New build - how to carry forward old drive/add new drive from old FreeNAS PC build

[Deepak Agarwal]

Hi Everybody

I have now been able to successfully built a working model of a FreeNAS box as file server for my home network. I am also able to log on to that PC using PuTTY using public key authentication and subsequently and shut it down through a batch file as I needed to - for my own needs. So far so good.

This server PC, however, had been built on a test basis using an old box that I had lying around and not being used - with very old motherboard and CPU with only 1 GB of RAM. I did have a brand new 2 TB WD AV GP model HDD supposedly designed for 24/7 media streaming in it though. That build used the 32 bit version of FreeNAS 9.1.1.

Given that my setup is now working as I intended it to work, I now want to upgrade the motherboard, the CPU and the RAM to the following :-

CPU - Intel G3220
Motherboard - ASRock H87M Pro4
RAM - 8 GB - Kingston ValueRAM KVR13N9S8K2/8

with everything else remaining the same with the exception of the FreeNAS software version. This time around, I want to use the 64 bit version of 9.2.0 software.

I still have to buy the components and put it all together - I intend to do that by next weekend.

Can :-

1. I use the new version of the FreeNAS software on this new PC from a usb stick without having to recreate the share and folders and backing up the data from my existing HDD elsewhere and then reloading the same back - its totals about 1.4 Tb? Now that I now already have a fully working set up, I don't want to go through the rigmarole of going through it all over again.

2. I also add another physical HDD - it will be a brand new one (2 TB), so data loss for this new one is not an issue - for work/data files on a Windows share different to the existing share for the existing physical HDD for my media files without it being affected


be done or do I have to start from scratch?


Best regards


Deepak


P.S Could one of the administrators please change the title to read as follows :-


New build - how to carry forward old drive/add new drive from old FreeNAS PC build

 

[pirateghost]

Put drives in new server, put USB drive in new server. Boot the USB drive.
Done

Sent from my Nexus 5

 

[gpsguy]

Why would you buy a new motherboard that doesn't support ECC RAM?

Supports DDR3 1600/1333/1066 non-ECC, un-buffered memory

 

[Deepak Agarwal]

Hi gpsguy


This rig is going to be for home network only - essentially for media content and for data files. That was the only reason that ECC wasn't considered, no other reason! Backup would not be done on this server - that would be done elsewhere. I wasn't looking for lightning fast performance and hence had not considered any RAID.

Do you a recommendation for a motherboard that supports (and obvioulsy the ECC RAM) close to the one that I have indicatively selected without a massive increase in cost? I have included 8 Gb RAM for a total of only 4 Tb total HDD split over two (2) 2 Tb physical HDD - with little likelihood of massive increase in the storage space requirement in the immediate future. In that event, do you think that 4 Gb of RAM would suffice and the savings from this and some additional funds can be directed to an ECC RAM supported motherboard and ECC RAM?


Best regards


Deepak

 

[rm-r]

hi - see here for hardware http://forums.freenas.org/threads/faq-what-hardware-should-i-buy-get-use-or-is-recommended.1568/

most people put their set-ups in the forum sigs (see mine)

if you are using zfs then i loves ram - use lots don't skimp - non ECC may result in silent errors that you only find once you try to access the file and its corrupted - bad new for that only photo of you long lost uncle Eric

 

[gpsguy]

Here's a budget (desktop) motherboard and CPU that works with ECC RAM. joeschmuck, one of the moderators here, is using this hardware.

Asus M5A78L-M/USB3 | AMD FX-4300 (3.8GHz) CPU | 16GB DDR3 ECC 1333 RAM

Please read the ECC vs non-ECC RAM thread - even if you don't think ECC RAM is important to your use case.

 

[Deepak Agarwal]

Hi Guys


Having read a lot on this forum about the use of ECC RAM with FreeNAS server, I am now again looking at my system to use ECC RAM and a motherboard that supports it!

The Supermicro brand for starters is very expensive here in Australia and also its not readily available! I found this "Asus - P9D-X" motherboard with support for ECC RAM. The specifications and other details are here :-

https://www.asus.com/Commercial_Servers_Workstations/P9DX/#specifications


Do you all think this will do the job for me and will go with the G3220 CPU. I will buy ECC RAM for it - these are 2 of the ones available :-

http://www.budgetpc.com.au/kvr13e9-8hm.html and http://www.budgetpc.com.au/kvr16le11-8i.html


I would also be going for this power supply - 80 Plus Gold as per the recommendation somewhere on this forum :-
http://www.cplonline.com.au/seasonic-350w-oem-80plus-gold-power-supply.html
or may even go for this - plain 80 Plus not the Gold edition)
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Silverstone/ST50F-ES/ - $57 (Additional cost $12)



Please advise if now this would make a reasonable system!


My total additional cost for upgrading to a system that supports ECC RAM :-
Motherboard - (235 - 75) = 160
RAM - (128 - 99) = 29
Power Supply (78 - 45) = 33
Total = 160 + 29 + 33 = 222


Best regards


Deepak

 

[Deepak Agarwal]

Hi Guys


Could someone please respond and advise if the upgraded specifications for my new server ok now using ECC RAM and a motherboard that supports ECC RAM?

I am looking at buying the components over this weekend!


Thanks and best regards


Deepak

 

[Deepak Agarwal]

Hi Everyone


With the new box with a new motherboard, CPU and RAM and 2 loaded physical HDD's from my old box and given that I have, on my old box (build 9.1.1, 32 bit) :-

1. an established and working SSH connection with public key authentication to my old FreeNAS box set up from a Windows 7 PC
2. new user set up in my old box with the appropriate permissions

Would I be able to :-

1. see the data on both of these HDD's (both volumes are unencrypted) by doing either "Auto Import" or "Import" on this new setup (build 9.2.1, 64 bit) - the previous setup was on build 9.1.1, 32 bit.
2. use the already working SSH connection with pubic key authentication and the user definition etc etc from my old set up on this new setup if I were to just upload the config file from my old set up to my new setup

Not sure if the 32 bit and the 64 bit installations would make a difference to the config file?


Deepak

 

[mull3r]

Hi Guys


Could someone please respond and advise if the upgraded specifications for my new server ok now using ECC RAM and a motherboard that supports ECC RAM?

I am looking at buying the components over this weekend!


Thanks and best regards


Deepak

It should work, but don't you think going am3+ board with amd fx would be cheaper considering you would need need upwards of 8 GB ram minimum

Also Asus server boards BIOS issues throw up frequently.

 

[mull3r]

as per your build

the ones available on cpl are
http://www.cplonline.com.au/asus-p9d-v-atx-server-motherboard.html

http://www.cplonline.com.au/asus-p9d-m-micro-atx-server-board-lga1150.html


they are pretty steep around 300 dollars


the proposed build would be

http://www.cplonline.com.au/asrock-970-extreme3-r2-0-motherboard.html

and

http://www.cplonline.com.au/amd-fx-4300-4-core-black-edition.html

combined total would be around approx upwards of 200 dollars

 

[cyberjock]

Why are you trying to discuss his build when this thread is from February?

Sorry, but I'm going to have to lock this thread.