Tutorial: Install DSM 7.x with TinyCore RedPill (TCRP) Loader on ESXi

[phone guy]

1 hour ago, unmesh said:

Once I have a machine up and running with one passthrough drive, do I have to rebuild to add another passthrough drive or can I just add the drive to the ProxMox VM and it will be recognized as a new drive by DSM?

After you have your xpenology setup, you can add another drive in proxmox and symbology dsm will auto detect it.

 

Did you pass thru a pci card? Or sata controller? One just one hdd entirely thru proxmox to dsm?

[unmesh]

On 7/13/2022 at 2:44 AM, phone guy said:

After you have your xpenology setup, you can add another drive in proxmox and symbology dsm will auto detect it.

 

Did you pass thru a pci card? Or sata controller? One just one hdd entirely thru proxmox to dsm?

Just the hard drive using RDM

 

And this should have said ESXi VM on this thread though I have a test VM on Proxmox too that I talk about on another thread.

Edited July 15, 2022 by unmesh

[DrStorage]

Thanks for the writeup. Worked like a charm for me in ESXi 7.0 update 3.

I do have 2 problems after a successful install.

 

1) my network upload is extremely slow, and gets an network error seconds after trying to move a file to the server. Moving files off are fine. Copying files from one share to another on the same server is fine. Upload from a windows VM in the same ESXi server is slow and getting network error. I'm using virtual vmxnet3 driver. Anyone experienced the same issue?

 

2) I use a LS controller passthrough to the VM in ESXi all the drives serial numbers are sdb -> sbi. This makes it hard to find a faulty drive. Any workaround for this?

 

Thanks.

[flyride]

55 minutes ago, DrStorage said:

I use a LS controller passthrough to the VM in ESXi all the drives serial numbers are sdb -> sbi. This makes it hard to find a faulty drive. Any workaround for this?

 

see bold text below

 

On 5/28/2022 at 9:50 AM, flyride said:

System-Specific Parameters and SATABOOT

<snip>

The Drive Slot Mapping configuration step is the same, but the outcome is different when SATABOOT is in use.

• ./rploader.sh satamap will enforce the prohibition on data disks attached to SATA0 and warn if this configuration exists.
• SataPortMap and DiskIdxMap are configured to remove a blank slot between the SATA0 and SATA1 controllers.
• SCSI/SAS controllers or HBAs (either passthrough or virtual) ignore satamap functionality. When SATABOOT is also in use, there is an unavoidable blank slot between the last SATA controller and the first SCSI/SAS controller or HBA.

 

56 minutes ago, DrStorage said:

my network upload is extremely slow, and gets an network error seconds after trying to move a file to the server. Moving files off are fine. Copying files from one share to another on the same server is fine. Upload from a windows VM in the same ESXi server is slow and getting network error. I'm using virtual vmxnet3 driver. Anyone experienced the same issue?

 

I haven't encountered anything like that in many years of ESXi hosting of 6.x and 7.x DSM guests.  You'll probably need to post more information (preferably in a new thread request for help) for diagnostic help.

[bibicu]

Thank you for a great tutorial. 

I have successfully installed DSM7 on esxi 6.7, with SATA passthrough, and it works fine.

 

I have a few questions though:

 

1. When creating the VM for DSM7, should we choose BIOS or UEFI firmware in VM Options? Does TCRP support UEFI boot ? I used BIOS but I prefer UEFI b/c it supports booting from USB sticks and I can run memtest in VM.

 

2. When booting, tcrp (I assume) shows this message:

fdisk: device has more than 2^32 sectors, can't use all of them

 

I have a 4TB Wd Red and it works fine in VM, but should I be worried about the message?

 

Thank you !

Edited August 15, 2022 by bibicu
added more info

[flyride]

8 hours ago, bibicu said:

When creating the VM for DSM7, should we choose BIOS or UEFI firmware in VM Options? Does TCRP support UEFI boot ? I used BIOS but I prefer UEFI b/c it supports booting from USB sticks and I can run memtest in VM.

 

I believe that I tried this early on and either firmware option works with RedPill.  But it has little advantage as why would boot a USB stick on a DSM client VM, when a VMDK will do?  No harm in trying/verifying a test machine yourself.

 

8 hours ago, bibicu said:

When booting, tcrp (I assume) shows this message:

fdisk: device has more than 2^32 sectors, can't use all of them

 

If this is during the TinyCore boot, you can ignore it.  But even the DSM Linux boot has a lot of spurious error messages that are usually not visible to the user, and should be ignored.

[dise]

On 8/7/2022 at 10:10 PM, DrStorage said:

Thanks for the writeup. Worked like a charm for me in ESXi 7.0 update 3.

I do have 2 problems after a successful install.

 

1) my network upload is extremely slow, and gets an network error seconds after trying to move a file to the server. Moving files off are fine. Copying files from one share to another on the same server is fine. Upload from a windows VM in the same ESXi server is slow and getting network error. I'm using virtual vmxnet3 driver. Anyone experienced the same issue?

 

2) I use a LS controller passthrough to the VM in ESXi all the drives serial numbers are sdb -> sbi. This makes it hard to find a faulty drive. Any workaround for this?

 

Thanks.

Hi Dr Storage, i have installed ESXi 7.0U3 as you and DSM 7.0U3. I have noticed similar situation. SMB performance is slower i mean 1GBit network card can copy max 95MB/s.

Hm why perofmrnace is slower. Server HP DL 380G Gen9.

[poophat]

Hi i using Dell r510 as my system red pill booted on the system but lan port is not picking up ip address

 

[thetruth001]

Hello, I'm somewhat new to the new TCRP loader. Following your instructions to unzip the vmdk.gz once uploaded to the VM Datastore all completes successfully and then formatting it with vmkfstools works fine, but when booting the vm I get an error "Failed to power on virtual machine Test. Unsupported or invalid disk type 2 for 'sata0:1'. Ensure that the disk has been imported. Click here for more details"

 

I see the version appears newer than the vmdk in your instructions, so maybe there's an issue with the update version? Any help would be appreciated.

 

This boot disk is set to Sata0:0 and the data disk set to Sata1:0.

 

Using other 3.x Linux (64 bit) for the Guest OS. 

 

 

Edited October 13, 2022 by thetruth001

[flyride]

Is it possible you still are attached to the old vmdk instead of using the new version?

[thetruth001]

I thought that might be the case, but i rebuilt the vm from scratch again and still have the same issue. What's weird is i deleted the default SCSI controller, but the full error when powering on the VM using the Sata Controllers is referencing a virtual SCSI device.

 

Full error message: "Unsupported or invalid disk type 2 for 'sata0:0'. Ensure that the disk has been imported. Failed to start the virtual machine. Module DevicePowerOn power on failed. Unable to create virtual SCSI device for sata0:0, '/vmfs/volumes/5ed7f15c-e376f416-bdc1-782bcb095c72/Xpenology/tinycore-redpill.v0.8.0.5.vmdk'"

Edited October 13, 2022 by thetruth001

[flyride]

The vmdk doesn't know if it is a SCSI or SATA device, it's the virtual controller that does this.

I cannot imagine there is anything in the TCRP loader that has any bearing on it.  There must be something with the install that differs from the tutorial recommendation.

 

Post a new thread request for help (as opposed to spamming out this tutorial thread) and include screenshots of what you are doing.

[yorkman]

"Download the tinycore-redpill 7.x loader and save it to your personal computer." - Where the hell do I download it from? I checked the guides. The only thing I could find to download is tinycore-redpill-main.zip which does NOT include any vmdk's.

 

Is there a full guide on how to do it all starting from where to download to full installation steps?

[minigranis]

16 hours ago, yorkman said:

"Download the tinycore-redpill 7.x loader and save it to your personal computer." - Where the hell do I download it from? I checked the guides. The only thing I could find to download is tinycore-redpill-main.zip which does NOT include any vmdk's.

 

Is there a full guide on how to do it all starting from where to download to full installation steps?

 

Well following the links should lead your here:

https://github.com/pocopico/tinycore-redpill/releases/tag/v0.9.3.0 

 

[unlikely]

Still trying to build under Hyper-V VM. I converted the official VMDK to Hyper-V format and followed the tutorials. But the build process seems incomplete, because when I reboot, I can only boot again in TinyCore Image Build: I cant' see the expected boot menu.

 

The only strange message I see is "Could not determine if file //mnt/sda3/auxfiles/ds3622xsp_42951.pat is encrypted or not, maybe corrupted"

 

Not sure if this is related but I added to the VM two virtual SCSI controller (no SATA in Hyper-V), the first with the virtual disk of tinycore-redpill, the second with two previously used physical hard drives.

 

tc@box:~$ cat user_config.json
{
  "general": {
    "model": "DS3622xs+",
    "version": "7.1.1-42951",
    "smallfixnumber": "0",
    "zimghash": "",
    "rdhash": "",
    "usb_line": "",
    "sata_line": "",
    "redpillmake": "",
    "friendautoupd": "true",
    "hidesensitive": "false"
  },
  "ipsettings": {
    "ipset": "",
    "ipaddr": "",
    "ipgw": "",
    "ipdns": "",
    "ipproxy": ""
  },
  "extra_cmdline": {
    "pid": "0xa4a5",
    "vid": "0x0525",
    "sn": "21...AWB",
    "mac1": "001...04",
    "netif_num": "1",
    "SataPortMap": "1",
    "DiskIdxMap": "00"
  },
  "synoinfo": {
    "internalportcfg": "0xffff",
    "maxdisks": "16",
    "support_bde_internal_10g": "no",
    "support_disk_compatibility": "no",
    "support_memory_compatibility": "no"
  },
  "ramdisk_copy": {}
}
tc@box:~$ ./rploader.sh build ds3622xsp-7.1.1-42951
bspatch does not exist, bringing over from repo
  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100 10232  100 10232    0     0  34802      0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:-- 34802
Rploader Version : 0.9.3.0
Loader source : https://github.com/pocopico/redpill-load.git Loader Branch : develop
Redpill module source : https://github.com/pocopico/redpill-lkm.git : Redpill module branch : master
Extensions :   redpill-misc
Extensions URL : "https://github.com/pocopico/redpill-load/raw/develop/redpill-misc/rpext-index.json"
TOOLKIT_URL : https://sourceforge.net/projects/dsgpl/files/toolkit/DSM7.0/ds.broadwellnk-7.0.dev.txz/download
TOOLKIT_SHA : 0d9edca67d9e7e14c2529bbb58341b623936124d5264f71f1e4acbacf3ea202d
SYNOKERNEL_URL : https://sourceforge.net/projects/dsgpl/files/Synology%20NAS%20GPL%20Source/25426branch/broadwellnk-source/linux-4.4.x.txz/download
SYNOKERNEL_SHA : d3e85eb80f16a83244fcae6016ab6783cd8ac55e3af2b4240455261396e1e1be
COMPILE_METHOD : toolkit_dev
TARGET_PLATFORM       : ds3622xsp
TARGET_VERSION    : 7.1.1
TARGET_REVISION : 42951
REDPILL_LKM_MAKE_TARGET : dev-v7
KERNEL_MAJOR : 4
MODULE_ALIAS_FILE :  modules.alias.4.json
SYNOMODEL : ds3622xsp_42951
MODEL : DS3622xs+
Local Cache Folder : /mnt/sda3/auxfiles
DATE Internet : 05122022 Local : 05122022
Checking Internet Access -> OK
Checking if a newer version exists on the main repo -> Version is current
Cloning into 'redpill-lkm'...
remote: Enumerating objects: 1545, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (617/617), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (234/234), done.
remote: Total 1545 (delta 406), reused 523 (delta 370), pack-reused 928
Receiving objects: 100% (1545/1545), 5.78 MiB | 2.12 MiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (969/969), done.
Cloning into 'redpill-load'...
remote: Enumerating objects: 2983, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (465/465), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (223/223), done.
remote: Total 2983 (delta 239), reused 425 (delta 219), pack-reused 2518
Receiving objects: 100% (2983/2983), 118.51 MiB | 2.18 MiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (1461/1461), done.
No extra build option or static specified, using default <static>
Using static compiled redpill extension
Removing any old redpill.ko modules
Looking for redpill for : ds3622xsp_42951
Getting file https://raw.githubusercontent.com/pocopico/rp-ext/master/redpillprod/releases/redpill-4.4.180plus-broadwellnk.tgz
Extracting module
Getting file https://raw.githubusercontent.com/pocopico/rp-ext/master/redpillprod/src/check-redpill.sh
Got redpill-linux-v4.4.180+.ko
Testing modules.alias.4.json -> File OK
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It looks that you will need the following modules :


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting loader creation
Found tinycore cache folder, linking to home/tc/custom-module
Checking user_config.json : Done
Entering redpill-load directory
Removing bundled exts directories
Cache directory OK
Found build request for revision greater than 42218
Getting required extraction tool
------------------------------------------------------------------
Checking tinycore cache folder
Found tinycore cache folder, linking to home/tc/custom-module
Creating temp folder /tmp/synoesp
  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100  345M  100  345M    0     0  2232k      0  0:02:38  0:02:38 --:--:-- 2246k
Entering synoesp
extract rd.gz
finish
cpio: dev/console: Cannot mknod: Operation not permitted
cpio: dev/net/tun: Cannot mknod: Operation not permitted
42506 blocks
extract rd
mkdir: cannot create directory '/mnt/sda3/auxfiles': File exists
Copying required files to local cache folder for future use
Copying usr/lib/libcurl.so.4 to /mnt/sda3/auxfiles
Copying usr/lib/libmbedcrypto.so.5 to /mnt/sda3/auxfiles
Copying usr/lib/libmbedtls.so.13 to /mnt/sda3/auxfiles
Copying usr/lib/libmbedx509.so.1 to /mnt/sda3/auxfiles
Copying usr/lib/libmsgpackc.so.2 to /mnt/sda3/auxfiles
Copying usr/lib/libsodium.so to /mnt/sda3/auxfiles
Copying usr/lib/libsynocodesign-ng-virtual-junior-wins.so.7 to /mnt/sda3/auxfiles
Copying usr/syno/bin/scemd to /mnt/sda3/auxfiles
Copying required libraries to local lib directory
Linking lib to lib64
Copying executable
Removing temp folder /tmp/synoesp
Checking if tools is accessible
/bin/syno_extract_system_patch: /usr/local/lib/libcurl.so.4: no version information available (required by /bin/syno_extract_system_patch)
Copyright (c) 2003-2021 Synology Inc. All rights reserved.

/bin/syno_extract_system_patch PATCH_PATH DEST_PATH
Executed succesfully
Creating temp folder /tmp/pat
Checking for cached pat file
Found tinycore cache folder, linking to home/tc/custom-module
Could not find pat file locally cached
Configdir : /home/tc/redpill-load/config/DS3622xs+/7.1.1-42951
Configfile: /home/tc/redpill-load/config/DS3622xs+/7.1.1-42951/config.json
Pat URL : https://global.download.synology.com/download/DSM/release/7.1.1/42951/DSM_DS3622xs%2B_42951.pat
Downloading pat file from URL : https://global.download.synology.com/download/DSM/release/7.1.1/42951/DSM_DS3622xs%2B_42951.pat
  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100  3322  100  3322    0     0   1460      0  0:00:02  0:00:02 --:--:--  1460
Could not determine if file //mnt/sda3/auxfiles/ds3622xsp_42951.pat is encrypted or not, maybe corrupted
-rwxrwxrwx 1 root root 3322 Dec  5 23:27 //mnt/sda3/auxfiles/ds3622xsp_42951.pat
041
tc@box:~$ exitcheck.sh reboot

 

 

Edited December 5, 2022 by unlikely

[KoenigLudwig]

This is the very first tutorial, which worked right form the start - thanks for the great work @pocopico and @flyride. One question: Does BTFRS need direct access to the disks like ZFS or is okay to have virtualizies storage here? 

[Diablo54800]

Hi,

I've followed your tutorial step by step. once DSM has been installed, at the first reboot, I finally get back on the same page

 

 

If I click on "infos appareil" (device informations), here what I obtain (DSM is well installed but status "non installed"). 

 

Do you have any information/idea? How can I get out this loop?

 

Many thx in advance

Kindly regards

Diablo

Edited December 20, 2022 by Diablo54800

[woodrjh]

Try again.

 

There was an issue with the https://github.com/pocopico/redpill-load due to a SHA256 checksum mismatch.

 

Check to see if you get an error during the build. The error that I was seeing was:

 

[#] Verifying /home/tc/redpill-load/custom/extensions/redpill-misc/ds3622xsp_42962/install-all.sh file...  [ERR]
[!] Checksum mismatch - expected 856331415d6980d9ef03a75eae4b9c5c927d1083266e1d7038ad8c62fbc2d570 but computed 625daf8507141d055b60b9e5ffd633cde1302d68387d611ac97a98a92f820501

*** Process will exit ***

 

pocopico has resolved this now.

 

I've just installed 7.1.1-42962 on an ESXi server and it's working.

 

Cheers,

 

Rick

[Diablo54800]

Hi Rick

 

I have try serval times yesterday with different TCRP version and different DSM.
First, I thought this could be link to VMDK provisioning (dependent / independent persistant / etc...) and try serval configuration.
Do you have a link to download a TCRP VMDK which works correctly or do I just have to try again TCRP configuration to make it works?

 

Many thx in advance,

Kindly regards

Seb (the Frenchy 😛 )  

 

Edit : I've just tried again and everything is fine now. Many thx Rick for your help
Have a great day and wish you a marry Xmas all the best for the next year  

Edited December 21, 2022 by Diablo54800

[petersnows]

On 5/28/2022 at 5:50 PM, flyride said:

• The Drive Slot Mapping configuration step is the same, but the outcome is different when SATABOOT is in use.
  • ./rploader.sh satamap will enforce the prohibition on data disks attached to SATA0 and warn if this configuration exists.
  • SataPortMap and DiskIdxMap are configured to remove a blank slot between the SATA0 and SATA1 controllers.
  • SCSI/SAS controllers or HBAs (either passthrough or virtual) ignore satamap functionality. When SATABOOT is also in use, there is an unavoidable blank slot between the last SATA controller and the first SCSI/SAS controller or HBA.

Is there a place that explains SataPortMap , DiskIdxMap  and sata_remap ?
I have read so many configuration types, in the forums, and still don't understand how to configure this variables.

I have a vmware guest and I am using ARPL.
I have the arpl.vmdk disk on sata0:0
And a data drive on sata1:0

 

[petersnows]

36 minutes ago, petersnows said:

Is there a place that explains SataPortMap , DiskIdxMap  and sata_remap ?
I have read so many configuration types, in the forums, and still don't understand how to configure this variables.

I have a vmware guest and I am using ARPL.
I have the arpl.vmdk disk on sata0:0
And a data drive on sata1:0

 

I believe I found it
https://gugucomputing.wordpress.com/2018/11/11/experiment-on-sata_args-in-grub-cfg/

[smt311]

I get a problem when add the TCPR vmdk.

I am using ESXI 7.0.3 (20842708), I have followed all the steps. After I added the TCPR vmdk, the disk info shown blank and I cannot change the setting.

 

Please help!

 

 

 

[kkirov]

Hi everyone and Happy New Year!

I am trying to install DS918+ and I've been following the guide, but whatever I do, after the restart I still can boot only in the Tiny Core Image Build.... I've used the latest tinycore-redpill.vX.X.X.vmdk.gz from here: https://github.com/pocopico/tinycore-redpill/releases

 

I am not sure if the tinycore-redpill.v0.9.3.0.vmdk.gz file in the link is not only for DS3622xs+ machines, as when I run

cat user_config.json

I get:

{
  "general": {
    "model": "DS3622xs+",
    "version": "7.1.1-42951",
    "smallfixnumber": "0",
    "zimghash": "",
    "rdhash": "",
    "usb_line": "",
    "sata_line": "",
    "redpillmake": "",
    "friendautoupd": "true",
    "hidesensitive": "false"
  },
  "ipsettings": {
    "ipset": "",
    "ipaddr": "",
    "ipgw": "",
    "ipdns": "",
    "ipproxy": ""
  },
  "extra_cmdline": {
    "pid": "0xa4a5",
    "vid": "0x0525",
    "sn": "1790PDN001332",
    "mac1": "000C29F05FB8",
    "netif_num": "1",
    "SataPortMap": "58",
    "DiskIdxMap": "0A00"
  },
  "synoinfo": {
    "internalportcfg": "0xffff",
    "maxdisks": "16",
    "support_bde_internal_10g": "no",
    "support_disk_compatibility": "no",
    "support_memory_compatibility": "no"
  },
  "ramdisk_copy": {}

 

Is there another tinycore-redpill.v0.9.3.0.vmdk.gz that I have to use for the DS918+, or there is something else I am missing?

 

Thanks,

K

 

 

[MikeLind]

Hi,

 

Just managed to get a 7.1.0 VM up and running (finally) and thought I'd give my 2 cents for the issue I had and how I worked around it. (Can't find this error in the posts here but I'm bad at searching. :))

 

Using a vcenter7/ESI home lab, I tried to follow the instructions but I got stuck on the SATA part and VM wouldn't start:
 

"Unsupported or invalid disk type 2 for 'sata0:0'. Ensure that the disk has been imported. Failed to start the virtual machine. Module DevicePowerOn power on failed. Unable to create virtual SCSI device for sata0:0"

 

I tried using IDE instead of SATA (which I found as a common workaround when you get this error message above)

but that ofc didn't work. Got stuck at 55% on the DSM install. (possible file corruption)

In the end the workaround for me was just to do a simple clone of the VM at the point where in your instructions it's ready for "step 3", that is, when VM is ready for powerup, disks already added and so on, and then use the clone instead of the original VM.

(Unclear to me if this was a fluke or if it indeed changes something in the VMDK structure when cloning.)

 

Anyway, my 2 cents.

 

/Mike

[hemka]

Hi guys. How can I migrate all data and settings from DSM 6.x to DSM 7.1? I have read this topic, but all solutions for passthrough disks. In my config, I have 1 vmdk 800Gb disk. Thanks for advice