Hey everyone! I'm thinking about picking up a second-hand office machine to turn into a NAS (Network-Attached Storage) and wanted some suggestions. I've heard that most people run NAS systems without a desktop environment (DE). Is it mainly for power savings, or are there other reasons? Personally, I'd like to use a DE since I enjoy tinkering with things on my setup. I'd appreciate any recommendations for distributions to use and tips for setting it up, especially on how to access it remotely from my main computer. Thanks a bunch!
5 Answers
Most NAS setups don’t use a desktop environment because they’re often managed remotely. A popular choice is OpenMediaVault, built on Debian, which offers a web interface for managing settings. You can easily access this interface from your usual desktop or laptop.
I personally run Ubuntu LTS on an old laptop connected to a SATA HDD with a USB adapter. It works great for NAS!
You really won’t be configuring a NAS through a DE. It’s typically all done via config files or a web GUI, so a desktop environment isn’t necessary.
From my experience, Ubuntu Server is super beginner-friendly, and I’d also recommend Debian. Server distributions typically don’t come with a DE by default since you just access them via SSH. If you really want a DE, you can still install a lightweight one like Xfce.
While it’s not standard, many NAS setups use BSD-based OSes. But keep in mind, you want your NAS to be as stable as possible, so avoid heavy tinkering.
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