headless install of FreeNAS 9.3 over serial or SOL

[Jason Fayre]

Hello,
I'm getting ready to install FreeNAS on my new build. This is using an Asrock C2550d4i board.
I'm totally blind, so can't connect a keyboard and monitor to the unit for the install. Well, I could connect it, but couldn't see the output. I have Serial over LAN enabled in the bios. Is there a way to make the FreeNAS installer send its output via serial? I also have the option of connecting to the machine via a serial port from another machine, but would rather use SOL with ipmitool if possible. If I can connect from another machine, I can use my screen reading software.
I'm guessing I may need to modify the boot config for the install so that it redirects out the serial port.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[pirateghost]

Can't you use the console that ipmi provides?

 

[Jason Fayre]

I might be able to use the console using ipmitool, but the java console is almost certainly not accessible to a blind person.
Will the installer redirect out the console by default?
I had another idea for a round about way of doing this. The issue is going through the new 9.3 install process.
If I install an older version of FreeNAS that just requires writing the image to a USB stick, could I then just upgrade to 9.3 via the web GUI?

 

[pirateghost]

By default the installation process outputs to the video, which the ipmi can output to its console. I'm not familiar with ipmitool as I just use the java applet.

You should be able to update from 9.2.1.9 to 9.3 just fine

 

[Jason Fayre]

Ok, that will probably be the easiest way to do it then. So, if I put the 9.2 image on a USB stick, boot into that, connect with a web browser and then do the upgrade to 9.3, that should be fine?
I'm assuming 9.2 doesn't need the install part?
I would upgrade to 9.3 before creating the zfs pool.
Thanks for the help!

 

[Ericloewe]

Isn't the installer compatible with serial console output? If not, I'd say that warrants fixing, especially since some work was put into making GRUB and FreeNAS work with serial console output.

As for 9.2, grab 9.2.1.9. You can simply copy the image to the USB drive (with USB Image Tool, for instance) and it'll be a FreeNAS 9.2.1.9 installation.