USB image instead of ISO installation file?

[Icy1211]

I'm new to freenas and noticed that the nightlies don't have the USB image file. Is it possible to get this or extract it from the ISO file? I would install the stable release, but my intel network adapter is only supported in 9.3 (https://bugs.freenas.org/issues/5105). Thanks.

 

[gpsguy]

Just download the ISO, burn it to a CD, and install FreeNAS onto the flash drive using any computer. Historically, this has yielded the best results for most users.

 

[Icy1211]

Just download the ISO, burn it to a CD, and install FreeNAS onto the flash drive using any computer. Historically, this has yielded the best results for most users.

I tried that, but burned two discs, and both had issues after booting up and choosing the USB drive for installation. Will capture image tonight to see if anyone know what the issue is. I'm wondering if it's just a bad disc burn.

 

[gpsguy]

Try burning at a slower speed.

 

[cyberjock]

What's your hardware? Sounds like a possibility you don't have the minimum 8GB of RAM. ;)

 

[jkh]

I'm new to freenas and noticed that the nightlies don't have the USB image file. Is it possible to get this or extract it from the ISO file? I would install the stable release, but my intel network adapter is only supported in 9.3 (https://bugs.freenas.org/issues/5105). Thanks.

Starting with 9.3, the ISO image can be used for both burning to CD and copying to a USB device - it's got a new boot loader which allows this to work, hence there is no longer any need for separate USB and ISO images.

 

[mullcom]

maby this can help
http://rufus.akeo.ie/

 

[cyberjock]

No, that's not useful. FreeNAS 9.3 boots from ZFS. So unless Rufus just happens to do exactly what FreeNAS needs, it's a no-go.

 

[mullcom]

this then.. i use that when i got my Freenas system for furst time.
http://www.magiciso.com/download.htm

 

[Norleif]

Using two USB thumbdrives, I used Win32DiskImager running on Windows7 to write the ISO to USB thumb drive #1.
Plugging in USB thumb drive #1 and USB thumb drive #2 into the target hardware, I booted the installer from USB thumb drive #1, installing 9.3-M4 on USB thumb drive #2.
Leaving only USB thumb drive #2 in the target hardware, everything worked just perfectly.

It's more work then writing the "installed" FreeNAS image directly to USB thumb drive #2, but significantly less faffing about then digging up optical drives and blank media to go...

 

[RobertT]

or if your target hardware doesnt have an optical drive..

 

[mullcom]

I use this sometimes to...

http://bootableusb.net/bootable-usb-pendrive-using-cmd/

You set up a usb boot sector in USB stick. but this mite dont work her.
it seams you need to make a ZFS file system on the stick.

 

[mullcom]

Using two USB thumbdrives, I used Win32DiskImager running on Windows7 to write the ISO to USB thumb drive #1.
Plugging in USB thumb drive #1 and USB thumb drive #2 into the target hardware, I booted the installer from USB thumb drive #1, installing 9.3-M4 on USB thumb drive #2.
Leaving only USB thumb drive #2 in the target hardware, everything worked just perfectly.

It's more work then writing the "installed" FreeNAS image directly to USB thumb drive #2, but significantly less faffing about then digging up optical drives and blank media to go...

Why not make a image of that USB pin Drive? then we can make it easyer for all her to do it with one usb drive. ?

 

[Norleif]

1: There are new builds almost every day.
2: Some of the install choices wouldn't be available.

 

[purduephotog]

Thanks for the hints. It's not unusual for me to have 1 or 2 bad burns on a CD, even as careful/media/speeds. Sometimes things just don't write. But 4 bad burns in a row, with reboots, I had to figure something was up. Haven't gotten it working yet but I'll try using this tips. Thanks.

 

[mullcom]

Thanks for the hints. It's not unusual for me to have 1 or 2 bad burns on a CD, even as careful/media/speeds. Sometimes things just don't write. But 4 bad burns in a row, with reboots, I had to figure something was up. Haven't gotten it working yet but I'll try using this tips. Thanks.

I can conferm that this metherd work like a charme

Using two USB thumbdrives, I used Win32DiskImager running on Windows7 to write the ISO to USB thumb drive #1.
Plugging in USB thumb drive #1 and USB thumb drive #2 into the target hardware, I booted the installer from USB thumb drive #1, installing 9.3-M4 on USB thumb drive #2.
Leaving only USB thumb drive #2 in the target hardware, everything worked just perfectly.

It's more work then writing the "installed" FreeNAS image directly to USB thumb drive #2, but significantly less faffing about then digging up optical drives and blank media to go...

 

[purduephotog]

I went back to doing it the old way.

Took the iso and extract to a subdirectory using

With the .xz file use 7 zip to extract the .IMG file.

Using windiskimager burn the .IMG file to a stick.

Worked perfect under windows 7.

 

[Norleif]

I went back to doing it the old way.

Took the iso and extract to a subdirectory using

With the .xz file use 7 zip to extract the .IMG file.

Using windiskimager burn the .IMG file to a stick.

Worked perfect under windows 7.

The .IMG file you extracted... Is it the installer, or the FreeNAS/NanoBSD OS image?
If it's the installer, it seem like you're achieving the same result as I described earlier, only in a greater number of steps.
If you by "windiskimager" actually meant "win32diskimager", it can write the .ISO file directly. You only need to change the "*.IMG" option to "*.*" in the "Open file" dialog.

 

[purduephotog]

Under the ISO there is a directory structure and a compressed image, FreeNAS-x64.img.xz . (9.2.1.8). I use 7zip to decompress that and get a 2gb file ending in .img. Win32diskimager (correct) then writes the .img file that was decompressed to the USB stick.

I stuff said stick into the supermicro board and it boots.

What are these install options you speak of? :) I never knew they existed.

 

[mjws00]

@purduephotog You must be running 9.2.1.x. This is the 9.3 section. The ISO structure and the install program has completely changed.

They have migrated to a (syslinux?) grub style loader with install options. It's slick and flexible and we can run the system on zfs. Also win32diskimager can burn the iso to usb perfectly now.

For beta testing many will mount the iso in a VM, or use the ipmi features to mount the iso remotely. The two step install adds configuration flexibility. They could get jiggy with it and allow us to install directly to the usb we booted from. But this is an ALPHA and there are bigger fish to fry.