Headless migration to FreeNAS 11.3 from 9.x

Robert Townsend

Dabbler
Joined
Dec 11, 2016
Messages
20
Current version might be 9.10 stable, but since it's not booting I'm not sure. My system:

Intel MB, 64-bit processor
  • 20G memory DDR3
  • 8 SATA --- 3 SSD as program pool, 4 2G HDD as data, and a DVD/R
  • 8G SD card in USB adapter on motherboard
  • NO graphics card
  • 1000Mbs ethernet on MB

I did not use system for over 18 months, then had power supply issue recently fixed. I want to upgrade to 11.3 or TrueNAS. The attempts have been a pitiful nightmare so far.
  • I upgraded in GUI to 11.3 but it hung for 30 min on same % complete so I reset GUI.
  • I was concerned it was a space issue so I tried to delete 11.3 but it did not work
  • Some time afterwards the 'active' boot image was changed to 11.3, I was concerned 11.3 might not boot so I moved active back to 9.x
  • 9.x still booted
  • I saved the config file to my Windows 8.1 box (I've also read many accounts about configs not being loadable in newer versions)
I decided to use a 16G SD/USB.
  • I thought of using cloning s/w and tried examining boot SD with Windows 8.1, Disk manager saw partition and I canceled any attempt to alter
  • I decided to go with mirror, system booted again into 9.x
  • I ran mirror, not option to use added space, it completed, the da1 device showed up as part of mirror. I waited maybe 10 min
Now
  • Rebooting with only original USB fails
  • Rebooting with 16G mirror fails
  • Rebooting with both fails (or so far after 30+ minutes)
It's kind of odd, since aren't mirrors intended to survive if one drive fails or is missing?

On to new versions
  • I have both TureNAS and FreeNAS 11.3 ISO images and can burn a DVD
  • The install apparently requires a reboot to DVD/CD and an install to a new boot drive
  • The install requires booting new boot drive on system and configuration -- aha headless
Can I
  • boot the DVD on my Windows box and create the 16G USB boot
  • boot the USB again on my Windows Box (it's 64-bit)
  • configure the system
  • use the 16G boot USB on the FreeNAS box?
If i must do all on target box I might be able to find a graphics card. Assuming I can get a newer system installed.
  • Will the newer version be able to load the 9.x config file?
  • If not, can I somehow recover my drive pools / volumes / data?

Side note - As to the 16G I also have a 64G USB, a notebook HDD available. After some surgery on my Windows box I'll have a 265G SSD
 

Robert Townsend

Dabbler
Joined
Dec 11, 2016
Messages
20
Ok, I've read my post and it's not easy to understand. I ended up returning to 9.10 (or whatever it was before I started) on a 32G USB. Now, almost a year later I have a newer CPU, memory upgrade, and a new motherboard w/NVME drive. I'm installing the latest Core TrueNAS.

My concern now, is there is no export for my data pool in 9.10. I've copied most of the data to my new desktop just in case. I'll attempt to load the old config to TrueNAS, and also recover/import the data pool.
 
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