My first unRAID Build

[rmciii]

I wanted to upgrade from my D-Link DNS RAID and decided to build my own since I have built computers in the past. I wanted a small footprint RAID and media server to hold my digital collection ripped from hundreds of DVD's over the years.

 

I used a Norco iTX-S4 case capable of housing 4 RAID drives (3 data + 1 parity) and a 2/5 inch cache drive, ASRock H97M-iTX/AC mini-iTX motherboard, 2GB ram and a Intel Celeron G1840 2.8 GHz Dual-Core processor. Very compact. (tight fit).

 

I used my existing DNS drives but swapped out the fan for a faster and quieter version because of cooling concerns with the compact size.

 

I moved over the contents of the DNS drives one at a time to my PC's (would not fit on one), re-installed the dive and re-formatted it in unRAID and then moved the files back over, repeat ... for each drive, the last being my 4TB parity drive.

 

I started with the unRAID 6.0 Basic with a 4TB parity, 1-2TB and 2-3TB data drives and a spare 160GB 2.5 inch cache drive. I installed the application folders and download folders on the cache drive.

 

Afterwards I installed the classic applications CouchPotato, SickBeard, SABnzbd, Transmission and Plex. Not the easiest things to configure. BTW, Plex is awesome!

 

Plex scanned my 528 movies and 105 tv series and downloaded metadata, etc. into a wonderfully organized media collection. I then installed PlexConnect and hacked my 3 AppleTV's to play my media on any of my 3 televisions, even simultaneously.

 

I am now going through my collection and filling in some gaps where tv shows are missing, etc.  I also copied over my iTunes collection and I am migrating my photos and home videos for Plex to manage.

 

Total cost < $500. 8TB current capacity (12TB with 4TB data drives), 6TB currently used.

 

Thanks unRaid!!!

 

[Chugiak]

What's the emoticon for 'I raise a glass in celebration?'

 

[De1taE1even]

Very nice build!  I'm actually in the process of building a backup server using that same case.  It should be on my doorstep later today.  Any complaints/hiccups with the case, other than it being a tight fit?  I love its tiny footprint.

[rmciii]

The Norco ITX-S4 case fan is noisy. I purchased a quieter fan.

[De1taE1even]

The Norco ITX-S4 case fan is noisy. I purchased a quieter fan.

 

Boy oh boy, you're right on that one!  I put the box together last weekend and I'm really liking the box, other than that jet engine of a fan.  I bought a noctua fan to replace it, should be arriving today.

[rmciii]

Photos

[rmciii]

Update: Now have 9TB capacity (3-3TB data, 1-4TB parity), 500GB hybrid cache/download drive. 629 movies and 113 TV series. 74% full.

unRAID 6.2.0-rc3

No problems (except unrelated network problems- TWC)

[De1taE1even]

Nice!  I still like that little box.  I moved my unRaid to a different case with more capacity, but I still use the Norco toaster (as I call it) as an efficient little Windows machine.  You ever have temp issues with the machine?  I had 4x5TB Toshiba drives in it, and it ran REALLY hot.  To the point that I had to retro-fit a 120mm fan on the back of it, and that didn't even work very well.

[HellDiverUK]

I had one of those cases, the back-plane blew up and fried my drives.  Impressed I was not.