Rookie question about drive burn-in testing

[chravis]

I will some time soon have all the part necessary to assemble my first FreeNAS box. I've read about and understand that drive burn-in testing is essential to save yourself headaches down the road. I am totally new to this (and to FreeNAS, and to pretty much anything DIY computer is concerned). I have read this thread, https://www.ixsystems.com/community/resources/hard-drive-burn-in-testing.92/, which is awesome, but I think I need to back up even a few more steps.

Once I have my drives, where do you run these burn-in tests? Is it standard practice to have a separate box to do drive testing? What if that is not possible, can I use my new build (without data of course), install FreeNAS and my drives and everything else, and do the burn-in from there? If so, how do I go about doing that?

Thanks so much for any help.

 

[ethereal]

i run the tests in a ssh client. the drives are in the server

if i have multiple drives to test i use tmux as well

 

[myoung]

Is it standard practice to have a separate box to do drive testing?

No. Assemble your server and do burn in before you set up your pool.

If this is your first build it is probably a good idea to post the hardware you are planning to use. You'll find out if components is going to be an issue ahead of time.

 

[chravis]

Thank you @myoung. That's the answer I was hoping for.
I have a Dell T30 and I've ordered a matching 16GB RAM stick from Crucial to go with the 8GB that comes with it (I assume it's ok to have an 8GB stick with a 16GB stick).

So now I'm trying to figure out the drive situation. I don't have tons of files and won't be doing anything hardcore. Just personal documents and then family pictures and photos (with Plex). I think I can get by with just 2 either 3GB or 4GB WD Red drives mirrored. But I'm trying to decide between new drives or "re-certified." I've read that re-certified disks are hit or miss (but much cheaper). And regardless if new or used I should do the burn-in testing, which is why I was asking this question so I could get my head around the process.

 

[Chris Moore]

You can use the legacy GUI to get the menus to look the same as this guide and it gives you pretty much every step you need to put a system together, including disk burn-in.

Uncle Fester's Basic FreeNAS Configuration Guide
https://www.familybrown.org/dokuwiki/doku.php?id=fester:intro