[GUIDE] 32bit Nanoboot x86 How To?

[AllGamer]

* work in progres *

 

I'm making this guide for my own reference as well as anyone interested in re-using their old 32bit hardware as a fileserver / backupserver or any passive server that does not require it to be Fast, if you want fast, go build a 64bit server with XPEnology boot.

There are other alternatives for x86 32bit machines like NAS4Free or FreeNAS, but from personal experience both of those are quite heavy (slow) for older Pentium era machines, Synology OS is by far the lighest for old hardware.

 

Starting with Nanoboot x86 v5.0 - 4493

5.0.3.1 = 4493

It can be upgraded to 4528

 

Get NanoBoot-x86-5.0.3.1-fat.img from http://xpenology.me/downloads/

 

Also download:

DSM_DS214play_4493.pat

DSM_DS214play_4528.pat

The DSM .pat files can be downloaded directly from Synolgy website.

 

Note: Nanoboot x86 v5.0 - 4493 is based on DS214Play image, that means only 2 HDD is supported by default.

 

Make sure only 2 HDD for RAID are installed

Boot from Nanoboot x86, either by CD ROM or a HDD designated as an "OS drive" (read Work around below for details)

Use Synology Assistant to find the DiskStation

Follow the wizard

Install DSM_DS214play_4493.pat

Continue and finish the DSM Install wizard.

It will shutdown the machine.

Power it back ON, then finally login and go to Control panel.

 

Enable SSH in Synology:

Control Panel Terminal & SNMP SSH

 

Login to your Nanoboot x86 box via SSH, use WinSCP (or your favourite SSH / FTP / Terminal software)

 

Editing synoinfo.conf

 

Change the default settings:

 

maxdisks="2"

esataportcfg="0x4"

usbportcfg="0x1f0000"

internalportcfg="0x3"

 

 

Information Gathering:

run:

dmesg > /tmp/dmesg.txt

 

Download the file dmesg.txt you just created

 

Look for any lines with “ata”

ata1: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xf800 ctl 0xf700 bmdma 0xf400 irq 19
ata2: SATA max UDMA/133 cmd 0xf600 ctl 0xf500 bmdma 0xf408 irq 19

 

look for any lines with “SCSI”

Line 888: [    3.206161] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI disk
Line 908: [    3.223728] sd 0:0:1:0: [sdb] Attached SCSI disk
Line 923: [    3.233315] sd 0:0:2:0: [sdc] Attached SCSI disk
Line 943: [    3.244643] sd 0:0:3:0: [sdd] Attached SCSI disk
Line 963: [    3.254904] sd 0:0:4:0: [sde] Attached SCSI disk
Line 983: [    3.264433] sd 0:0:5:0: [sdf] Attached SCSI disk

Count the max USB ports supported by the motherboard.

Count the max eSATA ports if any.

 

 

Binary Calculations:

 

In this example machine 6 SATA Ports, 0 eSATA Ports, and 0 USB Ports.

 

I changed the DS214Play default

maxdisks="2"
usbportcfg="0x1f0000"
0000 0000 0001 1111 0000 0000 0000 0000
esataportcfg="0x4"
0000 0000 0100
internalportcfg="0x3"
0000 0000 0011

to

maxdisks="6"
usbportcfg="0"
0000 0000 0000 0000
esataportcfg="0"
0000 0000 0000 0000
internalportcfg="0x3f"
0000 0000 0011 1111

0 (Zero) means disabled

 

Using the same example, but keeping default eSATA + USB ports

maxdisks="6"
usbportcfg="0x1f0000"
0000 0000 0001 1111 0000 0000 0000 0000
esataportcfg="0x004000"
0000 0000 0000 0000 0100 0000 0000 0000
internalportcfg="0x00003F"
0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0000 0011 1111

Make sure the ones don't overlap, on my 1st attempt I left esataportcfg as default and it made HDD #3 dissapear, after adding some padding I noticed they overlapped, so an edit was necessary to make esataportcfg to not overlap with internalportcfg.

 

Use this to make the binary to hex conversion easily http://www.binaryhexconverter.com/hex-t ... -converter

and when you are done, use this for the reverse http://www.binaryhexconverter.com/binar ... -converter

 

Here's the end result

2 disk in volume1 as RAID 1

4 disk in volume 2 as RAID 10

 

if the system ever loses the modified synoinfo.conf file with the extra drives, at least the system can still boot-up properly with the missing volume2, then all you need to do is login and re-edit the synoinfo.conf file again.

 

 

 

 

Workaround for systems old machines without CD ROM and USB boot is not supported in the BIOS.

 

use StarWind V2V Image Converter to convert the NanoBoot-x86-5.0.3.1-fat.imgto NanoBoot-x86-5.0.3.1-fat.vmdk

in any Virtual Machine use CloneZilla to clone the NanoBoot-x86-5.0.3.1-fat.vmdk to a physical HDD via USB port (using those USB dock for SATA / IDE drives)

before you do the cloning, edit the syslinux.cfg in Nanoboot x86 to remove mod IDE,

add rmmod=ata_piix to the end of every lines that start with “kernel /ZImage”… (details below)

 

 

Note 2: if DSM 5.0 x86 is too slow, try DSM 4.3 x86 you can still find those files in the forum, however those files are harder to find and it might not support your hardware.

 

-----

 

Thanks & Credits to:

 

Xpenology and SAS HBA Controller Guide viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2028

I made a video tutorial on that. Hopefully it will help other people:

I use this converter: http://www.binaryhexconverter.com/hex-t ... -converter

2. Modify IMG file to prevent boot drive from showing up in DSM

- Start up WinImage

- File -> Open, Select “NanoBoot-5.0.3.1-fat.img”

- Browse to \boot\syslinux right click -> Extract on syslinux.cfg

- Open syslinux.cfg that you just extract with Notepad

- Add the “rmmod=ata_piix” (without quotes) to the end of the lines that start with “kernel /ZImage”…

*Should be 5 lines, but the only 2 really required are the ones labeled “MENU LABEL Synology DSM 5.0” and “MENU LABEL Synology DSM 5.0-4493”

- Save this modified syslinux.cfg file and “Inject” it back to the img file using WinImage (overwrite the file when asked)

- Save Current Image before you exit WinImage

Edited May 20, 2016 by Guest

[AllGamer]

Reserved for future use

[Vasilisk]

Hi, thanks for GUIDE.

How I may upgrade from 4493 to 4528?

[graviz]

Thanks for the installation guide.

 

I have the weirdest thing...

If I boot with two disks installed in (both) my Thecus N5200 the system fails to show up on synology assistant or find.synology.com, however when I don't install any disks, the unit will appear in synology assistant and can be setup.

Only problem is, the installation fails when uploading the 412Play pat file version 4450 to 4627.

After reboot, the systems freeze in DMI pool.

 

Any ideas?

[AllGamer]

Thanks for the installation guide.

 

I have the weirdest thing...

If I boot with two disks installed in (both) my Thecus N5200 the system fails to show up on synology assistant or find.synology.com, however when I don't install any disks, the unit will appear in synology assistant and can be setup.

Only problem is, the installation fails when uploading the 412Play pat file version 4450 to 4627.

After reboot, the systems freeze in DMI pool.

 

Any ideas?

 

wow, sorry for the late reply, I've been on recently.

 

something simple to keep in mind with XPEnology.

most of the boot loaders we use here are for version specific, sometimes you might get lucky, and you can upgrade to another patch without problem, but as you have found out, sometimes it simply can not be done to preserve compatibility.

 

if your system is new enough, you might want to consider running XPEnoboot 5.2-5967.1

 

the 32bit is really meant for old machines that will not run any 64bit version, and as such it has long been ... "forgotten" per say, don't expect any updates to work asides the listed version supported.

 

It's good enough to make good use of old machines that are still more than capable of being a good file server for home use, or small business use (not for important files)

[graviz]

Thanks for the installation guide.

 

I have the weirdest thing...

If I boot with two disks installed in (both) my Thecus N5200 the system fails to show up on synology assistant or find.synology.com, however when I don't install any disks, the unit will appear in synology assistant and can be setup.

Only problem is, the installation fails when uploading the 412Play pat file version 4450 to 4627.

After reboot, the systems freeze in DMI pool.

 

Any ideas?

 

wow, sorry for the late reply, I've been on recently.

 

something simple to keep in mind with XPEnology.

most of the boot loaders we use here are for version specific, sometimes you might get lucky, and you can upgrade to another patch without problem, but as you have found out, sometimes it simply can not be done to preserve compatibility.

 

if your system is new enough, you might want to consider running XPEnoboot 5.2-5967.1

 

the 32bit is really meant for old machines that will not run any 64bit version, and as such it has long been ... "forgotten" per say, don't expect any updates to work asides the listed version supported.

 

It's good enough to make good use of old machines that are still more than capable of being a good file server for home use, or small business use (not for important files)

 

Thanks for your update. I will give up on the Thecus N5200's and re-use the disks in a new dual 64-bit setup (I really want to test/use the HA solution DSM offers to see if this surpasses the folder sync solution I'm currently using)

 

I really appreciate people such as yourself who take the time and effort to "educate" us noobs! Thank you AllGamer!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mckaycr]

Great guide, I was able to follow it to success except for the update to 4528. Getting a error 21 or something. Anyway my question is actually about the boot process, how do I move the boot from the USB to the computers hard drive? I'm sure this is probably outlined on another thread, but I can't seem to find it.

[s-v-p@mail.ru]

Hi, dear AllGamer!

 

Thanks for your work!

 

I use an old but very reliable HP D330 (socket 478 Intel P4 processor i865 chipset, 4x256Mb DDR DIMM, 2 IDE + 2 SATA HDD SHR, GLAN). I use nanoboot v.5024 x32 and DSM DS214Play 5.0-4528 Update 2. All works fine!

But I have only 1 problem - I can not turn on the Control Panel -> Hardware & Power -> HDD Hybernation. I have message "Changes are not saved. Are you sure you want to leave?"

 

How can I set Hybernation time 15 minutes?

 

I hope for your help

 

Sergey, s-v-p@mail.ru

[silviu_25]

Hi, Can you help me please? I have one ATA HDD and one SATA HDD witch is seen as eSATA. Can I make it to be seen as internal HDD? I don't care if is seen as SATA or ATA, just to be seen as internal not external. thank you.