Firstly I completely misuderstood how UnRAID works. From what I've read, UnRAID is basically JBOD + parity? I initially thought I'd just install all my drives (including parity) and just start copying my files over and that's it. But it looks like I'll have to assign shares/splits per drive and if the drive becomes full I'll have to move data around to the drive that has the most space and/or upgrade the drive itself. I guess it wouldn't be power efficient if all drives were spinning when I access a movie from the UnRAID server. Let me know if I'm not getting it...

 

Final specs are as follows:

1x CM Stacker 810 (E-ATX, ATX, m-ATX, BTX, m-BTX) 810

1x Corsair VX-450 ATX 450W Power Supply 120mm fan

2x OCZ 2G DDR3 800 PC3 6400MHz Gold Series

1x Intel Celeron Dual Core E3300 2.5GHZ 800FSB LGA775

1x Western Digital 2TB Green 64MB SATAII WD20EARS - Parity Drive

2x 500GB WD

2x 1TB WD

 

 

Anyway, I've compiled a list of steps to do, they are as follows:

 

1.Wait for all part arrivals

 

2.Prepare case for build. Cleaning, installation of fans, etc.

 

3.Build server

 

4.Create UnRAID OS in flash drive

 

5.Conduct a memory test in BIOS

 

6.Empty one 1TB drive and distribute files in existing system

 

7.Install 1TB drive and assign in UnRAID

 

8.Set up share to 1TB drive

 

9.Copy files over to UnRAID

 

10.Repeat steps 4 through to 7, ensuring as each drive is emptied that they are installed in the UnRAID server and correctly assigned

 

11.When complete, install assign the Parity Drive

 

12.Start the array

 

13.Run a manual parity check

 

14.Run a smartctl on each drive

 

15.Enjoy?

 

I'd appreciate it if anyone can go over these steps and see if I've missed something, need to skip something, or re-arrange the steps.

 

I've also got a list of add ons I plan on installing, they are:

- PowerDown (script)

- UnMenu

- UnTorrent (much later when server itself is established)

- SmartHistory

- Email Notifications

 

Many thanks once again!

I initially thought I'd just install all my drives (including parity) and just start copying my files over and that's it

 

Actually, it is exactly that, provided you use the disk shares (/mnt/disk#) instead of the user shares (/mnt/user).

I initially thought I'd just install all my drives (including parity) and just start copying my files over and that's it

 

Actually, it is exactly that, provided you use the disk shares (/mnt/disk#) instead of the user shares (/mnt/user).

 

Getting confused again... is that the recommended way of how they are set up? I'm not very good with linux and just plan on using the UnRAID interface in setting it up. I might go and reread the wiki and around here on the matter.  The other thing is that the 4 drives I plan on using already have data in them but I am able to move data around for now while they are in my PC and slowly empty the bigger drives first and one by one from UnRAID to format and assign the drives. When all done I will then install and assign the parity.

 

edit:

 

Ahhh, from: http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php?title=Building_an_unRAID_Server

 

"The drives are not merged into one large logical volume (or directory) Actually, they now are merged in the "user-shares" feature "

I initially thought I'd just install all my drives (including parity) and just start copying my files over and that's it

 

Actually, it is exactly that, provided you use the disk shares (/mnt/disk#) instead of the user shares (/mnt/user).

 

Getting confused again... is that the recommended way of how they are set up?

There's no "recommended way", it's a matter of personal preference.

User share gives you a unified view of your disks.  It can be messy and confusing, and it brings a signifficant overhead to the server.

Personally, I don't use user shares.  I like to know and control where my files go.  So I only use disk shares.

There are people who like it the other way.  It's up to you, really.

 

I initially thought I'd just install all my drives (including parity) and just start copying my files over and that's it

 

Actually, it is exactly that, provided you use the disk shares (/mnt/disk#) instead of the user shares (/mnt/user).

 

Getting confused again... is that the recommended way of how they are set up?

There's no "recommended way", it's a matter of personal preference.

User share gives you a unified view of your disks.  It can be messy and confusing, and it brings a signifficant overhead to the server.

Personally, I don't use user shares.  I like to know and control where my files go.  So I only use disk shares.

There are people who like it the other way.  It's up to you, really.

 

 

Excellent, that's exactly how I'm wanting to set up my shares!

 

Just re-reading the Building an unRAID Server wiki page: http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php?title=Building_an_unRAID_Server

 

"Shares

By default, unRAID creates a share for each disk in the array (\\tower\disk1, \\tower\disk2, etc.). This isn't usually what people want. unRAID supports the concept of User Shares. Basically, you can create folders in each of the disk shares, and then a user folder will "aggregate" all of the content from each share into one share with that folder name. So, if you have \\tower\disk1\DVD and \\tower\disk2\DVD, a user share can be created for \\tower\DVD. To turn on user shares, go to the Shares menu item. Select an option from the User Shares dropdown. If you want the shares to be read-only, select "Export read-only." In order to pick up new User Shares (or top level directories), you will need to press the "Re-scan" button. The "Re-scan" button is gone in recent releases as it is no longer necessary. Now, the user-share folders automatically update when any change is made to the disk shares.

"

 

I should just be able to structure the 'disk shares' and grant 'user' shares to those, correct?

Just re-reading the Building an unRAID Server wiki page: http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php?title=Building_an_unRAID_Server

 

"Shares

By default, unRAID creates a share for each disk in the array (\\tower\disk1, \\tower\disk2, etc.).

This isn't usually what people want..."

Sorry, but that is exactly what I want!    

Any decent HTPC frontend knows how to aggregate its import paths.

 

Who wrote that wiki entry?  

 

 

Just re-reading the Building an unRAID Server wiki page: http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php?title=Building_an_unRAID_Server

 

"Shares

By default, unRAID creates a share for each disk in the array (\\tower\disk1, \\tower\disk2, etc.).

This isn't usually what people want..."

Sorry, but that is exactly what I want!    

Any decent HTPC frontend knows how to aggregate its import paths.

 

Who wrote that wiki entry?  

Ihave no idea who wrote it, but if you go back a few years, the network media players did not aggregate import paths, they just listed the servers, and when you clicked on a server, they listed the shared folders.  I've got two AlTech MediaGate MG-35 media players that work exactly like that and have been for almost 4 years.

 

Now, I've also now got a new Acer Revo 1600 running XBMC. It can do the aggregation... but older media players... no way. 

Now, I've also now got a new Acer Revo 1600 running XBMC.  

I apologize for asking a queston off topic...  that's the one with the single core 230, right? 

How happy are you with it?  Is browsing with XBMC snappy enough with the single core? 

I still can't make my mind if I should go for the dual core version. (sorry again for asking this out of place)

 

Now, I've also now got a new Acer Revo 1600 running XBMC.  

I apologize for asking a queston off topic...  that's the one with the single core 230, right? 

How happy are you with it?  Is browsing with XBMC snappy enough with the single core? 

I still can't make my mind if I should go for the dual core version. (sorry again for asking this out of place)

 

Fanart lags a tiny bit, shows up in about half a second or so after I pause scanning the movie list.  otherwise, it is fine.

XBMC works similarly in my dual-core Vista based laptop, so to me it is fine.  I'm running the 9.11 live version from a USB flash drive.  Never bothered to install to the internal disk.

Thanks for the info.