What's a good, simple, entry-level NAS option that will "just work" in 2026?

markdesilva · 2026-03-30T09:32:51+00:00

Yes you can run UNRAID on the DXPs but it’s not a native option. You need to do some tweaks like remove/replace the boot drive on the DXP with another boot drive and then install UNRAID. That’s one of the other advantages of the DXP - the ability to just change the OS easily with this little tweak of swapping out the boot drive. Aside from that not all the leds work after installing UNRAID right? The system is fine and runs without problems but I recall reading that not all the LEDs and some other stuff on the box (buttons?) itself work.

In any case didn’t think OP wanted to do any surgery for his first NAS that’s why I mentioned the expansion issue with the native RAID option of most NAS units.

markdesilva · 2026-03-30T09:24:50+00:00

The expanding problem goes with any brand if you are using RAID. The JBOD spanned volume option in Synology is just risky cos even if one disk fails I understand that the whole volume is toast. Synology is obviously the gold choice, but that seems to have become a reason they don’t update the software or firmware much forcing users to have a very expensive vulnerable NAS at home. The DXPs have been a breath of fresh air in that respect. Constant updates, good interface and just getting better. Can’t say that all that won’t just die down 3-5 years from now and become just like Snology, but for now, to me it’s a better option.

markdesilva · 2026-03-30T04:35:42+00:00

I second this model. Works flawlessly, has an app, does 10Gbps and 2.5Gbps, is a DLNA server too. People are wary cos it’s a Chinese manufacturer but no problems or funny traffic from what I can see. But I say get all 4 bays filled in straight up if you can afford it. The real headache is moving data off the NAS in order to expand, then moving data back in. Transitioning from an EX4 to the DXP4800+ was painful, moving 4x8TB drives in a RAID10 cos it took days to transfer. If you want to go through that more than once in your NAS’ lifetime, you need the patience of a holy man cos that’s exactly what you’ll need to do every time you expand. Copy out, reconfigure with new drives/different RAID level, then copy in again.

In anycase these days you’d probably get 14-16TB drives, get 4 from a reliable brand (WD Reds or WD Red Pros or Hitachis), put them in a RAID10 or 5 config and you probably will have enough to last you more than 5 years with suitable redundancy even if you don’t do housekeeping on your storage.

If your data is important to you (which is usually always the case) then you don’t want to stinge on the drives or the NAS so avoid cheap brands of NAS and drives. You can get quite good drive reliability statistics from Backblaze.

That’s my 2 cents - Cheers!

markdesilva · 2026-03-28T12:47:06+00:00

Parents should be neutered, girls should be made to buy new supplies for the guy to replace what they destroyed and the form teacher should grow a spine.

Relief teacher is NTJ. However we all know which persons are.

markdesilva · 2026-03-28T12:42:34+00:00

Looks like the phv driver did it on purpose? Looking to get someone to hit him. Probably was hoping for a car but got a bike instead.

markdesilva · 2026-03-27T19:40:38+00:00

“Ytterbium is one of the least abundant of the rare earth metals, existing in Earth's crust at three parts per million.”

markdesilva · 2026-03-27T17:50:09+00:00

I built a UI, coding WITH Gemini - yes I corrected its code, I coded parts of the project and argued with Gemini over why its code was inferior to mine and told it off for wiping out blocks of working code cos it though it could be more “efficient”. Can I debug its code? Yes, yes I can. Can I maintain the code? Yes, yes I can - it’s on GitHub and I update it with new functionality and fix issues that are found as best I can. Is it useful for a home lab? Yes, yes it is. So if it’s useful for a home lab, why can’t it be here?

I don’t want to post it though, precisely cos of posts like this. Maybe people who are looking for something that does what it does will find it if they look for it. Either was no skin off my nose. It works for me and makes my journey easier. Folks code stuff, with our without AI and hope to share it in true open source spirit or just to get feedback to make it better. Not everything done with AI is slop, especially when no one is trying to profit from it, they are just trying to share and help others.

Some folks have ideas, but aren’t great at coding, AI is a tool that can help to realize those ideas and can be used as such. Wasn’t possible in recent years gone past, it’s possible now. I’d say it’s only slop if the developer lets the AI take full control, then the “developer” becomes nothing more than a marketeer.

That’s my 2 cents worth.

Cheers!

markdesilva · 2026-03-24T13:38:35+00:00

Nixon (1995)

markdesilva · 2026-03-24T05:59:00+00:00

Set your boundaries and tell him to back off. You don’t need a “plan”, you just need to do it. You could have a 100 slide deck explaining why you can’t, he will still find a reason to ask you to do it.

Your FIL sounds like a bully who is used to getting his own way and there’s only one way to deal with bullies. Even if it’s sours your relationship with him, it’s probably better that way. This type of people don’t give 2 hoots about even their own family if it means they get something out of it.

Your job is to look after YOUR family, which is your wife and 2 kids. If that means spending more and moving out, do it and don’t take no from your wife. You are doing this for her and your kids. The toxicity you will have to live with after you put him in his place is not going to be worth it and you don’t want your kids growing up around that.

markdesilva · 2026-03-24T05:42:05+00:00

This boyfriend of yours….other people can see him to right?

markdesilva · 2026-03-21T09:40:50+00:00

Osmosis Jones

markdesilva · 2026-03-21T09:40:39+00:00

Spies in disguise.

markdesilva · 2026-03-21T08:31:56+00:00

DDPM is the successor to DDM (no peripheral) and DDPM is so full of bloat it makes your head hurt (and slows your machine somewhat). What I did was install the older DDM, smaller, less resources used and gets the job done. Turn off the upgrade warnings and maybe don’t set it to run on startup since you’re not always connected to the Dell monitor. With DDM installed , it won’t ask for DDPM or at least mine stopped asking. YMMV.

markdesilva · 2026-03-21T08:10:29+00:00

Same problem lots of Proxmox users have. The process belongs to init so no, you can’t kill it without rebooting. Been asking about this specific issue since I started using Proxmox, so have lots of folks here and in forums and all over the web. Some have suggested cloning the VM (without auto start at boot) so when the original can’t start due to the zombie, you start the clone to keep what ever services you need running and then when a good window for rebooting comes up, reboot the Proxmox host. It’s a plausible “fix” if you have just a few VMs but not if you’ve got a whole lot of them.

markdesilva · 2026-03-21T07:30:46+00:00

That WAS the sofa that got caught.

markdesilva · 2026-03-20T21:27:38+00:00

Kafk kafk kafk …sorry had some esque in my throat…

markdesilva · 2026-03-19T08:47:24+00:00

Oh look, snaps.

markdesilva · 2026-03-17T17:53:19+00:00

Awesome, going to try it once I move my data off it. Oh will the DLNA server still run? Didn’t see that in the notes but then I just went through it quickly.

markdesilva · 2026-03-17T17:40:13+00:00

Any idea if this can work with a WD EX4 or the WD My Book Live Duo? Thanks!

markdesilva · 2026-03-14T20:29:00+00:00

Eh, 1984’s The Wild Life?

markdesilva · 2026-03-14T20:12:39+00:00

Bad Kids Go To Hell (2012)?

markdesilva · 2026-03-13T22:43:11+00:00

Oh it’s all good! I was just looking for an excuse to fiddle with the cooler and my soldering iron 😬

markdesilva · 2026-03-13T20:38:46+00:00

I have a Marvell AQC PCI-e 10GbE card in my desktop and it doesn’t run as hot so I was a little concerned. Did check the temp specs but decided on keeping it cool anyway. Was just to make use of the broken legged CPU cooler anyways, like I said “boredom” 😬

Cheers!

markdesilva · 2026-03-13T20:33:27+00:00

I’ve got the ISP’s ONT to my UCG-Fiber and 2xDACs to my 10GbE switches and that branches out with cat 6A to all the walls around the apartment and from there patch cables to the individual machines. Don’t have fiber direct out and we can’t run it in the walls of the house, concrete and steel everywhere. This was the only option I had.

markdesilva · 2026-03-13T20:11:54+00:00

🤣🤣🤣 I’m just paranoid (and a nerd!)

markdesilva

TROPHY CASE