Can the pros confirm this setup for me?

Been lurking for a few days.  Almost settled on a couple different pre-built NAS solutions, but frankly the unRAID option seems the most flexible.  I have WinPC's and Macs and doing something like this over the LAN is better for all the gear involved. (other option was a JBOD, self built running off a P4 server hooked to eSata).

I started looking at a smaller system, that's prob all I would need for some time but as thing go I would end up wanting more down the road.  I am in the process of taking 400 or so DVD's to ISO as it is, that's potentially a lot of space needed... plus all the BluRay and whatnot in the future.

At anyrate, the 12 drive system looked good - but then I noticed the difference is just the drivebay/carriages and an upped PSU (430-500).  So I just swung for the fences and made it into 15 drive setup.  Does this look like I got everything (minus unRAID lic)?  I will add a fast 2TB drive - this sets the parity limit, correct?  This needs to be fast and the largest of all drives?  Any suggestions for that drive?  Otherwise I can actually fill this thing up with 4 300GB SATA drives (raptors?) and then 80 GB SATA drives headed for demolition (contain sensitive data, so no resale options but I am comfortable overwriting them and using them myself as far as 'security' goes).  So otherwise, just a flash drive (practically falling out of my pockets - got them everywhere).  Can someone take a look and make sure this has EVERYTHING I need?  I would appreciate it.  (goal is something quiet and green, ultimately - HTPC use, mostly reading from, not writing to).

*noticed that cooling might be an issue?  That's prob something I can do from places in town, get some big quiet lumbering fans if need be?

Wanted to add that it appears with this case and those enclosures you need to bend some tabs in on the case? 

I believe the NIC on that motherboard has known issues with unRAID.  The board will work, you will just need a PCI NIC in addition to it unless anyone has found a fix for this.

Yes, you will need to bend the tabs on the case.  A c-clamp works nicely for this.

Ok. Thanks for a heads up. Is there another board that is comparable that has less of a NIC issue?  I am going off of the forum post with all the sample setups (boards are all non-existant now) and this board was suggested by someone.  I am not sure familiar with the current generation of sockets, chipsets, etc... I sort of stopped caring when I could just go to dell and buy off the corporate menu $50k at a time

Adding a NIC wouldn't be a big issue though.

How funny.  I'm building this exact same server for a client right now, except for these two changes:

ASUS M4A785-M - $64.99

Kingston 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 - $39.99

The Biostar board that I generally recommend for these types of builds has been out of stock for quite some time.  This Asus is well vetted, plus it happens to be on sale today.  unRAID definitely will not care about the difference between DDR3 and DDR2 RAM.

Even though you can get the LE board working, I don't see the point in bothering with that when the board above works out-of-the-box and is basically the same price.

Ok, in case someone comes across this thread:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131672&cm_re=ASUS_M4A78LT-M-_-13-131-672-_-Product

This is the non 'LE' which has the NIC with no issues according to this:

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=6304.msg88538#msg88538

If you follow the link to the Asus pages it shows one has the problem 'atheros?' chip.

It's $1 dollar more, with no $10 rebate but doesn't need a NIC

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131672

There are slight variations in the model, M4A78LT-M is what I am looking at now. NewEgg says

DDR3 1800(O.C.)/1600(O.C.)/1333/1066 (AMD AM3 100 and 200 series CPU support up to DDR3 1066MHz)

NIC: Realtek 8112L

Raj refers to http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131595

which is the M4A785-M  This one is DDR2, and uses the Realtek as well (assuming this is fine).  However, this one is down from $80-something, so is it a better value?

LOL. I was typing as you posted

So, the 85-M a better value?  Being what it is, I don't really want/need the audio, HDMI, etc So if possible I would rather buy the 'quality' of a vetted, higher-end board, even if it's the DDR2 (it can't matter much if at all in this scenario?)

I really don't think it matters much.  I would just choose based on what type of RAM you have laying around or want to use.  DDR3 RAM will be the new standard for a while, so that might be a good reason to choose the LT-M over the 85-M.  I wouldn't put too much thought into it, though, both will work perfectly well.

There she blows!

Went the DDR3 -LT-M combo.  Saved a buck or two and the DDR3 is more future proof (whatever that amounts to for this particular operation).

$712 US.

Some of the netgear NAS's and the others I was looking at got up there in price pretty quick and didn't have nearly the options or space as this thing will.

Better start reading up on the in's and out's of the unRAID build.  I guess I need to find the first drive as well, 2TB, something fast - that is correct?  The subsequent drives (the smaller ones I have laying around) will eventually get replaced, so the first drive needs to a longterm drive (unless I understand this incorrectly).

Thanks for the help so far.

Match your parity drive with your data drives.  Want low power green data drives?  Then get a green parity drive as well.  Want faster 7200 rpm data drives?  Then get a 7200 rpm parity drive as well.  While you can mix and match, having a 7200 rpm parity drive with all green data drives will be pointless in all but certain rare circumstances.

Go ahead and start with your older drives now, then replace them with 1.5 or 2 TB drives as you run out of space.  You can use the raptor drives too, but don't expect to see much of a speed boost from them.

Okay, I see.  I want the 'base' to be permanent.  I think that starting out with 2 TB green drives x 2 as a base is the best way.  I can add the 4 300GBs and the random 80's to just fill it out. As I approach a certain level I can buy two more 2TB drives and drop off the 80's or whatever.

any drive (green) that you LOVE? Any you HATE?

I love the WD EARS with jumpers, that's what I would buy today.  I love the WD EADS drives as well, but they are too expensive now.  I love the Samsung F3s, though they are also too expensive.

The Seagate LPs are kind of meh - I feel the firmware upgrade is too much trouble, but if they are cheap enough then I'll buy them.  I picked up one for $60 on Black Friday.

I hate the Samsung F4s (based on reviews and problems reported here, I haven't actually used them).    I also hate all 7200rpm drives

Okay, I see.  I want the 'base' to be permanent.  I think that starting out with 2 TB green drives x 2 as a base is the best way.  I can add the 4 300GBs and the random 80's to just fill it out. As I approach a certain level I can buy two more 2TB drives and drop off the 80's or whatever.

 

any drive (green) that you LOVE? Any you HATE?

 

I lean towards WD EARS with jumper for the green drives along with the Seagate LP's.  The Jumper is easier to put on then to upgrade the firmware on the Seagate drives.  Though I have an IDE to USB cable that I hook a CD drive up to and do the firmware upgrade.  Takes all of a few minutes, just a little more time then the jumper.

I tend to lean towards the Hitachi 7200RPM drives for cache and parity as they will give you better performance, but ONLY in certain situations.  Its up to the user if they will hit that situation.

Sorry for my ignorance here, but in referring to 'jumpers' are you referring to the physical jumpers for slave/master etc on drives?  Is there a certain procedure/config that needs to happen for each drive?

Thanks for the responses.

Sorry for my ignorance here, but in referring to 'jumpers' are you referring to the physical jumpers for slave/master etc on drives?  Is there a certain procedure/config that needs to happen for each drive?

 

Thanks for the responses.

The EARS drives are SATA but are advanced format.  There is a lot of technical explanation that I could through at you but the short version is:

To get the best speed from the drive when using it in UNRAID you have to add a jumper (like the one for master and slave) to pin 7&8 on the drive.

There is nothing else to do in regard to the EARS drives.

I think this is them,

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/PopupProductDetail.aspx?cs=04&l=en&c=us&sku=A3362045

$89 today at Dell. Shipping comes off the price at the end as well. 

Thinking about getting 2 of them... if they are the correct ones.

That is the correct drive.  The drives do not ship with the required jumpers, you have to provide those yourself.

I got HDD jumpers in droves. 

Placed and order for 2 as well as a new 2gb flash drive.  The flash drive reddish color matches (approx) the red accent color on the drive carriages. That's how I roll.