Axzez + CM4 NAS build - 'replacing' a Helios 4 ;)

Hi all! After a long break from the forum (= 'life' I'm updating from my Helios4 box (it's still going strong!) to something with more popular OS support. Axzez carrier board with a CM4 (combo) the only way I know at the moment to get a CM4 as a retail user.

I won't go into 'why' and the selection etc. (that's been covered in the forum elsewhere) but I thought I would post my learning process. I am a non-professional user who likes to tinker a bit also; I like ARM also, don't have a strict budget.

Overview;

• Axzez board with CM4 102032

  
  

  • ITX adapter board from Axzez
  • Aluminium heat sink kit (aftermarket; specific for CM4) - passive (may try fan version later)
• Fractal Node 304 case (on special)
  • Case fans; I am using the (non-PWM) fan hub on the fractal case! (keeps things simple)
    • case fans included with Node 304; front & rear fans (12V)
    • will do a temp. query when up & running...
• WD Red NAS HDD's (new & near new, reused) - board has 5 SATA ports
  • 4 x HDDS for storage (JBOD to begin, SAMBA shares in OMV)
  • 1 x 2.5" SSD for OS disk op's > proposed, to be tested
• PSU - ATX Antec 'Earthwatts' 650W (to begin with, will also try a ~100W pico-watt type later)
  • note - this is on the approved vendor list [it works, have powered it on]
• OS (please comment!) - will try the stock Axzez OS to test out the system
  • aiming to install OMV during this process...
  • alternative; download from OMV (RPi_OS variant) > to be tested... etc.
• rear I/O shield; may get one printed...

Looking forward to getting this thing up & running... COMMENTS WELCOME

[update; seen this post; openmediavault-nut 6.0.1-1 failing after update from openmediavault all 6.1.1-1 to openmediavault all 6.1.2-1]

Quote from ryecoaaron

Use Raspberry Pi OS not the axzez image. You should be able to follow the install guide for the RPi

THANKS!! Yes, will go down this path... already doing the reading & setup.

Quote from ryecoaaron

No need for fan version.

I have both versions... with & without fan... so; no fan is OK with me!

The simpler; the better

Quote from ryecoaaron

I boot mine from usb stick. no need to waste sata port for OS.

OK, that works for me too... USB2 is no performance bottleneck, I assume.

THANKS A LOT! @ryecoaaron

I learned about the AXZEZ board from the posts on here, last year - been wanting to try it out for a while. When they did the combo deal, I ordered it & got it within 10 days to Sydney! (AUS)

What I like is that I can re-use the case/PSU etc on other projects... NAS/small 'CAD' workstation/home media etc... using ARM or x86 CPUs (RISC-V ?)

Quote from ryecoaaron

As long as you only put the OS on it, nope.

Nah; just the OS

Using the RPi Imager with 64 bit LITE version [in MINT]

Burn to USB2 stick (formatted FAT32)

> in the Imager options (I'm following the guide on this forum over-all)

* I'm enabling SSH as instructed...

?? any harm in setting 'hostname' now? i.e. so the OMV admin page shows up as <my_desired_name>.local in the browser

[edit; found this; https://raspberrytips.com/set-new-hostname-raspberry-pi/]

> will set the hostname during installation [my RTFM reading supports doing this]

? any harm in having a monitor connected via HDMI? [even though I will be doing an SSH session from my PC running Mint?] > assumption; I don't think there will be a problem

Progress photo; fully cable managed!

In the lower left of the photo is a molex > SATA power cable which I used to give power to the case-fan-hub (non-pwm) - this is my basic go at avoiding fan control in RPi OS (for now...) if it's quiet, I'll leave it - if not; I'll annoy the forum about it!

You can see the ITX adapter plate (silver, with holes) which was OK to fit in... not too hard. Meaning you can use any case... also the PSU is a full ATX size. I can reuse this case as a home-media box if I really need one. Or it'll fit a pretty OK workstation for a compact home office.

Thinking of getting an I/O shield 3D printed ($17 for two, delivered!), but; min order is $100AUD so I'm thinking of what else to chuck in... maybe an RPi case? or a few 'Mechano Set' pieces to better manage the interior of this build and MAYBE put in a second board! (2-fer; I have three all up but only one CM4 - LOL) - but; teaser;

One quirk of the Node 304 is the disk brackets... the rear connectors end up being mirrored (you screw in via the base on either side of the bracket) which was fun when connecting up the SATA power. Solution was to use the separate connector cables that came with the PSU & connect each alternating HDD so that the connector could be turned the right way up... (see photo above) ...I had fun with that.

OS installation process; SLOW!

Installing onto USB 2 stick... is this how to do it?

(following the guide; https://wiki.omv-extras.org/do…omv6:raspberry_pi_install)

Quote from crashtest

Yes. After burning Raspberry PI OS to the thumbdrive, OMV is downloaded.

Thanks, I've studied the terminal session where I initiated the install... looks like that process works as intended. I doubt I've discovered anything new!

Quote from ryecoaaron

You are probably using a slow stick. I have sticks that do 5 MB/s and others that do 100 MB/s.

It definitely looks that way... judging by how long it all took. 2+hours to do the 'update' & 'upgrade' cmd's on the base RPi OS then another 2+ hours for the installer script! Will do a speed test on a few USB sticks... the one I used is USB2 should I try a USB3 in the port? I would think that's a waste. Will do some research anyway!

Quote from crashtest

the limiting factor will be the port, not the thumbdrive

Thanks... I've got to the (new & very spiffy) OMV login page using the 'slow' thumbdrive. The IP was reassigned but I have a monitor still attached to the NAS or I can log in to the router... so that's all understood.

I will mess around with it for a while, then use a higher spec one for a full re-do, just to be sure. It will likely have better durability & service life. SanDisk ultra fit USB3.1 Gen 1 [stated speed on package is "max. 130mb/s read"] and these things are cheap, compared to my time!

Thanks to everyone involved in the OMV project!

Quote from crashtest

You can clone the working drive

Thanks guys!! In the end... I used a brand new USB 3.1 key and did it all from scratch, in case there was an error or corruption from the previous flashdrive.

It worked beautifully and in a fraction of the time! Next; configure OMV!

Updates about the process;

• using a new, USB3, mainstream brand and tested (I used; CLI; f3) flashdrive is essential
• following the guides; a read-through will save time in the long run...
• OMV6 is very pretty and dark mode is great for late night!
  • config. is pretty painless
• NODE 304 case - the drives run warm in there... (they're sitting on top of the PSU)
  
  • they're around 10 deg. cooler (34 - 37 C) in the Helios4! (PSU is external plug pack)

Where it gets interesting for me; DATA MIGRATION

• going through the guide... remote mount + rsync
• replicating the shares on Helios4 to the new NAS...

Best way to do large transfer between two OMV NAS's on a LAN?

• I assume it's way more efficient and less error prone to go NAS > NAS transfer?
  • as shown in the OMV guides... [remote mount + rsync as automated task etc.]
  • compared to simple drag & drop in 'Nemo' on PC (Linux Mint) or grsync (which has checksum)?
• end game? > going beyond 1st sync/transfer... will be set up for ongoing backup & using the Helios4 as a failover

Comments...? as usual! Thanks!!

Quote from crashtest

1. If you're not worried about time, copying over the network is safe and reliable. OK with me...
2. The method in the OMV guide is one of the easier, more user friendly ways to transfer, and it can be used to continue to replicate data.
3. Drag and drop, in a GUI, is not recommended. If a copy session is interrupted or disconnected, rsync will pick up where it left off. Rsync is time tested and reliable. cool... the less to go wrong the better!
4. I can't comment on grsync, but it sounds like regular rsync with the checksum option. If that's the case, it will be s-l-o-w.

grsync is rsync with a simple GUI... I did some reading a while back... I think rsync has checksum on unless you turn it off (via a CLI switch cmd) - when I get a chance; will confirm on here...) - maybe it's 'off unless you turn it 'on' ?

I can say this where rsync is concerned, it's better to "pull" than to "push". Set up remote mounts on the new server that make data available that resides on the older server, and "pull" it. As noted in the guide, the job is local, the source will be from the remote mount and the destination is your local share. and this is how I shall proceed

Thanks again!

I noticed in the (OMV5) guide (re. remote mount + rsync task) that the feedback is limited & if you log-out the progress window is lost... my thoughts are that I can 'watch' the creation of the folders (on the new NAS) via my desktop machine's file browser... that's plenty of feedback for me. Just do a periodic 'F5' to refresh.

Hi, followed the guide... set a remote mount, Rsync task, did a manual start; no success;

[hit; START]

REQUEST ACCESS TO MASTER CONTROL PROGRAM.

USER CODE 00-ADMIN.

PASSWORD:MASTER.

█

[FAIL; with message on screen;]

Please wait, syncing </srv/a15d2ec1-2840-4147-8a89-2b817bda3952/> to </srv/dev-disk-by-uuid-6279f9a2-9bfc-4827-bcc7-e5414e4320d3/UDS_ALL_SVR/> ...Unexpected remote arg: \#342\#210\#222\#342\#210\#222chown=root:usersrsync error: syntax or usage error (code 1) at main.c(1499) [sender=3.2.3]ERROR: The synchronisation failed.

END OF LINE

█

Settings in the Rsync task (I tried again, with 'Archive mode' turned off... same result...

I'll go over the process again, meanwhile, any suggestions?