libra1999 Posted June 15, 2014 Share #1 Posted June 15, 2014 New to this forum. Hello everyone. I just bought my N54L and am about to build as NAS with XPEnology. I have 6 HDD old SATA disks and would like to put all into the box. After some research, it seems achievable via converting ODD to 2x3.5' and external eSATA to SATA. However, I have no place to put OS. I plan to install OS into a USB from which to boot. I have some junior question to ask? 1> Does my plan sounds all right? 2> Is it able to connect my existing 6 HDD into DSM 5.0 without formatting, i just want to avoid data migration unless it is really really necessary. 3> Any guide or instruction for BIOS hack as I have no idea how to and it is required to upgrade ODD to SATA? 4> How to create a boot USB with DSM5.0 latest 4493? thanks a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berwhale Posted June 15, 2014 Share #2 Posted June 15, 2014 1- 6 drives is possible, basically, you need to... - Run an eSATA to SATA cable from the back of the box, through a blanking plate and into the top drive bay. - Get a molex to dual SATA power cable. - Find some way of mounting two drives (I used one of these: http://www.frozencpu.com/products/15856 ... 0-AKS.html) - Upgrade the BIOS to one of the hacked versions to enable the eSATA/ODD to run at full speed (emulates IDE otherwise). 2 - For DSM, you'll have to format the drives. 3 - There's plenty of info on the net about this already. 4 - See the nanoboot instructions on the forum. BTW, i'm not running DSM on my N36L yet - the above setup was for WHS2011. I plan on building a new server for DSM, migrating the data to it and then rebuilding the N36L with DSM as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XPEH Posted June 16, 2014 Share #3 Posted June 16, 2014 However, I have no place to put OS. I plan to install OS into a USB from which to boot. DSM doesn't use separate drive. It mirrors small system partition to all permanently connected (initialized) drives. USB is needed for synoboot, initial boot-loader. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libra1999 Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share #4 Posted June 17, 2014 1- 6 drives is possible, basically, you need to... - Run an eSATA to SATA cable from the back of the box, through a blanking plate and into the top drive bay. - Get a molex to dual SATA power cable. - Find some way of mounting two drives (I used one of these: http://www.frozencpu.com/products/15856 ... 0-AKS.html) - Upgrade the BIOS to one of the hacked versions to enable the eSATA/ODD to run at full speed (emulates IDE otherwise). 2 - For DSM, you'll have to format the drives. 3 - There's plenty of info on the net about this already. 4 - See the nanoboot instructions on the forum. BTW, i'm not running DSM on my N36L yet - the above setup was for WHS2011. I plan on building a new server for DSM, migrating the data to it and then rebuilding the N36L with DSM as well. thanks a lot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libra1999 Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share #5 Posted June 17, 2014 However, I have no place to put OS. I plan to install OS into a USB from which to boot. DSM doesn't use separate drive. It mirrors small system partition to all permanently connected (initialized) drives. USB is needed for synoboot, initial boot-loader. emm, it sounds a trouble for me. I am trying to avoid data migration. Can I set all SATA ports to eSATA with NFS supported and then use a USB as DSM OS? Would it have an issue for disk sleep mode? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poechi Posted June 17, 2014 Share #6 Posted June 17, 2014 (edited) - Edited July 10, 2015 by Guest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libra1999 Posted June 18, 2014 Author Share #7 Posted June 18, 2014 If you install XPEnology, you boot from the USB bootloader. Then you install DSM, which will install on all 6 disks, RAID or SHR. 4 disks are normal connected through drive bays. The two extra disks are via eSATA. In total 6. NFS is a protocol which is support in XPEnology. The DSM OS does not work on USB. USB is only boot device. Sleep mode works fine with USB stick in the system. Data migration from the current disk is not possible. DSM will format your drives. Make a backup first. BIOS mod and install instructions see http://www.xpenology.nl. Thanks a lot, Poechi If I set all SATA to eSATA via modifying /etc.deafults/synoinfo.conf, also I intend to attached these HDD after I have DSM installed. Would it be possible to install DSM without any SATA disk attached? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
berwhale Posted June 18, 2014 Share #8 Posted June 18, 2014 You can't install DSM without disks attached. DSM needs to be installed to the disk(s). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatekeeperZA Posted June 19, 2014 Share #9 Posted June 19, 2014 Ok please can someone help. I noticed something strange. When the power fails and my ups kicks in my system does not shut down. is this normal and if so how do I enable it to shutdown when running on ups... ? This happens on all 3 my microservers 2 on different ups'es Please help as power in my area is not great... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libra1999 Posted June 20, 2014 Author Share #10 Posted June 20, 2014 Ok please can someone help. I noticed something strange. When the power fails and my ups kicks in my system does not shut down.is this normal and if so how do I enable it to shutdown when running on ups... ? This happens on all 3 my microservers 2 on different ups'es Please help as power in my area is not great... good luck, hope someone can help you out. My N54L still sits at the corner and to be installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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