Does anyone have any experience with running unRAID on a system that has a PSU that is not powerful enough? I have added a second graphics card to my unRAID system to run multiple OS. I ran an online PSU cacluator and it would seem that I am just below my PSU's limit. I was wondering what I should keep an eye on as far as PSU problems?

Does anyone have any experience with running unRAID on a system that has a PSU that is not powerful enough? I have added a second graphics card to my unRAID system to run multiple OS. I ran an online PSU cacluator and it would seem that I am just below my PSU's limit. I was wondering what I should keep an eye on as far as PSU problems?

In my experience, you are likely to start getting random 'red-balled' disks where the disk subsequently proves to be fine.  This is particularly likely to happen when you run parity ckecks or mover kicks in.

 

Because of the random nature of these events they can easily lead to data loss.    Running with marginal power supply is definitely not something to recommend.

In my experience, you are likely to start getting random 'red-balled' disks where the disk subsequently proves to be fine.  This is particularly likely to happen when you run parity ckecks or mover kicks in.

 

Because of the random nature of these events they can easily lead to data loss.    Running with marginal power supply is definitely not something to recommend.

I figured as much. Thanks for the reply. Is there a program that will display how much power is currently being used? I am guessing not but it would be a handy program.

In my experience, you are likely to start getting random 'red-balled' disks where the disk subsequently proves to be fine.  This is particularly likely to happen when you run parity ckecks or mover kicks in.

 

Because of the random nature of these events they can easily lead to data loss.    Running with marginal power supply is definitely not something to recommend.

I figured as much. Thanks for the reply. Is there a program that will display how much power is currently being used? I am guessing not but it would be a handy program.

Never heard of such a program although it would be a great idea.    However do not see how it would work unless your power supply had some sort of builtin intelligence to report the relevant infomration.  I expect such power supplies do exist but have an appropriate price premium attached to them.

True and at that point one would probably spend less on purchasing a second more powerful PSU than getting the one that reported the power usage. Well I suppose I need to look into a new PSU. I wish I could smack myself a year ago and bought more expensive stuff. So far I've upgraded ram twice and CPU twice... Now time for PSU lol 

check this out

http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

 

Should give you a rough idea of what kind of PSU you should have for your setup

I doubt that PSU in your sig is struggling to supply that unless it is faulty.

 

CPU/Mobo/mem = 100W max

GPUs = 300W max

5W/disk.

 

 

I ran two 7950s, a e3-1220 v2, 4 sticks of mem and 9 disks when I was mining. 400W peak!!

Actually the PSU in my signature is my new one thank you cyber Monday! My old PSU was 430W and would of probably worked if I didn't want to have dual graphics cards in my system.

Dual graphic card changes it, but as long as it's single rail for the hard drives or at least the rails are divided among them, you should be good.

 

Other symptoms are random reboots or intermittent segmentation or kernel faults.

 

A test would be to spin down all your drives, them spin them up.

That's the most stressful time for the PSU because the spin up is sent to all drives at the same time.

 

There once was a member here who had an underpowered PSU and the spin up of all drives blew the PSU and motherboard.

There once was a member here who had an underpowered PSU and the spin up of all drives blew the PSU and motherboard.

Whoa that's nuts! I'm glad I bought a new one, just in case!