Installing TrueNAS on QNAP Devices

[Astraea]

I have had my 3 QNAP devices for a while now and want to continue to the hardware but install TrueNAS on them instead of the QNAP QTS software. The devices that I have and plan to migrate are two TS-451s and a TS853A. I did do some testing on one of the TS-451 boxes and had no issues installing and running TrueNAS for a weekend using some spare drives. I did remove the QNAP DOM before installing TrueNAS to 2 USB flash drives in a mirror setup. Since then I have upgraded all three boxes to 16GB ram and have purchased 6 new ScanDisk 64GB USB 3.0 flash drives and I have a few extra (4 to be exact) USB flash drives in case any of them fail.

While I know installing to USB is no longer recommended I want to be able to use all the bays for storage drives until I have the funds to migrate to custom-built 4U storage servers. Are there any gotchas or other issues that I am no seeing in this setup or did not encounter in my weekend testing. I know I will have to migrate the data off the boxes before I can add them to TrueNAS and will then have to move the data back over. I also plan to move one box first and run it for a week before moving the next and then allowing both to run for 2 weeks before doing the last box as the first is storing VM backup data from Proxmox, the second is storing VM disk data from Proxmox and the third is my main data storage device.

 

[elvisimprsntr]

Even though I did not fall victim to recent QNAP ransomware since I don't expose my NAS to the WAN, I finally got tired of all the hard coded credentials and vulnerabilities in QTS.

I was able to successfully install TrueNAS CORE on both the TS-253A and TS-453A, and even figured out how to control the LCD display on the TS-453A. https://github.com/elvisimprsntr/QnapFreeLCD

There is a thread on QNAP forum with posts from myself and others installing TrueNAS CORE on QNAP hardware. https://forum.qnap.com/viewtopic.php?f=191&t=161170

I am pleased to report I have finally excommunicated QNAP QTS from my home!

 

[elvisimprsntr]

I am pleased to report I installed a 16GB SLC eUSB DOM in the TS-453A and re-installed TrueNAS-12.0-U4 CORE.



Steps:

Code:

1. Save config via GUI (export secret seed)
2. Manually backup /root/.ssh/ folder
3. Install TrueNAS CORE on DOM (UEFI mode)
4. Restore config via GUI
5. Restore /root/.ssh/ folder

Boot times and GUI navigation is not any different than running off the external USB3 Crucial X8 M.2 SSD.

TS-253A is next!

 

[crumdev]

I am pleased to report I installed a 16GB SLC eUSB DOM in the TS-453A and re-installed TrueNAS-12.0-U4 CORE.

View attachment 47601

Steps:

Code:

1. Save config via GUI (export secret seed)
2. Manually backup /root/.ssh/ folder
3. Install TrueNAS CORE on DOM (UEFI mode)
4. Restore config via GUI
5. Restore /root/.ssh/ folder

Boot times and GUI navigation is not any different than running off the external USB3 Crucial X8 M.2 SSD.

TS-253A is next!

Could you link what eUSB you used for the TS-453a? Very interested in doing this as well.

 

[md20209]

Attempting something similar - on a QNAP EC1080. This device is pretty beefy - 32Gb RAM, Xeon v3 CPU, 10gb network, internal mSATA SSD's for cache.

On this device, I have removed the DOM from the header, and installed the truenas OS on the internal mSATA SSD's, which are samsung 850's 256gb mSATA cards.

Everything went along swimmingly - the OS installed across the two mSATA drives as a mirrored pair. Upon reboot, all is well.

Then all is not well. I build out a ZFS set across 10 4TB drives in the remaining bay, a Z2 setup. After buliding the data volume, rebooting the system does not work, as the device can't find the boot volume on the mSATA disks. It looks like it tries to boot from the main ZFS vol.

Pulling the 10 4TB drives, the device boots fine as expected.

I don't see anywhere in the limited BIOS of the Qnap to pick where to boot from.

I stuck UNRAID on a usb, and it works as normal, but I was really wanting to give trueNAS a shot.


Suggestions?

 

[elvisimprsntr]

@md20209

1. No BIOS boot order selection? There should be one.
2. Did you install as Legacy or UEFI?
3. Have you tried both TrueNAS CORE and SCALE?

 

[md20209]

@md20209

1. No BIOS boot order selection? There should be one.
2. Did you install as Legacy or UEFI?
3. Have you tried both TrueNAS CORE and SCALE?

The bios basically has the option of usb, and legacy. Unlike on a pc, the actual devices don’t show up to pick which one to boot from

2 honestly I don’t remember, most likely UEFI, but I’ll have to try again to be sure

3 I’ve only tried the CORE version.

 

[HarryMuscle]

You could look into using Plop on a USB key and select USB in the BIOS. It's a boot manager that in your case you would use to redirect the boot process to the drive you want.

Thanks,
Harry

 

[elvisimprsntr]

You could look into using Plop on a USB key and select USB in the BIOS. It's a boot manager that in your case you would use to redirect the boot process to the drive you want.

Thanks,
Harry

How large is Plop? If less than 512MB one could install Plop on the eUSB DOM he removed or replace with a new one.

 

[md20209]

Thanks for all the suggestions! After browsing Qnap’s website I noticed there is a bios update available for my device, I’m going to give that a shot and see if it opens up option in the insyde branded bios. Otherwise, I’ll replace the DOM with a 32 gb one and just install there. I really like the hardware and footprint of the device, but very much dislike the QNAP OS.

Currently have 10x4tb HGST 7200rpm drives plus the 2 mSATA ssd’s.

As an unraid user as well, I really like the docker implementation, but I would love to have the bitrot protection and speed offered by ZFS. In my case would you recommend CORE or SCALE?

The idea for this box is to serve as a backup for critical data sitting on both my syno and unraid boxes, and maybe host a few apps relating to data synchronization, backup, etc. non media stuff.

I’m trying to hedge my bets on what I consider critical data, family photos, by putting them on three separate platforms, as I’m uninterested in putting my data into a cloud bucket.

 

[HarryMuscle]

How large is Plop? If less than 512MB one could install Plop on the eUSB DOM he removed or replace with a new one.

I believe it's just a few MB if that.

Thanks,
Harry

 

[hermani]

Even though I did not fall victim to recent QNAP ransomware since I don't expose my NAS to the WAN, I finally got tired of all the hard coded credentials and vulnerabilities in QTS.

I was able to successfully install TrueNAS CORE on both the TS-253A and TS-453A, and even figured out how to control the LCD display on the TS-453A. https://github.com/elvisimprsntr/QnapFreeLCD

There is a thread on QNAP forum with posts from myself and others installing TrueNAS CORE on QNAP hardware. https://forum.qnap.com/viewtopic.php?f=191&t=161170

I am pleased to report I have finally excommunicated QNAP QTS from my home!

I've been bitten by QTS vulnerability as well. I had two QNAP NAS servers, one main server and one backup server. Guess what happened..

 

[pschatz100]

The bios basically has the option of usb, and legacy. Unlike on a pc, the actual devices don’t show up to pick which one to boot from

2 honestly I don’t remember, most likely UEFI, but I’ll have to try again to be sure

3 I’ve only tried the CORE version.

You might try creating your boot device for legacy boot instead of UEFI. I am not familiar with QNAP myself, but there are lots of hardware combinations that won't boot TrueNAS off UEFI.

 

[geekmaster64]

Thanks for all the suggestions! After browsing Qnap’s website I noticed there is a bios update available for my device, I’m going to give that a shot and see if it opens up option in the insyde branded bios. Otherwise, I’ll replace the DOM with a 32 gb one and just install there. I really like the hardware and footprint of the device, but very much dislike the QNAP OS.

Currently have 10x4tb HGST 7200rpm drives plus the 2 mSATA ssd’s.

As an unraid user as well, I really like the docker implementation, but I would love to have the bitrot protection and speed offered by ZFS. In my case would you recommend CORE or SCALE?

The idea for this box is to serve as a backup for critical data sitting on both my syno and unraid boxes, and maybe host a few apps relating to data synchronization, backup, etc. non media stuff.

I’m trying to hedge my bets on what I consider critical data, family photos, by putting them on three separate platforms, as I’m uninterested in putting my data into a cloud bucket.

Hi there! Not to bump an old thread, but I am actively using the 1080+ model with the same spec's as yours.

Did Legacy boot work for you or did you go the DOM route?

Thanks!

 

[tre4B]

Just for the record, I have gone for using two SSD drives in USB3 external connectors boxes. These are mirrored and this just works. The SSD drives on my QNAP are now the first volume and hopefully are the System drive, leaving me the 4 Hard Disk slots for the main data.

Only things left to solve are making it boot itself up every morning, hopefully without a switchbot!