Critical Boot Error

[Bedmusic456]

Hi. I'm running FreeNAS-11.1-U1 on an Intel NIU (Platform Intel(R) Pentium(R) CPU N3700 @ 1.60GHz, Memory 8074MB ) as a Plex Media Server. I've just re-built the system so that it boots from a brand new 120 GB SSD (SATA). I went to an SSD after have countless problems booting from multiple 16/32 GB USB 3 Drives. The problem is I am still getting "CRITICAL: March 15, 2018, 7:43 p.m. - The boot volume state is ONLINE: One or more devices has experienced an error resulting in data corruption. Applications may be affected." Please see attached screen shots.

I'm note sure if it's related but I have tried an update to the very latest SW, but I get a
[MiddlewareError: Cannot remove file /usr/local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/docutils/utils/math/__pycache__/__init__.cpython-36.opt-1.pyc].

Please note I'm not using this as a hard core file server, just a simple media server!

 

[pschatz100]

I would suggest two things:
1) Provide complete hardware specs as per forum rules - otherwise we have no way of understanding the system
2) Disconnect all storage except for the boot drive and see if the problem persists.

 

[Bedmusic456]

I would suggest two things:
1) Provide complete hardware specs as per forum rules - otherwise we have no way of understanding the system
2) Disconnect all storage except for the boot drive and see if the problem persists.

Hi.

1) Hardware Details. (Not sure if I should format this in a particular way)

1. Intel NUC (small box like computer - see attached picture). Board form factor is UCFF (4" x 4"). Dates from Q3/4 2015. Has built in one DDR3L-1333/1600 1.35V SO-DIMM slot and one 2.5" SATA slot.
   
2. Intel Pentium Processor N3700 . 14 nm. 4 Cores, 4 Threads. L2 Cache 2 MB
   Processor Base Frequency 1.60 GHz, Burst Frequency 2.40 GHz
3. Memory Types DDR3L-1600. Max # of Memory Channels 2. ECC Memory Supported No. 12.8 GB/s Memory Bandwidth
   
4. One Kingston 8 GB RAM 1600 MHz DDR3L Non-ECC CL11 SODIMM 204-Pin Memory Module
   
5. Processor Graphics Intel® HD Graphics for Intel® Celeron® Processor N3000 Series
   Note I am not using the graphics as I am operating with no monitor attached. To make it boot I have had to fit a "CompuLab fit-Headless" connected to the HDMI port. Otherwise it won't boot without a monitor connected.
6. 4 x USB3 Port. One of which is used for an external USB3 Drive (2 TB, 3.5" external powered).
7. 1 x SATA 6.0 Gb/s. This internal to the unit. It's connected to a brand new SANDISK SSD Plus drive of 120GB. It's is this device that is showing the error. I don't think this drive is faulty as I was getting the same errors when booting from external USB pen drives.
8. LAN port 10/100/100
9. NOT USED for FreeNAS. There are Intel Wireless-AC 3165, Bluetooth 4.2, 7.1 digital (HDMI); L+R+mic (F); L+R+TOSLINK (R)

2) I have disconnected the external USB3 2GB drive, and then done a cold boot. This has made no difference except that I have got a error for missing external storage in addition to the boot error. This drive was the ZFS storage used for SMB File share and Plex media server. NB before you say it must be very slow, I'm getting SMB file transfers of over 100MB. The max that a 1Gig LAN will support.

 

[Bedmusic456]

Photo of the Intel NUC.

 

[Bedmusic456]

This morning I have just update the BIOS to the latest version from Intel. Details are:
New Bios PYBSWCEL.86A.0064.2017.0815.1055. Visual Bios 2.2.20

Old BIOS from 2016 was PYBSWCEL.86A.0050.2016.0223.1234. Visual Bios 2.2.19

 

[tvsjr]

Ignoring your boot error for the moment... why are you trying to run FreeNAS on a NUC? Typically, you share out a large multi-drive array with a product like FreeNAS - but you don't have a way to connect drives to a NUC.

 

[danb35]

you don't have a way to connect drives to a NUC

Sure he does--via USB, which is what he's doing. Not even remotely a recommended practice, but that's assuming you care about things like data integrity and reliability. Sounds like the FreeNAS box is being used only as a media server. Still would probably do better with Linux, but...

 

[Bedmusic456]

Sure he does--via USB, which is what he's doing. Not even remotely a recommended practice, but that's assuming you care about things like data integrity and reliability. Sounds like the FreeNAS box is being used only as a media server. Still would probably do better with Linux, but...

In Reply to both danb35 and tvsjr.

I am using it as a single user Plex media server. I've not had performance problem so far, but of course my mind has been focused on the boot error! It's transcoding performance (with Plex media server) is fine for my purposes. I wanted to get some hardward that could be re-purposed if for any reason I decided not to proceed with the media server. Hence why I went for a 120GB SSD rather a slightly cheaper 60GB one, as the former would be much more use in an old laptop to replace an existing spinning disk. Likewise the NUC can be attached to the back of monitor and loaded with Linux.

Originally I used an USB pen drive but I kept hitting boot error problem. Alas they have not gone away with my new 120GB SSD.

As to capcity I could in theory attach 3 x USB3 external disks to it, but of course I recognise that is not the best idea. The single 2TB Seagate drive gives a great performance for what I need - 1 or 2 users. Offline backups exist elsewhere.

I choose Freenas as I wanted a system dedicated to storage (with plugins) that is easy to managed from a GUI and has an active user base, with good forums.

 

[pschatz100]

I am not familiar with the NUC's, so I cannot speak from personal experience. Since you didn't provide the model number, we cannot look up the specs. However, I'm pretty certain that FreeBSD (and FreeNAS) dislikes certain USB3 chipsets - it is possible your system has an incompatible one.

However, I would try the following:

- Create a new installer flash drive. Use a USB2 flash drive, and the iso for FreeNAS11.1u2
- I presume you are going run the installer from a flash drive and install FreeNAS on your SSD
- If your system offers the options to boot either from BIOS (sometimes called legacy mode) or UEFI, you might try setting up for UEFI, and if that doesn't work then try BIOS. When you install FreeNAS, the installer will ask you which boot mode to install for. Make certain your system bios setting matches the choice you make when running the installer.

Do not attach any other disks to the system until you have successfully installed FreeNAS. Of course, you need to have a keyboard and monitor attached while doing the installation. You can remove them later.

 

[Bedmusic456]

Hi pschatz100. Thank you for your feed back

Appologies for not listing the model number. Its a Intel NUC5PPYH NUC with a Processor socket: BGA1170. I've not managed to find out online what chipset is used by Intel. What I have done is done pciconf & dmesg commands and saved them to attached text file. I've also found a 'windows cpu-z' screen shot from a review in 2015. Unfortuantly the later only shows the cpu tab.

I'lll try installing from scratch using a USB2 drive. I'll have to search for one, as nearly all mine are USB3! The Intel NUC is already set to only boot UEFI (it supports both options in the BIOS). Yes my plan is to run the installer from a flash drive and install FreeNAS on your SSD.

 

[Redcoat]

I've not managed to find out online what chipset is used by Intel.

Take a look here for the link to the 83 page doc that covers your NUC (despite having a different designation in its title, it seems - "Intel® NUC Board NUC5CPYB and Intel® NUC Board NUC5PPYB Technical Product Specification") - I guess it described the internals irrespective of the packaging.
I never tried to run FreeNAS on one of these but we deployed them in our conference rooms at my company to run the AV and conferencing equipment and provide a W10 gateway into networked resources for the display system. They worked very well for that purpose.

 

[Bedmusic456]

Hi pschatz & redcoat. I'm pretty sure it the USB3 drivers. From looking at the Intel document Redcoat kidly pointed me at the USB ports seem to be built into the the CPU. Unfortuantly you can't actually see the CPU etc as it's hidden on the underside of the motherboard.

I have taken an USB2 drive - had to really search for one as most of mine are USB3! I built the boot USB2 drive using an old laptop that pre-dates USB3. I booted the laptop from my FreeNAS11.1u1 install drive (this is USB3), and then installed FreeNAS on the USB2 drive with booting via BIOS enabled. I then used this USB2 drive to boot the Intel NUC. It seems to work but seems slower slower whenever the NUC has to write to the USB2 drive. Such as when I upgraded from FreeNAS11.1u1 to u2. But so far I have not had a boot error.

If this continues to work I will probably use the 120GB SSD for another purpose as it's waste using it just to boot free NAS if not needed.

I'll keep you informed on progress. Of course it would be great if the FreeNAS USB drivers could be updated to support the Intel USB3 chipset. Thank you so far for yourhelp.