Planning to build my first unRAID server for Plex and "normal" Windows usage


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Hello all,

 

I have been browsing through the forums and have found a lot of info, but I can't seem to find answer to all my thoughts 🙂

 

So, today my current setup is the Synology DS418play and a Windows 10 desktop:

  • MB - Gigabyte B450 AORUS PRO
  • CPU - AMD Ryzen 5 - 2600
  • PSU - Mission SG GGP 2.0 650W
  • Memory - Ballistix Black RGB 3200MHz 2x8GB
  • GPU - MSI Radeon RX 570 ARMOR 8G OC
  • 3x HDD's 8TB
  • 4x HDD's 4TB
  • 1x SSD's 225GB

 

So, this is what I already have in parts.

 

The Synology is used today for mainly Plex and some file storage. We mainly stream "only" 1 stream in 1080p at a time, but as the kids will get older I would like to be able to stream 3-4 1080p simultaneously and maybe one ocassional 2160p stream. The desktop is mainly today used to transcoding in Handbrake and browsing the internet. I sometimes need to work from home and then have to use Citrix.

 

So my first thought is to convert my desktop in to an unRAID server with it's original components (except for the motherboard that hasn't enough SATA ports, there I was thinking of the ASRock X570 Pro4 that has eight SATA ports) and adding an extra set of memory (so total 32GB) and do Plex in unRAID and Windows as a VM.

 

So here are some questions about this setup:

  • Would these specs be enough?
  • Is it possible to run Citrix within the Windows VM or maybe it's possible to connect directly from unRAID?
  • In this case I wouldn't have a pure desktop computer anymore, but what I understand if I hook the monitor, keyboard and mouse I should be able to use the Windows system almost as normally within the server?
  • Is the CPU enough or should I be looking at upgrading to a AMD Ryzen 7 2700X 3,7GHz?
  • Is the ASRock X570 Pro4 a good motherboard for this kind of build?

 

My other option is to keep the desktop as is and skip the Windows VM and build a server with the following specs:

  • MB - ASRock X570 Pro4
  • CPU - AMD Ryzen 3 3200G
  • PSU - Cooler Master MWE Gold Modular 650W
  • Memory - Corsair Vengeance LPX Black DDR4 2933MHz 2x8GB
  • GPU - integrated in the CPU
  • 3x HDD's 8TB
  • 4x HDD's 4TB
  • 1x SSD's 225GB

 

Which build would you guys recommend me to do for my needs?

 

Many thanks in advance!

 

/Tomas

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So, I have thought back and forth and now thinking of revising my server and would like your input on the parts.

 

My idea now is that I "convert" my desktop to an unRAID system, with its current parts except that I buy a new motherboard and a 1 TB WD Blue NVME for cache, plus maybe some more ram and see how it goes.

 

I'm looking at these two motherboards for the moment: ASRock X570 Taichi and Asus ROG Strix X570-F Gaming. The Asus is about € 50 cheaper than the ASRock. Which one would you choose? What should I think of regarding these motherboards?

 

Then in the future I'm thinking of buying an Ryzen 9 to put in. Would this be overkill?

 

All opinions are welcome!

Many thanks in advance!

 

/Tomas

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Hi and welcome.

 

Some thoughts.

 

You seem to set on a new motherboard, however a 2 Sata port ASmedia card is only ~$10 while a used SAS controller with cables for 8 additional drives would be around $50 and work fine in a x4 slot. That would get you going at a minimal cost and what you learn from the setup will help you pick an upgrade. Due to how unraid works, you basically swap the drives and the USB and you're up and running again so hardware changes aren't usually a problem as long as the new hardware is supported. Asus WS Pro X570 may be an option as it has 2 x PCI-E 4.0 x8 and 1 x PCI-E 3.0 x8 which gives more expansion.

 

If a main use is Plex then you ideally need a Nvidia GPU to transcode as needed with your AMD CPU. You can use the CPU cores but if it comes to 4k transcode you will soon eat into the CPU cores. Even a X570 board can be quite limited in expansion if you want multiple GPU's and a SAS controller.

 

Often an intel CPU with built in iGPU is a good option as it can do all the transcodes which leaves plenty of free expansion option.

A B365 board with a Quad core or better chip would be a decent starter system for Unraid and a good number of dockers etc, though you need to avoid the 'F' skus with no GPU.

 

What would you use the Ryzen 9 for? More cores is nice but you soon run out of expansion slots for VM's etc in which case different hardware might be more suited. 

 

 

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Thank you, Decto!

 

The trouble with SATA-cards are that they are not so easy to come by in Sweden and what I have understood from this forum it's not really plug-n-play together with unRAID.

 

While searching last night I came across this SATA-card: StarTech PEXESAT322I. It should have a ASMedia ASM1061 chipset. Is it something that might work out of the box?

 

As you mentioned that the AMD processor needs and NVIDIA GPU to transcode, I started to look at Intel CPU's instead. What I have understood is that unRAID 6.8 doesn't support the 10th generation Core I5 yet, but unRAID 6.9.X Beta should. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Therefor I was maybe thinking of the following setup:

  • CPU - Intel Core i5 10400
  • MOBO - ASRock B460 Pro4 (or should I go with a ASUS ROG STRIX B460-F Gaming as they almost seem to be the same on paper?)

Did I understand correctly that, if I use the Intel CPU I won't be needing an NVIDIA GPU + I can run both Plex and Windows 10 VM?

My idea is to use 2 cores for Plex and Docker and the rest 4 cores for Windows. Or should I do the other way around?

 

All inputs are welcome 🙂

 

 

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Just to add. Transcoding and direct play are different things altogether. If you have a good network within your house, you'll not need transcoding at all and 4k will direct play.

The reason most people buy the GPU for plex is for the reason that they need to share things outside the house.

My Freenas box which I built about 5.5 years back (not an advertisement) is running on a xeon E5-2609-v3 on an asus server board. I have hand-braked or found x265 HDR bluray with multi channel audio (including atmos/DTS-HDMA) . All run perfectly coz most of house is wired. Only audio needs transcoding coz not all tvs are attached to a home theater and that takes minimum efforts by the cpu.

 

Just my cents.

 

Sent from my HD1911 using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

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