By The Power Of UnRAID – The Secret Reveal Of ESXi And Windows 11 VMs
For the last few episodes of Hancock’s VMware Half Hour, we have been quietly building something a little different.
On the surface it looked like a simple DIY UNRAID NAS project and a couple of Windows 11 P2V demonstrations.
In reality, everything was running inside virtual machines on an UnRAID host.
In Part 7 of the DIY UNRAID NAS series, we finally pull back the curtain and reveal what has really been powering the lab:
UnRAID running nested ESXi and Windows 11 VMs, complete with PCI passthrough.
This post walks through the idea behind the episode, how it ties back to earlier parts, and why I keep saying,
“By the power of UnRAID.”
Recap: Parts 6, 100 and 101
If you have been following along you will have seen:
Part 6 – Installing and testing Samsung 990 PRO NVMe drives in the Intel NUC based NAS.
Part 100 – Performing P2V migrations of Windows 11 systems.
Part 101 – Continuing the Windows 11 P2V work and refining the process.
In those episodes the star of the show appeared to be a physical Windows 11 machine and a separate ESXi host called ESXi052.
In Part 7 we reveal that this was deliberately misleading. Both the Windows 11 system and the ESXi host were in fact virtual machines.
The Secret: Everything Was A Virtual Machine
Part 7 opens by jumping back to those previous episodes and then revealing the twist:
The “physical” Windows 11 machine you saw on screen was actually a Windows 11 VM.
The ESXi host ESXi052 that we used for P2V work was also a VM.
The same VM was used in Part 6 when we installed and tested the NVMe drives.
In other words, the entire recent run of content has been driven by virtual machines on UnRAID.
The NVMe upgrades, the Windows 11 P2Vs, and the ESXi demonstrations were all happening inside VMs, not on bare metal.
Windows 11 With PCI Passthrough
One of the key enabling features in this setup is PCI passthrough on UnRAID.
By passing through hardware devices such as NVMe controllers or GPUs directly into a Windows 11 VM,
we can test and demonstrate “bare metal like” performance while still keeping everything virtual.
In the video we show Windows 11 running with PCI passthrough on UnRAID, giving the VM direct access to the hardware.
This is ideal for lab work, testing, and for scenarios where you want to push a homelab system without dedicating separate physical machines.
Nested ESXi 8.0 On UnRAID
The next part of the reveal is nested virtualization.
UnRAID is hosting a VMware vSphere Hypervisor ESXi 8.0 VM which in turn can run its own VMs.
This gives an incredibly flexible environment:
UnRAID manages the storage, cache, parity and core virtual machine scheduling.
ESXi runs nested on top for VMware specific testing and lab work.
Windows 11 runs as another VM on the same UnRAID host, with PCI passthrough as needed.
With this approach a single Intel NUC based NAS can simulate a much larger lab
while still being compact and power efficient.
By The Power Of UnRAID
To celebrate the reveal I created a fun meme inspired by the classic “By the power of Grayskull” scene.
In our version, “By the power of UnRAID” raises ESXi and Windows 11 high above the NUC,
showing that UnRAID is the platform empowering the whole setup.
Whether you are running nested ESXi, Windows 11 with PCI passthrough, or a mixture of containers and VMs,
UnRAID makes it straightforward to combine storage flexibility with powerful virtualization features.
The Power Of UnRAID In The Homelab
The big takeaway from Part 7 is simple:
A single UnRAID host can consolidate multiple roles: NAS, hypervisor, and workstation.
You can experiment with ESXi 8.0, Windows 11, and PCI passthrough without building a large rack of servers.
By keeping everything virtual you gain snapshots, flexibility, and the ability to rebuild or clone systems quickly.
For homelab enthusiasts, students, and anyone who wants to learn VMware or Windows 11 in depth,
this approach offers a lot of power in a very small footprint.
Watch The Episode
If you want to see the full walkthrough, including the moment the secret is revealed,
watch Part 7 of the DIY UNRAID NAS series on Hancock’s VMware Half Hour.
You will see exactly how the Windows 11 VM, the nested ESXi host, and UnRAID all fit together.
Conclusion
Part 7 closes the loop on a long running lab story.
What looked like separate physical systems were really virtual machines,
carefully layered on top of an UnRAID powered NAS.
By the power of UnRAID, we have been able to demonstrate NVMe upgrades, Windows 11 P2Vs, and ESXi 8.0 testing
all on a single compact platform.
If you are planning a new homelab or want to refresh an existing one,
consider what UnRAID plus nested ESXi and Windows 11 VMs could do for you.
Welcome back to Hancock’s VMware Half Hour and to Part 6 of the DIY UNRAID NAS build series.
In this episode I install two Samsung 990 PRO Gen 4 NVMe M.2 SSDs into the Intel NUC 11 Extreme.
The NUC 11 Extreme has a surprisingly capable NVMe layout, providing:
2 × PCIe Gen 4 NVMe slots
2 × PCIe Gen 3 NVMe slots
The video walks through verifying the drives, opening the NUC, accessing both NVMe bays, and installing each SSD step-by-step, including the compute board NVMe slot that is a little more awkward to reach.
The episode finishes in Windows 11 where the drives are validated using Disk Manager and Samsung Magician to confirm that both NVMe SSDs are genuine.
What Is Covered in Part 6
Checking the authenticity of Samsung 990 PRO NVMe SSDs
Accessing both the bottom and compute-board NVMe slots in the Intel NUC 11 Extreme
Installing and securing each NVMe stick
Reassembling the NUC 11 Extreme, including panels, shrouds, NIC and PCIe bracket
Confirming both NVMe drives in Windows 11
Using Samsung Magician to verify that the drives are genuine
Preparing the NVMe storage for use in later parts of the UNRAID NAS series
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
00:07 - Welcome to Hancock's VMware Half Hour
00:29 - In Part 6 we are going to fit Samsung 990 PRO NVMe
01:24 - Intel NUC 11 Extreme has 2 x Gen3, 2 x Gen4 slots
01:45 - Check the NVMe are genuine
04:20 - Intel NUC 11 Extreme - open NVMe bottom panel
05:23 - Install first NVMe stick
06:33 - Remove NVMe screw
07:06 - Insert and secure NVMe stick
07:30 - Secure bottom NVMe panel cover
08:40 - Remove PCIe securing bracket
08:54 - Remove side panel
09:11 - Remove NIC
09:44 - Remove fan shroud
09:59 - Open compute board
12:23 - Installing the second NVMe stick
14:36 - Secure NVMe in slot
16:26 - Compute board secured
19:04 - Secure side panels
20:59 - Start Windows 11 and login
21:31 - Check in Disk Manager for NVMe devices
22:40 - This Windows 11 machine is the machine used in Part 100/101
22:44 - Start Disk Management to format the NVMe disks
23:43 - Start Samsung Magician to confirm genuine
25:25 - Both NVMe sticks are confirmed as genuine
25:54 - Thanks for watching
About This Build
This DIY NAS series focuses on turning the Intel NUC 11 Extreme into a compact but powerful UNRAID NAS with NVMe performance at its core.
The Samsung 990 PRO NVMe drives installed in this part will provide a significant uplift in storage performance and will feature heavily in later episodes when the NAS is tuned and benchmarked.
Support the Series
If you are enjoying the series so far, please consider supporting the channel and the content:
Like the video on YouTube
Subscribe to the channel so you do not miss future parts
Leave a comment or question with your own experiences or suggestions
Follow along for Parts 7, 8, 9 and beyond
Thank you for watching and for following the build.
Enjoy the build and stay tuned for upcoming parts where we continue configuring UNRAID and optimising the NAS.
Do not forget to like, comment and subscribe for more technical walkthroughs and builds.
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:
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!*™.
DIY UnRAID NAS Build – Part 4: Installing a 10GBe Intel X710-DA NIC (Plus an Outtake!)
Welcome back to another instalment of my DIY UnRAID NAS Build series.
If you have been following along, you will know this project is built around an Intel NUC chassis that I have been carefully (and repeatedly!) taking apart to transform into a compact but powerful UnRAID server.
In Part 4, we move on to a major upgrade: installing a 10GBe Intel X710-DA network interface card. And yes, the eagle-eyed among you will notice something unusual at the beginning of the video, because this episode starts with a blooper. I left it in for your entertainment.
A Fun Outtake to Start With
Right from the intro, things get a little chaotic. There is also a mysterious soundtrack playing, and I still do not know where it came from.
If you can identify it, feel free to drop a comment on the video.
Tearing Down the Intel NUC Again
To install the X710-DA NIC, the NUC requires almost complete disassembly:
Remove the back plate
Remove the backplane retainer
Take off the side panels
Open the case
Remove the blanking plate
Prepare the internal slot area
This NUC has become surprisingly modular after taking it apart so many times, but it still puts up a fight occasionally.
Installing the Intel X710-DA 10GBe NIC
Once the case is stripped down, the NIC finally slides into place. It is a tight fit, but the X710-DA is a superb card for a NAS build:
Dual SFP+ ports
Excellent driver support
Great performance in VMware, Linux, and Windows
Ideal for high-speed file transfers and VM workloads
If you are building a NAS that needs to move data quickly between systems, this NIC is a great option.
Reassembly
Next, everything goes back together:
Side panels reinstalled
Back plate fitted
Case secured
System ready for testing
You would think after doing this several times I would be quicker at it, but the NUC still has a few surprises waiting.
Booting into Windows 11 and Driver Issues
Once everything is reassembled, the NUC boots into Windows 11, and immediately there is a warning:
Intel X710-DA: Not Present
Device Manager confirms it. Windows detects that something is installed, but it does not know what it is.
Time to visit the Intel website, download the correct driver bundle, extract it, and install the drivers manually.
After a reboot, success. The NIC appears correctly and is fully functional.
Why 10GBe
For UnRAID, 10GBe significantly improves:
VM migrations
iSCSI and NFS performance
File transfers
Backup times
SMB throughput for Windows and macOS clients
It also future-proofs the NAS for any future network upgrades.
The Mystery Soundtrack
Towards the end of the video I ask again: what is the music playing in the background?
I genuinely have no idea, so if you recognise it, please leave a comment on the video.
Watch the Episode
You can watch the full episode, including all teardown steps, NIC installation, Windows troubleshooting, and the blooper, here:
Thank You for Watching and Reading
Thank you for following along with this NAS build.
Part 5 will continue the series, so stay tuned.
If you have built your own UnRAID NAS or have a favourite NIC for homelab projects, feel free to comment and share your experience.
Welcome to AndysWorld.org.uk! Today, we’re diving into a project that’s perfect for anyone looking to build a powerful, yet compact, DIY Network-Attached Storage (NAS) solution. In this post, I’ll walk you through the first part of building a ‘MEGA’ NVMe NAS using the Intel NUC 11 Extreme (Beast Canyon). This mini-PC packs a punch with its powerful hardware, making it a great choice for a NAS build, especially when combined with UnRAID to handle storage and virtualization.
Why Choose the Intel NUC 11 Extreme for a NAS?
If you’ve been looking into NAS setups, you know the balance between power, size, and expandability is crucial. The Intel NUC 11 Extreme (Beast Canyon) checks all the right boxes, offering:
Compact Form Factor: It’s a small but powerful solution that doesn’t take up much space.
High-Performance NVMe Support: NVMe drives provide incredibly fast data transfer speeds—perfect for a NAS that needs to handle heavy workloads.
Flexibility for Virtualization: With UnRAID, you can set up multiple virtual machines, containers, and storage arrays, making it a versatile solution for any home or small office.
For this build, we’re focusing on using NVMe storage for high-speed access to files and a 64GB Kingston Fury DDR4 RAM kit to ensure smooth performance under load.
What You’ll Need for This Build:
Intel NUC 11 Extreme (Beast Canyon)
64GB Kingston Fury DDR4 RAM
2 x 512GB XPG GAMMIX NVMe SSDs
UnRAID Operating System
A few basic tools for assembly (screwdriver, anti-static mat, etc.)
If you’ve never worked with the Intel NUC before, don’t worry! I’ll guide you through every step of the assembly process. Let’s get into it!
Step-by-Step Build Process:
1. Unboxing the Intel NUC 11 Extreme
First things first, let’s unbox the Intel NUC 11 Extreme (Beast Canyon). When you open the box, you’ll find the compact, sleek chassis, which packs quite a punch for such a small form factor. This NUC is equipped with an 11th Gen Intel Core i7 processor and can support a variety of high-speed storage options, including NVMe SSDs.
2. Installing the RAM and NVMe Drives
With the NUC unboxed, the next step is to install the Kingston Fury RAM and XPG GAMMIX NVMe SSDs. Be careful during installation—especially with the tiny NVMe screws! The NUC has an easy-to-access compute board where both the RAM and NVMe drives will fit.
Installing the RAM: Simply slot the 64GB Kingston Fury DDR4 RAM sticks into the dedicated slots, making sure they’re fully seated.
Installing the NVMe SSDs: These go directly onto the motherboard and can be secured using small screws. Be sure to handle them gently as the connectors are quite delicate.
3. Reassembling the NUC
Once the RAM and NVMe drives are installed, it’s time to reassemble the NUC. This involves:
Reattaching the fan tray and shroud
Reinstalling the side and back panels
At this stage, everything should feel secure and ready for the next steps.
Why NVMe Storage for a NAS?
NVMe drives are game-changers when it comes to NAS storage. Here’s why:
Speed: NVMe offers lightning-fast read/write speeds compared to SATA SSDs or traditional HDDs. For anyone who works with large files or needs to serve data quickly, NVMe is a must.
Future-Proofing: With more applications and data being handled in the cloud, having NVMe in your NAS ensures your storage solution is ready for the future.
Reliability: NVMe drives are more reliable than traditional spinning hard drives, with less moving parts and faster data recovery times.
What’s Next?
Now that we’ve completed the hardware installation, in the next post, we’ll dive into setting up UnRAID on the NUC. UnRAID will allow us to easily configure our storage arrays, virtual machines, and containers—all from a user-friendly interface. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll cover configuring the software, optimizing the NAS, and making sure everything runs smoothly.
Helpful Resources:
To help you along the way, I recommend checking out the blog posts from two experts in the field:
This build was just the beginning! The Intel NUC 11 Extreme provides an excellent foundation for a fast, reliable NAS. With NVMe storage and the flexibility of UnRAID, you can build a high-performance system that’s both versatile and compact.
What do you think of this build? Have you used the Intel NUC for similar projects? Drop a comment below or connect with me on social media—I’d love to hear about your experiences!
Follow Andy’s World for More DIY Tech Projects Don’t forget to check out the latest posts and tutorials on AndysWorld.org.uk to keep up with all things tech and DIY. Happy building!
I will show you HOW TO: Increase the capacity of an existing VMware vSphere vSAN datastore by adding new storage devices.
The storage devices we are using in this VMware vSphere vSAN datastore are Intel Optane devices.
If you are creating a design for VMware vSphere vSAN for a Production environment, please ensure you read the VMware Cloud Foundation Design Guide 01 JUN 2023 – this should be regarded as The Bible!
In this video presentation which is part of the Hancock’s VMware Half Hour HOW TO Video Series I will show you HOW TO: Create a VMware vSphere vSAN using Intel Optane NVMe storage devices.
The storage devices we are using in this video are the Intel® Optane™ SSD DC P4800X Series 375GB, 2.5in PCIe x4, 3D XPoint™, but this procedure can be use to add any compatible storage devices in ESXi to a vSAN datastore.
This video follows on from the follow video in this series
If you are creating a design for VMware vSphere vSAN for a Production environment, please ensure you read the VMware Cloud Foundation Design Guide 01 JUN 2023 – this should be regarded as The Bible!
In this video presentation which is part of the Hancock’s VMware Half Hour HOW TO Video Series I will show you how to change the LBA sector size of storage media to make it compatible with VMware vSphere Hypervisor ESXi 7.0 and ESXi 8.0.
Only an LBA sector size of 512 bytes is compatible with VMware vSphere Hypervisor ESXi 7.0 and ESXi 8.0.
In this video we use an Intel® Optane™ SSD DC P4800X Series 375GB, 2.5in PCIe x4, 3D XPoint™, but this procedure can be use to change the LBA format of any storage media, SSD, HDD, NVMe
This video builds on the last videos in this series of Hancock’s VMware Half Hour, where we continue to build our VMware vSphere 7.0 Lab, and in this video, we start to explore the Warning messages appearing on several of our hosts in the cluster.
If you see the Warning message This host is potentially vulnerable to issues described in CVE-2018-3646. please refer to http://kb.vmware.com/s/article/55636 for details and VMware recommendations KB 55636. then this secuerity fix is required for your VMware vSphere Hypervsior (ESXi 7.0) host.
In this video, I will show you HOW TO: FIX VMware vSphere Hypervisor (ESXi) Host vulnerability L1 Terminal Fault’ (L1TF) Speculative-Execution in Intel processors: CVE-2018-3646, CVE-2018-3620, and CVE-2018-3615.
Modern Intel CPU do not suffer this issue, but earlier processors do have these security issues, in March 2018, security issues were detected in Intel processors called Meltdown, Spectre and L1 Terminal Fault.
The previous videos are listed here for your convenience
I’ve now written over 140 articles and created 40 hours of tutorial VMware vSphere videos on vSphere 7.0 and 8.0. and today published Part 50 – VMware vSphere videos on vSphere 7.0.
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