ZimaOS offers free private NAS storage as Google Drive alternative

ZimaOS, from NAS maker Zima, is a free and lightweight network-attached storage (NAS) solution that gives users a private, self-hosted alternative to Google Drive and other cloud services. Built on Linux, ZimaOS runs on Zima's own hardware, off-the-shelf x86 computers, a Raspberry Pi, or even as a virtual machine. Installation is text-based but straightforward: download the .img file, burn it to USB with Balena Etcher, boot the machine, and follow the prompts. In testing, the whole process took just a few minutes, with the dashboard accessible via a local browser address like http://192.168.1.62.

Once up and running, users can create folders and share them over Samba — the article demonstrates creating a Photos folder and sharing it via a three-dot menu. ZimaOS automatically provides access addresses for different platforms: http://192.168.1.62/Photos for Linux/macOS and \\192.168.1.62\Photos for Windows. Users can add specific members, enable Time Machine for rollback, and expand functionality with apps. Desktop clients are available for macOS, iOS, and Windows, though Linux users currently rely on the browser interface. For those concerned about privacy or AI training on their files, ZimaOS keeps everything within the local network.