Migrating Netgate 1100 from eMMC to USB flash storage to keep it FIT

[stephenw10]

It's much less of an issue on a USB attached SSD. The available write cycles and wear-leveling are usually far far better on an SSD compared to a USB flash drive.

So, yes, if you're running a 120GB SSD with RAM disks enabled you shouldn't have any concerns there.

[jared.silva]

I am totally comfortable spending a few bucks on a disposable USB flash drive to delay my going down the RAM disk and other related rabbit holes. This keeps it at the lower end of the prioritized To Do list.

[Cabledude]

@jared-silva I totally understand that, though configuring RAM disk settings is hardly going down the rabbit hole. It’s a one time setting and you can pretty much forget about it once it’s done. I can share my settings if you like.

[stephenw10]

@Cabledude said in Migrating Netgate 1100 from eMMC to USB flash storage to keep it FIT:

It’s a one time setting and you can pretty much forget about it once it’s done.

For a lot of users that's true. But for a large number of other users enabling RAM disks means compromising in other areas like what packages you have running or careful tuning of those packages to avoid exhausting the RAM disks. On the 1100 that's especially true because the available RAM to create disks from is relatively limited.

I you're not running packages then, yes, just enable RAM disks.

[keyser]

@stephenw10 Hi Stephen.

I have just tried to attempt to salvage a 1100 unit that has a very well worn - but not dead yet eMMC.

Im attaching a USB to SATA bridge with a 240Gb Sata Disk, but it does not become available as a install target in the installer.
The device is recognized and reported as “Da0” upon connect:
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Any ideas? I’m thinking perhaps I’m not succeding in attaching it eraly enough before the installer takes hardware inventory and stores its list of possible targets? Or could it be which state (MBR/GPT and partitionlayout) the SSD is in?

[stephenw10]

Hmm, it shouldn't matter how it's formatted. You are using the Net Installer? It only gives you the option of the mmcsd0 device?

[keyser]

@stephenw10 Yes, its the netinstaller from the shop (just downloaded), and yes - it only shows the eMMC as an install target.

Edit: I will do a few more tests with connecting the USB SSD before the “Run usbboot” command, as well as connecting it later on after running the command.

[stephenw10]

Yup, also try some other USB drives to test. That particular setup might take too long to be recognised for some reason.

[jared.silva]

@keyser the net installer will try to boot USB3 over USB2, so I would try putting installation media into USB3 and your USB to SATA bridge into USB2, just for troubleshooting purposes to eliminate any timing issues.

[Cabledude]

@jared-silva said in Migrating Netgate 1100 from eMMC to USB flash storage to keep it FIT:

@keyser the net installer will try to boot USB3 over USB2, so I would try putting installation media into USB3 and your USB to SATA bridge into USB2, just for troubleshooting purposes to eliminate any timing issues.

Yes now that you mention it, I remember doing it this way too.