USB boot filling up

[norskman]

I am using a 16Gb USB stick as my boot.

Recently I had problems as the USB filled up. SO I thought it was my fault for some reason.

I used another 16GB reloaded to the latest version of FreeNAS and off I went happy. Now the boot was only using 3%.

When I came to check a few days later - it had got to 20% and now its at 28%. Something is filling it up - a log file or something? Can anyone help me to work out what file or directory is growing so quickly before I flame out with no disk space again.

 

[Mirfster]

Hmm, have you done any updates? Take a look at [System] - [Boot] in the GUI and see what shows up there.

 

[pirateghost]

Do you have your system dataset on the USB or on your zpool?

 

[norskman]

the system dataset is set on the zpool NOT the USB - now at 31%.

 

[Mirfster]

Is it still filling up?

Sent from my ASUS Transformer Pad TF700T using Tapatalk

 

[norskman]

yes at 38% now ( of a 16GB USB stick)
i did do an update that was just released but nevertheless its still growing.

 

[san134]

@norskman Did you ever figure out the problem? I am having similar issues. I tried to updating the FreeNAS OS but no luck. It is still filling up my usb.

 

[depasseg]

How many boot environments on on your boot device? The snapshots for updates will take up space.

 

[san134]

Currently I have only three (see the screenshot). I also had v9.10, which was taking up more than 95% of 16 GB USB drive. I selected previous image as 'active' then deleted the v9.10. The currently active image is also growing (it was 3.9 GB occupied last night and increased to 4.1 GB now). I guess something is filling up my boot drive. I cannot figure out what.

 

[BigDave]

Please post a screen shot of GUI page:

System> System Dataset (tab)

 

[norskman]

no - never did figure it out.

I have not looked on the USB to see what files are growing.

On my system it takes about 6 weeks or so. There tends to be new releases of FreeNAS so I just wipe the USB and start from scratch.
Not a good solution..I use a 16GB USB stick I suspect if I used a 256GB stick it would take a bit longer to fill up :)

any one who know s how to fix this problem - let me know!

 

[san134]

@BigDave I have attached the screenshot

I also have 32 GB of USB takes about 2-3 weeks to fill up.

 

[pirateghost]

@BigDave I have attached the screenshot

I also have 32 GB of USB takes about 2-3 weeks to fill up.

Is it your reporting data what's filling up?

 

[san134]

I am not using "reporting database" option in freenas setting

 

[BigDave]

I am not using "reporting database" option in freenas setting

Even if you were, the information icon for the Reporting Database reads;
"Save the Round-Robin Database (RRD) used by system statistics collection daemon into the system dataset"
The system dataset defaults to the main zpool, with the option to write it to the boot pool, the OP and san134
both state their chosen setting is main pool, not boot pool.

This whole thing is strange, having eliminated the System Dataset thing.
I can't begin to even guess as to what process could possibly be writing to the boot pool.
You don't suppose the Devs switched the System Dataset over without telling anyone?
Nah, there would be many more complaints....
It's gonna take someone smarter than me to get to the bottom of this one.

 

[pirateghost]

Even if you were, the information icon for the Reporting Database reads;
"Save the Round-Robin Database (RRD) used by system statistics collection daemon into the system dataset"
The system dataset defaults to the main zpool, with the option to write it to the boot pool, the OP and san134
both state their chosen setting is main pool, not boot pool.

There is no option there to write it to the boot pool. Writing to the boot pool is the default option.

Why are they not using standard UNIX utilities like 'du' to find where the space is going? Using 'du' will show right where the culprit is rather than us just sitting around guessing.

 

[danb35]

...or 'zfs list' once it starts getting full, to see where the usage is...

 

[BigDave]

There is no option there to write it to the boot pool. Writing to the boot pool is the default option.

I've never touched the System Dataset option on my server,
afaik it's always been on my configured pool, not the boot pool.

 

[pirateghost]

I've never touched the System Dataset option on my server,
afaik it's always been on my configured pool, not the boot pool.
View attachment 11381

You were prompted to do so when you first ran through the install. If you didn't have a pool after installing, then it resides in the boot

 

[BigDave]

Makes perfect sense to me, if FreeNAS can only find the boot pool, it creates the System Dataset on that boot pool.
Then once you configure a volume, the option becomes available to choose between the two pools.
Thanks for clearing that up for me pirateghost.
I wonder if chosing the main pool for the System Dataset would stress the USB flash drives less and cause them
to exhibit fewer failures?