Total IT Noob can't install TrueNas on pendrive.

[leonardo93]

Hello there,
The title should be a disclaimer already. I am working in a recording studio where we had some HDD going around. The previous engineer set up a FreeNAS system, but that computer broke, so I am trying to install the OS on a USB pendrive. I have been following this tutorial:

How to install FreeNAS on USB Drive

However, in this article, we let you know how to create a FreeNAS bootable USB drive and then use that to install FreeNAS on any other Pen or USB drive

www.how2shout.com

I am currently the TrueNAS 13.0 ISO image.

Long story short we got an empty computer where I attached the HDD and I managed to boot it with the pendrive where the ISO image is (both SanDisk 16gb, FAT32 format) but all I get are these two screens (see attachments). Anyone can give me some heads up in a IT noob language?
Thanks in adavance

 

[irTwit]

"USB sticks are no longer recommended, due to the high amount of write tasks on TrueNAS." Especially with 120 GB SSDs being dirt cheap. When I was still using USB boot drives they would burn out every few months. But try this...

The tutorial you referenced has you using Universal USB Installer Tool to create the installer USB. A user previously posted a similar looking error and had good results using Rufus instead. However, the official TrueNAS install guidance uses balenaEtcher.

 

[Paul5]

I still use USB drives and over the years errors such as yours may have been from poor/tired USB connections. TN12 and my current mirrored USBs have been used for over 4 years (knock on wood I don't jinx it)

Simplest method, Disconnect drives and place both USBs in the PC, assuming the second USB has been formated with no operating system or part operating system then boot and follow the instructions. If it doesn't boot into the TN USB then your PC is not set up to look into USBs, a quick way around is by looking at the boot screen and it will tell what key is for the boot menu. Some are F8 others F12 if so then boot into and select the boot USB with TN in it and start the process. You will later have to set up the bios to boot from the installed TN USB.

To concerve your USBs life use a small unencrypted Dataset on a HDD for the System Dataset. This way you can still use the rest of the disk for other Datasets that can be encrypted.

If your USBs still fail it could be faulty or corrupt USB. You can also try using HDD low level formating tool. It's free.