SOLVED headless serial console install on system without IPMI/VGA

gsa-toolbox

Cadet
Joined
Aug 21, 2015
Messages
6
Hello,
Looking to install TrueNAS on a headless platform (Atom C3958 16 cores with 32GB RAM, full virtualisation supports and plenty of network interfaces) but do not have IPMI or VGA.
I can install Debian via console or other distros like ProxmoxVE by first installing the headless Debian and then adding the repository?
Is there any way to deploy TrueNAS scale headless?
I could possibly try to install on a USB key on a different machine and then boot from that on the headless appliance but would like some guidance if that is the only way.
Cheers,

GS


BTW: yes I have checked the forum before and although there are a couple of entries, nothing really helpful.
 

Ericloewe

Server Wrangler
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Feb 15, 2014
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20,175
You ended up with a C3000 with no iKVM? That's a curious piece of hardware.

Generically, you have three options:
  1. Install elsewhere with compatible serial ports and move it back (I prefer this one)
  2. See if the installer is smart enough to default to a serial console if no VGA is present
  3. Customize the installer
1. Is straightforward and likely to succeed, but not very elegant. 2. is fairly likely to be a dead end. 3. is doable, but takes a lot more effort than 1.
 

Etorix

Wizard
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Dec 30, 2020
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Extremely curious to know what platform has a C3958 without IMPI…
 

Patrick M. Hausen

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It's FreeBSD, isn't it? Escaping to the loader prompt at boot and entering set console=comconsole should do the trick?
 

gsa-toolbox

Cadet
Joined
Aug 21, 2015
Messages
6
Thanks mate.
I confirm indeed that the inelegant option 1 worked fairly easily.
To answer your question, the ppliance is a Lanner NCA-1515F (the white box version).
Regards,

GS

You ended up with a C3000 with no iKVM? That's a curious piece of hardware.

Generically, you have three options:
  1. Install elsewhere with compatible serial ports and move it back (I prefer this one)
  2. See if the installer is smart enough to default to a serial console if no VGA is present
  3. Customize the installer
1. Is straightforward and likely to succeed, but not very elegant. 2. is fairly likely to be a dead end. 3. is doable, but takes a lot more effort than 1.
 

Patrick M. Hausen

Hall of Famer
Joined
Nov 25, 2013
Messages
7,737

Etorix

Wizard
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Dec 30, 2020
Messages
2,108
To answer your question, the ppliance is a Lanner NCA-1515F (the white box version).
Thanks! So it it's this one? The specification says it "supports BMC" and there's a RJ-45 port labelled "console" which looks suspiciously like IPMI. Not much in the way of storage though.
 

gsa-toolbox

Cadet
Joined
Aug 21, 2015
Messages
6
Thanks! So it it's this one? The specification says it "supports BMC" and there's a RJ-45 port labelled "console" which looks suspiciously like IPMI. Not much in the way of storage though.
I have the "white appliance" variant which doesn't come with IPMI. The Console port is definitely serial.
I installed TrueNAS scale on a USB key externally and moved the USB key to the system, it worked straight away :smile:
 
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