FreeNAS is really picky about SSDs

macx979

Dabbler
Joined
Sep 25, 2019
Messages
41
Hi,

After finishing my first FreeNAS build a couple of month ago, I am about to install FreeNAS on another machine for a friend. This machine is a HP Microserver Gen8 with 16GB ECC RAM. I bought a Crucial BX500 (CT120BX500SSD1(Z)) SSD as boot drive.
I knew that having a dedicated SSD connected to the ODD port of this server is sort of tricky, since it can not boot from this port if there is more than this drive installed. The workaround is to add an USB stick with an installed bootloader to point to the right boot drive.
In order to not struggle with this bootloader setup, I bought this USB to SATA adapter to boot from the internal USB port. It didn't work, since the FreeNAS installer stopped with all kinds of random error message. From "BTX halt" to "kernel not found" to whatsof...ever.
From the beginning I wasn't sure if this adapter works at all, so in order to pinpoint the error, I tried all kind of combinations.
At one point I added the SSD to the ODD port thinking that using a bootloader is the only chance to get it going. Surprisingly the installation ran into similar issues.
Then I exchanged the SSD with a regular 2,5" HDD I had lying around, and guess what... The installation went through smoothly.
Having experienced that, I gave the adapter another try using the HDD now. And yes, it worked as well.
Just to be absolutely sure, I did it again with another 2,5" HDD with the success.

I use the same SSDs in my other FreeNAS system but remembered that installation was also a pain in the ass with similar random error messages. However at one point the installation went through. I didn't see a pattern or had any explanation for that but now it seems to be clear that the SSD is the source of problems.

long story short.
My first take away is that both, FreeNAS and this particular SSD are little bitches who don't like each other.
Second take away is that the adapter mentioned above does work and if people using the HP Microserver Gen8 don't necessarily need an additional usb stick with a bootloader.
Third take away, I gotta find another SSD.

I hope this helps some people with similar hardware preventing them to waste as much time as I did.

Best
MacX
 

CraigD

Patron
Joined
Mar 8, 2016
Messages
343
Sounds like you need an HBA

A M1015 with internal headers are really cheap and support 8 SATA drives, with expanders it will support more drives than you will ever use

Have Fun
 

macx979

Dabbler
Joined
Sep 25, 2019
Messages
41
Hi,

Sounds like you need an HBA

Well, that's maybe a workaround. However I don't want to use an HBA card for that build only because FreeNAS doesn't like this SSD. I ordered a recommended Intel SSD 320 hoping that this will work better.

Best
 
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