If you have followed my build threads you would realise I have three Alienwares. An old P2.1 Area 51, a 2008 Area 51 and a 2014. They are all now fully operational, with the older of the rigs (Dianoga, the P2.1) taking Ubuntu duties for multimedia (as MS screwed networking in all of their other OSes it would seem).
The only downside to this is I am running three separate rigs, all with their own storage but the data I use daily (like music and films and TV shows) is not consolidated. This makes it a pain. I either download/rip it all again, copy it to an external drive etc or just go without large chunks when I am on the Linux box. So my aim is to set up a NAS, but any one who knows me will know that I couldn't just buy a NAS, bung some drives in and use it.
To follow the theme on I wanted to use some sort of Alienware case. My first port of call was this, the Graphics Amplifier.
Which I wanted to gut and mod and fit some NAS guts into. Only problem is they are quite pricey, and the £80-£100 with missing cable ones all seem to have evaporated and they are now commanding £200. I am not paying that.
So the next best thing was the Kolink K6T. It looks like this, if you are not familiar with it.
I really hate the windowed side panel, but really love the black one. Problem is if I paint the windowed panel it will probably not match the black one so I have to paint both. Not decided if I am going to run with flat black, or, something more funky yet. Time will tell.
So the NAS I am using is this.
It cost me £20 and is known for being very noisy. We'll soon sort that out
First job - rip it all apart. Yes.
An idea of how compact it is, where it will live when it is operational.
It shall live on the floor below the router and modem (and incoming switch).
The main idea is to basically gut it (done) then make a cover panel for where the USB ports etc all lived and fit a 8mm latching switch. Then gut and rewire a ATX PSU to run the NAS and the cooling I have in mind. Oh yeah, and also the case lights which are really cool and chase around the front panel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA9VkogT1HE
Apologies for the noise, that's open back cans for you. Also, a couple of the colours only appear as white due to the camera.
Expect some sort of orange theme on the inside, that of course you won't see because the side panels will be a solid colour
Storage is simply two 250gb laptop drives. More than enough to hold my films and music
The only downside to this is I am running three separate rigs, all with their own storage but the data I use daily (like music and films and TV shows) is not consolidated. This makes it a pain. I either download/rip it all again, copy it to an external drive etc or just go without large chunks when I am on the Linux box. So my aim is to set up a NAS, but any one who knows me will know that I couldn't just buy a NAS, bung some drives in and use it.
To follow the theme on I wanted to use some sort of Alienware case. My first port of call was this, the Graphics Amplifier.
Which I wanted to gut and mod and fit some NAS guts into. Only problem is they are quite pricey, and the £80-£100 with missing cable ones all seem to have evaporated and they are now commanding £200. I am not paying that.
So the next best thing was the Kolink K6T. It looks like this, if you are not familiar with it.
I really hate the windowed side panel, but really love the black one. Problem is if I paint the windowed panel it will probably not match the black one so I have to paint both. Not decided if I am going to run with flat black, or, something more funky yet. Time will tell.
So the NAS I am using is this.
It cost me £20 and is known for being very noisy. We'll soon sort that out
First job - rip it all apart. Yes.
An idea of how compact it is, where it will live when it is operational.
It shall live on the floor below the router and modem (and incoming switch).
The main idea is to basically gut it (done) then make a cover panel for where the USB ports etc all lived and fit a 8mm latching switch. Then gut and rewire a ATX PSU to run the NAS and the cooling I have in mind. Oh yeah, and also the case lights which are really cool and chase around the front panel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA9VkogT1HE
Apologies for the noise, that's open back cans for you. Also, a couple of the colours only appear as white due to the camera.
Expect some sort of orange theme on the inside, that of course you won't see because the side panels will be a solid colour
Storage is simply two 250gb laptop drives. More than enough to hold my films and music
