Hello everyone

So I've finally figured out my primary nas situation wich leaves my readynas ultra 6 to become the backup system. I'd like to use unraid to make it a set and forget situation, and since it's a backup system software updates aren't that big of a deal I guess. What does "slightly owrry me" is the licence key situation. Sure, you can get licences replaced yearly, but that does sound like a hassle... Since the unit still has a working internal flash, is there a way to get that id to be used to generate a licence and store the licence there so that even if the main os usb dies, the licence doesn't need to be replaced?

Unraid requires a GUID for licensing. the internal flash may not have that...

 

 

The licensing system for Unraid ties the license to the unique GUID (Globally Unique Identifier) of the USB flash drive that runs the OS. This means that the license is locked to that specific USB drive and cannot be easily transferred to another drive without going through the license replacement process.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a supported method to tie the license to the internal flash storage of your ReadyNAS Ultra 6 or any other internal device. Unraid is specifically designed to run from a USB flash drive, and the GUID-based licensing is part of their anti-piracy measures.

Addressing Your Concerns

Here are some strategies to mitigate the potential hassle of USB drive failure and license replacement:

1. Use a High-Quality USB Drive

Invest in a reliable, high-quality USB flash drive from a reputable brand to minimize the risk of failure.

Look for drives with good endurance and heat resistance, as Unraid does perform regular reads/writes for logging and configuration.

2. Backup Your USB Flash Drive Regularly

Unraid includes a built-in feature to back up the contents of your USB drive.

Navigate to Main > Boot Device > Flash > Flash Backup and download the backup file. Store this backup in a safe location.

If your USB drive fails, you can restore the backup to a new drive and request a license transfer from Unraid support.

3. Plan for License Replacement

Unraid allows one free license transfer per year if your USB drive dies. If more frequent transfers are needed, Unraid support is generally accommodating in genuine cases of hardware failure.

Make sure to have a backup USB drive ready in case of failure.

4. Consider Using an Unraid Key File Manager Plugin

While there isn’t an official solution to tie the license to internal flash, there are community tools and plugins that can make license backup and transfer slightly easier. Check the Unraid forums for recommendations.

5. Set and Forget with Periodic Checks

Since this is a backup NAS, you likely won’t interact with it daily. However, consider setting up basic notifications in Unraid for hardware or software issues (e.g., USB drive health, array problems) so you can catch potential issues early.

6. Alternative (if Licensing Is a Major Concern)

If you're adamant about avoiding USB licensing, consider exploring other NAS operating systems that don’t rely on USB drives for booting, such as FreeNAS/TrueNAS or OpenMediaVault. These systems can run from internal flash or SSD storage and might fit your backup use case.