Nucleus - replace the internal storage

Support Nucleus Support
#1

Roon Core Machine

Nucleus one year old (I buy it on December 2021)

Networking Gear & Setup Details

Assus Router

Connected Audio Devices

USB Chord M Scaler

Number of Tracks in Library

over 133,000

Description of Issue

Hello there!
My Roon Nucleus have an classic HDD (with moving parts) an I want to know if I can replace it with an SSD. I have two resons for this change>

  1. The noise - made by the internal hdd bothers me
  2. The speed - I hope an SSD will help increase the speed with which the system moves (I know I have a big library)

I study the topics but I don’t find any answer / solution. I didn’t even manage to access the internal storage, neither from the settings menu of Nucleus, nor from a PC (I use Windows).

And one more question: it’s possible to replace de SSD without losing the warranty?

Thanx a lot!

#2

I assume that you are talking about replacing a 2.5" HDD holding your local music with a 2.5" SSD? A Nucleus already has an M.2 SSD that is used to hold the Roon OS and the Roon software.

  • The noise - made by the internal hdd bothers me
  • An SSD is silent, so this is a worthwhile change
  • The speed - I hope an SSD will help increase the speed with which the system moves (I know I have a big library)
  • You won’t see any impact on speed, because you’re talking about the drive that holds local music files, and the performance of the HDD is already sufficient for delivery of music files in Roon.

I didn’t even manage to access the internal storage, neither from the settings menu of Nucleus, nor from a PC (I use Windows).

Can you say more about this, and perhaps post a screenshot of the Web Administration page of your Nucleus. That should show the internal storage used for your music if a 2.5" HDD has been fitted.

Fitting an internal storage drive will not break the warranty.

#3

The main question is how. Were you planning on just putting the new drive in, format it, and then recopying the music?

#4

Hello Geoff,

I use an external NAS to keep my music. I don’t have ideea what is stored on the internal drive.

And for sure is not a SSD, I know well the noise produced by an HDD.

And I don’t know how to acces the web administration page for my Nucleus.

#5
#6

Sorry, but the M.2 drive in a Nucleus is an SSD. Are you sure that there is no additional drive for music storage?

#7

I have no ideea, it’s possible to have an HDD and a SSD in the same Nucleus? I never took the lid off.

But the noise definitely comes from Nucleus (the NAS is not in the same room).

It"s possible that the seller sold me a Nucleus from an older series, which was equipped with HDD and not SSD?

#8

Hello Rugby,

I don’t save my music on the internal storage, I’m using a NAS. I don’‘t even see the internal storage on settings menu/storage. I will send a print screen with this but I can on Monday because I’'m not at home until them

#9

Not at all. You are mistaken. A Nucleus has an SSD for the Roon OS and Roon.

#10

Thank you very much for instructions. On Monday I will be at home and I will send a screenshot of the Web Administration Page of my Nucleus.

#11

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#12

Hello,

I don’t know what the information above is needed for or if we can get data about thehard disk included în my Nucleus.

#13

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#14

I took off the cover and, surprise, there is no hard drive inside!?

I don’t understand what exactly is causing the noise?

Now about the hard drive: should I put one?
And if so, which type/model would be the most appropriate?

#15

To store music, I don’t need an internal hard disk because I use a large-capacity NAS.

However, will it help if I add an SSD to the Nucleus for a higher system speed?

#16

The Circuit board on the far RIGHT is an M.2 SSD , the Roon OS and database is stored on this . The Nucleus wouldn’t work without it. If I am not mistaken all Nucleus have contained the small M.2 SSD never a conventional HDD, some more recently have been made with an optional storage SSD at an extra cost.

The M.2 SSD is much larger than you need (eg in my NUC my SSD uses 7% of its capacity). However Roon OS is such that you cannot use that excess space. Yours show 89% free of 114Gb.

I don’t have a Nucleus but I would hazard a guess a SSD or HDD could be fitted on the 2 brackets Front Left, the Red cable looks like a SATA plug.

As to what is causing the noise I have no idea there are no moving parts as your pic shows

#17

I already told you the answer: an additional 2.5" SATA drive added to a Nucleus will be used for storage of local music files, and for this, using an SSD in place of an HDD won’t affect the speed of the system at all.

#18

Thank you, Mike, very interesting for me. I was expecting to see a regular hard drive. In addition I also saw the unused red cable.

#19

I suspect that you are confusing the noise of an HDD with coil whine, which apparently affects a very small number of the motherboards used in the Nucleus - see this thread:

#20

Yes, Geoff. I must have made the same confusion. That noise perfectly resembles the sound that a classic hard drive makes. I’m assuming that since it’s the motherboard there’s no way around it, is there?