Microserver Gen 8. Boot problems

[Pjagudo]

Hi.

I have a hp microline gen 8, with 6TB disks in ports 1 to 4 and another 120GB disk in port 5, replacing the cd.

I would like to install OpenMediaVault 4.1.3, using this last disk for the system and the 6 TB disks (software RAID 5) use them as storage. I have tried it in several ways, but once the system is installed, I always have problems with the system startup. Can someone guide me on how to configure the controlled SATA so that the system starts correctly?

Thank you

[Jimmy Vance]

With the Microserver Gen8 design, it was never intended to have a boot hard drive on the optical drive SATA port. That being said, many have done it, and there are a few ways to accomplish what you are attempting to do. If you search here, or at the homeserver forums you will see those who have been succseful in various ways.. I think the most common being using the B120i RAID mode. This will allow the optical SATA port to be used as a boot device as long as there is a RAID driver available for the OS you are using.  One option I've thought about but never tried is to use a small capacity microSD card to put the bootloader on and then use the ODD port for the OS. The microSD port can be set as the primary boot device if I recall. 

[Pjagudo]

Thanks Jimmy for your answer.

Do you know what is the forum link of this server? I've been looking and I can not find it.
I tried to do something similar to what you indicate, but I did not have a MicroSD card and I used a pendrive in the internal USB port, but I can not get it started correctly.

Finally, OpenMediaVault is developed on Debian. I think there is no problem with the drivers of the B120i RAID because, when I activate it and create the volumes, the installation recognizes them, although it is true that it does not show them in the order in which I create them.

[Jimmy Vance · Accepted solution]

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@Pjagudo wrote:

Thanks Jimmy for your answer.

Do you know what is the forum link of this server? I've been looking and I can not find it.
I tried to do something similar to what you indicate, but I did not have a MicroSD card and I used a pendrive in the internal USB port, but I can not get it started correctly.

Finally, OpenMediaVault is developed on Debian. I think there is no problem with the drivers of the B120i RAID because, when I activate it and create the volumes, the installation recognizes them, although it is true that it does not show them in the order in which I create them.

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The B120 driver is a closed source driver and is kernel version dependant. There is not a version for Debian or Debian variants.  google 'homeservershow forums' should be the first link that pops up. They have a forum dedicated to the Gen8 Microserver. You would need a P222 Smart Array for OS inbox supported RAID driver.   I've also used the other Gen8 Smart Arrays in the Microserver such as the P420