Storage Solutions NAS Advice – Getting an i3-10105 pc for 7k

abhaysk94

abhaysk94

Contributor
Hi everyone,

I'm planning to build a NAS primarily for photo and video backups, with occasional 4K movie streaming to my TV and torrent downloads. A friend is offering me a used setup for 7,000, and I wanted to get your input before committing. Here are the specs:

  • Intel i3-10105
  • 8GB RAM
  • Gigabyte H-series motherboard (no HDMI)
  • Zebronics PSU and case
I’m wondering if this is a solid deal for the price, or if there are more power-efficient or affordable alternatives that would suit my needs better.

For storage, I’m considering starting with a single 2TB–4TB HDD, and later adding a second one to run in RAID 1 for redundancy (mainly for photos, videos, and other personal data). Is it possible to start with one drive and convert to RAID 1 later without losing data?

I also plan to add a 1TB SATA SSD for faster access to movies and frequently used files. I usually delete movies after watching, so a small but fast drive should do.

Additionally, I have an old Arduino I used as a USB keyboard (for custom and long key commands using a PS2 keyboard), and I'm thinking of pairing it with an Espresso to automate power on/off for the NAS when not in use. Would this be safe and advisable, especially for the hard drives?

Would really appreciate any advice, recommendations, or feedback on the setup. If anyone has better suggestions or used parts for sale, I’d love to hear about those too.

Thanks in advance!
 
Last edited:
if you are new to NAS OS, search for Xpenology.
Its Synology OS for custom devices. Installation is little time taking but maintenance and use is very easy.
2nd option is Unraid: only select if you are mixing drives.
3rd option is Truenas: little technical but ZFS and snapshots are a huge life saver.

also, i3 10105 has intel 630 which is more than enough for transcoding until HEVC. But if you get 12th gen you get AV1 transcoding also. 7k is a good deal though, DO NOT TRUST Zebronics PSU!
 
  • Like
Reactions: abhaysk94 and ibose
7000 Philipines Peso is close to 13K INR, still good value imo. Get good PSU. Shutting down when not in use is not a terrible idea, however if you want google photos like automatic backups/sync, you should keep it on all the time.
 
  • Like
Reactions: abhaysk94
napstersquest said:
What OS are you planning to use? This is possible with ZFS.
Click to expand...

rajch2002 said:
if you are new to NAS OS, search for Xpenology.
Its Synology OS for custom devices. Installation is little time taking but maintenance and use is very easy.
2nd option is Unraid: only select if you are mixing drives.
3rd option is Truenas: little technical but ZFS and snapshots are a huge life saver.
Click to expand...

ill use Just arch with samba and jellyfin till I get the HDDs. I will start with Xpenology(I have used it a few years ago and liked its interface), if Im needing any features ill try Unraid or others. After thinking it through I will do raid only once I have both the drives (saves a lot of head ache).

napstersquest said:
7000 Philipines Peso is close to 13K INR, still good value imo. Get good PSU. Shutting down when not in use is not a terrible idea, however if you want google photos like automatic backups/sync, you should keep it on all the time.
Click to expand...
Oops my mistake. It's actually 7k INR. I've removed the peso symbol. I'll upgrade the PSU too when I add the HDDs. As for shutting it down, ill see what the powerdraws are and how the backups work when I start tinkering with it and go from there.

Which is better higher wattage PSU with lower Efficiency or an Higher Efficiency PSU but with lower wattage?
 
Top Bottom