The last of USB boot drives

[Thinkcat]

Hello

I built a NAS some time ago around a Xeon D and got a 128 GB M.2 PCI-e device for it. I know this is a way to do these things in the future. I did not want to use a SATA DOM because I need exactly six SATA connectors if I will ever upgrade.

I have an earlier NAS, built around a Haswell Xeon, with no M.2 slot. I also want to have six SATA connectors free for future expansion. So I am now stuck with an USB solution for a boot drive. I first went with a Kingston 32 GB stick. It started having errors after six months. Another Kingston, another six months. Now I decided to look for information on better USB flash drives and saw that SanDisk Cruzer Fit was recommended. I bought three 16 GB drives and installed onto two in a mirror. One is a spare.

I then bought a fourth 16 GB one. I then suddenly discovered that it has smaller capacity than the other three. Before any further use, I always run a "badblocks -svw" check with all storage I buy. Since USB drives are on their way out, the thread on recommended hardware hasn't got any suggestions for using them.

I assume that one should use an 1) M.2 device or 2) SATA DOM if possible. But if not, then there are 3) USB-to-SATA adapters. I have an old, small vacant SSD lying around and I have ordered such an adapter from eBay. I'll see how I'll do with the 4) SanDisk USB drives and then maybe try this USB-to-SATA solution. If anyone has any ups and downs to share with me about it, I'd be glad to hear.

Also, is the following common with USB drives of the same model, or should I be worried?

Code:

[932986.515563] usb 1-1: new high-speed USB device number 14 using ehci-pci
[932986.655349] usb 1-1: New USB device found, idVendor=0781, idProduct=5571
[932986.655351] usb 1-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[932986.655353] usb 1-1: Product: Cruzer Fit
[932986.655354] usb 1-1: Manufacturer: SanDisk
[932986.655354] usb 1-1: SerialNumber: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
[932986.665609] usb-storage 1-1:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[932986.665895] scsi host45: usb-storage 1-1:1.0
[932987.666516] scsi 45:0:0:0: Direct-Access	 SanDisk  Cruzer Fit	   1.27 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[932987.667897] sd 45:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg3 type 0
[932987.673578] sd 45:0:0:0: [sdc] 30529536 512-byte logical blocks: (15.6 GB/14.6 GiB)		  <----- THIS
[932987.679279] sd 45:0:0:0: [sdc] Write Protect is off
[932987.679283] sd 45:0:0:0: [sdc] Mode Sense: 43 00 00 00
[932987.683804] sd 45:0:0:0: [sdc] Write cache: disabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[932987.712739]  sdc: sdc1
[932987.724452] sd 45:0:0:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI removable disk
[933004.903010] usb 1-2: new high-speed USB device number 15 using ehci-pci
[933005.045413] usb 1-2: New USB device found, idVendor=0781, idProduct=5571
[933005.045415] usb 1-2: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=3
[933005.045449] usb 1-2: Product: Cruzer Fit
[933005.045451] usb 1-2: Manufacturer: SanDisk
[933005.045452] usb 1-2: SerialNumber: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
[933005.055500] usb-storage 1-2:1.0: USB Mass Storage device detected
[933005.055668] scsi host46: usb-storage 1-2:1.0
[933006.057802] scsi 46:0:0:0: Direct-Access	 SanDisk  Cruzer Fit	   1.00 PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[933006.060029] sd 46:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg4 type 0
[933006.060431] sd 46:0:0:0: [sdd] 31260672 512-byte logical blocks: (16.0 GB/14.9 GiB)		  <----- and THIS
[933006.065744] sd 46:0:0:0: [sdd] Write Protect is off
[933006.065747] sd 46:0:0:0: [sdd] Mode Sense: 43 00 00 00
[933006.069669] sd 46:0:0:0: [sdd] Write cache: disabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[933006.090804]  sdd: sdd1
[933006.103926] sd 46:0:0:0: [sdd] Attached SCSI removable disk

 

[Ericloewe]

Also, is the following common with USB drives of the same model, or should I be worried?

When are you getting that output? Seems like standard output for when a drive is plugged in.

I assume that one should use an 1) M.2 device or 2) SATA DOM if possible. But if not, then there are 3) USB-to-SATA adapters. I have an old, small vacant SSD lying around and I have ordered such an adapter from eBay. I'll see how I'll do with the 4) SanDisk USB drives and then maybe try this USB-to-SATA solution. If anyone has any ups and downs to share with me about it, I'd be glad to hear.

USB drives are fine. If you surrent setup is working and you have no specific complaints, why bother?

 

[Thinkcat]

When are you getting that output? Seems like standard output for when a drive is plugged in.

Well, since I have two 16.0 GB/14.9 GiB drives now in my mirrored boot device, I can only use the third 16.0 GB/14.9 GiB device to replace either one in case it fails. But not the fourth one, the 15.6 GB/14.6 GiB device. Even though it theoretically should have been of the same size.

 

[Stux]

Well, since I have two 16.0 GB/14.9 GiB drives now in my mirrored boot device, I can only use the third 16.0 GB/14.9 GiB device to replace either one in case it fails. But not the fourth one, the 15.6 GB/14.6 GiB device. Even though it theoretically should have been of the same size.

No biggie though. Just backup your configuration and restore it to a fresh install on your tinier USB.

 

[Thinkcat]

It is a biggie if I need to break up my mirror to use it. I was a bit taken aback that SanDisk could do that. But thanks anyway. I think I will use the smaller 16 GB in some other device.

 

[nojohnny101]

I then bought a fourth 16 GB one. I then suddenly discovered that it has smaller capacity than the other three.

I had this exact sample problem when I didn't order all the cruzer fits at the same time. I ended up doing a bunch of testing and then logged them in order from largest to smallest and mirrored (this was for 2 separate FreeNAS boxes) them appropriately so changing them out when one fails won't be a pain.