Boot device options

[dkopsieker]

I know there are plenty of boot device questions here but I couldn’t find one exactly like my circumstances (or I could be a terrible searcher)

I have a new to me Dell poweredge R440 1U server that I want to use as my main truenas box.

This server fell into my lap for free from my workplace, completely unused. It was set up to be a DC in our network but was never put in service (long story)

I only use it for storage and as a Plex server with a very simple user setup.

It, unfortunately, only has the option of 4 - 3.5” drives, so I need all of those for my storage drives.

There are no internal sata connections or available power connectors to use a sata ssd.

There are also no m.2 slots on the board.

My only options are to use the internal dual-SD slots, internal USB slot, or buy a Dell BOSS card with two m.2 sata slots on it.

The BOSS card is what I’d prefer, but the card itself is expensive, and the m.2 drives that are supported by it (only 3 different chipsets) are insanely expensive…. Like $700 for a 240gb drive. Or the eBay route is still over $150 each for the drives.

What would be my best option? And is there a way to use an m.2 to USB adapter to boot from? Is that better than a usb thumb drive?

 

[kiriak]

I am a home user of TrueNAS Core.
I went the USB stick root even if I am aware that it is not advised anymore.

The reason is I wanted the smallest footprint and no cables, so I bought 2 tiny USB sticks for less than 15 € for both.
They are in a mirror boot pool and I hope that if one of these die, it will be easy to replace it and make again the mirror pool.
I'm prepared for the worst scenario of loosing both of them, so I keep config backups.

They go fine for some months now.
If they will fail frequently in the future, I will change to external SSDs.

 

[HoneyBadger]

What would be my best option? And is there a way to use an m.2 to USB adapter to boot from? Is that better than a usb thumb drive?

You've identified the best option here - booting from an M.2 to USB adaptor. IDSDM will just expose you to the same media wear issues as cheap USB sticks, and a BOSS card is way overkill in both performance and cost.

Use a decently branded M.2 SSD in a USB adaptor - make sure that you take note if you need to use NVMe vs SATA M.2 in your adaptor - and install it internally. Your internal USB port is also likely to be USB 2.0 which has fewer weird issues as there's no xHCI driver wonkiness.

 

[dkopsieker]

You've identified the best option here - booting from an M.2 to USB adaptor. IDSDM will just expose you to the same media wear issues as cheap USB sticks, and a BOSS card is way overkill in both performance and cost.

Use a decently branded M.2 SSD in a USB adaptor - make sure that you take note if you need to use NVMe vs SATA M.2 in your adaptor - and install it internally. Your internal USB port is also likely to be USB 2.0 which has fewer weird issues as there's no xHCI driver wonkiness.

Thanks for the help!! That’s the solution I was moving to. The internal USB connector on this server is USB 3… but hopefully it will work out fine.

 

[pschatz100]

There are several users on the forum, in the same situation as you, that have used USB to SATA adapters with small SSD's for boot drives. You do not have to use an M.2 SSD. As long as your system bios will allow you to see the drive as a bootable drive, everything should work OK.