FreeNas doesn't restart after reboot; instead gives install upgrade menu

Mike77

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Hi,

For some reason my system won't start after a reboot command from the GUI. The system was up and running, but just didn't restart.

After that I had some trouble getting the ipmi and vga back up, but after some help on this forum I got it working again. See: https://www.ixsystems.com/community...uences-for-flashed-it-mode.87799/#post-609619

The system was setup with three USB sticks in a triple mirror. But for some reason it now starts in the VGA install upgrade screen. I don't mind renstalling FreeNas, but I'd like to get my config (shares, permissions etc..) back. So I guess the first question is, what happens If I choose install/upgrade. Does it overwrite the current configuration?
 

Patrick M. Hausen

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One of your USB drives contains the FreeNAS installer and the system BIOS decides to boot that instead of the installed FreeNAS. Remove that drive and all should be fine.
 

Mike77

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One of your USB drives contains the FreeNAS installer and the system BIOS decides to boot that instead of the installed FreeNAS. Remove that drive and all should be fine.
Thanks, I just tried. But sadly it didn't work.

These three USB stick's have functioned as a triple mirror for about 4 years. I Just tried them all separately. this is what happened.
USB1:
-grub loading
-welcome to grub
-error no such device: 957b5a22c214209b
-entering rescue mode
-grub rescue >

USB2:
GNU GRUB V2.02~Beta 2
FreeNas Installer

USB3:
Reboot and select proper boot device

[EDIT] So I really have no idea what to do next. My first hope was that running the installer might give me a repair option, or some message that there is another installed version. [/EDIT]
 
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avalon60

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It could be that all 3 USB drives have failed for some reason, especially USB3, and even USB1 as it can't find the boot information.
 

Mike77

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Yes, it could be. And I have more then enough USB stick's to setup a new system. But I'm looking for a way to safe/repair the system. Not to build a new one.

So the first thing I would like to know if there is anyone with any experience with this, or any way to safe the config?

[EDIT] 1. Does the install option recognize earlier install's and does it keep them, or try to repair them? Or does it overwrite all data on all USB stick's? 2. Is there a way to repair the grub problem? [/EDIT]
 
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Patrick M. Hausen

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Once you got the system up and running again you can import your pool and then you will find the config at /var/db/system/configs-<some hex string>.
FreeNAS/TrueNAS CORE saves the config to the system dataset which is mounted at that position.

HTH,
Patrick
 

Mike77

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Once you got the system up and running again you can import your pool and then you will find the config at /var/db/system/configs-<some hex string>.
FreeNAS/TrueNAS CORE saves the config to the system dataset which is mounted at that position.

HTH,
Patrick

Do you mean that the freenas config file is saved on the zfs pool, completely separate from the usb boot drives? So if I get a new usb drive and start a new freenas install, I can find that old config file on the zfs pool?

Please reply, because that would probably solve all these problems.
 

Redcoat

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Mike77

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That's excellent information! Going to try it. Thanks!
 

Mike77

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Tried it through e new install, and found the configs-<some hex> folders, but they are all empty.
Any help?
 

Patrick M. Hausen

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Did you import your pool? That switches the system dataset to the pool and the configs should be there.
On a new install the folder is naturally empty.
 

Redcoat

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I recall "finding empty folders" on one of my early attempts using this recovery method - I cannot now remember the root of that problem but it was some combination of misuse of CL commands and misunderstanding of the properties of directories and files...

What I do clearly recall is that when I used "Midnight Commander" built into FreeNAS - see https://www.ixsystems.com/documentation/freenas/11.3-U5/cli.html#midnight-commander - (mc at the command line) - I was able to get to the .db files without problems.

I don't know if this helps or hinders - trust that you are getting through your difficulty,
 

Mike77

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I found the folders, and even found one with a .db file (although I had some trouble getting into the folder seeing the (brackets)), but it was from 2017. So that wasn't really what I was looking for. But I learned some new stuff trying this, so that was cool.

I now found out that FreeNAS does find old configs on USB's that don't work. So I tried installing one of the corrupted USB stick's and it worked. It got everything back, except one thing. Now I have a problem with the permissions of the shares. I can't even access the base IP share. So now I'm trying to find out how to set all shares to full permissions for all users.
 

Patrick M. Hausen

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If the config files where written to your USB drive, you possibly never moved the system dataset to your storage pool in the first place. Which would explain a higher than usual write load on the USB drives and a possible reason why all of your USB drives failed more or less simultaneously.

After you restored everything, make sure your system dataset is on your storage pool.
 
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