[kortina]

+1 for unRAID.

Build youself a new "Server" using a low power i3, check the unRAID forums for motherboard recommendations.

With your existing data, see if you can put it somewhere else for a week or so. This will free up your 4x2Tb drives and save you some cash.

1) Cheap way
Move all of your data off your exiting array.
Buy 1x 4Tb drive
Install the 4Tb drive as parity in unRAID, re-use your 4x2Tb drives for storage. Giving you 8Tb of usable space.
Depending on the number of sata ports, either replace a 2Tb drive with a 4Tb drive as extra capicity is needed OR just ADD 4Tb drives as required.

2) Expensive way
Buy 3x4Tb drives
Create a new unRAID array with 8Tb of usable space
Copy all of your stuff on to unRAID
optional: Add 1,2,3 or 4 of your OLD 2TB drives


In my experience I have only used 7of12 sata ports on my setup. I seem to replace the oldest drive in the system BEFORE it fails. Throwing out old 1Tb and 1.5Tb drives.

I have had 5x1.5Tb Green WD drives that have all failed. I don't buy WD anymore.

[tential]

+1 for unRAID.

Build youself a new "Server" using a low power i3, check the unRAID forums for motherboard recommendations.

With your existing data, see if you can put it somewhere else for a week or so. This will free up your 4x2Tb drives and save you some cash.

1) Cheap way
Move all of your data off your exiting array.
Buy 1x 4Tb drive
Install the 4Tb drive as parity in unRAID, re-use your 4x2Tb drives for storage. Giving you 8Tb of usable space.
Depending on the number of sata ports, either replace a 2Tb drive with a 4Tb drive as extra capicity is needed OR just ADD 4Tb drives as required.

2) Expensive way
Buy 3x4Tb drives
Create a new unRAID array with 8Tb of usable space
Copy all of your stuff on to unRAID
optional: Add 1,2,3 or 4 of your OLD 2TB drives


In my experience I have only used 7of12 sata ports on my setup. I seem to replace the oldest drive in the system BEFORE it fails. Throwing out old 1Tb and 1.5Tb drives.

I have had 5x1.5Tb Green WD drives that have all failed. I don't buy WD anymore.

+1 on getting rid of old drives before they fail. I just buy the largest drive possible and use it to replace the oldest drives. I haven't had any drives fail on me (excluding my laptop which a bookshelf dropped on it). My 1.5 TB from Seagate still runs, but no data is on it currently. 2 4TB drives has been enough for me recently. Next drive I get will be 6TB to 8TB.