Going back to TrueNAS Core after a fresh install of TrueNAS Scale

[NavyLCDR]

I have a homebuilt server running TrueNAS Core with 4 drives - two 2-disk mirrors striped. If I do a fresh install of TrueNAS Scale onto new USB flash drives and import my existing ZFS Pool, setting things up from scratch, can I go back to TrueNAS Core by booting the computer from the untouched TrueNAS Core USB flash drives? I know that an upgrade is one way, but does TrueNAS Scale make the ZFS pool unusable by TrueNAS Core?
Thank you!

 

[artlessknave]

should work fine, as long as you haven't upgraded your pool past the openzfs version of core.
zfs pools are designed to be accessible by any zfs.

I do wonder why you are trying to leave SCALE?

 

[NavyLCDR]

I haven't installed Scale yet. I've only played with it a tiny bit on a Windows Hyper-V VM. One problem I am having is that it seems like the Plex app for TrueNAS Scale is the client and not a server. I need a Plex Server on my NAS.

 

[Stux]

I just physically removed one of the USBs, then plugged in a third, used replace in the UI on the removed boot device and waited for the resolver.

(Core does not support 3-way boot mirrors apparently)

Now I have a backup boot drive, if TNS fubars the boot mirror.

Currently TNS is installing on this potato. Wish me luck ;)

 

[artlessknave]

I just physically removed one of the USBs

note that USB has been discouraged for boot for years now.

Now I have a backup boot drive, if TNS fubars the boot mirror.

while technically this works, the appliance already provides a config backup intended to make this unnecessary.

(Core does not support 3-way boot mirrors apparently)

technically possible but you have to do so in the initial install. as above, however, truenas is designed around the idea that boot drives WILL fail, but configuration backups are forever.

 

[Stux]

note that USB has been discouraged for boot for years now.

while technically this works, the appliance already provides a config backup intended to make this unnecessary.

technically possible but you have to do so in the initial install. as above, however, truenas is designed around the idea that boot drives WILL fail, but configuration backups are forever.

Yes.

Meanwhile, it worked, and the 4GB Core 2 Quad is now running TNS 23.10.2.

This is basically just a replication target for backup purposes, and its been happily performing that role for nearly 10 years... and its burnt through one USB boot disk in that time. There are zero services enabled... other than SSH.

Code:

top - 16:34:05 up  1:10,  1 user,  load average: 0.15, 0.12, 0.09
Tasks: 260 total,   1 running, 259 sleeping,   0 stopped,   0 zombie
%Cpu(s):  0.0 us,  0.2 sy,  0.0 ni, 99.8 id,  0.0 wa,  0.0 hi,  0.0 si,  0.0 st
MiB Mem :   3913.0 total,   1832.7 free,   2144.7 used,    103.1 buff/cache    
MiB Swap:   4090.0 total,   4090.0 free,      0.0 used.   1768.2 avail Mem 

 

[NavyLCDR]

note that USB has been discouraged for boot for years now.

while technically this works, the appliance already provides a config backup intended to make this unnecessary.

technically possible but you have to do so in the initial install. as above, however, truenas is designed around the idea that boot drives WILL fail, but configuration backups are forever.

Can a Core config backup be restored to a Scale install?

 

[danb35]

it seems like the Plex app for TrueNAS Scale is the client and not a server.

This is not correct; the Plex app is the server--at least the TrueCharts version is, but I'm 99.9% sure the "official" one is too. Putting a Plex client on a NAS would make zero sense.

Can a Core config backup be restored to a Scale install?

Yes.

 

[chuck32]

I haven't installed Scale yet. I've only played with it a tiny bit on a Windows Hyper-V VM. One problem I am having is that it seems like the Plex app for TrueNAS Scale is the client and not a server. I need a Plex Server on my NAS.

Why do you think it's not a server?

 

[NavyLCDR]

Why do you think it's not a server?

I have not been able to figure out how to add it to my Plex server list and add local libraries. All it does is display the exact same information if I just logged into Plex.tv or the client app on my tablet.