Do I need an extra HDD to move my current media to a new unRAID Plex server?

[Huy]

I'm converting my current gaming PC to a full-time Plex server. I'm intending to use unRAID for the Plex server. I have three 4TB HDDs and two 250 GB SSDs. My plan was to buy a fourth 4TB HDD as a parity drive and use the two 250 GB SSDs as cache drives.

 

Now, since I have never used unRAID before, I'm wondering what the setup will look like. Do I need another (fifth) empty 4TB HDD to set everything up, then add the parity and cache drives and then add one old drive after the other? Or can I somehow just start with cache and parity drives and add my old, already filled HDDs directly?

[tdallen]

Hello and welcome.

 

You won't be able to add your current HDDs directly into the unRAID storage array - they will need to be formatted (and therefore wiped) as they are added.    Adding a 5th drive is the easiest transition strategy.  But if your current data is backed up, a good alternative is to add parity last.  I.e., add the new drive as a data drive, copy data from old drive #1 onto it, add old drive #1 into the array (which will format it), and then copy old drive #2 onto old drive #1, etc.  Old drive #3 then becomes your parity drive as the last step.  Obviously, this means your data isn't under parity protection during the transition - but you really should have a solid backup plan in place before starting the transition, anyway!

 

By the way - I'd recommend giving yourself some time to play with unRAID after you've added that first drive, ask some questions, etc.  Don't rush into the data transition right away.  What you learn playing with unRAID might change your transition approach or folder structures, etc.

 

Definitely plan on using Community Applications, the "app store" for unRAID.  Use a well supported Plex Docker like binhex or linuxserver.io.  It also may be useful to use Unassigned Devices to mount your old drives on your new server for the purpose of copying the data from them to the unRAID storage array.

[Huy]

Thanks for the reply. Short follow-up question: What will be the fastest way to copy data from my old drives onto the new data drives? Can I attach them to the same PC or do I need to attach them to a different PC and transfer them over LAN? Or is there some other, easier way?

 

Also, about the Plex docker, how come everyone I've asked seems to be using an "unofficial" docker like binhex or linux server.io, when there seems to be an official Plex docker available here? https://github.com/plexinc/pms-docker

Edited February 7, 2018 by Huy

[trurl]

4 hours ago, Huy said:

Thanks for the reply. Short follow-up question: What will be the fastest way to copy data from my old drives onto the new data drives? Can I attach them to the same PC or do I need to attach them to a different PC and transfer them over LAN? Or is there some other, easier way?

 

Also, about the Plex docker, how come everyone I've asked seems to be using an "unofficial" docker like binhex or linux server.io, when there seems to be an official Plex docker available here? https://github.com/plexinc/pms-docker

There is an unRAID plugin called Unassigned Devices which will let you mount disks that aren't assigned to the array. Then you can copy the data directly on the server without going over the LAN. You can do the copy from the command line, or by running mc (Midnight Commander) at the command line. Midnight Commander is a built-in text GUI file manager. Some people prefer to use the Krusader docker file manager since it is more GUI.

 

The "official" Plex docker isn't "officially" supported by anyone on this forum. And these other Plex dockers have actually been around longer and have great support on this forum. I think the "official" plex docker is based on the linuxserverio docker anyway.