Boot troubles...

[mbro]

Hi all. I've been running Freenas since 8, and have steadily moved my Freenas forward. Currently running 11.3 (if I can get it to boot again). The 11.2 - 11.3 upgrade completed, and I thought it would be wise of me to add an additional USB key and mirror a pair in the event of a USB key failure (my boot device). The last one began issuing errors, so mirroring should give me some redundancy. A reboot today, and it doesn't boot any more. I'm left with this on the console:
/boot/kernel/kernel text=0xblah ZFS: i/o error: all block copies unavailable
elf64_loadimage: read failed
can't load file '/boot/kernel/kernel': input/output error

The boot process drops me to a shell (sort of), can issue some basic commands. The boot process seems to indicate the kernel is not readable. ls /boot/kernel shows a lengthy list of files (including one called 'kernel'), so I do believe the key is intact. Is this a function of the two keys being a ZFS mirror? I tried booting with both keys in the box, no luck. I also tried booting the Freenas 11.3 installer to "upgrade" the boot media and hopefully re-write the kernel if it was truly missing (which I don't think it is) but it complained the media was read only.
Googling my problem, I see a few FreeBSD posts, but nothing that specifically addresses this issue. I have the two USB boot keys, and also create a Freenas 11.3 install media key, should I need it.

Advice on how to solve this and get my freenas back up without having to build a new boot device? I would rather avoid that, if possible.

 

[Samuel Tai]

Unfortunately, both your boot USB drives have bit the dust. It's time to graduate to something better than USB drives.

 

[Yorick]

To quote @Patrick M. Hausen :

>>
For your boot device you can use a cheap SSD like these:
https://www.amazon.com/Transcend-MTS400S-Solid-State-TS32GMTS400S/dp/B077H276GQ/

And an enclosure like this:
https://www.amazon.com/Aluminium-Enclosure-NG-2242A-Extension-Converter/dp/B082CJ2V76/

Essentially building yourself a "deluxe" robust USB drive. Take care to pick a SATA SSD and a SATA enclosure or an NVME SSD and an NVME enclosure.
>>

Rebuild on that, then restore your config backup. If you didn't consciously take one, that's okay, it'll wait for you on your pool in the .system dataset (/var/db/system).

A single SSD will be more resilient than a mirror of USB sticks.

If you have a free SATA port to boot from, then all the better: An inexpensive Intel 320 40GB (USD 15 on eBay) makes a great boot device.

 

[subhuman]

For your boot device you can use a cheap SSD like these:

I see that $22 SSD and raise you -50%!!

Amazon.com: Kingston SATA III SSD M.2 16GB w/ Chrome OS C720 C720P RBU-SNS4151S3/16GD: Computers & Accessories

Amazon.com: Kingston SATA III SSD M.2 16GB w/ Chrome OS C720 C720P RBU-SNS4151S3/16GD: Computers & Accessories

www.amazon.com

It even comes with a free copy of Chrome to practice your deletion skills on!

An inexpensive Intel 320 40GB (USD 15 on eBay) makes a great boot device.

SSDs around 120GB are cheaper than 40GB ones these days, and there are a bunch of "overkill for a boot pool" ones in the $20-25 range brand new.

I'm using a mirrored pair of 40GB 2.5" drives from old laptops.

I wouldn't recommend anything I mentioned in this thread for a production pool, but for a lightly-worked boot pool they're fine. There's a lot of options that can fit within a reasonable budget.

 

[mbro]

You guys are creative! Ok, I have pulled the pin on the usb M.2 and the Transcend M.2. The Kingston didn't ship to Canada. Next question: I receive this stuff, put it together, build a new boot environment, how do I recover the boot config from /var/db/system? Import my disk pool with the new boot environment, and then /var/db/system will be present? And I can select a backup to restore? Any guidance there?

 

[mbro]

Oh, google it... https://www.ixsystems.com/community...system-config-db-in-the-system-dataset.69433/