Using USB to boot TrueNAS without a USB-to-SATA adapter

[nabsltd]

Or, rather, without an external adapter:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B095Y1ZFZC

This USB drive has a built-in USB-to-NVMe converter, like the ones found in some external cases (e.g., https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H4SNJLD/).

I use the 256GB version, so the 64GB might be slower.

 

[Davvo]

It's not advisable to run TrueNas on a USB.
What Is your question?

 

[Arwen]

Unknown brand names like Vansuny, are one reason why we discourage USB flash drive usage. They may advertise wis-bang features, but the real proof is running for years, continuously, without problems.

In someways I would like to see a USB flash drive round up & test. But, the problem is that many foreign brands simply change their name. Either because the want to avoid poor reviews and the poor reputation that comes along with that. Or just to preemptively avoid such that could happen.

 

[danb35]

It's not advisable to run TrueNas on a USB.

It's not advisable to run TrueNAS on a USB memory stick, because those are often garbage, and there really isn't a good way to work out which ones are good. SSDs, or other storage devices, connected via USB can be fine--perhaps not as good as something on a more-stable connection like SATA or NVMe, but they can be decently reliable.

But like you, I'm struggling to figure out if OP has a question.

 

[Patrick M. Hausen]

I don't see anything even hinting at an internal NVMe drive on that product page. Looks like your run-off-the-mill USB flash key to me.

 

[Ericloewe]

Whenever I see Super China Happy Sun, I always think back to the scam where a large hard drive was actually a modded 128 MB USB flash drive that stored data as a ring buffer - presenting a fake however-many-GB-it-was to the OS, plus a large weight to simulate the heft of a disk.

 

[nabsltd]

I was just trying to point out a good way to avoid using a USB-to-SATA cable and finding a place (and power) inside the chassis for a 2.5" SATA drive. USB-to-SATA has been recommended here quite a bit as a boot system, since you aren't using a thumb drive, but rather a real SSD.

If you buy one of these drives and plug it in, you'll see that it uses a JMicron USB-to-NVMe chip inside it. So, it's a real SSD, although not SATA.

I, too, was skeptical when I first saw the price and the supposed performance. After buying the drive (it's Amazon, with an easy return policy) and testing using checkflash and HD Sentinal, then filling the drive with files and comparing them against the original, it was obvious it wasn't a size scam. I measured the speed myself, so that's accurate, too.

 

[Davvo]

I, too, was skeptical when I first saw the price and the supposed performance. After buying the drive (it's Amazon, with an easy return policy) and testing using checkflash and HD Sentinal, then filling the drive with files and comparing them against the original, it was obvious it wasn't a size scam. I measured the speed myself, so that's accurate, too.

I will be interested if It shows good endurance. Please keep us updated in the next months.