NAS build with existing harware and or cash budget

[Jason Evans]

Yeah a lot of people used those. I myself and a SSD guy, they just last longer and are faster for upgrades. But, nothing really wrong with using them.

Went ahead and ordered 6 2Tb drives, and 2 SSD's. Not sure that I will mirror the SSD's as from what I read, Plex runs much better on it's own SSD in a jail.

 

[jgreco]

Went ahead and ordered 6 2Tb drives, and 2 SSD's. Not sure that I will mirror the SSD's as from what I read, Plex runs much better on it's own SSD in a jail.

There isn't as much value to mirrored SSD boot devices as there was for USB boot devices.

However, do be aware that Plex can be very piggy with its metadata databases. A hundred GB or more isn't that unusual.

 

[Jason Evans]

There isn't as much value to mirrored SSD boot devices as there was for USB boot devices.

However, do be aware that Plex can be very piggy with its metadata databases. A hundred GB or more isn't that unusual.

Going to check my current metadata folder for my windows plex and see where I sit, I ordered a few 80Gb SSD's. Have a 64Gb laying around I was considering using for the OS.

 

[jgreco]

Going to check my current metadata folder for my windows plex and see where I sit, I ordered a few 80Gb SSD's. Have a 64Gb laying around I was considering using for the OS.

Yeah, Plex gets very ... angry ... if it manages to fill its filesystem. Heh.

 

[Jason Evans]

Yeah, Plex gets very ... angry ... if it manages to fill its filesystem. Heh.

yea definitely don't want to run into that sort of issue. Side note, got a buddy pushing hard to run win 10 on my server I have coming, just not sure I want to go that route.

 

[jgreco]

yea definitely don't want to run into that sort of issue. Side note, got a buddy pushing hard to run win 10 on my server I have coming, just not sure I want to go that route.

Win 10 on a *server*? I mean, fine, it has its place in the world of computing, but it seems poorly suited to be doing server-y type things. It's a fairly reasonable desktop once you break all the telemetry and remove all the crap.

Whose idea was it to "advertise" in the start menu anyways. If I wanted ${whatever} there, I'd damn well put ${whatever} there.

 

[Jason Evans]

Win 10 on a *server*? I mean, fine, it has its place in the world of computing, but it seems poorly suited to be doing server-y type things. It's a fairly reasonable desktop once you break all the telemetry and remove all the crap.

Whose idea was it to "advertise" in the start menu anyways. If I wanted ${whatever} there, I'd damn well put ${whatever} there.

yea, I ordered the DELL FS12-TY C2100 cause I am on a budget, and well recommended. Suites the amount drives I plan on running in the future, hardware is pretty darn decent as well. Enough ram for more drives, possible 3tb's.

 

[jgreco]

Wouldn't you need to buy a copy of Win10 for the thing?

 

[Jason Evans]

Wouldn't you need to buy a copy of Win10 for the thing?

I've got a win 7 key, was figuring I could just install that, and then use the upgrade feature.

EDIT: but again, I think FreeNas would suite my needs much better, he says all the windows plugins are why I should run it on there. Mainly stuff for plex.

 

[jgreco]

Ah. Well, can't help you there.

However, it is my understanding that if you go the Win7 key route, and then upgrade, this will lock that Win7 key (even if retail) into a one-shot digital entitlement to Windows 10 on that particular hardware platform.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/activation-in-windows-10

Note in particular it doesn't actually say anything about this.

I may be incorrect and it is your responsibility to check this if it matters to you.

 

[Jason Evans]

Ah. Well, can't help you there.

However, it is my understanding that if you go the Win7 key route, and then upgrade, this will lock that Win7 key (even if retail) into a one-shot digital entitlement to Windows 10 on that particular hardware platform.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/activation-in-windows-10

Note in particular it doesn't actually say anything about this.

I may be incorrect and it is your responsibility to check this if it matters to you.

Think I heard the same thing. It's not really a concern as it's just collecting dust and no tied to any PC's in my home. His setup is nice, plex wise, but the hardware he has are not ideal IMO. But meh..

 

[Mirfster]

If you want to run Win 10, I would suggest perhaps trying it in a VM within FreeNas (If that wasn't what you were originally thinking). Then you get all the benefits of FreeNas' redundancy and bit rot protection. Not that I have tried this myself though.

To add to what jgreco stated, there is just too much BS in Win 10 to make it a viable OS at this time IMHO. If you are not running the Enterprise LTSB (Long Term Supported Branch) version, there are so many "hooks" in the OS that your system will resemble an acupuncture session gone sideways. Look up "Windows 10 Forced Updates"...

 

[jgreco]

If you want to run Win 10, I would suggest perhaps trying it in a VM within FreeNas (If that wasn't what you were originally thinking). Then you get all the benefits of FreeNas' redundancy and bit rot protection. Not that I have tried this myself though.

Not sure that's much better.

To add to what jgreco stated, there is just too much BS in Win 10 to make it a viable OS at this time IMHO. If you are not running the Enterprise LTSB (Long Term Supported Branch) version, there are so many "hooks" in the OS that your system will resemble an acupuncture session gone sideways. Look up "Windows 10 Forced Updates"...

Yeah, actually, there are pros and cons to several aspects of Win10. Given how many consumer PC's I've seen over the years that have never had updates done, and have been taken over with ${badware}, I think there's a compelling argument for forced upgrades.

Sadly there's a modest amount of software we need to be able to run that only works on Windows, and things like laptops that just don't work well with FreeBSD or Linux. On the other hand, we don't really keep anything critical on any of our machines, so usually we could wipe out a machine and reload it. I've got scripted installers for Windows 8.1 and 10, that install all our common software, and since there's no local data, it isn't a huge deal to nuke and start fresh. In some ways, this is actually the big problem with most electronic devices... you become heavily invested in all the stuff that's on there and all the little tweaks you've made.

 

[Mirfster]

Not sure that's much better.

Agreed, but one can easily whack the VM and still go on without much trouble.

I think there's a compelling argument for forced upgrades.

True as well. I just don't much care to be "forced" into anything.
"So you're a Rebel eh...What exactly are you rebelling against..."...
"Uh, I dunno.. whatcha got?"

 

[jgreco]

Agreed, but one can easily whack the VM and still go on without much trouble.

You'll manage to lock the Win7 license against a VM, which might not be desirable.

Anyways for a VM you could probably also try one of the "browser VM's" that Microsoft licenses for 90 days for free, to see if it's useful to do as a VM. No wasting your Win7 key.

https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-edge/tools/vms/windows/

 

[SweetAndLow]

Comparing window to freenas doesn't really work in my mind. The features they provide are so different you can't compare them. You either need a nas appliance that has a checksumming file system or you need a operating system that has a full gui and broader support for some applications. See how they are completely different? One is a nas and the other has sharing features.

If there is an app that is on Windows only and can't be installed in a jail then windows is for you. If you want to pool your data and share it using multiple protocols all while preventing bit rot then freenas/zfs is for you.

 

[jgreco]

If there is an app that is on Windows only and can't be installed in a jail then windows is for you.

I think you may be missing the point... if you have such a thing for Windows and you can succeed in running Windows under something like VirtualBox, you can get the best of both worlds.

 

[SweetAndLow]

I think you may be missing the point... if you have such a thing for Windows and you can succeed in running Windows under something like VirtualBox, you can get the best of both worlds.

I'm pretty sure I get it, what I was looking at was why even choose freenas vs windows? They are each a solution to a different problem.

Running a vm is a good compromise but people have had issues with Windows in bad virtual box so I'm not sold on the solution.

 

[Mirfster]

Running a vm is a good compromise but people have had issues with Windows in bad virtual box so I'm not sold on the solution.

True, for the most part I run Windows VM either on ESXi or Hyper-V (DataCenter Version for Windows Servers). I prefer to not use VirtualBox, but that may just be to past bad experiences or me just sticking to what has always been reliable (for the most part). Of course, this is a more expensive route and not going to always fit everyone's budget.

 

[jgreco]

VirtualBox is probably okay for running one or two light to moderate duty VM's. Otherwise I share your doubts.

 

[Jason Evans]

That's of good information you guys. Really appreciate it. IF I did choose to run a VM and that's a big if. Here are a few things I would running inside of it. Besides the normal updates to like chrome there wouldn't much else going on.

Plex
PlexPy
HTPC
OpenHardwareMonitor
PlexRequests
Dynamic DNS Client (namecheap)
CouchPotato
Sonarr

Actually reading this out loud. I don't think a VM would be good. Totally spaced that this instance would be transcoding my Plex movies and shows. Running windows was not my intent. Safeguarding my data is priority number 1. Then Plex. I've got close to a full TB of pics and movies of the family I just can't lose. So not having an automated Plex machine so to speak won't be that big of a deal. I mean if a VM could handle it. It's going to be an on all the time box anyway. I would need to look more into VM and see how it could handle something like that.

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