Hi, I’m looking for SBCs where I can run the OS on one storage device, and the applications on another. I believe a couple of Khadas boards have such features, but they also have some other peripherals that I don’t need. I want something like a LibreComputing potato but with the capability to have 2 storage devices (not through USB please, it had proven to be unreliable). I plan to use this as an IOT/Network infrastructure server (Pi-Hole, Unbound, VPN etc).
Orange pi 5 can boot from SD and then use a NVME M.2-2242 SSD as storage. Or boot directly from the NVME if you set up their spi flash bootloader. Good memory and cpu options but they’re pricey for what you get. Still, an actual m.2 ssd will last much MUCH longer than any SD card when running an os and moving program data around…
You’d be better off with something that has an EMMC slot (or ideally SATA connection). Running the OS off of an SD card is painfully slow. I’ve also found USB storage to be way more reliable than SD cards, in general. I used an external 4-bay drive connected via usb3 for years and never had issues. Burned through many SD cards over the same period.
Hi, do you suggest a USB drive (the small ones from Samsung/Sandisk) as primary/secondary storage? Should I run the OS on it too?
Actually, at this point I might even consider running a mini PC with 3 slots for storage drives (2 SATA + 1 NVME/2 NVME + 1 SATA, etc). Know anything I can use?
The mini PC is your best bet. I only have ARM SBCs but they have a lot of limitations. If I needed something new it would likely be a used mini PC. I dont have any suggestions unfortunately. I saw something posted a couple weeks ago that was some university surplus- $30 used mini PC’s, including the case- which will run circles around any ARM SBC. I think shipping was another $30 but still a great deal. Find something like that.
I wouldn’t want even 1 card. I wish my pi just had a sata slot. These fucking cards just die so quickly. It’s one of the reasons I’m looking for some thin client/NUC.
I have one of these mini PCs arriving soon. A little more money than I wanted to spend and no idea if this brand is any good. But it checks a lot of boxes for a backup server project I’m working on - eMMC for boot, microsd slot, M.2 2280 NVME socket, and a 2.5" SATA connection. They have some other variants as well that don’t cost as much.
I originally got a used Dell Optiplex Micro from eBay for this. They come with a 2.5" SATA connection. But I learned the hard way that not all models come with M.2.
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SD cards are not known for reliability either. A decent USB drive can get you SMART passthrough at least.
The orange pi3 lts comes with 8gb emmc onboard storage and supports sd card expansion.
Orange pi 5 can boot from SD and then use a NVME M.2-2242 SSD as storage. Or boot directly from the NVME if you set up their spi flash bootloader. Good memory and cpu options but they’re pricey for what you get. Still, an actual m.2 ssd will last much MUCH longer than any SD card when running an os and moving program data around…
Thanks, I’ll take a look
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You’d be better off with something that has an EMMC slot (or ideally SATA connection). Running the OS off of an SD card is painfully slow. I’ve also found USB storage to be way more reliable than SD cards, in general. I used an external 4-bay drive connected via usb3 for years and never had issues. Burned through many SD cards over the same period.
Hi, do you suggest a USB drive (the small ones from Samsung/Sandisk) as primary/secondary storage? Should I run the OS on it too?
Actually, at this point I might even consider running a mini PC with 3 slots for storage drives (2 SATA + 1 NVME/2 NVME + 1 SATA, etc). Know anything I can use?
The mini PC is your best bet. I only have ARM SBCs but they have a lot of limitations. If I needed something new it would likely be a used mini PC. I dont have any suggestions unfortunately. I saw something posted a couple weeks ago that was some university surplus- $30 used mini PC’s, including the case- which will run circles around any ARM SBC. I think shipping was another $30 but still a great deal. Find something like that.
Thanks, I’m looking at Lenovo and Dell mini PCs, they look nice.
Cheers
I wouldn’t want even 1 card. I wish my pi just had a sata slot. These fucking cards just die so quickly. It’s one of the reasons I’m looking for some thin client/NUC.
I am considering running a mini PC with 3 slots for storage drives (2 SATA + 1 NVME/2 NVME + 1 SATA, etc). Know anything I can use?
I’m pretty sure some Intel NUCs support 1x NVMe + 1x M.2 SATA + 1x SATA
I have one of these mini PCs arriving soon. A little more money than I wanted to spend and no idea if this brand is any good. But it checks a lot of boxes for a backup server project I’m working on - eMMC for boot, microsd slot, M.2 2280 NVME socket, and a 2.5" SATA connection. They have some other variants as well that don’t cost as much.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B6P4MDWN
I originally got a used Dell Optiplex Micro from eBay for this. They come with a 2.5" SATA connection. But I learned the hard way that not all models come with M.2.
Thanks, I’ll take a look
There are thin clients that have an M.2 slot and an mSATA (or just normal sata), you should try that.