Storage Setup

[Risu0042]

So, this is my first stab at setting up a home server and utilize it as a Plex media server. I am using a free computer from work as the starting point for the build please see specs below if you are curious, but my main concern is how to configure storage. I started by perching 2x4tb hard drives and putting them in a mirror configuration, and a month of copying media to it i am already running out of space with only about half of my collection copied. I am starting to think that i screwed up by only picking up 2 drives instead of 3 as with 3 drives i could have formatted them into a raid-Z1 where it would still protect me from 1 drive failure but it would allow me to take more advantage of usable space. so my question to the community is, is there a way for me to pick up a 3rd drive, get the configuration into a raid-z1 without having to wipe all the data i already transferred? or to take advantage of the raid-z1 i would need to basically wipe everything and start over.

HP z420
Intel xeon 6 core hyperthreaded CPU (not sure on the series)
32gb of DDR3
(installed a small don't know what it is video card i had laying around so it would boot.)

 

[danb35]

is there a way for me to pick up a 3rd drive, get the configuration into a raid-z1 without having to wipe all the data i already transferred?

Unfortunately, no.

 

[rivey]

I am new to freenas also but why can't you back up the copied data to an external drive or the cloud. You could then reconfigure your system with additional drive or drives and then restore the data to the upgraded system. If I am not right on this please correct my thoughts.
Bob Ivey

 

[Chris Moore]

I am new to freenas also but why can't you back up the copied data to an external drive or the cloud. You could then reconfigure your system with additional drive or drives and then restore the data to the upgraded system. If I am not right on this please correct my thoughts.
Bob Ivey

You can do that, but that's not what the OP was asking for.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk

 

[rivey]

You can do that, but that's not what the OP was asking for.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I537 using Tapatalk

I agree that the OP was not asking that question, but it would appear that it could be his best solution for his problem. The OP was asking if he could just add additional drives but that will not work. I see only two possible options, the one I suggested or replacing both of his existing hard drives with larger capacity drives. He did ask a specific question and the answer to that question is no, but then isn't it prudent to then give the OP an alternate solution that will work. To me, that is what this forum is designed to do. Just my two cents.