Suggestions on config

[snidera]

I'm finally replacing my "server" (Win7+Flexraid) with Unraid.  My intention was to do this 6-7 years ago when my friend & I split a 2-key license.   His is still running 4.7 rock solid.

 

Primary Uses:

File server for Movies (BluRay/DVD/DL), TV (.mkv) & music

Plex Server (probably docker)

Win10 VM  (MakeMKV, MediaCenterMaster, General surfing/office duties, light fusion360 CAD use)

Future:

OwnCloud/nextcloud/backup

Couchpotato

Headphones

We'll see how it performs & add uses as CPU/stability permit.

 

I bought

Asrock H170M Pro4

i5-6500

16GB RAM

2x 6TB Toshiba's

Have - 1TB WD blue (currently cache)

 

After Compressing my DVD/BluRays to H265 & finding that 3TB+ of space was being 'eaten' by flexraid not emptying the supposedly non-existent recycle bin, I now have ~3.5TB of data (thought I was close to 11....)

I plan to re-use a newer 4TB WD Red so I should have plenty of space for the time being.

 

Once data is copied off the old server I'll also have available:

2x BR drives (ripping)

RX 460

M1115 (same as M1015 SAS adapter, flashed to IT mode) - I'm out of SATA ports with my planned uses, so this will be going in even if not utilized right away.  Pros/cons of splitting drives off of on-board SATA to the HBA?

240GB SSD - got some age on it, so I'm leary of beating on it.

2x4TB, 1x3TB, 2x2TB drives (probably going to make an off-site backup/plex server at a location I have MUCH faster internet speed).

 

Questions:

1. Cache: 1TB WD Blue (7200rpm) or 240GB SSD?  Both are used.  My test built had a 60GB cache which died after light use (but was 5yrs old & died during a lightning storm, so I can't say UnRAID killed it).

2. VM drive - is there a large advantage to using SSD for vhd? (using unassigned devices) vs on the cache (HDD or SSD).  I haven't been able to tell a difference in limited light use.

3. CPU cores.  I only have 4 - how should I split them among VM & UnRAID.  I'll rarely transcode even 1 stream, but don't want to choke unraid/plex (FireTV/firesticks direct play currently).  I'm impatient with windows, would like to have horsepower when needed....

4.  Video for VM.  I've passed through the iGPU for testing - it was a bit of a pain.  I think I'd rather have the RX460 for the Win10 VM.   Once Plex adds gpu transcoding, how hard is it to get igpu working with the docker?  searching around says it's possible with the special 1.8 build, but it didn't get into 1.9 main & I stopped at 'you need to compile a new kernel'. 

5.  Anybody successfully moved from Plex on windows to Plex on unraid & kept the library intact?  I've done it win->win.  I have almost 1500 movies, hate to lose my watched/unwatched flags.

6. USB hubs - any suggestions/tips for making USB ports available to the VM as needed (thumb drives, USB HDDs, etc)

[ashman70]

1. Use the SSD.

2. Yes there is a huge advantage in terms of performance for putting your VM's on an SSD.

3. With only four cores it's tough, you could dedicate two to your VM and leave the other two for unRAID.

4. I don't know.

5. Never done it but there must be a way to backup your Plex settings and restore them, I would research it or ask in the plex forums.

6. You can pass through ports on the host system to VM's, but no idea on hubs.

[SSD]

I have a Xeon E3-1270 v3 @ 3.50GHz, 4 core CPU, running about what you want to run. Your CPU is a 7200 passmark vs mine about 10,000. But I really believe that unless you are running something heavy duty processor intensive on your Windows VM, you should be fine. I do have 32G of RAM which might make a difference. I always recommend extra memory, and I'd go for 32G personally (split 16G unRAID/Dockers, 16G Windows VM). If I had only 16G, I'd probably go 12G Windows, 4 Gig unRAID, or maybe 10G Windows, 6 Gig unRAID if I was having issues with dockers being memory constrained.

 

I give 3 full CPUs to the Win10 VM. It is a misnomer that unRAID only gets one CPU. unRAID gets one dedicated, but it can use the other 3 also. I give the Windows VM 16G and disable virtual memory, to save wear and tear on the SSD. I have also created a virtual D: drive that is located on a spinner (unassigned device), and moved my TEMP directory there (the temp directory on a mapped network drive DOES NOT WORK). All my documents and files are stored on the server (UD or array).  The C: drive is strictly OS and installed programs.

 

Spend some quality time watching the SpaceInvader One (a.k.a., gridrunner) "daily driver" 2 part series for help on getting the VM setup, and his three part tuning series for more info on allocating CPUs to VMs and dockers. There is another video on passthrough of video cards and another on passthrough of USB. These videos are indispensable! The daily driver series includes tips to minimize disk I/O on the SSD. I trim my SSD regularly and watch the tread wear SMART attribute.

 

If you want to do this right, I would suggest an SSD for your VM image, installing a video card (or passing through the built in video may also be an option). Also pass through a USB for your keyboard mouse (Logitech unifying receiver works nicely). That would give you a VM that feels pretty much like bare metal. Setting up the dockers on the server is easy. 

 

Feels a little weird to be accessing your unRAID server from the VM running on that server, but it really works well. You have no LAN to go through, so server I/O is very fast! I've gotten over 200 MB/sec I/O to a newly formatted unRAID UD from my Windows VM. And I enjoy excellent stability. Being able to backup the entire VM by copying one file to my array is also VERY convenient!

 

Have fun! I think you're in for an enjoyable technical challenge that quite a few others have successfully traversed, so there is amble help available. And when you're done you'll have a pretty cool configuration to amaze your friends!

 

If interested, here is a post I made about my configuration. It has a number of links to at least some of the videos I referenced.

 

 

Good luck!