FreeNAS noob - I have some questions about installation instructions

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capella

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I've been having trouble getting the information I need (or at least, the information that I think I need) to install FreeNAS on an unused desktop to use as a file/media server.

Here's what I'd like to do: Have a file server that I can use on my home network to share/store files with any computer connected to the home network and to set up a media server. Eventually I'd like to set up a web server to allow connecting to the server from the Internet for remote file access - but that's down the road - I don't need to do that immediately upon getting the server up and running. I know that'll take special considerations regarding security of the server and the rest of my network.

I have two 500GB and two 80GB drives that I'm going to use and set them up in a RAID array for backup/file integrity. (I haven't set the hardware up for that yet.) I will be installing FreeNAS on a 4GB USB drive.

So, I found some instructions for setting up FreeNAS at homeserver.wikidot.com, but I subsequently found that those instructions didn't apply to the latest version of FreeNAS (they instruct to download an IMG file, which I found out isn't available as of v8).

Then I found some instructions (via a link from these forums, I believe) that involved downloading VMWare Player to be able to install FreeNAS on the USB drive. Problem with that route is, you have to create an account just to download the free software (so they can add another person to their marketing database, no doubt). I tried to create an account, but their signup form seems to be hosed and I keep getting an error saying I didn't fill the form correctly. :(

I found a program called ISO to USB (http://www.isotousb.com/) and I'm wondering if that would work.

So, what are my options? How can I install FreeNAS on my USB drive? Other than the version difference, are the instructions at http://homeserver.wikidot.com/start still applicable? Is there a good set of instructions for doing what I need to do, that's geared toward newbies?

Thanks for anyone's help!
 

paleoN

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Apr 22, 2012
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I've been having trouble getting the information I need (or at least, the information that I think I need) to install FreeNAS on an unused desktop to use as a file/media server.
Ever think to start with the official documentation? It's what I would do. When you boot from the .iso it installs the image to the USB for you.

You need, as a minimum, a 4GB USB stick.

Here's the section on writing directly to the USB drive as you seem to be looking for that. It's the only way I've ever done it, but I've never tried it from Windows.

And since I'm such a nice guy here's the link to the x64 .img file. If you want a different version or build go to the FreeNAS sourceforge site and download it.
 

bfishernc

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also - be careful how you set up your drives. 2x500 and 2x80 could end up much smaller than you desire if you mix them together in the same vdev
 

capella

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One more question (at this point, at least ;)): The documentation on installing instructs to download the "Full_Install.xz" file to install FreeNAS from a USB. Doing that includes using physdiskwrite and 7zip. As I mentioned in my original post, I ran across a program called ISO to USB. Does anyone know if that might be an acceptable alternative to the physdiskwrite/7zip process?

Thanks again!
 

paleoN

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As I mentioned in my original post, I ran across a program called ISO to USB. Does anyone know if that might be an acceptable alternative to the physdiskwrite/7zip process?
No. Why would you try and make it more convoluted anyway?

Either burn the .iso download to a CD and have it write the .img to the USB drive for you. Or directly write the .img file to the USB drive as per the instructions.

Oh, do note it's named img.xz now instead of Full_Install.
 

bfishernc

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Jun 29, 2012
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agreed - the install to USB process as documented was very simple and worked perfectly. My NAS doesn't have a CD so this was great/easy solution.
 
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