Hey all,

 

I separated this question from my support post earlier, I think this is a better place to ask this kind of question! So after reading the blog about running a single NAS+Gaming box, I started thinking, should I upgrade my unRaid server or should I take my rarely used gaming machine and combine the two? I'd like to see what you guys think, here are my two options:

 

First Option, expand current unRaid:

2x 1TB cache pool drives (Its worth an extra 50 to make sure the pool is protected, and there are no price points for smaller drives that make sense)

-- 1TB Toshiba DT01ACA100 32MB cache @ 49.95 or

-- 1TB WD Blue 64MB cache (2015) 54.99

2x New 4 or 5 TB drives to add the array, retiring my 320GB 500GB very old HD's

-- 5TB Toshiba MD04ACA500 7200RPM @ 144.99

-- 4TB WD Blue (2015) 5400 RPM @ 134.99

 

Depending on which big drives I take, i would end up with 12 or 14 TB usable array, and 2x1TB drives in my cache pool.

 

Second initially crazy option, thanks to the limetech blog:

 

My windows 10 gaming rig was refreshed a few years ago, I barely game anymore on it. So If I could condense my NAS, plex server and gaming rig on the same box, there would deff be some power saving, and one less computer to manage for a little monetary cost and a slight degradation in gaming performance. Here is the hardware I would have to put the build together:

Choice of MB: ASRock - Z87 Extreme4 or MSI x79a-gd45 plus - I'm leaning towards using the ASrock (more sata, usb and built-in video will save me from buying a new discrete card)

Ram: 16GB of DDR3, i  will not be able to go over 16GB if I stay with the ASRock as my kits are 4x4 and 2x2 and the ASRock only has 4 slots

Proc: i7-4820k (has vt-d for IOMMU, will retire the i3-4340)

Cooling: Corsair Hydro H100i, if I want lots of drives and this, I will have to do some modifications or swap my gaming case to the Thermaltake Armor, maybe retiring my icydocks =/

Video: Nvidia Geforce 770GTX, I plan on leaving this alone, I will only buy a cheap 2nd video card if I need to use the MSI MB without any built in video

Power:  SeaSonic X-1250

 

Cache Pool Drives:

I do not have a cache drive/pool on my unraid server right now and yy gaming machine does not run redundant drives. I could invest nothing additional here and just use my 256GB SSD as a standalone cache pool drive. I had already bought two 480GB SanDisk ultra ii drives which I was going to return, I could either add one to create a cache pool even though it would default I think to 256GB due to my current gaming drive.

-- Current gaming drive:  SAMSUNG 830 Series MZ-7PC256D

-- Current SSD: 2x SanDisk Ultra II 480GB (Based on some advice in an earlier thread, if I am going to upgrade my array, I am better off returning these investing in bigger better drives)

 

Array Pool Drives:

If I go down this path I might just buy a couple of 2 or 3TB drives, replacing my 320GB & 500GB and keeping the costs inline.

 

So what do you guys think?

 

Thanks,

Tom

I decided to build the unRaid Gaming box, I have a progress and help thread going in the support forum is anyone is interested =)

 

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=45185.0

 

Thanks,