technology.  Apparently, it can be used in conjunction with either SMR or CMR technology.    So there could be disks with either SMR or CMR. 

22 minutes ago, Frank1940 said:

Apparently, it can be used in conjunction with either SMR or CMR technology.    So there could be disks with either SMR or CMR. 

If that's the case, I need to watch more closely.  If they do it on top of CMR then I'm all in.

Thanks for the legwork Frank

A bit more info about HAMR disks with CMR and SMR:

 

https://www.techradar.com/pro/seagate-quietly-launched-joint-worlds-largest-hdd-with-a-32tb-capacity-but-it-uses-a-controversial-technology

 

The first couple of paragraphs explain it all.  With this initial offering, you trade capacity for CMR.

4 hours ago, Frank1940 said:

A bit more info about HAMR disks with CMR and SMR:

 

https://www.techradar.com/pro/seagate-quietly-launched-joint-worlds-largest-hdd-with-a-32tb-capacity-but-it-uses-a-controversial-technology

 

The first couple of paragraphs explain it all.  With this initial offering, you trade capacity for CMR.

That's a good find, very informative, thank you Frank!

Frank has some good Google Fu skills, especially when searching things Unraid.  Thanks!

Completely different drives exos and barracuda regardless if barracuda uses CMR

They aren't made forNAS

On 11/24/2025 at 6:09 AM, BanditAussie said:

They aren't made forNAS

But they work fine in them, regardless, in my experiences.

Have two shucked Barracuda Pros (10TB) in one of my ZFS pools right now that have run for half a decade+ without skipping a beat.

Yeah, the majority of my drives are Exos / WD Red Plus/Pro and such. But if the price is right and the Barracuda Pro is CMR, go for it.

On 11/23/2025 at 7:09 PM, BanditAussie said:

Completely different drives exos and barracuda regardless if barracuda uses CMR

They aren't made forNAS

These Barracudas carry a laser warning indicating HAMR technology -- the same Mozaic platform Seagate uses for Exos.

The physical hardware points to the same underlying drives:

a 30TB 10-platter Exos with one or two defective head pairs gets firmwared down to 24TB or 22TB;

a 28TB 8-platter Exos that fails speed specs but has intact heads ships as a 28TB Barracuda.

Different failure modes, different salvageable capacities -- all landing under the Barracuda label.

It's standard binning practice, just applied to a full drive platform rather than a chip.

You're right that Barracuda isn't rated for NAS -- but that rating reflects warranty tier and workload/speed qualification, not fundamentally different hardware.

Seagate hasn't clarified any of this publicly, which is telling in itself.

Whether you'd trust one in a NAS is a personal risk call, but "completely different drives" isn't accurate at these capacities.

On 4/8/2026 at 2:36 PM, Lebowski89 said:

Have two shucked Barracuda Pros (10TB) in one of my ZFS pools right now that have run for half a decade+ without skipping a beat.

Those old drives are not HAMR.