FreeNAS
FreeNAS
Hello everyone, I'm checking out setting up FreeNAS on an HP MicroTower dc5800 server. I'll also be hosting a Plex server there. The system specs include a Core2Quad q8300, 3.5GB RAM (upcoming 6GB), a 160GB internal HDD, and a 2TB USB external drive for storage. Regarding Plex, it should run smoothly on FreeNAS. Running it on Windows 10 or CentOS (GUI turned off) offers benefits like simpler administration and potentially better performance in certain environments.
Consider installing an Ubuntu server or another Linux distribution, since it requires 8GB of RAM for Freenas to function properly.
I’d consider CentOS, OpenSUSE Leap, or even Ubuntu. FreeNAS works well with ZFS but requires a lot of RAM—around 8GB plus extra for each TB of storage. Running Linux instead of FreeNAS wouldn’t be much different, since Plex can run inside a Docker container on both systems. Let me know if you need guidance for CentOS, OpenSUSE, or another Linux distribution.
Also note that Freenas performs optimally on ECC RAM, which the other person might not possess.
CoW file systems like btrfs and FZF may not offer significant benefits compared to ext4 or FAT on your setup. Freenas will function, but error correction won’t be available on a single drive. Since you’re using USB, exFAT is recommended for compatibility with Windows devices. I’d suggest running Ubuntu Server with that hardware, as it provides several years of free commercial security updates.