Installing from USB - totally stuck

[aussieanth]

Hi All

I've successfully installed FreeNas & OMV before, by creating a bootable USB installer.

As for Nas4Free, Im totally stuck. I've tried everything I can, and I must be missing something

I've downloaded both the ISO & IMG files, tried different ISO to USB apps, and for the life of me I cant figure out how to get my HP N36L microserver to boot anything off the USB installer.

Can someone give me a step by step guide on how to make a bootable USB installer thumb drive?
Do I need to provide a blank USB thumb drive to install to? Or does this installer "expand" to become the full Nas4Free OS on the installer drive?

Im using a Win7 box to download the ISO & prep the USB thumb drive, so I need Win7 tools to do it.

Thanks in advance

[raulfg3]

viewtopic.php?f=55&t=19

[armandh]

Ive never used the image just the iso
from the iso I burn a disk [nero will do it, Ubuntu does it OOTB]
from the disk I can [step #9] transfer the OS to any device that might boot
caution: whether the device will boot depends on the hardware, usually the bios.
some older hardware selected to become a nas box did not offer USB booting
I have had good luck with these flash drives for the embedded OS
http://www.logicsupply.com/categories/f ... sh_modules
1 Gb is big enough

an old small Hdd works too and can be spun down after the embedded boot
the live CD still works with some storage for the config
I have used floppy, usb, old camera flash cards
what ever works the config file is usually around 25Kb [small]

[kernow]

You're installing from USB onto a hard disk right? I just use the embedded one on my HP microserver. works fine.

[aussieanth]

Im trying to install FROM a USB flash drive TO a USB flash drive.

The problem is creating a bootable USB flash drive with the installation file on it (in place of an installation CD-ROM)

I've used my Win7 box to install the ISO onto USB flash drive, which I then plug into the HP, and boot off it.

I'm not getting any sort of boot menu or install process. I have the HP set to boot of USB, and confirmed it is detected in BIOS.
I've tried installing the ISO to a USB, but I think from the limited & confusing documentation available, that I need to use the "Imbedded" installer to create a USB flash drive to install from.

I've done this kind of thing many times, but can't figure out Nas4Free. I've tried about 3 different USB flash drives, so I know that's not the problem.
I can and have done this with FreeNas8 & OpenMediaVault.

Why the hell wont it work with the Nas4Free?

I really just need a step-by-step guide for creating an install disk from a USB flash drive instead of the CD-ROM. All of the instructions just say "oh just burn the ISO to a CD then boot & install it", or "Oh it works fine...."
Simple step buy step guide is all I need, and a list of tools required.
This is the closest I can find to a guide, but its vague and skips lots of steps, or just assumes you are using the right file to begin with.
I can install ImageWriter (Win32 Disk Imager) but it only handles IMG files. I cant find any .IMG files anywhere for Nas4Free. Its all .ISO, .GZ or .BIN

[aussieanth]

bugger it. I'm just going to source a portable CD-ROM and burn the ISO to it. Not worth the hastle.

[shakky4711]

Hello,

it is absolute easy, just use your Win7 computer to create the stick with NAS4Free on it. A NAS4Free installation is not bundled to hardware, so you can do it and do not have to setup it by your HP.

Burn the Live-CD ISO to a CD, boot your Desktop System from it, install the embeded version to the usb drive you want to use as the operating system carrier, after installation just unplug the stick and plug into your HP. Set bios to boot from the usb device and the job should be done.

Shakky

[aussieanth]

Ah, that does seem a lot easier than stuffing around trying to extract the ISO directly to the USB. It worked this way with OMV and FreeNas, so I had been trying the same thing with Nas4Free.

Funny how the simple approach is the last thing you think of sometimes.

Cheers Shakky

[armandh]

CAVEAT
be extremely careful selecting the USB as the destination drive to wipe and load!
your computer's hard drive(s) will also be in the list

for a noob like me
I would recommend unplugging the computer hard drive(s)
then booting from the CD and installing on the USB stick
no way to wipe the 7 if the drive is unplugged

another way
numerous times, when needing a usb CD drive
I have borrowed the electronics from a USB Hdd case
for a few minutes of connection to a spare optical drive
I made a lot of OS changes to a dell mini-9 this way
[the mini-9 boot drive is some what hardware specific]
eventually I saw a usb CD drive case on close out sale

now I have a spare SATA optical drive
for these situations with newer hardware
.

[kernow]

Why do people install from Cdrom or cdromconvertedtoUSB? Just download the embedded image instead and put it onto a USB stick using any old windows usb pendrive imaging tool.

[armandh]

Why do people install from Cdrom or cdromconvertedtoUSB? Just download the embedded image instead and put it onto a USB stick using any old windows usb pendrive imaging tool.

FLEXIBILITY

none of my NAS boot from USB [pen drive]
rather they boot from PATA or SATA flash drives
one test rig I have is booting from a 2.1 Gb Hdd
salvaged from a xerographic printer
after loading embedded NAS4Free to memory it spins down

the CD is not picky about destinations
[some times with disastrous result]

but more importantly it is one fewer links in the chain
if the cd will boot it is ever so likely the OS install will work

if the image always works for you, here is a high five on that

[kernow]

Well yeah theres that, but if he's trying to make a bootable ISO on usb stick to install to a ... usb stick. It doesn't make any sense.

[armandh]

Well yeah theres that, but if he's trying to make a bootable ISO on usb stick to install to a ... usb stick. It doesn't make any sense.

true but

the Original Post suggest he is trying to create a "USB installer" Ie. a USB version of the CD
for that, one of the OS on usb burning utilities could possibly do the xfr.
still it would nor work on old [non usb boot] hardware