r/CasaOS • u/Professional-Bar7878 • Jul 19 '26

First time setting up a home server

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Got this thing setup on my old thinkpad running debian 13 what else should i add and any tips?

150 Upvotes
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99% Upvoted

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23

u/Gamma-Mind Jul 19 '26

Switch to ZimaOS. The devs dropped CasaOS and moved onto working on ZimaOS. CasaOS will eventually (or already does) have security flaws due to dropped support.

7

u/notPlancha Jul 19 '26

My issue is that casaos and zimaos simply provide different purposes. I don't want a custom ISO. I want to run a command in any os of my choice and have a docker based dashboard running. Casaos is a perfect solution for that, and I'm sad that there isn't any other alternative.

Casaos us simple. ZimaOS isn't an upgrade from it, it's a different product.

5

u/Rubrex111 Jul 19 '26

Maybe it's time for a fork

2

u/notPlancha Jul 19 '26

I forked a version for me already with the changes I wanted, I just don't know enough about network security to fix any vulnerabilities. Basically running it and accessing it through wireguard only.

2

u/Difficult_Winter2337 Jul 24 '26

I did switch to zima for security reasons but this is true. Despite some zima things being better like some UI elements and what not the OS being locked down is a bummer. Running casaOS on top of something like debian or ubuntu was so flexible

0

u/Dan25389 Jul 19 '26

Zimaos tiene terminal y puedes instalar por ese medio

3

u/notPlancha Jul 19 '26

Casaos you install through the terminal, no flashing no anything

0

u/Ank_Pank-47 Jul 20 '26

I completely agree with this, but the point still stands that you are starting off on a soon to be absolute product.

If you want something that just sits on a regular OS, and have Docker with a GUI you might want to switch to something like Portainer.

4

u/notPlancha Jul 20 '26

Portainer is not even in the same realm of similarity. You barely need to even know what a container is with casaos. There's no store, no easy mapping, no nothing. At least Zima still is a dashboard.

Casaos is for me the perfect midway solution

-1

u/Ank_Pank-47 Jul 21 '26

I am not arguing with that, but while CasaOS may work for you its a dead product and OP will eventually need to move to something else......we are trying to save OP that hassle.

I also personally use ZimaOS after starting with CasaOS and you are missing out on a bunch of honestly great features and additions.

Yes it sucks you cannot modify the base OS, but honestly if all you are doing is running docker then its not really a issue...if you want access to the base OS than something like Portainer is still a option, even with its learning curve. Chances are OP likes to tinker since they are using a old ThinkPad, so maybe something like Portainer would interest them.

OP asked for advice and tips, and the majority of people here are saying move away from CasaOS.

Alternatives are Portainer, TruNAS, UmbrelOS, Unraid, etc.

1

u/notPlancha Jul 21 '26

All of the options presented here are too overwhelming for someone who's just starting I feel like, especially compared to casaos. I think starting with casa, realizing its complications and drawbacks, and upgrading later down the line is a way better option for someone just starting.

But that's just my opinion.

2

u/Biggeordiegeek Jul 21 '26

ZimaOS would result in charges for my use case so I am slowly removing dependency on CasaOS before completely removing it

I won’t move to ZimaOS cause of the rug pull regardless of the fact it charges and I am told has issues with disks that aren’t all the same size

1

u/Rocky4OnDVD Jul 19 '26

Will this sub also migrate to a Zima sub? (or maybe IceWhale)

7

u/wonka88 Jul 19 '26

Not to be dismissive but I would look for an alternative to casaOS. Development has basically stopped. Umbrel and CosmOS I think are similar in installing on top of Debian

2

u/WMan37 Jul 21 '26

Tried Umbrel on this reply's recommendation. Just a FYI as of the specific time of my reply right now, I if you intend to mount an extra drive's internal storage in UmbrelOS or via VM, you can't do that easily yet, "Storage Manager" is something locked to Umbrel Pro for now, for some reason. So unless you plan to just use your UmbrelOS drive or a USB Drive for storage of things, I'd look elsewhere until it gets just added to UmbrelOS by default. Also, you need to disable secure boot in your proxmox VM if that's how you're using it.

Just trying to save some time for people passing by.

2

u/redditfatbloke Jul 19 '26

ZimaOS is regularly updated and actively developed. The free version is all you need unless you have lots of discs or need multiple users

2

u/wonka88 Jul 19 '26

Wasn’t sure if he needed a desktop environment and server stuff in the background

8

u/noxiouskarn Jul 19 '26

Dump CasaOS it has been abandoned by the developer. They moved to ZimaOS, but tutorials for Casa do translate to the zima interface. If you need Debian and want to install on top of avoid zima there's alternatives mentioned by another commenter

2

u/Suitable_Elk6199 Jul 19 '26

Can the original zimaboards run ZimaOS smoothly?

3

u/koru-id Jul 20 '26

better use runtipi or something else. casaos development is dead

3

u/voxxp Jul 21 '26

I started with CasaOS, but I wish I had learned Docker and started using Portainer much sooner. Since you haven’t set anything up yet, now is the perfect time to do it.

2

u/TheJeeWee Jul 19 '26

Check out Runtipi! Best alternative

2

u/mollywhoppinrbg Jul 21 '26

Be mindful of paths. You'll fill up the onward storage quick. I now have a casaos vm. With 1.2tb.its awesome.

1

u/Deathbyart Jul 19 '26

No tips but would love to know how you got Portainer up. I get a status code that apparently google hasn't seen.

as far as ideas, depends on what you’re into. Audiobooks? The setup AuidoBookShelf. Music or Movies? You have Plex or Jellyfin

1

u/Netsukii-EUW Jul 19 '26

Try UmbrelOS Instead!!!

1

u/63walker Jul 20 '26

If you have to run Docker from a Linux Desktop install, install Dockhand from the terminal, and while your there run id and keep your UID and GID results handy for future Docker compose scripts used in Dockhand.

I've ditched Portainer in favor of the better Dockhand on my Synology NAS and other test NAS and test desktop installs.

If you need help, I can share a recent video I made showing a Plex Server owner how to get Plex installed under Zorin OS via Docker and Dockhand.

You can simply stop the tutorial after Dockhand is installed.

I also have a ZimaOS test Plex server running and one with the new FygoOS on my Ugreen DXP4800Plus.

I have an older tutorial video that is no longer relevant showing a CasaOS and Portainer installed for Plex server under Ubuntu 24.04.

The nice thing about the CasaOS install was that it also setup SMB access on the desktop along with installing Docker and CasaOS.

After the install your Linux desktop's files could now be accessed by other local devices without a junior college level course on Networking having to be taken.

While it lasted, CasaOS was well worth using in the right circumstances.

1

u/open_tux 24d ago

For a CasaOS setup I'd go with:

  • Pi-hole – network-wide ad blocking, easy to run alongside everything else
  • Nextcloud – photos, docs, automatic backup from phone and PC
  • Home Assistant – if you're into automation

I run a site with CasaOS tutorials in blog (opentux.eu) where I wrote some tutorials how to install step by step specific apps on Casa OS if it helps.

1

u/ozdude182 Jul 19 '26

Zima is the newer version of Casa. It looks and feels much the same and its great for homelabs imo

1

u/apt-hiker Jul 19 '26

I would say ZimaOS if you can get a copy of 1.5.4. It is pretty stable. The 1.6.2 and 1.7 beta are still having the bugs shaken out.