New Install, Won't Boot

[clarknova]

Acer Aspire x1430
8GB RAM
32GB USB boot drive
FreeNAS-9.3-STABLE-201509022158.iso

The installer ran fine from USB, installed to the boot drive without error. At the Acer's boot device selection menu the USB drive shows up as a EFI boot device and is the only option. But after selecting this device, I see "ERROR: No boot disk has been detected or the disk has failed."

I think the problem is that the Acer sees the boot disk as an EFI device, and there doesn't appear to be any way to disable EFI boot from the BIOS.

Other non-EFI USB sticks boot fine. In fact, I can use dd to write the installer image to the same USB stick and the Acer boots the installer fine. For some reason this computer is ok with the installer, but not with a full FreeNAS install on the same USB stick.

Can anybody suggest a reason that the Acer sees the boot stick as an EFI device, and is there any trick to force it to try a legacy boot of the USB drive?

edit: if I force the BIOS to force floppy emulation on USB devices, I get a GRUB prompt. Better than nothing, but I'm not sure where to go from here.

 

[DJ9]

edit: if I force the BIOS to force floppy emulation on USB devices, I get a GRUB prompt. Better than nothing, but I'm not sure where to go from here.

I'd just forget using that computer and find something more suitable.

 

[DrKK]

If I'm not mistaken, the Aspire X1430 is an AMD E-350 based system. This was AMD's minimal embedded system that was still powerful enough to (almost) run 1080p videos, it is intended for a modest laptop or (very) modest HTPC.

If I'm thinking of the right system, you could multiply its potency by 10, and it would still be underpowered for even a basic FreeNAS, not to even mention that the Brazos platform is not even remotely a good match for FreeNAS.

Even if you solve your problem, I don't think you will have a satisfactory outcome with FreeNAS, sir. As DJ9 said, I don't think you want to use this computer for FreeNAS. I understand the temptation to repurpose old/underpowered stuff you have laying around as a FreeNAS, but, contrary to what you read out there on the internet, that is not appropriate for FreeNAS. If you insist on using that computer, maybe some Linux offering would be a better way to go for a NAS.

 

[clarknova]

If I'm not mistaken, the Aspire X1430 is an AMD E-350 based system.

Correct. Was hoping to get away from some of the grief of running virtual, but if it won't run then it's not an option.

 

[DrKK]

Well, I'm sure that if you get your issue solved, it will "run". But I am equally sure the result will not be a well-performing, or safe, system, and it will reflect poorly on our product.

FreeNAS will run *very* well on even a very modest cpu, like an Intel G3220 for $40. But an E-350, for $5, I am afraid is a bit too modest.

 

[DrKK]

If you're serious about giving it a try on that box, I recommend you dial back to FreeNAS 9.2.1.9, which did not use the modern/GRUB2 style boot--it used the same style that is on the installer, and this appears to work.

You can get the 9.2.1.9 ISO easy enough: http://download.freenas.org/9.2.1.9/RELEASE/x64/

 

[clarknova]

If you're serious about giving it a try on that box, I recommend you dial back to FreeNAS 9.2.1.9, which did not use the modern/GRUB2 style boot--it used the same style that is on the installer, and this appears to work.

You can get the 9.2.1.9 ISO easy enough: http://download.freenas.org/9.2.1.9/RELEASE/x64/

Thanks. I will give that a shot. This machine has 8GB RAM and a PCIe Intel GBE card, so it does meet the minimum requirements. I won't be encrypting, no plugins, CIFS will be RO, and storage will be a 2-drive mirror. So about as light on the CPU as one can go, I think. As for CPU performance, I hope to find out just how bad it is. If it can't do near wirespeed for NFS and FTP then I'll be looking for a replacement for sure.