Newbie stuck trying to setup UnRaid on Lenovo PX4-400D

[HDGuy]

https://azxiana.io/2020/10/27/building-a-home-nas-for-163-usd/

 

I picked up a PX4-400D cheap off eBay with the intention of installing UnRaid on the internal 1GB flash. Azxiana was able to do it (unfortunately she’s not responding to my inquiries). I followed her directions and eventually get hung up on the part where I’m supposed to rebuild the boot block with:

 

sh /tmp/UNRAID/syslinux/make_bootable_linux.sh /dev/sda

 

When I do this it usually says something like the files aren’t found. I assume the problem is running a Linux executable off a Fat32 partition? I’m not sure how she was able to do it. I’m not at the computer right now (needed to take a break, reached my frustration point) but when I am I will provide the exact errors.

 

I installed 8GB of ram and a 128GB of NVME for a buffer as well.

 

At least one person was able to accomplish this, so I know it’s doable. I’m a Linux novice as well, but I must be missing something.

[Squid]

23 minutes ago, HDGuy said:

internal 1GB flash

Even if you manage to get it to work, I can 100% guarantee that you will never be able to update the OS automatically, and will always have to update it manually

 

Quality flash drives are cheap, and you'll get more support here doing things "proper"

[HDGuy]

2 hours ago, Squid said:

Even if you manage to get it to work, I can 100% guarantee that you will never be able to update the OS automatically, and will always have to update it manually

 

Quality flash drives are cheap, and you'll get more support here doing things "proper"

Unfortunately the bios resets the boot order after it loses power, so if there’s a power outage I will have to access the device every time to change it back to boot off USB manually. So it makes keeping it in an out of the way place (like a closet) difficult.

 

I tried booting it off a USB flash and had some difficulties with that as well (it booted just gave me a blinking cursor or maybe couldn’t access my network, I don’t remember which, I’ve been trying a few different NAS packages).
 

I will fool around with it more later and post some more details.

Edited November 13, 2021 by HDGuy

[HDGuy]

Bumping this-

 

I've given up on the GUI for now off USB Flash (work on internal boot later) and was able to access it once from a browser. Problem is DHCP doesn't seem to be working, almost every boot I can't get a valid address, just 169.xxx.

 

Any ideas? Would assigning a static address solve this issue?

 

 

 

 

 

[Hoopster]

34 minutes ago, HDGuy said:

Problem is DHCP doesn't seem to be working, almost every boot I can't get a valid address, just 169.xxx.

Often, power failures can mess up configuration files or they can be corrupted by other issues.  Try deleting network.cfg and network-rules.cfg from the config folder on the flash drive.  They will get recreated with defaults on the next boot.  The default is DHCP but you can edit the network.cfg file with a text editor and add a static IP address if you wish.  Of course, you can also make network configuration changes in the GUI if you get successfully booted.

 

Here is the relevant section from my network.cfg with a static IP address assigned:

 

USE_DHCP[0]="no"
IPADDR[0]="192.168.1.10"
NETMASK[0]="255.255.255.0"
GATEWAY[0]="192.168.1.1"

 

 

If you can get booted into the GUI, it might help to attach your server diagnostics in a new post (Tools --> diagnostics from the GUI) if you continue to have specific issues.

Edited November 14, 2021 by Hoopster

[HDGuy]

2 hours ago, Hoopster said:

Often, power failures can mess up configuration files or they can be corrupted by other issues.  Try deleting network.cfg and network-rules.cfg from the config folder on the flash drive.  They will get recreated with defaults on the next boot.  The default is DHCP but you can edit the network.cfg file with a text editor and add a static IP address if you wish.  Of course, you can also make network configuration changes in the GUI if you get successfully booted.

 

Here is the relevant section from my network.cfg with a static IP address assigned:

 

USE_DHCP[0]="no"
IPADDR[0]="192.168.1.10"
NETMASK[0]="255.255.255.0"
GATEWAY[0]="192.168.1.1"

 

 

If you can get booted into the GUI, it might help to attach your server diagnostics in a new post (Tools --> diagnostics from the GUI) if you continue to have specific issues.

 

When trying to boot locally into the GUI I just get a blinking cursor. I searched a few topics and followed some of the suggestions, including installing the intel-gpu-top package and nothing seemed to work, still a blinking cursor. Terminal works fine.

 

Finally managed to get into the web GUI again. I'll post my diagnostics.

px4-400d-diagnostics-20211114-1623.zip

Edited November 14, 2021 by HDGuy

[Hoopster]

16 minutes ago, HDGuy said:

still a blinking cursor.

Try changing the boot method.  When I saw this it was because the motherboard wanted to boot UEFI after a firmware change.  Others cannot boot in UEFI and must legacy boot the BIOS.

 

There is a folder on the flash drive called EFI-  rename it removing the "-" character to just EFI.  This will cause the system to try and boot into UEFI.  If the "-" character is missing, add it back (EFI-) this will force a legacy BIOS boot.

 

You may also need to make a change in the UEFI/BIOS to indicate the flash drive should boot in one method or the other.  In my system, I set the first boot device as UEFI:[name of flash drive} to boot UEFI and to just {name of  flash drive} to boot into the legacy BIOS.

 

Probably a good idea to make sure the latest BIOS for the board has been installed as well.

Edited November 14, 2021 by Hoopster

[HDGuy]

32 minutes ago, Hoopster said:

Try changing the boot method.  When I saw this it was because the motherboard wanted to boot UEFI after a firmware change.  Others cannot boot in UEFI and must legacy boot the BIOS.

 

There is a folder on the flash drive called EFI-  rename it removing the "-" character to just EFI.  This will cause the system to try and boot into UEFI.  If the "-" character is missing, add it back (EFI-) this will force a legacy BIOS boot.

 

You may also need to make a change in the UEFI/BIOS to indicate the flash drive should boot in one method or the other.  In my system, I set the first boot device as UEFI:[name of flash drive} to boot UEFI and to just {name of  flash drive} to boot into the legacy BIOS.

 

Probably a good idea to make sure the latest BIOS for the board has been installed as well.

 

It has the latest BIOS, but it is old although it does support UEFI booting. I have my first boot device set as UEFI. 

 

I also have a PCI-E NVME adapter card with a 128GB NVME drive in it and UnRaid doesn't seem to see it (maybe I'm missing it). I haven't set up an array yet. 

[autumnrain]

On 11/15/2021 at 6:05 AM, HDGuy said:

 

It has the latest BIOS, but it is old although it does support UEFI booting. I have my first boot device set as UEFI. 

 

I also have a PCI-E NVME adapter card with a 128GB NVME drive in it and UnRaid doesn't seem to see it (maybe I'm missing it). I haven't set up an array yet. 

 

On 11/14/2021 at 3:04 AM, HDGuy said:

https://azxiana.io/2020/10/27/building-a-home-nas-for-163-usd/

 

I picked up a PX4-400D cheap off eBay with the intention of installing UnRaid on the internal 1GB flash. Azxiana was able to do it (unfortunately she’s not responding to my inquiries). I followed her directions and eventually get hung up on the part where I’m supposed to rebuild the boot block with:

 

sh /tmp/UNRAID/syslinux/make_bootable_linux.sh /dev/sda

 

When I do this it usually says something like the files aren’t found. I assume the problem is running a Linux executable off a Fat32 partition? I’m not sure how she was able to do it. I’m not at the computer right now (needed to take a break, reached my frustration point) but when I am I will provide the exact errors.

 

I installed 8GB of ram and a 128GB of NVME for a buffer as well.

 

At least one person was able to accomplish this, so I know it’s doable. I’m a Linux novice as well, but I must be missing something.

 

hello,i have a PX4-400D also,and try to install UnRaid after reading your topic.but i really cannot go into bios using Del or F1,F2,F3......F12,can you tell me how to go into bios?

 

and how to upgrade memory yet?i can't catch out the motherboard from the case,thank you very much .