The n00b from Oz.

Hello everyone.

I'm currently in the process of *attempting* to build my first ever NAS using the unknown-to-me unRaid platform.

I currently have:

1x HP N40L MicroServer with it's standard 250Gb HDD.

3x WD 3TB Greens

I also ordered the following:

- 2x 4Gb Lexar Jumpdrive Firefly USB sticks as recommended on a wiki somewhere

- 2x 8Gb Patriot Gamer G2 DDR3 1333MHz (PGD316G1333ELK)

I also understand that I have to upgrade the BIOS on the N40L but I haven't gotten round to this yet, as I'm a bit worried of downloading foreign executables from TPB.

Also, I'm thinking of getting the 6-drive twin-pack registration here:

http://lime-technology.com/products/registration-keys

Does this mean that if one of my USB keys has a catastrophic failure I simply swap over to the other "backup" key right? ie: the disk array isn't encoded to be driven off a single key?

Also, can someone tell me how I find the serial number from the keys to be able to enter the registration form?

Anyway, what do I do next?  I've been reading a few of the posts here at this forum and am utterly confused (especially with the pre-clear stuff)...

Is there an idiot's guide to building an unRaid NAS?

(Seriously... cause I am an idiot, and I'm bound to screw something up)

Cheers.

If you haven't seen this yet, it may help get you started:

http://www.lime-technology.com/support/unraid-server-installation

Also look here:

http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php/Building_an_unRAID_Server

Regarding Pre Clear-  When you have parity enabled on your unraid server, the drives have to be cleared.  If you add a new drive to your parity enabled array, it will clear the drive for you automagically, but the array will be off line, and it really doesnt test the drives (more info here:  http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php/UnRAID_Add_Ons#Preclear_Disk

Hope this helps get you started.

I also understand that I have to upgrade the BIOS on the N40L but I haven't gotten round to this yet, as I'm a bit worried of downloading foreign executables from TPB.

I think you're confusing the BIOS from "thebay", a user on avforums.com with TPB. They are not related. There are no BIOS files on TPB AFAIK.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/networking-nas/1521657-hp-n36l-microserver-updated-ahci-bios-support.html

See my sig for more Microserver stuff.

Thanks guys. I'll get cracking tonight after work and report back on my progress.

Thanks guys. I'll get cracking tonight after work and report back on my progress.

not in Perth are you? would be happy to give you a hand with some basic stuff

Sure am... SotR. 

Thanks for the offer pantner but I want to have a shot at this myself first...

ahhh, you're one of THOSE people

shoot me a message if you want some help...im by no means an 'expert' but i know enough  (also have my UnRaid virtualised if you are interested in that...check out the ATLAS build thread!)

Been busy of late, so my N40L has been gathering dust.

But luckily I had some time over the weekend...

...so this is where I am now.

Q1: Does some one have a link to an idiot proof guide (preferably with lots of screen shots) on what I do now?

Q2: I have 4 HDDs installed. Why is there only 3 rows?

Q3: How do I buy unRaid? (ie: Where is these serial number(s) that I need to buy the twin-pack?)

Q4: I haven't done that 24 hr long test thing that you guys do on my new drives, can I start that process from the web interface?

Q1: Does some one have a link to an idiot proof guide (preferably with lots of screen shots) on what I do now?

Q2: I have 4 HDDs installed. Why is there only 3 rows?

Q3: How do I buy unRaid? (ie: Where is these serial number(s) that I need to buy the twin-pack?)

Q4: I haven't done that 24 hr long test thing that you guys do on my new drives, can I start that process from the web interface?

A2: Basic license only supports 3 drives.

A3: Click flash on the main page to get a page with your GUID then go here.

A4: Preclearing With Screen.

Unfortunately the Wiki is not up-to-date but for a start on

A1: read over the rest of that Configuration Tutorial and come back with more specific questions.

Since your just starting might as well go ahead and start with 5RC11

Just a small update (to what is probably the slowest unRaid build ever seen on this forum).

Just bought myself an unRAID® Server Plus Registration key 2-Pack.

Started formatting my drives last night. (I couldn't figure out the pre-clear thing so I bypassed it)

It estimated 1366 mins.

However, I'm unsure if this was to format the whole array or just one 3TB HDD?

Started formatting my drives last night. (I couldn't figure out the pre-clear thing so I bypassed it)

 

It estimated 1366 mins.

However, I'm unsure if this was to format the whole array or just one 3TB HDD?

A pre-cleared drive formats very quickly. A drive that hasn't been pre-cleared has to be cleared by unRAID when you add it to the array, and this will take a while. I've never done it that way but maybe it is doing them in parallel.

Pre-clear is not very difficult. It will allow you to continue to use the array while it is being done, so it is especially useful when adding a disk later. Perhaps more importantly, it will also provide a good test of the disk to weed out potential problems.

Just ask if you have any questions. This is one of the most helpful forums I have ever used.

trurl,

Is there any reason why Lime-tech didn't add 'pre-clear' controls to the unRaid console itself?

More questions:

When does unRaid update/calculate the parity drive? As a trial, I moved some files to disk1 & I didn't see the capacity of the parity drive change? (I'm assumed it was done on the fly? or does it work like a batch job? ie: done at night?)

What does the blinking green light against a drive (in the unRaid console) mean? My cache drive is always blinking & my user share is not setup to use a cache?

When I manually initiate the parity check. Should I be using the NAS?

What does the blinking green light against a drive (in the unRaid console) mean? My cache drive is always blinking & my user share is not setup to use a cache?

 

When I manually initiate the parity check. Should I be using the NAS?

Blinking green lights just means that it's spun down - which sounds about right since you're not using it.

You can use your NAS just fine during parity check, but both the check and transfers from/to the NAS meanwhile will be much slower, but you won't cause any damage.

When does unRaid update/calculate the parity drive?

Once you've done the initial parity sync, the parity drive is always up-to-date.  Any write to the array results in a write to the parity drive to keep it up-to-date. 

I moved some files to disk1 & I didn't see the capacity of the parity drive change?

Note that the parity drive NEVER shows any capacity -- it's dedicated to parity.

We lost power unexpectadly this morning, and when it came back on, my N40L came back online on it's own. (We weren't home at the time.)

There was some message about unexpected shutdown or thing like that, so I thought I would do a parity check to make sure everything was ok.

It finished that and now my shares are gone.

All the drives are empty (according to the console). 

I've just spent the last 3 days copying stuff over.

unRaid is more resilient than I thought... (phew)

Dragged out the keyboard and monitor and did a command-line reboot.

After it came back up, it wanted to do another parity check, which I let it do.

My shares are back and my files are there.

Thanks for the updates,

It's important for some of us to hear about these experiences and their outcomes. That way we learn ahead of our own time what to do in such scenarios.

There may be a setting in your bios that will leave the machine off if power is suddenly lost. At least this way, you will also more easily recognise there was a power problem...

cheers,

gwl

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

2 questions.

a) I don't seem to have write access to my unRaid from a second PC on my LAN? When I try to copy files across to it, it keeps saying Access Denied, but never gives me a login prompt? (even though I can happily browse files & directories??)

b) I'm noticing an average of 18-20 Mb/s when copying files, I have not applied the N40L bios patch thing. Is it too late for me to play around with the BIOS patch now that I've started using unRaid?