IdeaWell

Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

Don't throw away your old PC–it makes a better NAS than anything you can buy

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

The three most prevalent themes in the discussion are:

  1. The Efficiency and Suitability of Purpose-Built NAS vs. Repurposed PCs: There is a significant debate over whether an old desktop PC (often an overpowered gaming rig) is an effective 24/7 NAS solution compared to a modern, dedicated, low-power NAS appliance or mini-PC.

    • Those advocating for dedicated NAS cite drastically lower power consumption, quieter operation, and better form factor. As one user noted, comparing the power cost: "At San Francisco electricity prices of ~$0.50/kWh, using an old gaming PC instead of a lower power platform will cost you hundreds of dollars per year in electricity." ("waswaswas").
    • Conversely, others argue that reusing existing hardware avoids the embodied energy/emissions of new manufacturing, suggesting the old hardware is better than discarding it: "If the only vehicle available to you is a semi truck, that’s the best choice [for short trips]. Even over a lifetime of daily trips, the difference in emissions between the semi truck and a golf cart won’t make up for the emissions of manufacturing the golf cart." ("onionisafruit").

  2. The Complexity and Philosophy of Self-Hosting vs. Turnkey Solutions: Users frequently discuss the trade-off between the control and knowledge gained from building and maintaining a custom Linux server versus the ease of use provided by commercial NAS devices (like Synology) or high-level abstractions (like NixOS or TrueNAS in some configurations).

    • A recognized conflict exists between those prioritizing minimal maintenance and those enjoying the DIY tinkering: "The best way I can describe it is: There are people who just want to use a car to get from A to B; there are those who enjoy the act of driving... and there are those who enjoy having a shell of a car in the garage and working on it." ("NikolaNovak").
    • Frustration with commercial solutions led some down deeper rabbit holes: "I'd love to just give someone money and not having to care, but it seems the motto of 'If you want something done correctly, you have to do it yourself' lives deep in me, and I just cannot stomach loosing the data on my NAS, so it ends up really hard to trust any of those paid-for solutions when they're so crap." ("embedding-shape").

  3. Defining the Modern NAS Use Case Beyond Simple File Sharing: The discussion highlights that for many users, a NAS is not just for SMB shares but acts as a low-power compute host for various self-hosted services, thus justifying more robust hardware than a basic appliance.

    • Users list diverse, modern applications that leverage the attached compute power: "Are people doing more than serving SMB shares with their NAS’s? I feel like I’m missing out on something." ("tylerflick").
    • Examples of these added uses include media serving, backup targets, and application hosting: "I'm hosting a couple of apps in Docker on mine. (Pihole, Jellyfin, Audiobookshelf, and Bitwarden.)" ("Uvix").

🚀 Project Ideas

Turnkey Low-Power NAS Configuration Generator

Summary

  • A web tool that generates a complete, minimal, and highly reliable self-hosted storage solution configuration (e.g., Debian/MergerFS/SnapRAID or similar stack) optimized for low idle power, silent operation, and data integrity (checksumming/redundancy), based on user requirements.
  • Solves the dilemma between the complexity of building a reliable custom NAS and the limitations/cost of commercial NAS boxes, catering to users who value stability and low operational cost over constant tinkering.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Users seeking a reliable, low-power, set-it-and-forget-it storage solution, likely those who dislike complex proprietary GUIs (like Synology) but aren't NixOS/ZFS experts.
Core Feature Interactive wizard generating configuration scaffolding (e.g., fstab, ZFS/SnapRAID setup commands for Debian/Ubuntu, or Unraid .cfg files) targeting specific hardware profiles (e.g., SFF vs. Tower).
Tech Stack React/Vue frontend, Python/Go backend for config generation logic. Output focused on Linux (Debian Stable recommended by users).
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • "I have it sharing data mainly via SSHFS and NFS (a bit of SMB for the wife's windows laptop and phone). I run NextCloud and a few *arr services in docker." and "...just use any old desktop, just use Debian Stable, MDADM, and cryptsetup." This directly addresses the need for a reliable, non-proprietary foundation.
  • The tool can integrate configuration snippets for common use cases mentioned, such as basic Docker/Jellyfin setup variables, giving users a bridge between "dumb storage" and a functional home server, which users clearly want ("People want all kinds of things besides literal SMB shares").

Drive Integrity & Bit Rot Monitoring Service

Summary

  • A subscription monitoring service that interfaces with self-hosted storage setups (via a lightweight agent) to track drive health, filesystem scrub status (ZFS/Btrfs), and array integrity checks (SnapRAID syncs).
  • The service alerts users specifically about potential data corruption (bit rot) and failed background maintenance jobs, bridging the gap between basic SMART monitoring and true data integrity assurance.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Users who run checksumming filesystems (ZFS, Btrfs) or parity systems (SnapRAID) who admit: "I use SnapRAID... but note that you have to have your sync and scrub operations appropriately configured to get bitrot protection."
Core Feature Cloud-based dashboard and proactive alert system for failed scrubs, delayed parity syncs, and detected checksum mismatches across various storage technologies.
Tech Stack Agent: Go/Rust (minimal footprint). Backend: Time-series database (InfluxDB/Prometheus) for historical scrubbing data, standard API gateway.
Difficulty Medium/High
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • Addresses the concern: "QuiEgo: Md is great, but does not detect bit rot." Users who are moving past basic RAID need assurance that their complex setups are actually working as intended.
  • It serves the "turn-key" element for reliability, reducing the need to constantly check logs (dmesg or manual zpool scrub status checks).

Mini-Server Power Utilization vs. Legacy Hardware Cost Calculator

Summary

  • An interactive calculator comparing the long-term operational energy cost of running an old, 'over-spec' PC (like a gaming rig) as a 24/7 NAS/server versus purchasing a low-power alternative (NUC/Mini-PC/Modern NAS chassis).
  • The tool helps users quantify the economic viability of hardware reuse against new hardware efficiency, directly addressing the debate on embodied energy vs. operational energy.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Users debating retiring old hardware ("The only pressure to replace it is power consumption") or those concerned about the environmental cost of manufacturing new devices.
Core Feature Input fields for idle/max wattage of existing hardware and local electricity rate ($/kWh). Outputs total 1, 3, and 5-year electricity cost, offsetting the purchase price of a new, efficient platform (e.g., N100 mini-PC).
Tech Stack Simple JavaScript/Frontend framework. Data sourced from public performance/power databases (like those tracking idle power for specific CPUs/motherboards).
Difficulty Low
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • Directly engages with the "waste is waste" vs. "electricity cost" debate: "At San Francisco electricity prices of ~$0.50/kWh, using an old gaming PC... will cost you hundreds of dollars per year in electricity."
  • It provides a technical, objective middle ground for users caught between reuse idealism and reality, allowing them to make data-driven decisions about when "old" hardware becomes too expensive to run.