New Hardware - Will it work smoothly? (UK based)

[t2ffn]

Hi all,

 

I'm a big XBMC user and have exhausted all of the external drives so time to build an unRaid server! I planned on buying basically the UK system as per the wiki, but due to unforeseen circumstances, I now have the following brand new kit ready to use:

 

Coolmaster Centurion 590 case.

Intel motherboard DG41TY (Another user, daldridge here is using this mobo http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=5880.0)

Atrix Extreme Power 650W (model 650T) power supply. (Not many Sata / Molex connections - I wanted to use Corsair CX 400W)

ATI Sapphire HD 3870 graphics card. (Not needed so I will remove and use inbuilt graphics)

2 x Kingston 2Gb Ram 800Mhz DDR2 Ram.

Intel Core 2 Quad 2.66Ghz Processor. (Overkill, but it's what I have)

Samsung 750Gb (HD753LJ) Hard Drive. (Will likely use as a cache drive)

 

I have a mix of 2TB, 1.5TB and 1TB drives, and intend to purchase 2 x Samsung Spinpoint F3 2TB Ecogreen to start with, 1x Parity 1 x storage, then add my old drives to the array by transferring data over, blanking the drive and adding it to the server.

Question: If I have a mix of drive sizes, can I at a later date remove 2 x 1TB drives and replace the data onto a new 2TB drive?

 

I have no experience with unRaid, so any advice on the above would be great. As I said, I have all of the above now, but am open to changing parts if it is beneficial. I will need a sata PCI-e card, any good, cheap options? I need some sata cables, and some molex to sata adapters / or new power supply.

 

Due to the powerful CPU and vast Ram, I'd like to use the machine to run Sabnzbd, Sickbeard, Couchpotato etc, which i appreciate will need some help setting up, and advice on how easy it is to manage the files on the server.

Is it possible to use media scrapers such as Ember media manager with media on an unRaid server? XBMC scrapers are ok, but sometimes I like to add my own details, such as trailers etc.

 

Anyway, I look forward to some feedack and critique.

 

Thanks

 

Paul

[Joe L.]

Question: If I have a mix of drive sizes, can I at a later date remove 2 x 1TB drives and replace the data onto a new 2TB drive?[/b]

You can remove a 1TB drive, replace it with a 2TB drive and press "Start"

The contents of the 1TB drive will be re-constructed onto the 2TB drive.

 

You can THEN copy the contents of the OTHER 1TB drive to the space on the 2TB drive.

 

Removing the no longer wanted 1TB drive, once it is emptied of files involves setting a new device configuration AFTER stopping the array and un-assigning the un-wanted drive.  That is done with the initconfig command.

 

Using the initconfig command immediately invalidates parity based on the prior disk configuration.  When you next "Start" the array after using it, the array will perform a full initial parity calculation based on the new disk configuration.

[mcs]

Is it possible to use media scrapers such as Ember media manager with media on an unRaid server?

 

Yes, I run XBMC on a dedicated HTPC for viewing and EMM on my workhorse PC for movie management and scraping. All movies, posters, fan art, and nfo files are stored on my unRAID server.

[t2ffn]

MCS,

 

So you scrape the media before adding to unRaid server, or EMM can scrape media on unRaid server?

 

Thanks

[joshpond]

t2ffn

 

EMM can scrap media on the server. I have a windows XP computer that EMM runs on. If you have SAMBA shares set up you XP machine will find the folder and so will EMM.

 

Joe L

 

You can remove a 1TB drive, replace it with a 2TB drive and press "Start"

The contents of the 1TB drive will be re-constructed onto the 2TB drive.

 

Would it not be safer (if you have the SATA ports and the space in the array) to copy both the 1TBs to the 2TB?

What happens if during the parity rebuild (with the reconstruction which might take hours) another drive dies, wouldn't that possibly cause data loss?

 

Josh

[mcs]

So you scrape the media before adding to unRaid server, or EMM can scrape media on unRaid server?

 

The process I use:

1. use workhorse PC to rip DVD

2. copy rip to unRAID (e.g. \\tower\movies\new_movie_name)

3. startup EMM on workhorse PC

4. from EMM check for new movies, which will find new_movie_name

5. from EMM scrape details for new_movie_name (poster, fan art, nfo will now be saved under \\tower\movies\new_movie_name\...)

6. from XBMC on HTPC rescan for new movies, which will find new_movie_name and associated details

 

Hope I haven't left off any steps...

 

[Joe L.]

Would it not be safer (if you have the SATA ports and the space in the array) to copy both the 1TBs to the 2TB?

Yes but he asked if he could REPLACE a 1TB drive with a 2TB drive.  He might have just the free license, in which case it would not matter if he had more free slots in the case.  He is limited to two data disks.

What happens if during the parity rebuild (with the reconstruction which might take hours) another drive dies, wouldn't that possibly cause data loss?

There is NOT a parity rebuild.  There is a re-construction of the removed 1TB drive to the new 2TB drive.  If another drive were to fail you can put the original 1TB drive back in and re-group.  Not the easiest, but you can recover.  There is ALWAYS a risk of multiple disk failures... unRAID is not your ultimate backup. No array, regardless of how it protects the disks will be.  A single lightning strike will take out ALL the disks, and all the electronics...  A backup is physically elsewhere preferably off-site.

 

Joe L.

[joshpond]

Thanks Joe

 

Would it not be safer (if you have the SATA ports and the space in the array) to copy both the 1TBs to the 2TB?

Yes but he asked if he could REPLACE a 1TB drive with a 2TB drive.  He might have just the free license, in which case it would not matter if he had more free slots in the case.  He is limited to two data disks.

 

I wasn't sure what license he had so I included space in the array but probably should have explained that better.

 

There is NOT a parity rebuild.  There is a re-construction of the removed 1TB drive to the new 2TB drive.  If another drive were to fail you can put the original 1TB drive back in and re-group.  Not the easiest, but you can recover.  There is ALWAYS a risk of multiple disk failures... unRAID is not your ultimate backup. No array, regardless of how it protects the disks will be.  A single lightning strike will take out ALL the disks, and all the electronics...  A backup is physically elsewhere preferably off-site.

 

I meant reconstruction not parity rebuild, but that makes sense as all other disks are being read not written. I was thinking there was some writing involved..... don't know why but....

 

Thanks Josh

[t2ffn]

Thanks for the comments.

 

Currently I haven't got any setup, but I am going to get the full licence soon. I may start with the free one to see the basics, I just need to get a couple of empty hard drives and finish the build.

 

There's been no comments on the hardware yet, I was expecting "Core 2 Quad 2.66Ghz is 10000x overkill" etc, which I tend to agree, but may prove useful running background tasks. I have read though that its not the best idea running too many background taks, Sabnzbd, Sickbeard etc, as it really isn't designed for this. How true is this?

 

I would add a cache drive, so I'm guessing this is where all downloading, unpacking etc would take place, then the files would be moved onto the correct user share, Movies, TV etc.

 

I'd guess a few people here do this also?

[joshpond]

I think you've answered most of your own questions.

 

Yes the CPU is overkill but if you already have it you might as well give it a go.

 

yes all those apps are used by people and mostly downloaded onto a cache drive.

I think if you search around you'll find more info on them, but I don't run any of those.

 

Josh

[t2ffn]

Is it possible to under-clock my CPU? (Core 2 Quad) so its not so power hungry? Disable cores?

The big watts on idle (http://techgage.com/article/intel_core_2_quad_q9450_266ghz/12) seem high, but what does that equate to in actual £?