HP Micro Server Gen 8 --> not able to boot from USB port with SSD

[lcantu]

Hi

I have currently been running my TrueNAS on a Dell 720XD and will be working in setting up a replication TrueNAS system on an offsite location. Nothing will actually be served from the offsite instance and its sole purpose would be to have replication.

I got a hold of an old used HP Micro Server Gen 8 that seems to be up to the task but I cannot make a SSD connected to the USB port to boot (I'm using a USB to SATA cable)

I used a USB stick pluged to one of the front ports to make the TrueNas installation into an SSD connected to the internal USB port using the USB to SATA cable. Everything went well and the installation completed successfully, however after power down the system (and disconnecting the installation USB stick) , the server doesn't seem to recognize the now bootlable SSD with TrueNAS.

I have tried the following
- Connected the SSD in every available USB port -- no luck
- Tried two different USB to SATA cables one plain and other powered (like the ones that are used for 3.5 spinning disks) -- no luck
- Retried the TrueNAS installation and repeated the above -- no luck
- Retried the TrueNAS installation but this time, instead of using the SSD as a target, I installed trueNAS on a second USB stick and guess what -- The USB stick does boot properly from the internal and external front USB ports.
- If I connect the SSD where i installed TrueNAS to a USB port after booting, TrueNAS does recognize it and labels it as a boot pool

Not sure what I'm missing, the server USB ports seem to be fine asI'm able to boot from them. The installation seem to complete equally successfully on SSD and USB, the SSD seems to be fine as TrueNAS does recognize it.

Any ideas/suggestions on what could I try next?

 

[Ericloewe]

Could be a firmware limitation. Also worth checking if it shows up under HDDs instead of USB. Or on any boot device list, even if it doesn't sound like a match.

 

[gdreade]

As to the firmware comment, IIRC you can't boot from the USB3 ports at the back, but you can from the back USB2 ports, the internal port, and IIRC the front UDB2 ports. But you said you tried all ports, so whatever it is it is likely not the BIOS boot problem.

After TrueNAS just chewed through a couple more USB thumb drives as boot disks, I just finished replacing them on a Gen8 with an NVMe disk, sitting in an adapter, connected to the internal USB port (with the adapter internally wire-tied to the horizontal beam just forward of the PSU). See the 2nd machine in my signature for details. Booting is fine; if it survives a few weeks of boot pool scrubs, then I'll consider it a successful replacement.

FWIW, when I do the TrueNAS install, I'm using the BIOS option rather than the UEFI option.