Currently upgrading a very janky DIY media server with more storage and am running out of usb ports. I would like to buy a large external drive enclosure but have been reading about problems running certain enclosures while not fully populated. Ideally I would like to get a 5 bay enclosure and install one drive in it, with the option to add more as my needs increase. Has anyone had any experience with a similar situation? Or am I just going to have to save and get everything at once?

Thanks.

  • MeCJay12@alien.topBEnglish
    2·
    10 months ago

    I’m not aware of an enclosure that has a problem running with open slots. I have a Synology unit that’s running with 3/8 empty bays.

  • WikiBox@alien.topBEnglish
    1·
    10 months ago

    I am very pleased with my IB-3805-C31. A 5 bay USB (10Gbps) JBOD enclosure.

    You access the drives as separate drives and can turn them on/off individually.

    I use it with Linux and mergerfs and snapraid. Works very well. Silent and robust. Sabrent has an identical(?) enclosure.

    • hairyroos@alien.topOPBEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      Awesome, that was on the upper end of my budget but glad to hear it will work for my use case. Time to store some more 4k videos!

      Thanks for your help.