Seeking Guidance, First-Time NAS project

  • Hello everyone,


    First of all, I have been lurking the forums and the interwebs to bump of my basic knowledge and know-how to be building my own-first NAS project, mainly directed towards being a Media Streaming (literally just streaming, no transcoding whatsoever) Server.


    thank you all for everything! :D


    I think I am ready to start my own project, specs should be ideal to list first:


    Media Streaming Server
    Dell Optiplex 990 SFF (I was able to acquire one with a broken PSU, replacement is on the way)
    Intel i3 2120
    8 GB RAM (4x2gb Nanya PC3-10600U)
    Removed the discrete amd GPU and only planning of using the built in GPU
    OMV will be installed on a 32GB USB nano stick (SanDisk Ultra Fit 32GB USB3.1 Flash Pen Drive)
    1x4TB 2.5" HDD (Shucking from Seagate Expansion Portable Hard Drive) (This will hold my movies)
    1x3TB 2.5" HDD (Shucking from same above) (this will hold my personal files)
    PCI-e USB 3.0 Adapter (Low Profile USB 3.0 2-Port, NEC/Renesas Chipset)
    Ethernet to the modem/router


    I am still yet to get the USB nano stick as I'm still waiting for the PSU to arrive. The PCI-e adapter is for a future upgrade, getting it once everything is all set and working properly.


    Now, this will literally just be a Media/File Server with no transcoding whatsoever, and will not be a 24x7 "alway-on" server.


    It will only be turned on if:
    A. I/We need to watch movies
    B. I/We need to transfer files


    I already have a separate Android/CoreElec Kodi Media Player (Magicsee N5 s905x) connected to the tv, that can easily decode whatever you can throw at it (almost), and will be streaming via the network (planning of going via ethernet, worst case then will be via 5GHz wifi) (assuming, via SMB). Similarly, I should be able to stream to our Android Devices (don't like Apples) as well.


    I have a Windows 10 Desktop, and the missus has her own Windows 10 laptop.


    I will only keep important, personal files and will probably be needing to transfer a few every once in a while.


    I was hoping to get everyone's/anyone's feedback regarding this set up in mind. Please let me know of the things I certainly need to worry about (already have read this briefly: OMV on USB) and things to consider, or if I am doing something wrong. :D


    To be honest, I am highly confident that the plan above will suffice my target Server/Network set up.


    Thank you all in advanced!

    • Offizieller Beitrag

    I don't see any problems. Just install the flash plugin as you obviously already decided. That will help the thumb drive to last a long time.


    You might still want to have an extra thumb drive so you can backup/clone the configuration. Makes for peace of mind when changing/adding something.


    Also you might want some external HDDs for backups.

  • I don't see any problems. Just install the flash plugin as you obviously already decided. That will help the thumb drive to last a long time.


    You might still want to have an extra thumb drive so you can backup/clone the configuration. Makes for peace of mind when changing/adding something.


    Also you might want some external HDDs for backups.

    That is excellent to hear! I know the setup is going to be extremely basic down to its core.


    Will defo get extra thumb drive and hdd as you mentioned.


    Thank a lot mate!


    P.S.
    Looking at your sig, how where you able to connect those multitude of hdds onto the Odroid?

    • Offizieller Beitrag

    Also you might want some external HDDs for backups.

    And store one of them in a different place (at work, at relatives) or have a backup of the important date in the cloud.


    For backup of the clients on the NAS I use UrBackup. Works very well and you don't really notice when a backup is running.
    For backup to the cloud I use Duplicati.

  • And store one of them in a different place (at work, at relatives) or have a backup of the important date in the cloud.
    For backup of the clients on the NAS I use UrBackup. Works very well and you don't really notice when a backup is running.
    For backup to the cloud I use Duplicati.

    That is definitely a plan in the future. I will try to sort this out, once everything is settled, then go all out.


    Thank you so much all. I can't wait to start the project. :)




    I've got one Odroid HC2 per HDD... 8)

    I suppose, the only way to have multiple hdds per device is to have an external power supply for the hdds, then limited to the amount of connections the device can handle...?

    • Offizieller Beitrag

    Some prefer one or few big NAS boxes, each with many small drives. I prefer many tiny NAS boxes with one or few big drives each.


    I prefer one tiny HC2 with one expensive big 12TB drive to a big NAS box with 4X4TB cheap drives in RAID5.


    I just ordered two new 16TB drives. Might have bought even bigger, if it was available.

  • Some prefer one or few big NAS boxes, each with many small drives. I prefer many tiny NAS boxes with one or few big drives each.


    I prefer one tiny HC2 with one expensive big 12TB drive to a big NAS box with 4X4TB cheap drives in RAID5.


    I just ordered two new 16TB drives. Might have bought even bigger, if it was available.

    Extremely quick reply here, RAID5 just went over my head. :D


    Looks like i need to practice more of my google-ninjutsu..

  • hi all,


    I am definitely be needing help.


    I was able to try on a test bed lenovo thinkcentre a58 sff, updated to latest bios.


    My setup was:


    sda = 1tb data drive (hoping to reformat once in openmediavault)
    sdb = 32gb usb thumb drive OVM installer
    sdc = 16gb usb thumb drive target OVM system drive


    Installation goes through properly.


    Upon completion, restarting, removing the ovm installer, and booting from the target ovm system drive: it doesn't go through and would not boot


    I get an error about no arrays found and goes to shell.


    Scouring the forums, it seems i need to update grub to direct to the ovm system drive using its UUID.


    Now, i actually don't know how to do it.


    I was hoping somebody would know how to fix it?


    Cheers.

    • Offizieller Beitrag

    Try to install without any data drive connected.


    After the install is finished and everything has been upgraded, you can add data drive(s).


    I suspect that you are booting from the data drive, where there is some old broken install. Try to select boot priority from the bios when booting the first time with the data drive present, so that you can use OMV to wipe it clean.

  • Try to install without any data drive connected.


    After the install is finished and everything has been upgraded, you can add data drive(s).


    I suspect that you are booting from the data drive, where there is some old broken install. Try to select boot priority from the bios when booting the first time with the data drive present, so that you can use OMV to wipe it clean.

    Just got back home from dinner.


    Will definitely do that. Just gonna change clothes first.


    Cheers mate.


    The 1tb is a direct extract from a DVR player lying around, I haven't formatted or touched it or anything like that. That could be the case.


    Edit:
    Looks like I fixed it with the help of this link: Unable-to-boot-after-installation-Dropping-to-a-shell


    Followed the instruction, and performed these:

    • halt grub
    • went to command line and used ls to find the correct UUID
    • reboot
    • halt grub
    • edit preliminary boot and put my uuid manually
    • profit
    • while on root, performed update-grub

    Now, I haven't restarted it yet, I'm too excited to play around with it now. :)


    And also didn't remove the 1tb data drive, and performed steps above just to try it.


    Thanks so much for all the help mate!

    Einmal editiert, zuletzt von iamskanob () aus folgendem Grund: fixed it

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