March 21, 201610 yr Hello everyone I am new to unraid and forums, but I have already tested my hardware and some goofing around with one VM. It works, which is very inspiring for someone with zero experience outside Windows. As title hints I am planning to build gaming rig with two VM Windowses but I wish it to remain capable of utilizing all hardware when needed. For this I have own drives for my "personal windows". So. To round up what I have, what I want and what I am wondering: -I headed gaming rig, 6 threads each from my 4930K (6c/12t) -one trusty 7600GS for unRAID (good bye 16x slot!) -980ti's, one for each "head" -32GB ram, around 14GB for each "head" -four drives With great drives comes great problem: Currently I have 4x256GB SSDs. Would I benefit anything having four cache drives and 2x data drives (let's say 2x2TB HDDs paired). How would I make most of my SSD drives, if I want maximum available storage? Thanks. Also. I am willing to buy any registry key needed if it suits my needs, but 2xHDD and 4xssd would be usable with basic version. For now, drives with seperate Windows can be ignored.
March 21, 201610 yr Also. I am willing to buy any registry key needed if it suits my needs, but 2xHDD and 4xssd would be usable with basic version. For now, drives with seperate Windows can be ignored. Just a check as to quite what you mean here! Any drive plugged into the unRAID server counts against the attached devices limit of the license regardless of whether it is actually used by unRAID or not. Just checking so that you do not get the wrong license level.
March 21, 201610 yr Author Yes. I am aware of that. I made testings with 3x 256GB ssds: parity+data+cache. I had to remove windows drives as trial supports only three drives. But, As I said, I am willing to pay what suits best my needs. So: If I use 256GB ssd as parity drive, another for data and two for cache, do I have raid0 cache or raid1 cache? Or how would I maximize available space based on currents drives. This is rather important, because if cache drives are always raid1, then there is really no use for more than two in my case? Whole drive system is a bit blurry for me still. Sorry.
March 21, 201610 yr Yes. I am aware of that. I made testings with 3x 256GB ssds: parity+data+cache. I had to remove windows drives as trial supports only three drives. Actually for the 6.2 release they are increasing the trial license to 6 drives (same as Basic license). There will also be restrictions introduced on the ability to renew trial licenses so that users do not try to perpetually renew the trial licenses. The rational is that 6 drives gives you a better idea of what you will get if you jump in at the Basic License level. Since this is a new system you might be prepared to run with a 6.2 beta release and it would allow you to see exactly what the Basic license will give you as well as getting an earlier view of what is going to be in 6.2 So: If I use 256GB ssd as parity drive, another for data and two for cache, do I have raid0 cache or raid1 cache? When you first set up the cache with more than 1 drive it will default to raid1 (i.e.raid1 is the default). However you can the switch it to raid0/jbod afterwards if you desire. Or how would I maximize available space based on currents drives. This is rather important, because if cache drives are always raid1, then there is really no use for more than two in my case? Whole drive system is a bit blurry for me still. Sorry. The way to think of the main data drives is that you lose the largest to parity (or largest two if you use dual parity). You then simply add the remaining data drives together to determine the available space.
March 21, 201610 yr Author Ah okay. So, lets say I use only my SSDs (I have six of them if I sacrifice my windows drives) for now: I use one 256GB for parity: this determines maxinum drive size. Rest of the drives are identical: I plan to use all six from basic lisence for unraid, no additional drives for dualboot windows. I use one 256GB for cache, from where I plan to run VM OS. Rest four drives pool up for data, basically 4x256 (of course every drive has less usable space). Other option is 2x256 for cache, will be raid0 if it is possible then, and 3x256 for data pool. With parity drive, this makes up 6 drives as basic version allows.
March 21, 201610 yr As was mentioned using SSD for data or parity drives is not officially supported. Having said that some users have experimented with pure SSD setups and not reported issues.
March 21, 201610 yr Author Yes, I am aware of this. Howerer, I didn't have any HDD available weekend, and I succesfully ran windows 8.1 on VM while whole system was based on SSDs. In the long run, it would be better then having fast HDD, lets say WD black, as parity and data and having cache of SSDs in raid0 (maybe raid10?).
March 21, 201610 yr SSD are not supported on array, only as cache Do not assign an SSD as a data/parity device. While unRAID won’t stop you from doing this, SSDs are only supported for use as cache devices due TRIM/discard and how it impacts parity protection. Using SSDs as data/parity devices is unsupported and may result in data loss at this time. https://lime-technology.com/getting-started/
March 21, 201610 yr Author SSDs are not officielly supported, but they do work. Long term dataloss might be an issue sure. So, 2x HDD (parity+array) and SSDs for cache. 2 drives would go for raid1, 4 drives should make essentially raid10 if I understood this thread right https://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=40804.0
March 21, 201610 yr Author Default is always raid1, but with 4 SSDs you can change the profile to raid10. Can I set it to raid0, If there is nothing to lose? Just VM windows and steam/origin, everything re-downloadable if one drive fails. I know, I have to make whole thing again if one drive fails, but still.
March 21, 201610 yr Author Yes Thank you. This helps me setting next course (Getting couple of HDDs, for start). From what I have read, unRAID always claims gpu located in first pcie-slot if there is no igpu? At least with nvidia cards. I'd prefer having my 980ti's in 1st and 3rd slot, but it seems I have to go with 2nd ja 3rd slot with 7600GS in first slot for host. Is there anything to change this?
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