Hello Everyone, just arrived!!

[AngeleToR]

Hi guys,

Just arrived to the exciting freeNAS and freeBSD world and I'm amazed of the quality of this piece of SW.

I'm migrating my brand new HP microserver gen8 with 4 internal 500GB drives, 1 external LianLi 5x2 TB raid and another external sharkoon 5x4TB raid (both with eSata multiplier card) from Ubuntu to freeNAS. Lots of services to move, but I really love the idea behind this project, so I'll do my best to contribute to the community.

My home network mixes windows and Linux PCs, Macs, Androids, iPhones, smart TVs, consoles and every gadget I can set my hands on.

I've been in the computers world since the 90's (even sooner with my ZX Spectrum as a child), but left it as a job for greener pastures back in 2004, but hey, real computer freaks never quit, so here I am.

Enough said, I'll go to the 9.3 forums to post my findings and my first bug report, don't hate me developers, I'll do it 'cause I cherish you ;-)

Regards from a Spaniard in its 40's always toying with something new ;-)

 

[doomed]

Hey!

Make sure you post your experiences.

I'll keep an eye on your threads because I'm also looking at building a server with similar specs (HP Microserver G8).

 

[AngeleToR]

I'm so happy with this little box, it's just a little annoying the long it takes to boot up and HP's strange behaviour when it comes to starting up and selecting the boot device. I endedd with an SD card as it seems the only reliable booting device (sometimes it refuses to boot from internal USB, others from external, the internal ODD SATA port is useless to boot a SSD drive...)

Lot of time expended tweaking it to end with the SD card solution.

 

[doomed]

On a different scenario from the Freenas project, I was actually thinking of booting from the ODD SATA port with a SSD drive. Is the problem with a SSD drive only, would the problem remain if it was a HDD ?

Have you searched for a solution here at the forums ?

Are you running the latest firmware updates?

 

[zambanini]

which bios do you use? our hp g8 microservers do not have this issue. they boot from a usb2 stick

 

[AngeleToR]

Hi zambanini,

I've got BIOS J06 dated 06/06/2014. It's supposed to be the latest according to the BIOS update program.

Mine also boots from USB2 sticks, but never from internal port, only from external and ONLY if no disks are plugged in the internal bays or in the pcie esata card. If any other drive is present, it tries to boot from it failing as it detects it's part of a ZFS and stops there.

The only way it works like 8 out of 10 times is the internal microSD card, and 2 out of 10 it skips that card too trying to boot from HD and failing and halting there.

It's rather frustating that this supposed improved microserver is giving me lots of headaches while my old n40L NEVER had even a minor issue...

Best regards, Angel

 

[zambanini]

what is the boot order in the bios?
I will take a look at one of the Hp micro servers after the holidays. as far as I remember we did even not change the usb emulation mode. you run the same bios as we did.

 

[AngeleToR]

The boot order is USB (internal then external), hard disks (internal and then external via PCIe esata cards with port multiplier). No DVD connected but first setup with a SSD drive in its connector was a failure, will never boot from it before trying any other hard disk. If no microSD nor internal USB are connected, external USB works even with HD connected. As soon as any internal device (USB or microSD) are connected together with the external one the boot jumps to hard disks.

It is sooooooo bizarre, I've spent hours fiddling with the BIOS but it's sooooo painfully slow booting that I got desperate and as soon as I found the SD card trick, I've given up to understand the booting procedure in this little box...

Otherwise I'm so happy with it, but I hate the BIOS it brings inside with all my heart. Even at first glance it's gorgeous, with all those graphics and mouse support et al, but at the end of the day you spend 90% of your time staring at the reboot process....

Regards, Angel