Lolight

I really hope the devs can keep Unraid 8 lean enough to support an 8GB boot device as the minimum. It would be great to keep re-using those reliable, tried-and-true USB flash drives we already have on hand without being forced to upgrade just for the boot media.

I think it's reasonable to expect a delay due to the recent decision to switch to Fedora, which makes a lot of sense, and I doubt anyone here would complain. But it needs to be communicated instead of keeping total radio silence.

Before attempting the recovery, your absolute first step should be getting a high-quality replacement USB drive delivered. Here's a great, fully vetted option: https://forums.unraid.net/topic/199642-psa-on-industrial-mlc-usb-boot-drives-mlc-nand-end-of-life-and-last-accessible-stock/

A sharp brush-off isn't really what a newcomer means when they ask for help!

I advise against wasting money on low-quality drives sold on Amazon. Instead get this: https://forums.unraid.net/topic/199642-psa-on-industrial-mlc-usb-boot-drives-mlc-nand-end-of-life-and-last-accessible-stock/

https://forums.unraid.net/topic/200239-unraid-8-explained-fedora-docker-compose-faster-security-updates/#findComment-1633920

Learn about all downsides of internal boot first and only then decide. Your flash drive will not fail if you select a reliable drive. You can find lots of relevant info, including a suggestion for a reliable USB flash drive here: https://forums.unraid.net/topic/196967-unraid-boot-device-guide-usb-and-internal-boot-hardware-selection-and-risk-tradeoffs

As inventory winds down, the seller keeps raising the price. It's now $20

One more thing worth considering now that you have the industrial drive -- a 9-pin to USB adapter cable lets you plug the drive into an internal USB 2.0 header on the motherboard rather than a rear panel port. Keeps the drive tucked safely inside the case. Completes the setup nicely.

Sorry, but that is a junkie USB drive that is not designed to last in the Unraid environment. I'd suggest getting a proper, reliable drive while you're in transition. https://forums.unraid.net/topic/199642-psa-on-industrial-mlc-usb-boot-drives-mlc-nand-end-of-life-and-last-accessible-stock/#comment-1634637

My 2023 comment was about resource reality, not about whether ARM would be useful. Lime Technology has grown a lot since then, but only few are software developers. Porting Unraid to ARM isn't just a compiler switch -- it's plugins, the ecosystem, hardware compatibility, docker images, the entire community knowledge base. That's a multi-year engineering commitment for a team who are currently managing a distro switch to Fedora. The market argument is more interesting now than in 2023. But wanting it and Lime Technology having capacity to deliver it are different questions.

Yeah, looks like it's US only. If you're close to the border a mail depot service works great or you could use a package forwarder like Shippsy to grab it. But you probably have already known that.

Not everyone 😉 https://forums.unraid.net/topic/196967-unraid-boot-device-guide-usb-and-internal-boot-hardware-selection-and-risk-tradeoffs/

https://forums.unraid.net/topic/199642-psa-on-industrial-mlc-usb-boot-drives-mlc-nand-end-of-life-and-last-accessible-stock-final-call/

Download a copy of your zip configuration right now (Flash Backup) and store it on another computer. Then purchase a reliable USB stick. I suggest buying it today--there are very few units left. https://forums.unraid.net/topic/199642-psa-on-industrial-mlc-usb-boot-drives-mlc-nand-end-of-life-and-last-accessible-stock-final-call/