for those who purchased this microserver, ive got two questions i hope you guys can help me with.
there are 4 bays but one bay is used up for the operation system. does that mean there is only 3 available bays? or the OS can run off a usb stick which give 4 available bays?
can i connect this microserver directly to a computer or must it be connected to a router?
I installed freenas on a usb stick and boot from that.
The OS doesn't have to occupy all of one drive. You would still have 90+% of it free for data partition(s).
Running freenas off a USB drive on the internal USB port and using the DVD drive bay for five storage bays all up
I have only just received mine and installed win home server 11 and it has split the drive 70 GB and 170GB (from memory) with the OS in the smaller section.
thanks for the replies guys. helped me heaps
there are a 3 options, use the internal USB port as OS, use a SATA HDD on the 5th SATA port as OS, or use 1 of the 4 RAID bay for OS.
hey guys, i'm thinking of buying this and was wondering how well it'd work for me. i've never used a NAS before, but just want something cheap. i want to be able to send files over for purposes of backing up. here's my situation: http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/67730
appreciate any help.
can i connect this microserver directly to a computer or must it be connected to a router?
You can connect directly to a computer using crossover network cable.
However, your network/ethernet port in your PC will be occupied and you won't be able to connect to a modem/router unless if you're using wireless for your PC.
Why do you want to connect it directly to a computer if you have a router?
Using a router is much more convenient.
because my router is down stairs and i want the server in my room so i can have quick access to it
i think if you need to ask so many questions and can't work out how to use this with the spec sheet and/or manual, this isn't the droids you're looking for
i dont think two questions is so many
the user manual does not have anything that answers my questions
people mentioned putting the hdd into the odd bay but you have to question how is it possible? the hdd is 3.5" and the odd bay is 5.25 and there is no sata power cable.
connecting the nas to pc via ethernet is not n40l specific but rather a general nas/server question. i just so happened to buy this one with so many positive feedback
If you're going to use the DVD drive bay for another HDD then yes you will need a molex to SATA-power converter cable. You will probably also want to buy a 5.25" to 3.5" converter bracket so that the HDD can sit securely in the bay.
Examples of required items on ebay:
Power converter
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4-Pin-IDE-Molex-Power-Cable-Conve…
5.25" to 3.5" bracket converter:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/3-5-Hard-Disk-Drive-Mounting-Brac…
or
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Plastic-5-25-3-5-Bay-Converter-Mo… (not sure whether this one has a pop-in slot to cover the hole, purchase at your own risk)
yes I've successfully installed the hdd into the odd bay with 3.5 to 5.25 brackets and molex to data power cable
total cost <$10 form arc computers
item in 3rd link won't work well. you'll need screws on the side of the bracket to lock the hdd in place. those screws can be found on the inside of the door
ya, i've never looked into a NAS before. what makes this such a great offer? i saw a NAS in a store last night for $200 and it had USB ports, 1TB drive and ethernet inbuilt.
They're slow and inflexible compared to a full pc NAS solution. Depends on your storage requirements, expected speed etc. I've a N36L with 4x2tb drives, and just purchased a N40L to install 4x3tb drives into, try reading up on freenas and install it on an old computer to learn about the differences.
whats the best OS to use on one of these as a file server with raid 1? windows 7, xp etc
For ease of use, especially if you already know Windows (and not Linux), is to get a licence for Windows Home Server which is about $50
1.. 1 bay is used up for the os.. some people may use the dvd drive to put another hdd in =)
2.. it connects to a router, think of it as a low power consumption computer with 4 hard drive slots