Tight_wad Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 I would like to first say "hello" to all of you. This is my first post here on this forum so I am a newbie! I have been a sight see on here for awhile now, and have to say that I am a little overwhelmed by all the info. So I would like to ask for your help in setting up an Unraid system. To start, I will explain my use and abilities. My current system I have 3 Media streamers in my house, that I network to a Qnap 509 pro Nas with 5) 2tb hard drives in Raid 5 and 3) WD My Book usb 2tb external hard drives. On this network I have a simple Dell Studio Slim that I use to do all of my ripping on. I also have my streamers share point 1 of my hard drive on the computer that I have Symbolic links for all of my movies. This is done so that I can have several different categories that each movie can be found in. This works for me very well, so I would like to continue doing it in this way or similar. I also have lots of 1tb hard drives that I use to back everything up, using an esata hard drive dock. My abilities As to my abilities. This will be short. I'm not computer illiterate, I have been inside computers before, adding hard drives, network card, and memory & such. But I have never built a computer before. Why I think UnRaid is for me A couple of years ago, I started looking at the UnRaid, but just lacked the confidence to pursue it then. So I went the quick route, and got a Nas. But now my Nas is full, and my WD My books aren't really up to the task for my system. And that is what brings me here again with the thought that this might be the right direction for me to go. Again I must say that I have been overwhelmed by the info on this site. I am very excited, yet also worried about having to choose all the equipment to make such a build. If there was available, I would probably purchase one from Lime Tech. But since they aren't, I am ready to ask for help! What I want I would like to build one that can hold at least 12 hard drives. This would be large enough to get all of my data off of my Nas and the My Books, and give me some room to grow. I have 5) extra 1tb hard drives that I could get started with, and a 2tb that I can use for my parity drive. Then after I start loading what is on my Nas, I will be able to use my backup drives to complete the system. I would like to be able to still use my Symbolic links if I can, and if I could have them on the UnRaid system in a network share, instead of my computer, that would be a best. So what do I want from you? Well, I would really like to have someone give me a list of all the hardware, that can be purchased new, that I would need to make my UnRaid system. It is not that I am not trying to figure it out myself, I am. I have been trying, and I think that I have started to learn a lot looking at this forum. But I just don't feel that I can be very successful with picking out the hardware, when I don't really have a clue what a lot of the terminology even means. Now I'm not looking for a bare bone system, nor am I wanting the "budget is no limit dream system". I just want to do it on a reasonable, say maybe $500 to $700 (without drives) budget. Sure less would be great. I would like to use new hardware, that has been prove to be compatible as a UnRaid system. So, if you have built a system that has made you happy, without compatibility problems, and the parts are currently available online from someone like newegg, I would love to see it. Thanks for take the time to read this, I appreciate any advice! Link to comment
pfp Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 here ya go http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php?title=Hardware_Compatibility#Budget_Box Link to comment
Rajahal Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Welcome to unRAID! I'm confident that this is the right system for you. You haven't told us where you live, so I'm going to assume you live in the US. Some of the parts I will list below may not be available outside the US. Your first stop should be the Recommended Builds - Budget Box. The Budget Box was designed after LimeTech's own RB-1200, and the result is fairly similar. The only hiccup at the moment is that the recommended motherboard has been discontinued and is rather hard to find. I have a used one I'm interested in selling, but you said you would rather buy new. If you want a no-fuss motherboard that should just work, check out the ASUS M4A78LT-M LE. This board takes DDR3 RAM, so you'll need to substitute some cheap DDR3 RAM such as this. All the other parts listed for the Budget Box will work with this motherboard. As for physically building the computer, don't worry, it's easy. There are plenty of guides available online, or we can walk you through it. Link to comment
Tight_wad Posted August 27, 2010 Author Share Posted August 27, 2010 here ya go http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php?title=Hardware_Compatibility#Budget_Box The Motherboard in that build is no longer available, at least not at Newegg or Tigerdirect. Thanks though. Link to comment
Tight_wad Posted August 27, 2010 Author Share Posted August 27, 2010 Welcome to unRAID! I'm confident that this is the right system for you. You haven't told us where you live, so I'm going to assume you live in the US. Some of the parts I will list below may not be available outside the US. Your first stop should be the Recommended Builds - Budget Box. The Budget Box was designed after LimeTech's own RB-1200, and the result is fairly similar. The only hiccup at the moment is that the recommended motherboard has been discontinued and is rather hard to find. I have a used one I'm interested in selling, but you said you would rather buy new. If you want a no-fuss motherboard that should just work, check out the ASUS M4A78LT-M LE. This board takes DDR3 RAM, so you'll need to substitute some cheap DDR3 RAM such as this. All the other parts listed for the Budget Box will work with this motherboard. As for physically building the computer, don't worry, it's easy. There are plenty of guides available online, or we can walk you through it. My location is Indiana USA. It's not that I wouldn't be willing to use used parts, I just don't have a good source for them in my area, and work hours make it difficult for me to get anywhere. You have a used one to sell, did you upgrade to something else? I see that the ASUS M4A78LT-M is in the compatible list, is it as simple as that. Just substitute that motherboard, get all the rest in the budget list, and everything will play nice with each other? That seems easy. Thanks Link to comment
Rajahal Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 I didn't upgrade, per say, I just switched from a 10 bay system to a 20 bay system. The motherboard I now use came as a free gift with my case, the Norco 4220. The Biostar A760G M2+ (the used one I have) is great for servers of 16 drives or less. While I'm happy to cut you a deal on the motherboard I have, chances are it will still be cheaper for you to purchase a new board since I can't compete with the free shipping offers of vendors like Newegg. Any motherboard listed on the Hardware Compatibility list should work, but the ones with a Tested Level of 1 or better (look for the check marks) have been more thoroughly tested. The motherboard I mentioned earlier hasn't been tested with unRAID, though I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. If you prefer one that has been proven to work with unRAID, try this one: ASUS M4A78L-M AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 760G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard It is only $5 more than the other one I listed, so it is probably a better idea to spend that extra amount than to take a chance on one that has a slight chance of not working. Yes, all the other components will play nice with either of these motherboards. All the components on the Budget Box list have been tested extensively (many of them by me personally), and they are all being used in various unRAIDer's servers. I also just realized that the PSU listed in the budget box list has also been discontinued, so I replaced it with the updated version (which is 430W instead of 400W and is the same price). Link to comment
graywolf Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 The CoolMaster case would be great, with 3 5in3s (I have 1 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817121405 so far) it'll give you 15 drive capacity. Putting stuff together is relatively easy. Cable Management is a little harder. Something I never considered before but did with my unRAID build. I looked at the various pictures in the Pimp Your Rig http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=2031.0 thread to give me a clue. Link to comment
vexhold Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Just to be easier, take graywolf's current working build and make your own... Case: CoolMaster-Centurion 590 59.00 http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&q=CoolerMaster-Centurion+590&cid=10957540352379668631&ei=Df53TMWODojiMKTr_b4C&sa=title&ved=0CAcQ8wIwADgA#p Hard Drive Cage: CSE-M35T-1B 120.00x2 http://www.pricebat.ca/Supermicro-Black-3X5-25-to-5X3-5IN-SATA-Drive-Bay-Converter-HOT-SWAP-Mobile.u_837853/ Motherboard: Biostar A760G M2+ 55.00 http://www.directron.com/a760gm2plus.html?gsear=1#caption CPU: AMD Sempron 140 34.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103698&cm_re=Sempron_140-_-19-103-698-_-Product Power Supply: CX430 50.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139017&Tpk=corsair%20430w Memory: 2GB DDR2 800 37.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139017&Tpk=corsair%20430w Controller Card: Supermicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 100.00 http://www.cispc.com/ssproduct.asp?pf_id=1013412824 USB Drive: SanDisk Cruzer Micro (4GB) 10.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820171398&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle-_-Memory+(USB+Flash+Drive)-_-SanDisk-_-20171398 TOTAL: 584.00 (not including Hard Drives, Cables, Taxes, shipping and unRAID license) EDIT: Made changes as per Rajahal's comments Link to comment
Rajahal Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 You found a Biostar A760G M2+ in stock! Well done! Tight_wad, you should jump on that before it disappears. I still suggest the Sempron 140 instead of a dual core CPU to save power and money, but that's your call. Also, that PSU is definitely overkill for a 12 drive system. You should never have to go over 650W for an unRAID server, since a good quality single rail 650W can support 20+ drives. Tight_wad, I would recommend sticking with the Corsair 430W on the budget box list. Even though ECC RAM is nice, I still recommend a single 2 GB stick instead of 2 x 1GB. The only thing missing from that list are the SAS-SATA breakout cables. You can find links to these on the Budget Box list. Link to comment
graywolf Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Also, that PSU is definitely overkill for a 12 drive system. You should never have to go over 650W for an unRAID server, since a good quality single rail 650W can support 20+ drives. Tight_wad, I would recommend sticking with the Corsair 430W on the budget box list. Agreed, PSU is overkill and I probably would have gone with the Corsair 430w but I got the one I did (still NIB) from a friend for the same price as the Corsair would have cost. Link to comment
vexhold Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 And of course as you can tell, the major chunk of that cost is the 3x5 drive housings. If your requirements were only 11 drives it would only be 464.00. And since the case has 9 bays, if that was enough the price lowers again to a minimal 344.00. 9 Drives = Maximum 16TB (Alot of space) 11 Drives = Maximum 20TB (4TBmore for another 120.00 ) 12 drives = Maximum 22TB (2TB more for yet another 120.00) Link to comment
mbryanr Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Here is my proposed build (received the case, mobo, and CPU, waiting for delivery on the other parts) M4A785-M Motherboard AMD Sempron 140 G.Skill 4GB (2x2GB) DDR2 800 Ram - just to be different than the Kingston Azza Helios 910 Case - wanted to be different than the CM590 CORSAIR Builder Series CX430 Kingston DataTraveler 101 G2 2GB Flash Drive (cool LIME ) Supermicro Controller Card Koutech MB to USB adapter MOBO and CPU Combo - 91.98 Case - 39.99 PSU - 49.99 Flash Drive - 7.99 Memory - 44.99 Controller Card - 111.99 MB to USB Adapter - 9.99 Total - 357.92 Edit: actually ended up with the Kingston DataTraveler flash drive, 4GB G.Skill memory Link to comment
graywolf Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 And of course as you can tell, the major chunk of that cost is the 3x5 drive housings. If your requirements were only 11 drives it would only be 464.00. And since the case has 9 bays, if that was enough the price lowers again to a minimal 344.00. 9 Drives = Maximum 16TB (Alot of space) 11 Drives = Maximum 20TB (4TBmore for another 120.00 ) 12 drives = Maximum 22TB (2TB more for yet another 120.00) Should be: 9 Drives = Maximum 16TB (No 5x3s - No Hot Swap - open case to add/remove/replace drives) 11 Drives = Maximum 20TB (4TBmore for cost of 5x3 - approx $100-$120 ballpark for Hot Swap) 13 Drives = Maximum 24TB (4TBmore for cost of 5x3 - approx $100-$120 ballpark for Hot Swap) 15 Drives = Maximum 28TB (4TBmore for cost of 5x3 - approx $100-$120 ballpark for Hot Swap) First Time I've used Hot Swap bays and personally, I think I'll like it enough for the added cost with the benefit of squeezing in 6 more drives (possible). YMMV Link to comment
graywolf Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Azza Helios 910 Case - wanted to be different than the CM590 Nice looking case, let us know how it works out for you and what you like/dislike about it once you get it put together. Link to comment
Rajahal Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Supermicro Controller Card NO! This is the wrong card. PCI-X is not the same as PCIe. Unfortunately, newegg doesn't carry the right card. You want the SuperMicro AOC-SASLP-MV8. I bought mine from eWiz since they offer free shipping: link G.Skill 2GB DDR2 800 Ram - just to be different than the Kingston Azza Helios 910 Case - wanted to be different than the CM590 LOL, I like your style. Sure, go for it, both will work. I've considered that case before, but I decided that I don't like the massive fan on the side. While it would be great for a gaming build, it is unnecessary for a server (hence, wasted power). Link to comment
mbryanr Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Thanks Rajahal for the info on the card! Edited my original link and avoided severe disappointment. I actually saw that case from another forum member where you replied. Your response decided it for me. Link to comment
Seven Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Here's a list of items I used to build my unRAID system 6-weeks ago. All items were purchased from Newegg. I used the "Budget Box" listed here in the forum as my guide. I had to substitute some items listed in the recommended build since some weren't available when I built my system. Built unRAID server 15-JULY-2010 using the following parts: HDD cage = COOLER MASTER STB-3T4-E3-GP 4-in-3 Device Module Hardisk Cage (Qty 3) MOBO = ASUS M4A78L-M AM3/AM2+/AM2 AMD 760G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard CPU = AMD Sempron 140 Sargas 2.7GHz 1MB L2 Cache Socket AM3 45W Single-Core Processor SDX140HBGQBOX PSU = CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W Memory = Kingston 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Model KVR800D2/2GR Flash drive = Lexar JumpDrive FireFly 4GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive Model LJDFF4GBASBNA Case = COOLER MASTER Centurion 590 RC-590-KKN1-GP Black ATX Mid Tower Total cost = $373.94 This system will allow a total of 12 hard drives but I am only at 4 hard drives right now so no PCI-SATA cards were included at this time. I will add this later when I need it. Hope this helps. Link to comment
Tight_wad Posted August 27, 2010 Author Share Posted August 27, 2010 All of this quick response and good information has me really excited! I am really feeling like I can do this myself, and it's because of all of you. I was going to wait a few weeks and decide if this was for me, but I think I have already made that decision. Go UnRaid! Question: Are the Hot Swap cages really need in the UnRaid setup? Is it more of a WOW factor or for a practical purpose? Just wondering since the Non Swap cages are so much cheaper. Link to comment
Rajahal Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 They are a matter of personal preference, they certainly aren't required. I built my first server with all internal drives, then hated life anytime I had to do any drive maintenance (adding drives, replacing drives, etc). Unplugging all the drives, removing a drive cage full of drives, then plugging all the drives back in is a pain and gets old very fast. As soon as I upgraded to all external (hot swap) drives I've sworn to never go back. If you have budgetary constraints, I completely understand getting internal drive cages for now. However, I promise you that you'll be happier with external drives in the long run. The extra money really is worth it. Link to comment
vexhold Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 And of course as you can tell, the major chunk of that cost is the 3x5 drive housings. If your requirements were only 11 drives it would only be 464.00. And since the case has 9 bays, if that was enough the price lowers again to a minimal 344.00. 9 Drives = Maximum 16TB (Alot of space) 11 Drives = Maximum 20TB (4TBmore for another 120.00 ) 12 drives = Maximum 22TB (2TB more for yet another 120.00) Should be: 9 Drives = Maximum 16TB (No 5x3s - No Hot Swap - open case to add/remove/replace drives) 11 Drives = Maximum 20TB (4TBmore for cost of 5x3 - approx $100-$120 ballpark for Hot Swap) 13 Drives = Maximum 24TB (4TBmore for cost of 5x3 - approx $100-$120 ballpark for Hot Swap) 15 Drives = Maximum 28TB (4TBmore for cost of 5x3 - approx $100-$120 ballpark for Hot Swap) First Time I've used Hot Swap bays and personally, I think I'll like it enough for the added cost with the benefit of squeezing in 6 more drives (possible). YMMV What I said, is what I meant, Yes I know the next FULL step up was 13, but his requirement was 12 so I used that, It needs the 2nd cage to get to 12 so blah. lol But, I do agree with the hot swap point, just not sure if thats important to him or not. On a side note: If you have to purchase 3 3x5's for almost 300 bucks, wouldnt it be smarter just getting a 4020 or a 4220? Link to comment
pfp Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 Right now I have two arrays one with 12 disks and the other with 15. I didn't use any hot-swap cages - at roughly $100/ea that would have added at least $700 between my two servers. I'm currently preparing a migration where I need to move every drive in both servers. It definitely won't be fun but for me I'd much rather the little bit of extra work for the move and $700+ in my pocket. Heck, that's another another 14tb of storage! Link to comment
graywolf Posted August 28, 2010 Share Posted August 28, 2010 On a side note: If you have to purchase 3 3x5's for almost 300 bucks, wouldnt it be smarter just getting a 4020 or a 4220? Very Good point and not one I had read (or thought of) before I purchased my stuff. Live and learn. Would at least take a look and consider them. As it is, I'm slowly growing, only have 1 5x3 Hot Swap currently. unRAID and SageTV machines come out of "mad money" so sometimes I just like to get that little bit extra Link to comment
vexhold Posted August 28, 2010 Share Posted August 28, 2010 On a side note: If you have to purchase 3 3x5's for almost 300 bucks, wouldnt it be smarter just getting a 4020 or a 4220? Very Good point and not one I had read (or thought of) before I purchased my stuff. Live and learn. Would at least take a look and consider them. As it is, I'm slowly growing, only have 1 5x3 Hot Swap currently. unRAID and SageTV machines come out of "mad money" so sometimes I just like to get that little bit extra HAHA, don't I know it. When I 1st started with SageTV, I was planning a stand-alone HTPC and went WAAAY over-board, then I found extenders and have 3 now. Now I have an over powered SageTV server and nothing else to do with it. LOL. Link to comment
Tight_wad Posted August 28, 2010 Author Share Posted August 28, 2010 Doesn't the CPU AMD Sempron 140 need to have a heat sink and cooling fan? Link to comment
vexhold Posted August 28, 2010 Share Posted August 28, 2010 Well, it comes with one of each, you can either use them or get higher powered ones, but I don't see the need. You DO want to get some thermal Paste which you will put between the CPU and the heatsink/fan. It might come with that too, but my experience says no. Link to comment
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