Intel 3570k NAS Build

Hardware Build a PC
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Hi all,

Since re-building my gaming PC using a Ryzen 3900X, I currently have my old Ivybridge 3570k laying around.

I currently have a Synology DS416 Play but its quickly filling up with my media I have backed up and would like in the future to migrate it on to something with more horsepower. I have been looking in to building a NAS using UnRaid, here is the specs of the system I plan to use for the build:-

Motherboard : MSI Z77 MPower
CPU : Intel i5 3570k
RAM : 8GB Kingston HyperX 1600Mhz (Plan to upgrade to 16GB)
Power Supply : Corsair 750W
Case : Corsair 600T
GFX : XFX 7950 Black Edition
Hard Drives : Not yet purchased

My plan is to start off small with say 3 drives (1x Parity, 1x Data, 1x Cache) and build up as time goes on as this will be an on going project.

My main goals are : -
Plex Server
Steam Cache

As mentioned above, my current NAS is filling quickly and I would like to migrate the data from it on to a new solution.

I like the idea of a Steam cache. I’m not on a capped connection but my speeds aren’t exactly mind blowing and when I am downloading a game on Steam, its noticed in the rest of the house :grinning:

My questions are:-

  1. Are the above hardware specs sufficient as a base?
  2. Is it advisable to buy a LSI card now rather than use the onboard SATA ports?
  3. Currently, I have a Raspberry Pi2 running Pi Hole (Each device is pointing to it’s address). Is there a way I can still use this and have data going to a Steam cache?

Thanks,
JLR.

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It’s generally recommended to have ECC memory, and I don’t think that the 3570K can support it

I wouldn’t bother putting that 7950 in, that’s just wasting power and generating unnecessary heat just use the interested GPU

To answer question 2 Sata ports are fine

If you happen to have an old AM3 or AM3+ setups are champs if you don’t use encryption

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Yes it will work just fine. A bit overkill if anything but as you already have the hardware, why not put it to use. Note the RAM upgrade is probably going to give you the best benefit. Note Plex benefis from Haswell era or newer chips but will run fine on Ivybridge.

Not for a couple of drives. Stick with the onboards, you can migrate them later when you have more than 4 drives. The z77 chipsets were fairly good for SATA2 speeds and a couple of Sata 3 so make sure you put your cache drive on a sata 3 port. You can run the OS off a USB drive.

Yes just dont point the DNS of the steamcache to the pihole. I’m not sure you need a steam cache though for one gaming machine. What would be the benefit over scheduling your downloads overnight?

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Thanks for the replies :slightly_smiling_face:,

Good to see I can still use the Pi Hole, the reason it confused me is because when I was looking around online I saw that you had to change your DNS properties and at the moment, on my gaming machine (Windows) its pointing to the Pi Hole as the preferred DNS.

The Steam cache is not really essential, its more of a project to see if I can do it :grinning:

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