So I am finally getting an old pc donated to me and I will make it a dedicated nas for both Plex and network file shares. I'm leaning towards unraid due to the way expanding the array functions. The only problem being that I don't think that there will be any expansion options for more than an OS ssd and 2/3 hdds. So i ask, when I need more I will most likely be upgrading cpu and motherboard with no place to store the data other than the array can I make the upgrade without losing data?

And while your here how possible would it be to allow computers on my network access the optical drive that this pc comes with to watch/ rip media.

9 hours ago, Planet____9 said:

an OS ssd

The Unraid OS doesn't install to any disk. The flash drive, which is required for your license, contains the archive of the OS and configuration settings you make. The OS is installed fresh from the archives on flash into RAM at each boot, and your configuration is applied. The OS runs completely in RAM, think of it as firmware.

 

9 hours ago, Planet____9 said:

upgrading cpu and motherboard with no place to store the data other than the array can I make the upgrade without losing data?

Many of us have changed hardware and kept the disks with their data. I just did this very thing this month:

 

https://forums.unraid.net/topic/93149-mitx-motherboard-which-can-support-7-drives-on-board

 

In fact, that thread mentions I downgraded to older hardware while I waited on the newer hardware, so really changed things twice.

 

9 hours ago, Planet____9 said:

allow computers on my network access the optical drive that this pc comes with to watch/ rip media.

I don't think there is really any way to share that drive on the network from Unraid. In fact, Unraid has nothing builtin to even use it, but you might be able to use it with dockers or VMs, and maybe even share it from a VM.

 

If it is using a SATA connection, it might be better to remove it, use it on another machine, and reclaim that port for more disks.