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Forum Discussion
AMI BIOS boot options?
What are these boot options in (ReadyNAS RN312) AMI BIOS? Default boot option 1: SMI USB DISK 1100 Default boot option 2: UEFI: SMI USB DISK 1100 Are they both pointing to the same target? ...
I've not specifically looked at the BIOS options on a 312 (don't have one) or product in the same family, but that seems to allow either a UEFI or legacy BIOS boot-up from the same source just as many other AMI BIOS do. With most BIOS, it will check all USB ports for a bootable drive since it doesn't allow you to choose which one. I think your best bet is to simply try it and see what happens, then let us all know in case we need to follow your lead. One potential problem is that the flash memory on at least most ReadyNAS is actually a USB device. So if it finds that one first, it's going to boot from it. On a legacy NAS, I know it will find the front USB port before the internal one, so try that first.
Unless you go in and make changes yourself, there is no reason that booting to an alternative OS will change anything in the boot PROM. But your new OS may expose it to change, so you'll just have to be careful not to. Once exposed, you will probably want to make a copy of the contents with dd (if using a Linux alternative) or some other drive imaging process just in case.
It appears that, based on typical AMI BIOS behavior, the ReadyNAS 312 or similar devices may allow both UEFI and legacy BIOS boot options from the same source. Most BIOS systems check all USB ports for bootable drives and don't typically offer the option to choose a specific one. To determine if it works in your case, it's advisable to try the boot process and share your findings with the community, as this information could be valuable for others facing similar situations.
A potential issue to consider is that the flash memory on many ReadyNAS devices is essentially treated as a USB device. If it detects this USB device before other internal ones, it may attempt to boot from it. On legacy NAS systems, it often detects the front USB port first, so it's worth trying that one initially.
Unless you actively make changes to the boot PROM yourself, booting to an alternative OS should not inherently alter anything in the boot PROM. However, your new OS might expose the boot PROM to potential changes, so exercise caution not to modify it unintentionally. If it becomes exposed, creating a backup of its contents using tools like 'dd' in a Linux alternative or another drive imaging process is a prudent step in case you need to restore it to its original state.
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