[eskro]

Hi guys!
I know this might not be new for some of you,
but for those who don't know what unRAID is and how it works,
i'm sharing with you a set of videos that explains it all very clearly!!

Overview
Introduction
Step1 - The unRAID boot device
Step2 - Choosing hardware
Step3+4 - hardware installation
Step5+6 - Boot and initialize your unRAID
Step7 - Expand the array
Tips - Expanding your array
Step8 - Setting up user shares
Step9+10 - Final settings and enjoy
Tips - Show directory sizes
Viewer Question - unRAID crash recovery
Viewer Question - unRAID transfer speed
Viewer Question - Raid5 or unRAID with 3 drives

Hope this answers most questions about unRAID
and help your realize how unrivaled it is as storage solution!!!

[ashlar]

I suggest FlexRAID is kept in mind by potential users of unRAID. It's multiOS and doesn't force you to set up a dedicated machine (which makes troublesome having other stuff going in the background, such as torrents/newsgroups/squeezebox server/DLNA server/etc.).

[eskro]

yeah well, honeslty, although FLEXRAID is Free,

i fear its too immature to let it manage all my precious data...

i prefer using unRAID exactly because its mature & very reliable....

that along is enough for me to use unRAID for protecting my DATA from a HDD Failure....

[SwissElite]

yeah well, honeslty, although FLEXRAID is Free,

i fear its too immature to let it manage all my precious data...

ashlar, i have the same impression as eskro, the way flexraid presents itself on the web does not convince me, too much "upcoming features" and "beta"...

do you actually have exerience with flexraid? if so, could you tell us more about it?

[eskro]

my DATA is too precious to 'try' an un-mature not approved RAID system....

not saying it will not be good someday...

but it isn't stable enough as we speak....

can't trust it right now...

[ashlar]

do you actually have exerience with flexraid? if so, could you tell us more about it?

Yes, I've been using it for more than a year. No major problems. It does what it promises if one is careful not to delve into experimental versions too much.

For me the "I do just that" nature of unRAID makes it a terrible choice for home use. No sane person today wishes to leaves a server on 24/7 and accept to have it do just *one* task. FlexRAID is not perfect but neither is unRAID. One has to pick his own poison.

PS
No offense intended with the "sane person" remark, it's just a way of saying.

[eskro]

FlesRAID is an ambitious project, but till it remains so, unRAID for the win!!

[Kode]

Yes, I've been using it for more than a year. No major problems. It does what it promises if one is careful not to delve into experimental versions too much.

For me the "I do just that" nature of unRAID makes it a terrible choice for home use. No sane person today wishes to leaves a server on 24/7 and accept to have it do just *one* task. FlexRAID is not perfect but neither is unRAID. One has to pick his own poison.

PS
No offense intended with the "sane person" remark, it's just a way of saying.

I have sickbeard, sabnzbd, subversion, mysql, PHP installed on my unRAID server, so saying you have to "accept to have it do just *one* task" isn't in the slightest true.

There are lots of plugins that have been developed for unRAID, and it's even possible to run a full slackware installation so you can install anything you want.

[ashlar]

Guys, relax... I hope it's clear that I respect unRAID. But to do what you are doing you need to learn Linux. Were there no alternatives... Maybe. An alternative, for my needs, exists. Hence I use it.

And please, do not make it sound as if using all the stuff you listed it's easy and "out of the box". It's not and it is supported just by the users on the forum, not officially by the company that sells you the product (yeah, FlexRAID is free, unRAID not).

In any case, in my opinion, Lime-tech should work on a full distribution. As long as implementing other server functions it's a job for Linux-heads... The product will always be lacking. Eskro did tons of tutorials, none concerning how to use it as a full OS. Because that's not what it is.

It is a good product, though, no doubt about it.

Edit: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=7524.0

There you go. I need Squeezebox server. I search the forums, this is what I come up with. I use an OS that does what I want. Simple
For a Linux power user it's a great solution.

[eskro]

Look ashlar, if unRAID is not what your need, then its not what you need,,,,

most of us like to have a dedicated NAS Rig just to hold our DATA...

Everybody works different....

If it suits your need, then your happy, and everybody's happy....

[darkscout]

holy duplipost batmat.

[darkscout]

most of us like to have a dedicated NAS Rig just to hold our DATA...
...
my DATA is too precious to 'try' an un-mature not approved RAID system....

And if you have "precious" data and don't want something "un-mature" (word is immature), then you don't want unRAID either.

The Adventures of Nexentaman
ZFS Man
ZFS

Supported by:
FreeBSD
Nexenta (Ubuntu Userspace + OpenSolaris Kernel)
Linux, via FUSE and Kernel Module.
Debian/kFreeBSD
OpenIndiana
Solaris Express 11

And by the "NAS" Device OSes:
FreeNAS
NexentaStor

All free as in beer.
Most free as in speech.

[thethirdnut]

I'm still going to plant a flag for good 'ole mdadm since its seems to get very little play in this forum for some unknown reason...

Older and a much wider user-base than anything else mentioned here...works on any linux platform period to boot.

Also, not subject to being wiped from existence by Oracle.

[maxinc]

Guys, relax... I hope it's clear that I respect unRAID. But to do what you are doing you need to learn Linux. Were there no alternatives... Maybe. An alternative, for my needs, exists. Hence I use it.

And please, do not make it sound as if using all the stuff you listed it's easy and "out of the box". It's not and it is supported just by the users on the forum, not officially by the company that sells you the product (yeah, FlexRAID is free, unRAID not).

You need to learn a lot more Windows to set the same programs up that simply installing them inside the unRAID environment, even for a complete Linux noob like me with a lifetime of windows experience.

I'm sure Microsoft is not offering support for all the programs you mentioned either. And Windows costs money as well ... unless one uses a pirated copy (which I'm sure it's not your case).

[Mach13]

no RAID setup is a backup solution! RAID does not guarantee file integrity. True or False?

Looking to build a new NAS used FreeNAS on an old Dell 2400 for many years now but with a single drive. Need to create more space and security. Was looking into unRaid, spent much time on their forum Saturday, so, thanks eskro for the op! I shall watch them.