Nucleus + Internal SSD format

[Michel_VdB (Michel Van den Broecke)]

Hello Everybody,

New Roon user here, since a good month I have a Nucleus + connected to my network where I have a NAS attached as well.
All my music files are on the NAS.
It works like a breeze.
Lately I’ve been preoccupied by the lack of backup of my music files (the NAS is used as well as a backup for my Mac files).

One option could be attach a USB drive to the NAS to serve as backup of my music files; and dusted and done.
Obviously this wouldn’t protect me from a major drama like house burning down but at least I would have a backup in case the NAS would fail me; and anyway if my house burns down Im not sure Music will be my first concern…

Second option; use a SSD with the Nucleus.
Internal or external.
External: easy; format in ExFat or HSF+ with my Mac; transfer the files to the new SSD and connect it to the Nucleus. Thereafter I can add files to the SSD via Finder and backup the SSD to my NAS.

Internal is where I’m not sure I get it how it could work…
Install the SSD inside, ok.
Thereafter format the SSD trough the Nucleus web interface oK.
But I’ve read that Nucleus will format the SSD in Ext4 and to my knowledge OS X is unable to read/write to an Ext4 partition.
So in that case how can I transfer my files to the SSD?

Also any advantages of using an internal SSD vs external?
Internal should be faster vs USB, not sure I would see the difference with music files?
Internal a bit cheaper.
Any differences in SQ?

Tks already for your help

[Geoff_Coupe]

@Michel_VdB

So in that case how can I transfer my files to the SSD?

The only way is to transfer files over the network to the internal music storage drive.

Nucleus Internal Storage

[Michel_VdB (Michel Van den Broecke)]

So you’re saying that even if the SSD is formatted in EXt4 I’ll be able trough my Mac to transfer files via SMB from the NAS to the SSD?

[dylan (Dylan Caudill)]

That’s correct, @Michel_VdB. You can connect using smb://NUCLEUSPLUS/Data/Storage/InternalStorage and copy the files over that way.

[Michel_VdB (Michel Van den Broecke)]

Ok Tks guys

No differences to be expected in SQ I suppose compared to leaving my music on my NAS?
And any practical advantages for internal or external SSD?

[Geoff_Coupe]

No differences in SQ. There may be a difference in the behaviour of Watched Folders between local storage on the Nucleus and NAS storage.

Watched Folders on the Nucleus are watched in real time. Some NASes do not always report changes in their storage, so you may need to set up a scheduled rescan interval for the NAS. See:

Roon no longer updating newly added albums without forcing Re-Scan after migrating to Nucleus +

Hi @Neill_Strickland, How do you have your Automatic Rescan Interval configured in Roon Settings -> Storage -> -> 3-dot drop down -> Edit (next to NAS share)? [Rescan%20Interval] Is there any change in behavior if you set this interval to something shorter? As a general note, we have often found that Linux-based NAS shares are often unreliable when it comes to reporting the file changes, please see the following thread regarding this discussion:

As for advantages for internal and external drives on the Nucleus, it’s down to personal preferences. An internal drive is neater (no external boxes), but if the drive needs replacing, it’s quicker with an external drive. An external drive can be formatted so that it can be plugged directly into a Windows PC or Mac. Copying files to/from the drive is then quicker because they are not travelling over the network.

[Michel_VdB (Michel Van den Broecke)]

@Geoff_Coupe

No differences in SQ. There may be a difference in the behaviour of Watched Folders between local storage on the Nucleus and NAS storage.

Watched Folders on the Nucleus are watched in real time. Some NASes do not always report changes in their storage, so you may need to set up a scheduled rescan interval for the NAS. See:

Yeah, knew that; I have rescan set at 4h for the time being as I’m intensively ripping missing CDs…

Tks Geoff you’ve been very helpful.

Last question, read somewhere on the forum there were some issues with missing screws to attach the drive to the rails.
I have a Nucleus Rev B; am I supposed to find the screws already attached to the rails? ( So 8 screws inside the box) or better check before ordering the SSD?

[Geoff_Coupe]

@Michel_VdB

I have a Nucleus Rev B; am I supposed to find the screws already attached to the rails? ( So 8 screws inside the box) or better check before ordering the SSD?

I don’t know - better check…

[Michel_VdB (Michel Van den Broecke)]

Might go for the external SSD, a bit more expensive but simpler; and as the nucleus is inside a cabinet, no visual disturbance anyway…