Finally got my EliteDesk 800 G4 Mini set up as a compact homelab node. It’s running solid now with:
- (2x) 4TB WD Black SN750 NVMe — for containers, VMs, media
- (1x) Samsung 870 EVO SATA — running Proxmox host
Total capacity: 8.5TB in this tiny box!
The Weird Part…
I ran into a strange issue during install. Using the standard SATA caddy, everything works perfectly until I close the top cover. Then, one of the NVMe drives (the one beneath the SATA slot) disappears from Proxmox.
Turns out my lazy caddy “hack” (just resting it on the side rail) was shifting when the lid was closed, pressing the NVMe M.2 below and causing a misalignment. Pic 2 shows the red circle where this happened.
No Dremel? No Problem (Maybe)
I know a lot of folks here do the dremel mod for the caddy — but I’ve never used one and didn’t want another tool/project right now.
So I used velcro to mount the SATA SSD to the top cover. The SATA cable’s short, but I found I could lift the lid 45°, slide in the SSD, and press it into place. Later I even figured out how to connect the SATA cable while the SSD was mounted under the lid.
Surprisingly Solid
I tested the velcro grip and it’s really firm. I don’t think it’s going anywhere, even with vibration or long-term use.
Curious what others think:
- Has anyone else gone the velcro route instead of dremel?
- Any long-term concerns with heat or vibration here?
Open to feedback or alternate solutions — always trying to improve the homelab setup!
