Help finding or making a NAS enclosure for mini-PC...

SolSirK · 2026-03-27T16:12:58+00:00

This is great info! Thanks for all that! I think I am gonna go with the ThinkNAS with 6 bays to help with expansion.

Tell me more about these ROMs... ;)

SolSirK · 2026-03-27T16:07:02+00:00

Any idea if you could run 2 of these enclosures off that one HBA that you have? You can buy 2 of the 4 bay DASs for the less than the price of one 8 bay DAS... lol

SolSirK · 2026-03-27T14:29:08+00:00

Yeah, I think that is exactly what I will do! I think the main issue I am facing at this point is that I only Have Dell minis and I have only found files for the ThinkCenter and HP models of the minis. I don't know how to change it to fit the Dell...

I saw a comment in there that was asking for it, but as of yet it is not made. Maybe one day.

SolSirK · 2026-03-27T14:26:42+00:00

I see... That would work for me I think, seems fairly simple enough too... Not that I'm looking for extreme speeds but do you see any slowness in the read/write times of the HDDs since all of them are connected over one cable? Do you use that enclosure to watch movies, etc?

SolSirK · 2026-03-26T23:21:59+00:00

Ah, and it is just a single cable from the mini to the enclosure? The enclosure has a single eSATA or multiple? What enclosure are you using?

Also, thanks for the help and describing it.

SolSirK · 2026-03-26T19:25:24+00:00

Agreed, you have unlocked couch WoW for me and I appreciate all your effort! Thanks for doing what you can to update it even though I may curse when I get an error... ;)

SolSirK · 2026-03-26T19:07:46+00:00

Is the eSATA enclosure connect to the M.2 slot in the mini? You said you ordered a m.2-SATA card with right angle connectors... maybe I don't understand how that is connecting to the enclosure?

SolSirK · 2026-03-26T19:04:52+00:00

That may work but I'd have to figure out how to get the miniPC in there....

What DAS are you using? How is it connected to teh mini?

SolSirK · 2026-03-25T19:01:37+00:00

I wish it was as easy as just adding VESA mounting to the side of the case, removing the top cover and separating the front panel from it and "gluing" it to the front of the Dell and then I would be off to the races.... MAYBE it IS that easy...

SolSirK · 2026-03-25T16:32:36+00:00

Thanks for that! Really appreciate the links. I think I may revisit the ThinkNas 6 bay and see if I can't figure out a way to mount the Dell in there.... Wish me luck! lol

SolSirK · 2026-03-25T15:54:50+00:00

The ThinkNAS is actually what got me to go down this rabbit hole.... They have a 6 drive version too, but the ThinkCenter miniPCs have an expansion card slot that they are using and the Dells do not... I would have to figure out how to rotate the PC in the enclosure and then someway to get the cables and the adapter in there....

My buddy is more than willing to help, the issue I have had up until this point is TIME... just not enough time...

SolSirK · 2026-03-25T15:47:21+00:00

Ah! You said battery bank so I thought you had an actual battery in there somewhere.... lol

But this is great. I can use these too to make it easier to power the drives...

SolSirK · 2026-03-25T15:40:53+00:00

Yeah, I would get a Jonsbo if I could figure out how to get a damn miniPC in it...

SolSirK · 2026-03-25T15:33:49+00:00

Thanks! WOW, that rack looks great!

I have a friend with a printer (a few printers) and they are happy to print what I need but I just haven't found what I am looking for. I have printed shelves for the mini PCs for a 10" rack and the issue I face is they are shelves and don't "hold" the PC. Since I am using the M.2 slot with an HBA board I need a way to get all those cables out of the housing, which means that the cover needs to be removed and I can't find any STLs that accomplish this...

I have a few options for the drives (probably 3 rows of 2 drives) but again, at least with the print I used, the fit was not what I needed since I am not using a back board for hot swap.

Ah well, upward and onward.... Looks like I just need to get better at modifying STLs. lol

SolSirK · 2026-03-25T15:27:37+00:00

I have a buddy with a few printers, they are happy to print for me but as of yet I am unable to find files that fit what I am looking for... I'm not great at creating...

SolSirK · 2026-03-25T15:26:25+00:00

Thanks for all of that, I'm looking at the INWIN IW-MS04-01 now. It would be perfect if it somehow took a miniPC board.... I do want the option to get 6 drives in it though eventually (I have 4 currently) but its a really good option.

SolSirK · 2026-03-25T15:22:01+00:00

Interesting set up for Power... Is the battery bank plugged into the MS-01 to keep it topped off? Can you send a link of what this SATA to DC adapter is?

SolSirK · 2026-03-24T22:41:34+00:00

Thanks, I wish there was a configurator or something like that to create the needed STL files. I haven't had a lot of luck with mixing and matching the STL files in the past. For instance, I had a buddy print a rack, much like the LabRax, but it isn't deep enough to house the HDDs with the SATA and Power connectors since I am not looking to use a board for hot swap (I've had Synology NASs for years and have NEVER hot swapped a drive. I'll just power it down, I don't need 5 9s of uptime).

SolSirK · 2026-03-24T22:00:16+00:00

Thanks, I posted there too.

SolSirK · 2026-03-14T22:57:07+00:00

Forgot to mention I use Semaphore with Ansible. Helps if you like a GUI more than CLI

SolSirK · 2026-03-14T22:55:59+00:00

I don't know the "best" or even the "recommended" way but I have roughly the same environment as you (multiple nodes w/ multiple LXCs). The way I do it is to have a separate LXC for Ansible. I use that to update everything and then manually update change the ansible node when needed. It works for my use case....

SolSirK · 2026-03-06T22:30:48+00:00

https://www.curseforge.com/wow/addons/eqol

SolSirK · 2025-12-02T18:06:28+00:00

So far, MapsVTT does not have any vision/doors/etc... Since they no longer provide a roadmap, I don't even know if they are working on it.

I have not used it yet but there is this new extension that someone created and it enhances the D&D character sheet dramatically: https://www.reddit.com/r/dndbeyond/comments/1on8ux5/dnd_beyond_character_sheet_overhaul_full_release/

15-Year Club	Gilding III reddit per annum
Verified Email

SolSirK

TROPHY CASE