Posts Tagged ‘computing’

Part 5: DIY UNRAID NAS: Making Use of the Free Internal USB Headers

Sunday, November 30th, 2025

 

 

Welcome back to Andysworld!*™ and to Part 5 of my DIY UNRAID NAS series.

In this instalment, I explore a small but very useful upgrade: using the free internal USB headers inside the Intel NUC Extreme 11th Gen to hide the UnRAID boot USB neatly inside the chassis. This keeps the build clean, reduces the risk of accidental removal, and makes the system feel much more like a dedicated appliance.

Why Move the UnRAID USB Inside the NUC?

UNRAID must boot from a USB flash drive. Most people leave it plugged into an external port on the back of the system, but the NUC Extreme includes internal USB 2.0 header pins.

By using those internal headers, we can:

  • Keep the USB drive inside the case
  • Free up an external USB port
  • Reduce the chance of accidental removal or damage
  • Improve the overall look and tidiness of the build
  • Make the system feel more like a self-contained NAS appliance

Credit and Hardware Used

This idea came from a very useful Reddit thread:

Reddit source: https://tinyurl.com/yd95mu37
Credit: Thanks to “JoshTheMoss” for highlighting the approach and the required cable.

Adapter Cable

The adapter used in this build was purchased from DeLock:

Adapter product page: https://www.delock.com/produkt/84834/merkmale.html

This adapter converts the internal USB header on the motherboard to a standard USB-A female connector, which is ideal for plugging in the UnRAID boot drive.

What Happens in Part 5

In this episode I:

  • Open up the Intel NUC Extreme 11th Gen chassis
  • Locate the unused internal USB header on the motherboard
  • Prepare the UnRAID USB stick, wrapping it in Kapton tape for additional insulation and protection
  • Install the DeLock internal USB adapter
  • Route and position the cable neatly inside the chassis
  • Connect the USB stick to the internal adapter (with the usual struggle of fitting fingers into a very small case)
  • Confirm that the system still boots correctly from the now-internal USB device
  • Give a short preview of what is coming next in Part 6

Video Chapters

00:00 – Intro
00:07 – Welcome to Hancock's VMware Half Hour
00:47 – Using the free internal USB headers
01:05 – Reddit Source – https://tinyurl.com/yd95mu37
01:17 – Kudos to "JoshTheMoss"
02:32 – The Reddit Post
02:44 – Purchased from – https://www.delock.com/produkt/84834/merkmale.html
02:59 – Intel NUC Extreme 11th Gen close-up
03:58 – Internal USB header left disconnected
04:36 – USB flash drive is used for UnRAID
04:49 – Wrapped USB flash drive in Kapton Tape
05:31 – Fit the cable with fat fingers
07:09 – Part 6 – NVMe Time
07:51 – 4 × 4 TB Samsung 990 PRO NVMe Gen 4
08:25 – Thanks for watching

Watch the Episode

Embedded video:

Follow the DIY UNRAID NAS Series on Andysworld!*™

This project is progressing nicely, and each part builds on the last. In Part 6, I move on to storage performance and install 4 × 4 TB Samsung 990 PRO Gen 4 NVMe SSDs for serious throughput.

If you are interested in homelab builds, UNRAID, VMware, or just general tinkering, keep an eye on the rest of the series here on Andysworld!*™.

Thanks for reading and for supporting the site.

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These Arrived Today: The ComputeBlade – A New Era in Compact Computing

Thursday, December 5th, 2024

After much anticipation, The ComputeBlade has finally arrived! This innovative piece of hardware has been making waves in the compact computing and homelab community since its inception as a Kickstarter project, which closed in February 2023. While the Kickstarter campaign was highly successful, the journey to delivery has been anything but smooth.

The ComputeBlade Journey

For those unfamiliar, the ComputeBlade is an ambitious project by Uptime Lab designed to bring powerful, modular computing to a compact blade-style chassis. It offers support for Raspberry Pi Compute Modules (CM4) and similar SBCs, providing a platform for homelab enthusiasts, developers, and small-scale edge computing setups.

However, the project has faced several setbacks that delayed delivery for many backers:

  1. Russian Screws: Supply chain disruptions included sourcing specific screws, which became problematic due to geopolitical tensions.
  2. PoE (Power over Ethernet) Issues: The team encountered complications ensuring consistent and safe PoE functionality.
  3. Certification Challenges: Meeting various regulatory standards across regions added another layer of complexity.

Despite these hurdles, I opted to purchase my ComputeBlades retail, as Kickstarter backers have yet to fully receive their units.

For those interested in the Kickstarter campaign details, you can check it out here.

First Impressions

The retail packaging was sleek, compact, and felt premium. The ComputeBlade itself is a marvel of design, seamlessly blending form and function. Its modularity and expandability immediately stand out, with features such as:

  • Support for Raspberry Pi CM4: Making it a natural fit for virtualization, containerization, and other development projects.
  • Hot-Swappable Design: Simplifies maintenance and upgrades.
  • Integrated Networking: Includes options for advanced network setups, perfect for a homelab.

What’s Next?

Now that the ComputeBlade has arrived, I’m eager to put it through its paces. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be:

  1. Testing Homelab Applications: From running lightweight virtual machines to hosting containers using Docker or Kubernetes.
  2. Evaluating Networking Features: Especially the PoE capabilities and how it handles edge computing scenarios.
  3. Sharing Configurations: I’ll document how I integrate it into my existing homelab setup.

Closing Thoughts

While the journey of the ComputeBlade from Kickstarter to retail has been rocky, the product itself seems poised to live up to its promise. If you’ve been waiting for a scalable and compact compute platform, the ComputeBlade might just be the solution you’ve been looking for.

Stay tuned for my follow-up posts where I dive deeper into its performance and practical applications. If you’re also experimenting with the ComputeBlade, feel free to share your experiences in the comments or reach out via social media.

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Time to teach Angus!

Thursday, November 29th, 2007

Angus and Motherboard

Now Angus is 7 months old, I think he’s now old enough to be taught the ways of the force! Maltilda was given the option, but she didn’t seem interested and fell asleep in the motherboard box!

Ten minutes later, this is what he built…

Epox Mobo

Okay, so he had a a little help from his friend!

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