readfreenow's profile picture

Published by

published
updated

Category: Web, HTML, Tech

View Blog View Profile Report Blog Entry

How to make your own cloud storage for you and your friends

$1.99 a month to store a measly 100GB of data on Google Drive?!? Yeah right!

You must be saying to yourself: “I want to make permanent, large, private, free cloud storage for under $100”

If you are, welcome to this guide. I will show you how to take any old hard drive and a cheap raspberry pi computer and turn it into a cloud storage space for yourself or anyone you want to share it with.


spare parts cloud storage


Preemptive questions and answers (READ THESE)

1.) I used a Raspberry Pi Model B specifically for the following reasons: It’s a cheaper model, it has *just enough* RAM to work at speeds that are tolerable to use, and it can connect to WiFi, so it makes this project much easier. However, a Raspberry Pi Model 3 A+, which costs $25 ($15 less), is also acceptable to use, as it has the same features, but only half as much ram.

2.) If you have a laptop or desktop computer already, you wont have to buy a monitor or keyboard, saving at least $60! I will go over something called SSH remote connection in this guide that lets you connect to and work on the RaspberrPi computer remotely.



The Shopping List (check the list below this one for specific links)

  1. Raspberry Pi Model B (or if you have money, buy one of the newer models!)

  2. Power Supply that is compatible with your model of Raspberry Pi computer (the Model 3 B has a microUSB power port)

  3. A spare keyboard and mouse

  4. A computer monitor that you can hook up to

  5. A MicroSD card

  6. A MicroSD card reader

  7. A hard drive to store your stuff on.

    1. If you use an internal SSD or HDD, you will also need a SATA to USB Adapter (common SSDs (2.5 inch models), and all HDDs need to be powered, so you will be best off getting a model that takes power from a wall outlet)


Here are some shopping links


NOTE: New stuff is great, but buying it used on online marketplaces like FaceBook Marketplace, OfferUp, or Ebay is just as good and twice as cheap!


The Guide: Turn a Raspberry Pi into Sharable Cloud Storage

Table of Contents

  1. Step 1: Prepare Your Raspberry Pi

    • Install Raspberry Pi OS

    • Enable SSH

    • Set a Static IP Address

    • Connect via SSH

    • Update the System

  2. Step 2: Set Up Duck DNS

    • Create a Duck DNS Account

    • Add a Domain

    • Set Up the Duck DNS Updater

    • Configure Port Forwarding

  3. Step 3: Set Up External Storage

    • Connect Your External Drive

    • Mount the External Drive

    • Set Permissions

  4. Step 4: Install Apache, MariaDB, and PHP

    • Install Apache

    • Install MariaDB (MySQL)

    • Secure MariaDB

    • Install PHP and Required Extensions

    • Install php-smbclient

  5. Step 5: Install Nextcloud

    • Download Nextcloud

    • Extract Nextcloud

    • Set Permissions

  6. Step 6: Configure Apache for Nextcloud

    • Create a New Apache Configuration File

    • Add the Configuration Content

    • Enable the Site and Restart Apache

  7. Step 7: Set Up a Database for Nextcloud

    • Log in to MariaDB

    • Create a Database and User

  8. Step 8: Complete the Nextcloud Setup

    • Access Nextcloud in Your Browser

    • Follow the Setup Wizard

  9. Step 9: Set Up HTTPS with Let’s Encrypt

    • Install Certbot

    • Obtain an SSL Certificate

    • Restart Apache

  10. Step 10: Configure External Storage in Nextcloud

    • Log in to Nextcloud as an Admin

    • Add External Storage

  11. Resources

    • Links and Additional Information

    • How to Add More Storage

Step 1: Prepare Your Raspberry Pi

1.1 Install Raspberry Pi OS

  • Download the latest Raspberry Pi OS from the official website.

  • Flash the OS to a microSD card using a tool like Raspberry Pi Imager.

    • Make sure to toggle on ‘Enable SSH’ with ‘Use password authentication’ under the ‘Services’ tab. If you do, skip Step 1.2

  • Insert the microSD card into your Raspberry Pi and power it on.

1.2 Enable SSH

  • During the initial setup (or after booting), enable SSH:

    sudo raspi-config

  • Navigate to Interfacing Options > SSH and enable it.

  • Alternatively, create an empty file named ssh in the boot partition of the microSD card to enable SSH headlessly:

    touch /boot/ssh

1.3 Set a Static IP Address

  • Edit the DHCP client configuration:

    sudo nano /etc/dhcpcd.conf

  • Add the following lines (replace 192.168.1.100 with your desired IP address):

    interface eth0
static ip_address=192.168.1.100/24
static routers=192.168.1.1
static domain_name_servers=8.8.8.8 8.8.4.4

  • Save and exit (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X), then restart the networking service:

    sudo systemctl restart dhcpcd

1.4 Connect to Your Raspberry Pi via SSH

  • From another computer, use an SSH client (e.g., ssh on Linux/Mac or PuTTY on Windows) to connect to your Raspberry Pi:

    ssh pi@192.168.1.100

  • The default username is pi, and the default password is raspberry. Change the password immediately for security:

    passwd

1.5 Update the System

  • Run the following commands to update your system:

    sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Step 2: Set Up Duck DNS

2.1 Create a Duck DNS Account

  • Go to Duck DNS and sign up using your Google, GitHub, Reddit, or Twitter account.

2.2 Add a Domain

  • Choose a subdomain (e.g., mycloud) and click Add Domain.

2.3 Set Up the Duck DNS Updater

  • Install the Duck DNS updater script on your Raspberry Pi:

    mkdir ~/duckdns
cd ~/duckdns
nano duck.sh

  • Add the following script (replace your_token and your_domain with your Duck DNS token and domain):

    #!/bin/
echo url="https://www.duckdns.org/update?domains=your_domain&token=your_token&ip=" | curl -k -o ~/duckdns/duck.log -K -

  • Save and exit (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X), then make the script executable:

    chmod +x duck.sh

  • Test the script:

    ./duck.sh

  • Set up a cron job to run the script every 5 minutes:

    crontab -e

  • Add the following line:

    */5 * * * * ~/duckdns/duck.sh >/dev/null 2>&1

2.4 Configure Port Forwarding

  • Log in to your router’s web interface (usually at http://192.168.1.1 or http://192.168.1.254).

  • Forward ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS) to your Raspberry Pi’s local IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100).

Step 3: Set Up External Storage

Step 3: Set Up External Storage

This step now includes formatting the external drive.

3.1 Connect Your External Drive

  • Connect your external drive to the Raspberry Pi.

3.2 Identify the Drive

  • List all connected drives to identify your external drive:

    sudo lsblk

    • Look for your external drive (e.g., /dev/sda1).

3.3 Unmount the Drive (if already mounted)

  • Unmount the drive if it is automatically mounted:

    sudo umount /dev/sda1
3.4 Format the Drive

  • Format the drive to ext4 (recommended for Linux compatibility):

    sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sda1

    • Note: Formatting will erase all data on the drive. Back up any important files before proceeding.

3.5 Create a Mount Point

  • Create a directory to mount the external drive:

    sudo mkdir -p /mnt/external_drive
3.6 Mount the Drive

  • Mount the drive to the created directory:

    sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/external_drive
3.7 Set Up Automatic Mounting on Boot

  • Edit the /etc/fstab file to mount the drive automatically on boot:

    sudo nano /etc/fstab

    • Add the following line (replace /dev/sda1 with the correct device name):

      /dev/sda1 /mnt/external_drive ext4 defaults 0 2

    • Save and exit (Ctrl+O, Enter, Ctrl+X).

3.8 Set Permissions

  • Ensure the external storage is accessible to the www-data user (used by Apache):

    sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /mnt/external_drive
sudo chmod -R 755 /mnt/external_drive

Step 4: Install Apache, MariaDB, and PHP

4.1 Install Apache

sudo apt install apache2 -y

4.2 Install MariaDB (MySQL)

sudo apt install mariadb-server -y

4.3 Secure MariaDB

sudo mysql_secure_installation

  • Follow the prompts to set a root password and secure the database.

4.4 Install PHP and Required Extensions

sudo apt install php php-mysql php-gd php-curl php-zip php-xml php-mbstring php-bz2 php-intl php-imagick php-gmp php-bcmath php-imap php-opcache unzip wget -y

4.5 Install php-smbclient (if this fails dont worry and move on) 

sudo apt install php-smbclient

Step 5: Install Nextcloud

5.1 Download Nextcloud

wget https://download.nextcloud.com/server/releases/latest.zip

5.2 Extract Nextcloud

sudo unzip latest.zip -d /var/www/
sudo mv /var/www/nextcloud /var/www/nextcloud

5.3 Set Permissions

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/nextcloud
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/nextcloud

Step 6: Configure Apache for Nextcloud

6.1 Create a New Apache Configuration File

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/nextcloud.conf

6.2 Add the Configuration Content

<VirtualHost *:443>
    DocumentRoot "/var/www/nextcloud"
    ServerName mycloud.duckdns.org

    <Directory /var/www/nextcloud/>
        Options +FollowSymlinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
    </Directory>

    ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/nextcloud_error.log
    CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/nextcloud_access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

6.3 Enable the Site and Restart Apache

sudo a2ensite nextcloud.conf
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 7: Set Up a Database for Nextcloud

7.1 Log in to MariaDB

sudo mysql -u root -p

7.2 Create a Database and User

sql

CREATE DATABASE nextcloud;
CREATE USER 'nextcloud'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your_password';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON nextcloud.* TO 'nextcloud'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
EXIT;

  • Replace your_password with a strong password.

Step 8: Complete the Nextcloud Setup

8.1 Access Nextcloud in Your Browser

  • Open a browser and navigate to:

    http://mycloud.duckdns.org

8.2 Follow the Setup Wizard

  • Enter the database details:

    • Database user: nextcloud

    • Database password: your_password

    • Database name: nextcloud

    • Database host: localhost

    • Data Folder: /mnt/external_drive/nextcloud_data

  • Create an admin account and complete the setup.

Step 9: Set Up HTTPS with Let’s Encrypt

9.1 Install Certbot

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-apache

9.2 Obtain an SSL Certificate

sudo certbot --apache -d mycloud.duckdns.org

9.3 Restart Apache

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 10: Configure External Storage in Nextcloud

Step 10: Configure External Storage in Nextcloud

This step now includes configuring the formatted external drive as external storage in Nextcloud.

10.1 Log in to Nextcloud as an Admin

  • Open a browser and navigate to:

    https://mycloud.duckdns.org

  • Log in with your admin account.

10.2 Add External Storage

  • Go to Settings > Administration > External Storage.

  • Add a new storage configuration:

    • Folder name: Choose a name (e.g., "External Drive").

    • External storage: Select "Local".

    • Configuration: Enter the mount point (/mnt/external_drive).

    • Click Save.

10.3 Verify External Storage

  • Go to the Files section in Nextcloud.

  • You should see the external storage folder (e.g., "External Drive") listed.

  • You can now upload, share, and manage files directly from the external drive.

Final Step: Access Your Cloud Storage

  • Access your Nextcloud server securely via:

    https://mycloud.duckdns.org

  • Your external drive is now fully integrated into Nextcloud, and you can use it for cloud storage.

Step 11: Access Your Cloud Storage

  • Access your Nextcloud server securely via:

    https://mycloud.duckdns.org

  • You can now upload, share, and manage files from your Raspberry Pi cloud storage.

Resources

How to Add More Storage

Eventually, you will have more media than storage. When that happens you have the following options.

Option 1: Add Another External Drive

1. Connect the New Drive

  • Physically connect the new drive to your Raspberry Pi (via USB for HDD/SSD for network storage).

2. Format and Mount the Drive

  • Identify the new drive (check with lsblk or sudo fdisk -l)
	lsblk

  • Format as ext4 (WARNING: erases all data!)
	sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1  # Replace sdb1 with your drive

  • Create a mount point
	sudo mkdir /mnt/new_storage

  • Mount the drive
	sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/new_storage

  • Auto-mount on boot: Add to /etc/fstab
	echo "/dev/sdb1 /mnt/new_storage ext4 defaults 0 2" | sudo tee -a /etc/fstab

3. Add as External Storage in Nextcloud

  1. Log in to Nextcloud as admin.

  2. Go to Settings > Administration > External Storage.

  3. Add a new storage:

    • Folder name: "Extra Storage" (or any name)

    • External storage: "Local"

    • Configuration: /mnt/new_storage

    • Check "Read-only" if needed.

  4. Click the checkmark to save.

Option 2: Expand Existing Storage

1. Replace with a Larger Drive

  • Clone your existing drive to a larger one using dd:

    sudo dd if=/dev/sda1 of=/dev/sdb1 bs=1M  # Replace sda1 (source) and sdb1 (target)

  • Resize the partition afterward:

    sudo resize2fs /dev/sdb1

2. Merge Drives with LVM (Advanced)

If you want to combine multiple drives into one logical volume:

  • Install LVM
	sudo apt install lvm2

  • Create physical volumes
	sudo pvcreate /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdc1

  • Create volume group
	sudo vgcreate vg_nextcloud /dev/sdb1 /dev/sdc1

  • Create logical volume
	sudo lvcreate -l 100%FREE -n lv_storage vg_nextcloud

  • Format and mount
	sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/vg_nextcloud/lv_storage
	sudo mount /dev/vg_nextcloud/lv_storage /mnt/nextcloud_data

IMPORTANT: Post-Expansion Steps

  1. Rescan Files:

    sudo -u www-data php /var/www/nextcloud/occ files:scan --all

  2. Update Permissions:

    sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /mnt/new_storage
sudo chmod -R 750 /mnt/new_storage


0 Kudos

—

Comments

Displaying 0 of 0 comments ( View all | Add Comment )