Install OMV in an old atom netbook

  • Hi! I'm going to install OMV on an old atom netbook


    Dell mini 9: Intel Atom N270 1.6 GHz / Intel GMA 950, 8gb ssd, 1gb ram, 2 x 1TB usb hdd


    Mainly to store pictures and files and to download torrents.


    I know I have to install it from the debian netinst iso since there is no x86 build, but are there any major caveats of using such an underpowered machine for this use case?


    I was thinking of setting RAID, but I've read, at least for raspberries, it's not recommended if the disks are usb connected, so would it be recommended in this case? Would it be better to set rsync to copy the folders I want from one disk to another?


    And, I have one disk in NTFS (used with windows machine) and the other in exFAT (used with windows and mac machines) I guess I'd have to format both to ext4, is that right? I don't plan to use any of those as usb disks anymore, but as disks for the NAS.


    Thank you!!

    • Offizieller Beitrag

    but are there any major caveats of using such an underpowered machine for this use case?

    Just make sure to install the flashmemory plugin to protect the old "ssd". Networking will be slow. And since the system only has one cpu core, performance may suffer when trying to do multiple things at once including reading from a usb drive to transfer over the network.

    I was thinking of setting RAID, but I've read, at least for raspberries, it's not recommended if the disks are usb connected, so would it be recommended in this case? Would it be better to set rsync to copy the folders I want from one disk to another?

    Raid isn't recommended for USB drives at all let alone RPis. The ability to create a raid array with usb disks has been removed in the latest commits to OMV. So, yes, I would rsync the two drives.


    And, I have one disk in NTFS (used with windows machine) and the other in exFAT (used with windows and mac machines) I guess I'd have to format both to ext4, is that right? I don't plan to use any of those as usb disks anymore, but as disks for the NAS.

    Yes. While ntfs could be used, it would only cause you headaches.

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  • As the machine won't do much all the day, i`ll give it a try. From my expirience, torrent download could be resource exhaustive - but this might be old information, i haven't used torrents for some months.


    I won't go for a RAID with usb attached devices, no matter if using a raspi or something else. Set up a rsync job may be more stable. If you don't plan to reuse the disks with a windows machine, you should definitely use a linux filesystem, i prefer XFS or EXT4 at the moment, but any other supported filesystem is fine.

    • Offizieller Beitrag


    The raid vs rsync stuff was addressed (and I agree, I'd stick w/ rsync). Yes I would get the disks to ext4 if at all possible.


    Regarding the machine though... I was looking at the specs for that device.. Can it handle 2gigs of RAM in that single DIMM slot? I was looking on Newegg an 533mhz 200pin DDR2, for 2gigs is $12.


    I personally think 2gigs of ram would probably yield a much better setup vs 1gig, but can also understand not wanting to throw money at the old beast.


    If it were me though.. and assuming it can handle a 2gig DIMM... I'd probably try it.

  • Just make sure to install the flashmemory plugin to protect the old "ssd". Networking will be slow. And since the system only has one cpu core, performance may suffer when trying to do multiple things at once including reading from a usb drive to transfer over the network.

    Raid isn't recommended for USB drives at all let alone RPis. The ability to create a raid array with usb disks has been removed in the latest commits to OMV. So, yes, I would rsync the two drives.

    Yes. While ntfs could be used, it would only cause you headaches.

    Thanks for the tip about the flashmemory plugin, i didn't know it. I don't mind if networking is slow, I won't be accessing/transferring files everyday, and it's going to be a trial to see if I feel comfortable with a NAS before expending money on a good setup.

    As the machine won't do much all the day, i`ll give it a try. From my expirience, torrent download could be resource exhaustive - but this might be old information, i haven't used torrents for some months.


    I won't go for a RAID with usb attached devices, no matter if using a raspi or something else. Set up a rsync job may be more stable. If you don't plan to reuse the disks with a windows machine, you should definitely use a linux filesystem, i prefer XFS or EXT4 at the moment, but any other supported filesystem is fine.

    I'll check it, but I'm more than aware that performance will be quite bad.

    Thanks! I think I have a spare 2gb ram somewhere, I'll look for it ;)


    Thank you all!!

  • OMV (at least OMV 3.x) works fine with the Mini 9. I installed it on mine a while back to tinker with it and see how it would do. Install was straight forward, using the same method you describe above.


    I found it to be slow but stable. Along with the weak CPU, the 10/100 Ethernet (no Gigabit) and USB 2.0 ports for the disks were also speed limiting factors.


    Upgrading to 2GB of RAM helped A LOT when I was using it with Ubuntu as a laptop, but I don't think the improvement will be as noticeable with OMV.


    What did speed it up a lot was adding a USB Gigabit dongle. It was limited to USB 2 speeds, but it was still about twice as fast as the original port. I had it in my parts box though, don't know if I would have bothered if I had to buy it :)

  • I've tried installing debian and then OMV, but something is not working. Can I install OMV 3.x x86 and then update to OMV 4 before setting everything up? It might be easier than try to fix debian errors (mainly drivers) and then fix OMV 4 installation errors

  • I've tried installing debian and then OMV, but something is not working. Can I install OMV 3.x x86 and then update to OMV 4 before setting everything up? It might be easier than try to fix debian errors (mainly drivers) and then fix OMV 4 installation errors

    I don't think there was an x86 version of OMV 3.x? But, can you tell us how far you got and what didn't work with OMV 4? May be something that isn't specific to your hardware and can be easily fixed.

  • I don't think there was an x86 version of OMV 3.x? But, can you tell us how far you got and what didn't work with OMV 4? May be something that isn't specific to your hardware and can be easily fixed.

    Sorry for not replying in a couple of days, it's been very busy with family around.


    I installed debian x86 netinst following this guide, then installed b43 drivers and wpa_supplicant to try to connect to wifi, I can see the wifis, but can't connect. Then I followed this guide to install OMV 4 on debian 9 and after issuing the last command omv-initsystem I got what you see in the picture.

  • I installed debian x86 netinst following this guide, then installed b43 drivers and wpa_supplicant to try to connect to wifi, I can see the wifis, but can't connect. Then I followed this guide to install OMV 4 on debian 9 and after issuing the last command omv-initsystem I got what you see in the picture.

    I'm not sure what that means. I didn't have any errors when I installed (although I didn't install OMV 4, only 3). I'm not an expert, but I think the "missing firmware" messages are for the wired ethernet, and don't necessarily mean it won't work. It doesn't need that many firmware modules.


    I've gotten the last message before ("mdadm..."), and it was an installation issue for me that was fixable. If you try rebooting, can you press the "e" key when the GRUB boot menu comes up (there is a notice at the bottom of that screen notifying you to press "e' to edit and "c" for command line) It will bring you to a screen allowing you to edit the boot commands. If you look down to the line that starts with "linux", it should identify the boot drive using a long UUID string. If it doesn't have a long UUID string, and instead lists a drive ("/dev/sdb1" or similar), that may be the problem. If its not "sda" or "sda1", (for example if its "sdb" or "sdb1"), try changing the "b" or "b"s (or "c" or other letter etc) to an "a", so it becomes "sda" "sda1" etc, then continue the boot process and see if it finishes booting. If it does boot, you can then log in through the Web Interface on another computer like you normally would, and apply any pending updates in the "Update Management" section. For me, one of the updates updated the GRUB configuration and fixed the issue. This has worked for me multiple times when I've tested different hardware configurations.


    If its something else, then I'm stumped!


    Good luck!

  • I'm not sure what that means. I didn't have any errors when I installed (although I didn't install OMV 4, only 3). I'm not an expert, but I think the "missing firmware" messages are for the wired ethernet, and don't necessarily mean it won't work. It doesn't need that many firmware modules.
    I've gotten the last message before ("mdadm..."), and it was an installation issue for me that was fixable. If you try rebooting, can you press the "e" key when the GRUB boot menu comes up (there is a notice at the bottom of that screen notifying you to press "e' to edit and "c" for command line) It will bring you to a screen allowing you to edit the boot commands. If you look down to the line that starts with "linux", it should identify the boot drive using a long UUID string. If it doesn't have a long UUID string, and instead lists a drive ("/dev/sdb1" or similar), that may be the problem. If its not "sda" or "sda1", (for example if its "sdb" or "sdb1"), try changing the "b" or "b"s (or "c" or other letter etc) to an "a", so it becomes "sda" "sda1" etc, then continue the boot process and see if it finishes booting. If it does boot, you can then log in through the Web Interface on another computer like you normally would, and apply any pending updates in the "Update Management" section. For me, one of the updates updated the GRUB configuration and fixed the issue. This has worked for me multiple times when I've tested different hardware configurations.


    If its something else, then I'm stumped!


    Good luck!

    Thanks! I'll try tomorrow morning

    • Offizieller Beitrag

    That is for the onboard NIC.... I have that exact onboard NIC on my motherboard and have gotten that error many times during updates/installs. For the record, that NIC work but it sucks (or at least it did several years ago). I ended up ordering an Intel card to replace it because it frustrated me so badly.

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