HP Microserver Gen 8

[bobdylan]

Hey there

 

I've currently got a gen 7 microserver installed with Freenas but have now just got hold of a gen 8 and thought I would give Synology a try.

 

I've been doing a load of reading up on it but seem to be hitting a number of issues, could someone please confirm the exact files that I need to perform the install pls?

 

I've tried loader 1.03b and the DS3615xs.pat file but getting errors about corrupt files etc. If I try and load v6.2.2.24922, I get the message saying "You have to use an installation file of 6.2.3.25426" but if I use that file I get the message about corrupt files?

 

I also couldn't get the loader to boot with a USB3 stick and had to use an old USB2 one in the end, is this normal and is there a way around this? (I made sure I was plugging it into the USB2 slot too)

 

Also, with Freenas, the OS was written to the USB stick which left all the installed drives for storage, is this the same for Synology?

 

Any pointers and links to guides would be much appreciated, thanks

Edited July 3, 2021 by bobdylan
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[IG-88]

2 hours ago, bobdylan said:

I've tried loader 1.03b and the DS3615xs.pat file but getting errors about corrupt files etc. If I try and load v6.2.2.24922, I get the message saying "You have to use an installation file of 6.2.3.25426" but if I use that file I get the message about corrupt files?

the message is generated because the loader you use is already "upgraded" to 6.2.3 (zImage and rd.gz on 2nd partition - can manually replaced with older files like from the original loader or from inside the *.pat file you want to install - *.pat can be opened like a zip file)

6.2.2 is not recomanded as it has incomaptible drivers to 6.2.0 and 6.2.3, start with a loader based on 6.2.0 in its original state), install 6.2.0 and then update to 6.2.3 by the gui (manually feed the 6.2.3 pat file), might be the safest way

hpe microserver usually use older broadcom nic's, that one is already part of jun's driver set and the sata driver is part of syno's kernel so no need for any additional drivers (extra.lzma)

2 hours ago, bobdylan said:

I also couldn't get the loader to boot with a USB3 stick and had to use an old USB2 one in the end, is this normal and is there a way around this? (I made sure I was plugging it into the USB2 slot too)

not sure if i ever used a usb3 drive, its usually the old ones i dont need as they are to small or to slow now, in theory a usb3 should work on a usb2 port the same way as a usb2 drive, there are some reported problems with some noname cheap usb drives in general so its always good to change the usb (and rematch vid/pid) when there are problems booting or installing (checking vid/pid should be 1st when *.pat file does not install)

 

 

2 hours ago, bobdylan said:

Also, with Freenas, the OS was written to the USB stick which left all the installed drives for storage, is this the same for Synology?

no, see the faq for this

its just the loader and kernel on usb (zImage and rd.gz) anything else (system) comes from the 1st partition on disk and that partition is a raid1 over all installed drives (except ssd cache drives), as long as one drive is still working your dsm system will still start

(there a 2nd parttion with swap, also raid1 over all drives, so your data partitons are always at least 3rd)

this might give you a hint about the layout and also helps when there a problems

https://xpenology.com/forum/topic/7004-tutorial-how-to-access-dsms-data-system-partitions/

(you can also boot a usb/disk with open media vault to get access to your dsm disks data partitons, its my fall back plan if dsm craps out and i want instant access to my files over network, just a prepared and tested usb with omv on it is enough)

 

2 hours ago, bobdylan said:

Any pointers and links to guides would be much appreciated, thanks

 

https://xpenology.com/forum/forum/83-faq-start-here/

https://xpenology.com/forum/topic/13333-tutorialreference-6x-loaders-and-platforms/

https://xpenology.com/forum/topic/7973-tutorial-installmigrate-dsm-52-to-61x-juns-loader/

https://xpenology.com/forum/topic/29872-tutorial-mount-boot-stick-partitions-in-windows-edit-grubcfg-add-extralzma/

https://xpenology.com/forum/topic/12422-xpenology-tool-for-windows-x64/

 

 

[bobdylan]

@IG-88 Many thanks for your reply, gives me a lot to go on, so instead of loader v1.03b, would you recommend a different one in order to install DSM 6.2.0? If so, which one would be best as it says that is the best one for that version?

 

If I try and use that loader to install 6.2.0, I just get the same message as before about needing the later version?