Truenas build low power backup / file store USB Disck on module

[Ssor60]

Hi,
New to the forum and TrueNAS. I wanted a low power little 4 bay NAS unit to just act as a simple file store. So too the approach of a low power embedded mITX mother board etc as per the list below:

MB - ASRock with Intel J3710 CPU https://www.asrock.com/mb/Intel/J3710-ITX/index.us.asp#Specification
CPU - Intel® Quad-Core Pentium® Processor J3710 (up to 2.64 GHz)
RAM - 2 x DDR3L SO-DIMM slot with 8GB RAM per slot: total installed 16GB DDR3L 1600/1066 non-ECC, un-buffered memory
Chassis / Powersupply - Innovision with 200w PS https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001626893532.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dyFYhPP
Boot Disk - New Adsyncetek SSD eUSB 16GB DOM SSD 9PIN pitch 2.54mm Industrial Embedded USB Disk on Module (EUSB DOM) https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002804457739.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dyFYhPP

I know memory should be ECC but will not be running this very hard and was going for compact / low power
TrueNAS core installed to eUSB DOM no problem but when system runs up the middleware fails to load.

• "MIDDLEWARE FAILED TO START WITHIN 4 MINUTES, SYSTEM WILL NOT BEHAVE CORRECTLY!!"
• Freenas continues to run to complete successful boot, but I also get the following messages: Failed to run middleware call. Daemon not running?

I gather from research that USB 2.0 is possibly too slow as the boot loader or it's a compatability error, but as everything does seem to run up I wondered if there is a way to modifly the boot loader script so the start middleware call does not time out?

While the MB does have a PCIe 2.0x1 slot and I could install an SSD adapter I'm thinking of trying to install the USB 3.0 adapter to the motherboard header and then use a Scandisk 32GB Ultra Fit USB 3.1 Flash Drive as the boot drive first. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002977827879.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.27424c4dSdvbCg

If I could find a 1/2 size mini PCIe DOM like the Innodisk I'd use that but not sure they exist https://www.innodisk.com/en/products/flash-storage/mini-pciedom/mini_pciedom_1me3

Anyway .. I thought I'd ask to see if anyone can suggest what I could try to get the current USB 2.0 DOM approach to work as its close to being operational if I could just get the middleware to load.

thanks

 

[Ssor60]

ok .. no comments so I guess I'm on my own. I am trying another approach that will use the MB USB 3.0 header and a good USB stick. This adapter https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002977827879.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.211f4c4dLjXQFT and this stick SanDisk 32GB Ultra Fit USB 3.1 Flash Drive https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop...ltra-fit-usb-3-1-flash-drive-black-sdcz43f032

if that does not work plan C is to try this .. version of a USB enclousure with a
https://www.amazon.com/Aluminium-En...nverter/dp/B082CFQYKR/?ozlp-20=undefined&th=1 and a NVMe SSD
or
this type of enclosure https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000846915382.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.2bb72e0ebMTVHS with a standard Sata M.2 drive

any comments welcome

 

[Ssor60]

ok .. no comments so I guess I'm on my own. I am trying another approach that will use the MB USB 3.0 header and a good USB stick. This adapter https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002977827879.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.211f4c4dLjXQFT and this stick SanDisk 32GB Ultra Fit USB 3.1 Flash Drive https://www.officeworks.com.au/shop...ltra-fit-usb-3-1-flash-drive-black-sdcz43f032

if that does not work plan C is to try this .. version of a USB enclousure with a
https://www.amazon.com/Aluminium-En...nverter/dp/B082CFQYKR/?ozlp-20=undefined&th=1 and a NVMe SSD
or
this type of enclosure https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000846915382.html?spm=a2g0s.8937460.0.0.2bb72e0ebMTVHS with a standard Sata M.2 drive

any comments welcome

actuall for the send USB enclosure make that an NGFF M.2 SSDs

 

[Ssor60]

Hi anyone,
Incase you find this thread and are trying something similar .. plan A a USB 2.0 Disk on Chip approach failed, but plan B where I used a USB3.0 header to standard USB 3.0 connector as per this link https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005002977827879.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.211f4c4dLjXQFT with a Scandisk 3.0 USB worked and with no other changed just reinstalled TrueNAS to this USB stick the system came up ok. The store was out of stock for my preferred Scandisk Ultra fit 3.1 drive (it really short) so in the end I went for this one as it still had a Sequential Read Performance Up to 150MB/s ...https://www.westerndigital.com/en-au/products/usb-flash-drives/sandisk-ultra-flair-usb-3-0#SDCZ73-032G-Q46