Dell T340 Boot options

[Julianh]

Hi All,

I spent today trying to install Truenas core, I booted from a USB pendrive and flashed the H330 card, and it all seems perfect. I have a PCI-E card with a NVME m.2 on it, and Trunas installed great. But I couldn't find any way of it booting from the PCI-e card. I then plugged in a SSD in to the onboard SATA port, it feeds to the DVD drive at the top, and trunas worked fine. But I want to keep these drive bays for later.

I also read that I could use a USB to NVME adapter for Trunas, which wouldn't use up a bay. If I can't get the PCIE Boot working, I think I'll use that.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I can't afford the Dell Boss controller at £200

Thank you for taking the time to read thought this
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The PCI-e card is this one, which I've used previously to boot a HP Microserver gen 10, which works fine https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07CBJ6RH7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The NVME is this one, which I also used on the Microserver https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07MFBLN7K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

The SSD is this one https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07G3KGYZQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[HoneyBadger]

Hello!

Has your Dell been configured for UEFI boot, with the Secure Boot function disabled? Try using F11 for the one-shot boot menu and see if it identifies the NVMe as a potential EFI boot device.

If the system was configured or installed in legacy/CSM/BIOS mode, you may have to reinstall TrueNAS - ensure you are booting the install USB through UEFI as well.

 

[Julianh]

Thanks HoneyBadger.

I've configured it to boot UEFI, there isn't a secure boot option I've been able to find. The F11 boot menu only gives USB boot, which when selected boots whatever is on the USB Pendrive. I installed Truenas as UEFI, which ic annoying as it can see the drive to install, just not boot from it.

I've sort of resigned myself to having to boot from the SSD, as I can's see how they do PCI-e boot on a dell, unless they've tweaked it to only allow the BOSS controller. It worked fine when I instlled it in the HP Gen 10 Microserver I use as one of my Sans, but not the Dell it seems.

Thanks for your suggestions