Post your computer specs!~

[tjkohli]

MacBook Pro M3 Max
128GB RAM
8TB Storage

But no, it still can't run Crysis

 

[OCC7N]

MacBook Pro M3 Max
128GB RAM
8TB Storage

But no, it still can't run Crysis

Dayum! Are we at M3 already? - time moves fast. Sick! 8TB

128GB ram. That is a maschine not a laptop!

 

[Kukuk]

HW Unboxed finally directly compared the 5600X3D with the other X3D chips, and it's pretty interesting!



The 5600X3D outperforms the 5700X3D on average, with the 5800X3D being the clear winner of the trio. Oddly, the 5600X3D beats the 5800X3D in a couple game. (albeit by only a few frames).

Kinda nice to know I didn't get completely fleeced paying what I did for the 5600X3D.

 

[Kukuk]

I decided it's high-time to fix my NAS/Plex setup. There's a lot of jank in my media server, and I feel like it's been a ticking time bomb just waiting to destroy all my data. Most notably, in that regard, is the laptop hard drive that's part of my ZFS pool. I didn't realize at the time you couldn't remove drives from a pool, so it's just been sitting in there with it's meager 1TB contributing nothing but risk to my setup. lol.

On top of that, something is up with my install of Plex that doesn't allow me to update it. It'd be nice to be on a version newer than what I installed like 4 years ago.

Finally, my case straight-up can't comfortably fit more than 3 HDDs, and I'm currently sitting at 3 full-sized HDDs, a laptop HDD, and an SSD. I don't mind the SSD floating around in there, since it has no moving parts, but I can't add any more drives, and I'm over 60% full at this point.

SO- I ordered 2 18TB HDDs, and that will allow me the option of adding another some time down the road. It's going to be an absolute nightmare migrating all my movies to the new drives, so I ordered an extra 2.5GB NIC to help speed that along, moving from a second computer.

I'm probably going to end up using the NAS for cold storage of my Steam games as well, as all my SSDs in my main PC are starting to get low. I really don't need 8TB+ of games installed on my computer at any given time, anyway.

 

[botmann]

I decided it's high-time to fix my NAS/Plex setup. ...
I'm probably going to end up using the NAS for cold storage of my Steam games as well, as all my SSDs in my main PC are starting to get low. I really don't need 8TB+ of games installed on my computer at any given time, anyway.

If you want something a bit more elegant than DYI and opensource, I would suggest Synology. I would look into DS918+ or DS920+ because they apparently handle 4K stream better if you're running the Plex server off the NAS. If you're running off a PC and pointing the media library to the NAS, it's a different situation. I heard/read the newer NAS work, but they changed the CPU, I want to say to different Intel, but I think AMD, and it's not iCPU so the GPU doesn't work well for 4K.

I like the four-bay NASs. I'm only using two bays, but allows me to expand later with bigger drivers and more reasonable prices. I haven't needed it since I transcode all my rips to smaller files. I don't to save every movie or TV show possible either.

Running NAS generally is a lower power consuming option compared to the PC. Before I did NAS, I ran Plex off a PC with a several external USB drives.

I'm not sure how the Steam games being saved or backed up on the NAS works. I don't play that many PC games despite having hundreds available. My PC isn't geared for gaming; it'll work for quite a few. I prefer a console for ease of use.

As for transferring your files, it going to take time. Using a second NIC, I don't think it's really going to make that much difference. It doesn't really more bandwidth. It more a redundancy. You really want higher rated ethernet ports on the two end ports and router.

 

[Kukuk]

I definitely don't need new hardware aside from the HDDs, as my NAS is hilariously overbuilt. Rocking a Threadripper 2970WX with 128GB of RAM, it does basically anything I could ask of a media server. It can do at least 3 4k@50Mbps software encodes in realtime, and for direct-play video it's super handy to have entire blu rays in memory.

Also, the second NIC isn't for the media server, it's for my old computer to use as a secondary server for transfer. It's just got basic gigabit on it, and that would make for pretty miserable transfer speeds.

There's the ticking time bomb on the right there: that HGST HDD.

 

[OCC7N]

I definitely don't need new hardware aside from the HDDs, as my NAS is hilariously overbuilt. Rocking a Threadripper 2970WX with 128GB of RAM, it does basically anything I could ask of a media server. It can do at least 3 4k@50Mbps software encodes in realtime, and for direct-play video it's super handy to have entire blu rays in memory.

Also, the second NIC isn't for the media server, it's for my old computer to use as a secondary server for transfer. It's just got basic gigabit on it, and that would make for pretty miserable transfer speeds.



There's the ticking time bomb on the right there: that HGST HDD.

Then just clone that drive? - if data is so important

Does the CPU have graphics built-in? - where is you GPU?

 

[OCC7N]

Random advice: If you have i225 intel chip on motherboard. Get a separate NIC. The i225 takes a good hit of the bandwith. Generally not very good performing.

 

[Kukuk]

Then just clone that drive? - if data is so important

Does the CPU have graphics built-in? - where is you GPU?

The data isn't super important, just tons of time ripping blu rays. I guess I could try cloning the drive, but wasn't sure if would cause issues with the ZFS pool. Still, not like I have space in the case to replace it with another HDD. Replacing them all just kills two birds with one stone.

No graphics card, though. I just remote into it via web GUI. If I ever need a video output I have graphics cards laying around, but nothing efficient enough to put it in there full time. (The Threadripper's hogging enough power as-is).

Funny you should mention that about the i225 chips, as those are the cards I've been getting. I'm running the FreeBSD-based TrueNAS, and driver support is spotty with 2.5gb NICs. I've yet to run into a single issue with mine, but I've heard they can be finicky with different switches and/or cables, and even driver-level power management. I seem to have gotten lucky by accidentally buying all the right stuff to keep them working properly. Knock on wood.

 

[OCC7N]

The data isn't super important, just tons of time ripping blu rays. I guess I could try cloning the drive, but wasn't sure if would cause issues with the ZFS pool. Still, not like I have space in the case to replace it with another HDD. Replacing them all just kills two birds with one stone.

No graphics card, though. I just remote into it via web GUI. If I ever need a video output I have graphics cards laying around, but nothing efficient enough to put it in there full time. (The Threadripper's hogging enough power as-is).

Funny you should mention that about the i225 chips, as those are the cards I've been getting. I'm running the FreeBSD-based TrueNAS, and driver support is spotty with 2.5gb NICs. I've yet to run into a single issue with mine, but I've heard they can be finicky with different switches and/or cables, and even driver-level power management. I seem to have gotten lucky by accidentally buying all the right stuff to keep them working properly. Knock on wood.

Thats a great build. I have never had a built without gpu. So you installed the OS with GPU and then took it out?

About the I225 I think it is the chip on the motherboards(compatibility) and not a PCIe. Mine is horrible like the rest

 

[Kukuk]

Took a good portion of the day, but I'm up and running, and getting stuff moved over. It's going to take a looooong time to copy over the full 13TB of movies and shows. Just like 3TB of shows took 8-ish hours to copy. Thankfully I can transfer stuff over throughout the day tomorrow since I'll be at work, then I'm off work thursday where I'll further fix Plex movie sorting and whatnot.

And here's the rat's nest that the old media server currently is.

I absolutely adore how effortless it is to move the drives between systems. No driver updates, no disc configuration, nothing: just plug and play.

 

[KcMsterpce]

Gonna build a PC for my dad.
I have half a build ready, with all the spare parts lying around. Might cost about $450 to get a case, motherboard and CPU. I have all the other parts needed in my backup PC parts bins (fans; SSDs/storage; cables; RAM; screws and pieces, etc...). He does photography, but doesn't play games haha. Although that would be pretty crazy if he did.
Will build the following:
Corsair 3000D Airflow case
Asus ROG Strix 'something-or-other' AM4 ATX mobo
Ryzen 5600X CPU
32GB DDR4/3200MHz
550W PSU
Be quiet! Pure Rock 2 cooler
1TB Samsung 980 Pro M.2
- I have an RTX 3070 that is just lying around, so he's gonna get that. Too much GPU for his needs, but I don't need the card, it might as well get some use.

He has had the same computer since 2009 or so. Yikes.

 

[username643827]

Are there popular hardware/PC forums that are still active today?

 

[Neccros]

Are there popular hardware/PC forums that are still active today?

There are but Reddit and Discord seems to be the most active IMHO these days

 

[kman1211]

Computer has been updated some

AMD Ryzen 5800X3D
Thermalright BA120 CPU cooler
Corsair Vengeance DDR4 3200mhz - 64 GB
Gigabyte B550 Aorus Elite AX V2
Samsung 990 Pro M.2 SSD - 2TB
XFX Speedster AMD Radeon 7900 XT Ultra
Corsair 850W Platinum PSU
Corsair 4000D Airflow case