If ZimaOS on a Minisforum or other DIY NAS detects your disks but does not show a physical bay diagram, that can be normal. IceWhale confirmed that numbered drive-slot visualization was designed for hardware whose bay topology ZimaOS knows, while third-party systems can use a generic storage view.
The important question is whether Linux and ZimaOS detect the disks, show health/capacity, and allow the storage layout you need.
What Was Hardware-Specific
The user compared a Minisforum NAS with ZimaCube screenshots. IceWhale confirmed the physical drive-bay UI was specifically designed for Zima hardware.
Current ZimaOS Supports Generic x86-64 Hardware
The current ZimaOS installation guide explicitly describes ZimaOS for generic x86-64 systems as well as Zima devices.
Generic UI Does Not Mean Disks Are Missing
lsblk -o NAME,SIZE,MODEL,SERIAL,TRAN
lsblk -fIf every disk appears there and in Settings → Storage, the missing chassis diagram is only a presentation difference.
Use Serial Numbers Instead of Bay Graphics
On DIY hardware, record each disk's serial number and physical slot. Linux names such as /dev/sda can change between boots.
Current Storage Setup Still Works
The current ZimaOS storage setup guide uses the standard Storage workflow for detected disks.
When It Is a Real Detection Problem
If lsblk sees only some disks, investigate controller drivers, HBA mode, BIOS, cables, and old metadata. Do not dismiss a real missing disk as “generic UI.”
Browser Rendering Can Also Matter
IceWhale first asked the user to try Chrome because part of the page did not render correctly. Browser rendering and hardware-specific bay graphics are separate issues.
The installation troubleshooting guide helps structure those checks.
Build Your Own Physical Bay Map
Put a small label on each tray and record the drive serial number assigned to it. When ZimaOS reports a SMART warning later, you can match the serial to the correct tray without relying on a vendor-specific chassis graphic.
Check Controller Mode on DIY NAS Hardware
Some mini-NAS systems can expose disks through AHCI, hardware RAID, or vendor-specific controller modes. ZimaOS needs to see the individual disks if you expect it to manage software RAID itself.
Do Not Wipe Disks to Fix a Cosmetic UI Difference
A missing physical-bay illustration is not corrected by formatting drives. Only erase metadata when you have a storage reason to do so and a verified backup.
When to Report the Generic UI as a Bug
Report it if the generic screen loses functional information—such as missing disks, health status, capacity, array actions, or unusable controls. Include screenshots, browser version, lsblk, and hardware/controller model.
Use SMART and Serial Data for Maintenance
On generic hardware, the most dependable maintenance workflow is to identify a failed disk by serial number, model, SMART status, and controller path. Keep a simple bay-to-serial table outside the NAS so you can find the correct tray even if the web UI is unavailable.
This is more reliable than expecting a third-party chassis to inherit a ZimaCube-specific visualization automatically.
FAQ
Should Minisforum show the same drive-bay picture as ZimaCube?
No. IceWhale said that visualization was hardware-specific.
Can I still create RAID?
Yes, if ZimaOS correctly detects the drives and controller.
How do I know which physical disk failed?
Record model/serial-to-bay mapping yourself.
Is a missing bay graphic a bug?
Not by itself; it is a functional issue only if drives or storage operations are actually missing.
