@doktornotor:
NanoBSD is dead. You really should do a proper full install with the SSD.
Agreed, support is being phased out for nanoBSD.
You'll save yourself a lot of ass pain by just doing a regular install to a cheap SSD with the current Release version.
Alternatively, you can still use your USB drive (I have a USB install) using the 2.4.0 BETA install with ZFS.
Either of the above two options are straight forward, supported installs that will continue to be supported into the future, that will almost certainly work for you out of the box.
I doubt there is any legitimate reason that you HAVE to use nanoBSD, and if there is you'll have to work out a solution sooner or later as it's days are numbered.