Hi. I found this site via AVSForum. I currently use a HP EX490 WHS and was wondering if it's possible to format it, install unRAID and use it? The EX 490 has an eSATA multiplication port and USB 2.0 ports, which I'd need to continue using as I've got a 5-bay eSATA tower and a 8-bay USB 2.0 tower attached for total storage of 26.5TB. I love the ease of use of a WHS, but don't care of its data duplication protection, which leaves me only 13TB of actual space for media. I also don't use most of the apps. unRAID's simplistic UI looks really appealing, plus the fact I'd gain back all of my 26.5GB of space .

One way to find out... download the free version, install it on a flash drive and see if you can boot from it / see the drives in your machine.

 

You do realize however that Unraid uses Reiserfs file system and so all your drives would have to be reformatted?  If your whs setup is duplicating that data, then you could carefully add the drives one at a time, copy the data over, then add another, etc.

 

I'm pretty sure Unraid wouldn't have a problem with the esata tower, not so sure about the USB tower - it can mount USB drives, but not sure if it allows you to add them as part of the array.  Someone more knowledgeable will have to chime in here.

not so sure about the USB tower - it can mount USB drives, but not sure if it allows you to add them as part of the array.  Someone more knowledgeable will have to chime in here.

unRAID can not use USB drives in the array -- SATA (including eSATA) or IDE only.

I have this working on a ex495 - I didn't have a video cable to alter the bios to boot from USB so I removed the bottom tray and it boots very easily into Unraid.

The only problem I guess is that I can only use the top 3 trays - if anyone knows how to boot from USB without removing the bottom tray or entering the bios id love to hear.

thats some praise for WHS, that you've never had to run it with a directly attached monitor!

 

you really need to be able to get into bios to change boot order etc