FreeNAS Upgrade......

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I have got another case and 4 x 2 tb hdd’s along with an icy dock.

This is the case I will be using:

116C20F5-5B6B-4497-B4A0-0BEA08971207.webp

The icy dock allows me to mount 4 3.5” hdd’s in 3 5.25” bays.

A6498A11-9790-406B-91DD-6A9050859A7B.webp

Plus I have also got a solid state drive to boot from (32gb)

More to follow as I haven’t quite got all the parts yet, amazon should deliver them tomorrow.

Total storage should be 18tb after raid losses.
 
Impressive - I just dug my 2nd NASbox out of the bag in the shed its been hiding in since the big move & connected it up - so Ive now got a rather pitiful 2TB! :D
 
Got a 2TB + 2TB Buffalo Linkstation here (not enough space for backing up two computers and use for storage in RAID configuration), but thinking of using my 64 bit Dell Precision 490 as a NAS server, should be ideal for the job, did have windows 10, but the last update caused problems and had to revert to 7 home premium. Looks like FreeNAS may be the solution.
 
The icy dock has been delivered,

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Just waiting for one more delivery and I can start to build the “new” nas.

While I am waiting I have a fair amount of data to move temporary.
 
Ordered 2 of these 5045A316-1B6A-48E1-A498-A91D87A6AB72.webp
The old ones I had only had 2 sata sockets, these have 4.

I wish to use this ssd as the boot drive.
F5D035A9-361A-4924-B493-D71740D1BA56.webp
 
Thought FreeNAS didn't recommend SSD?
 
Looks good to me.

I guess you are using a big PSU 800-1000w so I suppose that retains enough power for a few seconds for hdd emergency shutdown routines. A UPS may be a good idea to be certain of a proper shutdown if there is a power failure, but I think you would be ok with a big psu.

I like the use of 2tb hdds. I have always been wary of going over 2tb because of the amount of time it takes to repopulate the array if (when) a disk goes down. I would do it slightly differently and use 2.5" hdds for a long list of reasons including:

~ they are made to be more robust (designed for mobile use)

~ vibrate less and can tolerate stronger vibrations (being designed for mobile use (x10 in some specs))

~ quieter

~ low power so a less powerful yet high quality quiet PSU can be used

~ smaller (you can store 4 or 5 in the space for one 3.5" when you archive them)

~ the backplane is smaller, less noisy and vibrates less

~ metal backplanes are cheaper and more rigid so even less noise and vibration

~ if you drop them onto the carpet when taking them out of the archive (the cupboard!) they should still work but a 3.5" likely would be fooked (I'm assuming you follow the model of considering the NAS as being desktop level data and migrate redundant copies of data and media files to archive disks (bluray discs are useful for multiple redundant discs of data imho (yes I've been paid to do this stuff (yes things went wrong (no I didn't give a hoot as it was someone elses data (lol (no lol if its your own data)))))))

~ they are easier to handle and so less likely to drop when using as archived disks with a dock

~ you can send them around the country by mail or courier and they should be ok, I wouldn't try that with 3.5"


Yes the IO is slower but modern 2.5" are fast enough for media use as sequential reads and writes are always fast.

Also everyone don't forget to copy and backup any IDE drives. I have at least 14 of various capacities that I have to chug through before it is too late.
 
hexah said:
Looks good to me.

I guess you are using a big PSU 800-1000w so I suppose that retains enough power for a few seconds for hdd emergency shutdown routines. A UPS may be a good idea to be certain of a proper shutdown if there is a power failure, but I think you would be ok with a big psu.

I like the use of 2tb hdds. I have always been wary of going over 2tb because of the amount of time it takes to repopulate the array if (when) a disk goes down. I would do it slightly differently and use 2.5" hdds for a long list of reasons including:

~ they are made to be more robust (designed for mobile use)

~ vibrate less and can tolerate stronger vibrations (being designed for mobile use (x10 in some specs))

~ quieter

~ low power so a less powerful yet high quality quiet PSU can be used

~ smaller (you can store 4 or 5 in the space for one 3.5" when you archive them)

~ the backplane is smaller, less noisy and vibrates less

~ metal backplanes are cheaper and more rigid so even less noise and vibration

~ if you drop them onto the carpet when taking them out of the archive (the cupboard!) they should still work but a 3.5" likely would be fooked (I'm assuming you follow the model of considering the NAS as being desktop level data and migrate redundant copies of data and media files to archive disks (bluray discs are useful for multiple redundant discs of data imho (yes I've been paid to do this stuff (yes things went wrong (no I didn't give a hoot as it was someone elses data (lol (no lol if its your own data)))))))

~ they are easier to handle and so less likely to drop when using as archived disks with a dock

~ you can send them around the country by mail or courier and they should be ok, I wouldn't try that with 3.5"


Yes the IO is slower but modern 2.5" are fast enough for media use as sequential reads and writes are always fast.

Also everyone don't forget to copy and backup any IDE drives. I have at least 14 of various capacities that I have to chug through before it is too late.
Click to expand...


It has a Corsair 650w psu in the “old” array I will hopefully be able to use that for a while at least (that’s the hope)

Still transferring data to various hdd’s across all computers and Vu hdd :eek: and a few usb flash drives.

The main reason I went for the 2tb drives at the time of building the “old” nas was simply cost as at that time I needed 4 of them. Toshiba P300.

This time around I wanted to match all the hdd’s in the array so now I will have 8x2Tb Toshiba P300’s

Have also got 2x 2tb something’s I can’t remember, I may use these as a odds and ends Storage.

Can’t make my mind up yet.
 
Looks fine to me. The Toshiba hdd have good fast performance. I have several Corsair PSU and they are good.

If you find the case is a bit rattly and loud due to vibration, try a set of AudioSerenity ISO-9H-35 Gel Isolation Feet. They are 35mm x 14mm. These can work magic on noise levels. You can also put the case on its side which sometimes helps but given its size I expect you will be using it vertically.

That is another advantage of 2.5" disks, you can use smaller quieter matx and itx shoebox cases that fit horizontally on shelves under the desk or on top of cupboards.

Still, that case is something solid to look at.
 
Nice build Chris ...
Much as I love FreeNAS ...I had so much grief with power cuts and battery failure in my UPS ..I decided to go down the QNAP route as you know ..
even in raid 5 this too had it's problems and refused to re-build the volume after failure or possible corruption ..
Many days wasted and with 8tb drives this can take an age.
In all honesty my life saver on more than one occasion has been my non raided 20 tb cold store.
Every NAS enthusiast should have one imo.
All that said ...I'm running out of space again ..
I have collected 'media' for most of my adult life and I can vouch for that sick empty feeling of losing something from your collection ..for ever...
even if you are unlikely to ever watch/listen or reinstall again.
I now backup everything in triplicate ..having 2 NAS units ..and a cold store.
The sign of an obsessive collector I think.
;)
 
Finally finished moving alll the “data” off the FreeNAS to other hdd’s.

I can now start the rebuild.
 
Got all of the hdd’s fitted in the case, just found out I need a sata power splitter (trip to maplins)

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The photo only shows the 6 drives in the bottom of the Pc case. The icy dock has another 4 drives, and I have a ssd to boot from in the top 5.25” bay.

Hoping to get about 18tb’s of storage, once finished.

The mobo is from my old Lenovo h520s max system ram is 8gb :-wow so it looks like I will have to put a new mobo, cpu and ram on my wish list.

Every sat box, Pc, nas drive & usb flash drive I have is full at the moment.

The only thing with any free space is my iPhone :eek:

Fingers crossed a couple of hours and I should have it all up and running (subject to maplins having the parts I need)
 
Wow - that's a lot of data! I have 12TB (9TB usable) on my Synology box from 4x 3TB Western Digital Red NAS drives. I have about 2TB free and it's taken me years to get to that point.

I must say the Synology box, although expensive, was one of the best purchases I have made. It's fit and forget and I have Sickbeard along with Sabnzbd and Plex server running on there.

I did look into FreeNAS in the past but my PC building days are behind me...
 
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