HP Microserver N54L (re)Build

  • I had OMV 0.5.x up and running on my N54L for a year with no issues. Then I decided to upgrade to the latest version, and long story short, hosed it up.


    Time for a rebuild!


    This will just be a post so I can jot down how I built it, so when I hose it up later on, I've got something to look back on. As opposed to scratching my head at 2 AM, wondering why something isn't working.


    If it helps anyone else out, then great. Comments/suggestions/critiques are welcomed.


    Standard disclaimer applies - Use at your own risk


    The Hardware


    HP Proliant G7 Microserver N54L
    4 GB RAM
    1x 72GB 2.5" HDD (Old laptop drive for OS)
    2x 3TB Seagate Barracuda 7.2K HDD (to be replaced/upgraded later)


    The 2.5" drive is in a 5.25" to 2.5" adapter mounted where the CD-ROM would be and using the CD-ROM SATA port on the board


    Modified BIOS - http://terfmop.co.uk/blog/2013…g-sata-and-5th-sata-port/
    Hot Swap + 5th Drive Full SATA - http://terfmop.co.uk/blog/2013…54l-proliant-microserver/


    I'm running Windows 10, which blocked the HP utility from running. I used FileUnsigner to remove the digital signature from the executables - http://www.fluxbytes.com/softw…leases/fileunsigner-v1-0/


    The Install


    1. Download the OMV ISO
    2. Format a USB stick with FAT32 (NTFS will not work, even if you try it 10 times, see my 2AM comment above)
    3. Use Unetbootin to burn the ISO to the USB stick - http://unetbootin.github.io/
    4. Remove data disks from server
    5. Boot off the USB stick and install OMV
    6. Shut down
    7. Install data disks in server
    8. Power on


    Initial Setup


    1. Login to the webpage using whatever IP you gave it in setup. ID/PW: admin/openmediavault
    2. System/General Settings -> Web Administrator Password -> Enter new password and save
    3. System/General Settings -> Web Administration -> Change port from 80 to 8080 and save, Click apply when prompted
    4. Close page and reopen - http://whatever.your.ip.is:8080
    5. System/Date and Time -> Set time zone and enable NTP
    6. System/Update Manager -> Check, select all updates, update
    7. Storage/Physical Disks -> Make sure all drives show up here
    8. Storage/Raid Management -> Create a RAID, make a note of the Device name (ex: /dev/md127)
    9. Storage/File Systems -> Mount the Device, click Apply when prompted
    10. Service/SSH -> Checkmark Enable, click Save, click Apply when prompted


    Enable Plugins/Add stuff
    1. Enable Plugins - http://omv-extras.org/simple/i…install-omv-extras-plugin
    2. System/Plugins -> Checkmark openmediavault-omvextrasorg 1.xx and click Install
    3. System/OMV-Extras.org -> checkmark Download Managers, click Save, click Apply when prompted


    Auto-Mount RAID Array
    1. Use putty to SSH to your server and login with root
    2. Type: ls -l /dev/disk/by-uuid
    3. Copy the UUID corresponding to your RAID Device (ex: md127)
    4. Type: mkdir /mnt/data
    5. Type: nano /etc/fstab
    6. Add the line: (replacing UUID with what you copied above)
    UUID=12345678-9ABC-DEF0-1234-56789ABCDEF0 /mnt/data ext4 defaults 0 2
    7. Save and reboot


    Share Folders
    1. Access Rights Management/Shared Folders, Add Folders as needed
    2. Services/SMB/CIFS -> Settings, checkmark Enable, click Save, click Apply when prompted
    3. Services/SMB/CIFS -> Shares, add in the Shares


    Web Server
    1. System/Plugins -> checkmark openmediavault-nginx 2.0-2, click Install
    2. Services/Nginx (websites) -> Servers, add server and settings
    3. Services/Nginx (websites) -> Settings, checkmark enable, click Save, click Apply when prompted
    4. Test webserver


    MiniDLNA
    1. System/Plugins -> checkmark openmediavault-nginx 2.0-2, click Install
    2. Services/DLNA -> Shares, add Shared Folder, click Apply when prompted
    3. Services/DLNA -> Settings, click on Enable, click Save, click Apply when prompted


    Subsonic
    1. System/Plugins -> checkmark openmediavault-subsonic 1.0.8, click Install
    2. Service/Subsonic -> Curse as you get errors, then read my thread here: Subsonic Install Issue


    CrashPlan
    1. Follow thread here: Crashplan / Owncloud
    2. Updated file location: wget https://download.code42.com/in…CrashPlan_4.3.0_Linux.tgz


    At this point, I've got everything back to the way it was before the rebuild, but the 3TB of space is almost used.


    I've got 3x 3TB WD RED drives ready to go in as a RAID 5, just need to figure out how I'm going to do it.


    - John

  • 3+ years later, time to step up to OMV 4.x


    The Hardware


    Pretty much the same, HDs have been swapped out:
    HP Proliant G7 Microserver N54L
    4 GB RAM
    1x 80GB 2.5" HDD (Old laptop drive for OS)
    3x 3TB WD "Red" NAS drives


    The Install


    1. Download the OMV ISO
    2. Format a USB stick with FAT32 (NTFS will not work, even if you try it 10 times)
    3. Use Unetbootin to burn the ISO to the USB stick - unetbootin.github.io/
    4. Remove data disks from server (I left them in for the rebuild, just make sure to select the right disk during install)
    5. Boot off the USB stick and install OMV
    6. Shut down and remove USB stick
    7. Install data disks in server
    8. Power on


    Initial Setup


    1. Login to the webpage using whatever IP you gave it in setup. ID/PW: admin/openmediavault
    2. System/General Settings -> Web Administrator Password -> Enter new password and save
    3. System/General Settings -> Web Administration -> Change port from 80 to 8080 and save, Click apply when prompted
    4. Close page and reopen - whatever.your.ip.is:8080
    5. System/Date and Time -> Set time zone and enable NTP
    6. System/Update Manager -> Check, select all updates, update
    7. Storage/Physical Disks -> Make sure all drives show up here
    8. Storage/Raid Management -> Create a RAID, make a note of the Device name (ex: /dev/md127) (My RAID showed up from the previous install)
    9. Storage/File Systems -> Mount the Device, click Apply when prompted
    10. Service/SSH -> Checkmark Enable, click Save, click Apply when prompted



    Enable Plugins/Add stuff
    1. Enable Plugins - http://omv-extras.org/joomla/index.php/guides
    2. System/Plugins -> Checkmark openmediavault-omvextrasorg 4.1.15 and click Install
    3. Mine failed, had to SSH in and run dpkg --configure -a and try again
    3. System/OMV-Extras.org -> checkmark Download Managers, click Save, click Apply when prompted



    Auto-Mount RAID Array
    1. Use putty to SSH to your server and login with root
    2. Type: ls -l /dev/disk/by-uuid
    3. Copy the UUID corresponding to your RAID Device (ex: md127)
    4. Type: mkdir /mnt/data
    5. Type: nano /etc/fstab
    6. Add the line: (replacing UUID with what you copied above)
    UUID=12345678-9ABC-DEF0-1234-56789ABCDEF0 /mnt/data ext4 defaults 0 2
    7. Save and reboot

    This caused issues, don't do it


    Share Folders
    1. Access Rights Management/Shared Folders, Add Folders as needed
    2. Services/SMB/CIFS -> Settings, checkmark Enable, click Save, click Apply when prompted
    3. Services/SMB/CIFS -> Shares, add in the Shares


    Web Server
    1. System/Plugins -> checkmark openmediavault-nginx 4.0.3, click Install
    2. Services/Nginx (websites) -> Servers, add server and settings
    3. Services/Nginx (websites) -> Settings, checkmark enable, click Save, click Apply when prompted
    4. Test webserver


    MiniDLNA
    1. System/Plugins -> checkmark openmediavault-minidlna 3.3.11, click Install
    2. Services/DLNA -> Shares, add Shared Folder, click Apply when prompted
    3. Services/DLNA -> Settings, click on Enable, click Save, click Apply when prompted


    Subsonic
    (No plugin for omv 4.x yet)
    ssh in
    apt-get install openjdk-8-jre-headless
    cd /tmp
    wget https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws…c-6.1.5-standalone.tar.gz
    mkdir /subsonic
    tar -xzf subsonic-6.1.5-standalone.tar.gz -C /subsonic
    cd /subsonic
    chmod 777 /subsonic/subsonic.sh
    ./subsonic.sh


    Login to subsonic (ipaddress:4040) with admin/admin
    change admin password
    If you've create an OMV shared folder, you can set it in Subsonic using the name: /sharedfolders/<folder name> ex: /sharedfolders/music


    In OMV, System\Scheduled Jobs
    Add a job
    time of execution: At reboot
    command: /subsonic/subsonic.sh


    Subsonic should now start after a reboot.


    CrashPlan
    1. Follow thread here: Crashplan / Owncloud
    2. Updated file location: wget download.code42.com/installs/l…CrashPlan_4.3.0_Linux.tgz

    Crashplan prices skyrocketed, I no longer use it.

  • Nice work.


    I haven't been here in quite a while myself, coincidentally I just rebuilt the N40L that I purchased way back in 2012. It has been cruising along reliably all this time, and aside from the occasional reboot, the replacement of two dead drives a few years ago, and moves in 2014 and 2016, it has been running continuously since the day I bought it. The really crazy thing is I'm still using the 80GB system drive that I was using in my desktop machine in the days before SSD. I should have looked at the build date on it when I had the Microserver apart, because that drive has to be close to 15 years old. The SMART power on hours alone total to over 10 years! I really should just replace it, but at this point I want to see how far it will go.


    Regarding the rebuild, I didn't really need to, but I upgraded the RAM to 16GB. I also added a USB 3.0 controller so I could plug in a couple of 6TB external drives and not be stuck running at flash drive speeds on USB 2.0. Yeah, I know those aren't nearly as reliable as the 24/7 NAS drives I should be using, but I'm not storing anything crucial anyway.


  • I have N54L and have been considering adding something like this, what make/model etc.


    This one: https://www.newegg.com/Product…aspx?Item=N82E16815124119


    It was sitting around for quite a while before I actually got around to installing it, so there may be better options available now. I can't recall exactly why I chose this one, but the low profile bracket is a must of course, and based on my experiences with USB 1.x and 2.x add-on cards years ago, having a power plug on the board seems to make things much more reliable. Looking at the product page again, I see that one of the reviews is from another Microserver owner, so that was probably why I picked it. I did have to purchase a Y splitter to run Molex power to the card, but that was the only thing I had to change.


    The internal USB is another bonus, the Microserver already has one, but this allows you to keep that functionality while adding speed. The add-on port won't be bootable of course, but I see no reason why you couldn't boot from the original port and have OMV installed on an internal 3.0 drive.


  • 8. Storage/Raid Management -> Create a RAID, make a note of the Device name (ex: /dev/md127) (My RAID showed up from the previous install)

    Great job!
    I wonder why do you not use N54L hardware RAID? I'm using it with Windows 10 on my Subj and wanna move to OMV. Is it possible to use HW RAID to lower CPU usage?

    • Offizieller Beitrag

    I wonder why do you not use N54L hardware RAID?

    Using hardware RAID marries the connected disks permanently to that RAID controller (or family of controllers). If the disk set is moved out of the host, a reformat is required. Software RAID can transfer to a new host.

  • Using hardware RAID marries the connected disks permanently to that RAID controller (or family of controllers). If the disk set is moved out of the host, a reformat is required. Software RAID can transfer to a new host.

    Tnx. And did anybody compare OVM performance with and without N54l hardware RAID? Or OMVers don't care about N54L Turion Dual-Core only CPU workload?

    • Offizieller Beitrag

    Or OMVers don't care about N54L Turion Dual-Core only CPU workload?

    What workload? OMV is headless unlike W10 or MS Server versions which have Desktop environments + I'm assuming that there is software that allows monitoring of the hardware raid via the desktop.


    By using the modified bios the drives are independent, this allows the use Mdadm, or MergerFS + SnapRaid or simply individual drives. This alone makes it easier to manage the server, using hardware raid the drives are seen as one, but you have no way of viewing the status of any of the drives.

  • OMV is headless...



    By using the modified bios the drives are independent, this allows the use Mdadm, or MergerFS + SnapRaid or simply individual drives

    To my regret I have no Linux experience except Kodi on Raspberry Pi. Talking "headless" do you mean that OMV on N54L should ran as pure back-end and I need use SSH to control?


    Do you use OMV on N54L? If so can you tell me what SATA controller mode should I set up in BIOS - IDE, RAID or AHCI to install OMV with mdadm or so?


    Kind regards!

    • Offizieller Beitrag

    Talking "headless" do you mean that OMV on N54L should ran as pure back-end and I need use SSH to control?

    Headless: No display, keyboard, mouse, but fundamentally no desktop. OMV uses a Web Admin interface with the ability to use SSH for command line purposes. OMV documentation here beginners guide here


    Do you use OMV on N54L?

    Yes, with 6 drives running from a Sandisk 32Gb USB Flash Drive :)


    Some excellent information here this is for the N40L but it applies to the N54L as well, unfortunately the site I found useful appears to be down :( but to answer your question I think I used AHCI

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