Stuck before I start - Downloading 9.2.1.8 USB Image

[Palmy]

Hi All,

Firstly, I should say hello, and thank you for what appears to be an excellent NAS solution. I have built a PC to use as my new NAS and have elected to not install a CD/DVD in the system.

I'm living in a Windows 8.1 and Mac world and am having trouble extracting the IMG file to copy the contents onto a USB key. I can extract the .xz file using 7ZIP but when attempting to mount the IMG file or open it, I get a message suggesting the file is corrupt. I've tried on two different Windows PCs and a Mac.

Given the CD build is recommended, I burnt the CD image and booted a laptop up with it but it hangs on boot up, I am presuming a hardware conflict...

I'm fairly experienced in the IT world given I've worked in it for over 15 years so to get stuck at square one is quite embarrassing! :)

Thanks,
Mark

 

[DrKK]

Can you tell us a little more about your hardware?

Also, an external DVD/CD drive is about $30 or $40, and is an essential tool in the hacker/computer guy toolbox. Why not just buy one of those? They plug right in to a USB port, as needed, temporarily, to install things.

 

[Palmy]

Agree that a DVD/CD drive is a valid/handy tool to have but am more curious why I can't use the USB image and whether it's just me. My laptops are HP laptops as well as a current model iMAC and I have attempted the download from all of these. The NAS PC itself is a fairly basic 8GB RAM quad core PC with 3 HDDs, all brand new, just built up but currently looking very good as a paper weight. :)

 

[DrKK]

Agree that a DVD/CD drive is a valid/handy tool to have but am more curious why I can't use the USB image and whether it's just me. My laptops are HP laptops as well as a current model iMAC and I have attempted the download from all of these. The NAS PC itself is a fairly basic 8GB RAM quad core PC with 3 HDDs, all brand new, just built up but currently looking very good as a paper weight. :)

Well sir, you will find at least 100 posts in this forum that talk about the required, and recommended, hardware for FreeNAS. In a nutshell, you can have any myriad of problems when you don't have server grade chipsets and what not. If you built a computer out of typical desktop-grade parts, you very well could have a paperweight on your hands as far as FreeNAS is concerned.

Can you tell us what the motherboard make/model is, the exact CPU SKU, and so on?

 

[Palmy]

Without wanting to offend, I think you're missing my point. :) I can't mount/open the IMG file after extracting from the .XY download file to copy the contents to a USB key. That's before I even start looking at my NAS hardware.

 

[cyberjock]

Without wanting to offend, I think you're missing my point. :) I can't mount/open the IMG file after extracting from the .XY download file to copy the contents to a USB key. That's before I even start looking at my NAS hardware.

You shouldn't even be trying to open the IMG file. It's in UFS format. It's not meant to be opened in Windows, and won't open in windows.

You are putting the cart before the horse.

 

[Palmy]

So just copy that to my USB key then?

 

[cyberjock]

So just copy that to my USB key then?

No, you install it just like the manual says to. :P

 

[Apollo]

Maybe you need a Server grade CD-ROM/DVD player/writer as well as server grade USB key?
Just kidding.

What software did you use to flash the USB key?
I have used the following:

- Rufus
- Win32DiskImager 0.9.5
- Tuxboot 0.6

I think Rufus will complain about the files, the latter 2 should be fine.

 

[SweetAndLow]

also you should use the newest release of 9.2.1.9

 

[Palmy]

Maybe you need a Server grade CD-ROM/DVD player/writer as well as server grade USB key?
Just kidding.

What software did you use to flash the USB key?
I have used the following:

- Rufus
- Win32DiskImager 0.9.5
- Tuxboot 0.6

I think Rufus will complain about the files, the latter 2 should be fine.

server grade USB key would be nice ;)

Win32DiskImager worked - thanks.

Now I have a black screen when booting from it though.... baby steps I suppose. Perhaps a CD/DVD will save this frustration.

 

[Apollo]

CD/DVD should not have any effect different than USB.
Are you using AMD based processor? If so there are some issues with 9.3 Beta.
How far in the boot process are you? is it locked at BIOS post or somewhere after?

 

[Palmy]

Nah - Intel CPU, here are the specs:

ASUS B85M-F Motherboard

Kingston KVR16N11S8K2/8 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3

Western Digital WD Green 2TB WD20EZRX x 3

Intel Pentium G3240

Using 9.2.1.9 USB Image and have tried 9.2.1.8.

Locks after BIOS and only when USB key is inserted so still suspect a USB image issue perhaps.

 

[gpsguy]

If it's plugged into a USB 3.0 port, move it to a USB 2.0 port.

 

[cyberjock]

That hardware is desktop grade.. so don't exactly expect a flawless experience.

You also aren't using the *highly* recommended ECC RAM.

Good luck!

 

[Ericloewe]

Can you tell us a little more about your hardware?

Also, an external DVD/CD drive is about $30 or $40, and is an essential tool in the hacker/computer guy toolbox. Why not just buy one of those? They plug right in to a USB port, as needed, temporarily, to install things.

I find an HDD/flash drive with Grub and a bunch of ISOs easier to maintain and use than external optical drives, especially with the small ISOs typical of utilities like memtest.

 

[Palmy]

I'm pretty sure ECC RAM is not required to boot from a USB key... In researching home NAS devices, there was/is a lot of references to PC based systems being used quite successfully with FreeNAS. While I appreciate the assistance, I know I don't need a server to boot from a USB key.

Still no luck booting from USB from either USB 3.0 or 2.0 port.

 

[cyberjock]

ECC RAM isn't required to boot. But if you aren't using ECC you are basically implying that you are using desktop parts. By saying you are using desktop parts you are also saying that it might not boot FreeNAS, it might boot and crash, or other things that just don't happen to "everyone else".

You are literally on an island by yourself with nobody to support you because those of us with experience in FreeNAS use proper hardware. That means server-grade and ECC RAM. ;)

I'd bet money your problem is that you are using desktop hardware when that's not recommended or supported by FreeNAS. :P

 

[Palmy]

ECC RAM isn't required to boot. But if you aren't using ECC you are basically implying that you are using desktop parts. By saying you are using desktop parts you are also saying that it might not boot FreeNAS, it might boot and crash, or other things that just don't happen to "everyone else".

You are literally on an island by yourself with nobody to support you because those of us with experience in FreeNAS use proper hardware. That means server-grade and ECC RAM. ;)

I'd bet money your problem is that you are using desktop hardware when that's not recommended or supported by FreeNAS. :p

So your response is "I really have no interest in helping because you're using not using ECC RAM..." There are a lot of people using desktop grade parts as I can see on the various forum posts, sure a lot have ECC memory but I am positive this is not my issue. I'm just after a little assistance here, please.

 

[cyberjock]

If that was my answer I wouldn't have said a single word to you and left you to your own laurels. What I'm saying is your problems are almost certainly going to be unique to your choice of hardware, which makes it nearly impossible to help because a one-off problem is hard as hell to diagnose via a forum setting. Everyone here is a volunteer, so expecting professional support for what could be termed as "incompatible hardware" is not going to happen.

We recommend hardware that is server grade for a bunch of reasons, but the biggest problem is that the harware just flat out isn't compatible. Sure, there are ways of determining exactly what is wrong. And after a few hours of one-on-one support you *might* be able to identify the problem. But then what? Pretend we know your BIOS sucks. What's the fix? You can't call up your manufacturer and demand they fix it. We won't recode FreeNAS. So you are still where you are, you just know what's broken.

So in the bigger picture it's just too much work for too little gain when you look at the fact you are the only user with your hardware and your problem. We can either spend stupendous amounts of time trying to help you, or you can use our recommended hardware. The choice is yours. As a general rule, the pros are not about to volunteer to spend their own off-time troubleshooting a problem that can be avoided with proper hardware. Now if you had my motherboard and still had a problem I'd be able to help a bit more. But without your hardware I can't help you.

Sorry.