10-pin motherboard USB to regular USB flash drive adapter This is the adapter I bought and it works. Simply remove your daughter board and store it for backup. Plug this and extends to the outside. Modify your BIOS boot option as needed. I currently run the synology OS. It works well. I am sure you install any OS on it.

instruction is readily available by googling. It is the redpill ARC loader. yes, it fully functional. I did not test whether it works with full 8 bays as I do not have 8 disks. But all bays works and even the M.2 slot. The 10G ports work on my 1GB network. I do not have the 10G infrastructure. I would not touch the original daughterboard. you will need a graphics card.

But only the very latest ReadyNAS models have that. The vast majority have the flash memory soldered in. You can, of course, purchase a USB DOM to replace the old one instead of cabling to the outside, including a larger one.

I should have known this earlier!!This is the simplest solution!Thanks. Hope it helps others. btw, it is only USB2.0, so it might be too slow to run an operating system off it. I think Unraid or TrueNAS is fine. I am sure ESXi is okay.

You can also get (or make, I suppose) a cable that works the other way, so you can make an image of the DOM contents before you use it for an alternate OS. But if you are comfortable with SSH, you can also make a DD image of it while installed in the NAS. Use the instructions here to gain access: Backup-and-restore-of-VPD-file-for-legacy-ReadyNAS-running-OS6 . You won't be backing up a VPD (native OS6 based NAS don't use one) as is the main point of the post, but use the steps to get access to the flash and mount a USB drive onto which you can put the DD image.

For those interested to install alternate OS

10 Replies

schumaku
Guru
Aug 10, 2024
No rocket science. Each USB port requires four wires only, the two ground pins are locted to the side of the index port, in the middle two date lines (D+ and D-) with the ubiquitous 5 V Dcc.
- Sandshark
  Sensei
  Aug 10, 2024
  But only the very latest ReadyNAS models have that. The vast majority have the flash memory soldered in.
  
  You can, of course, purchase a USB DOM to replace the old one instead of cabling to the outside, including a larger one.
  - tigerten
    Luminary
    Aug 10, 2024
    It is not easy to find the 10-pin module. Most of them are 9-pin.
    
    and the orientation of the pins looks different as well. It is odd though
ReadyAS
Guide
Sep 04, 2024
tigerten wrote:
"[...]
I currently run the synology OS. It works well. I am sure you install any OS on it. "

On what readynas unit?
- tigerten
  Luminary
  Sep 05, 2024
  628X
  - ReadyAS
    Guide
    Sep 07, 2024
    Thank you for your answer tigerten. Could you give me any tip/link how to install the DSM and write me please, is it fully functional, supports all the 8 bays, 10TB network cards, etc.?

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For those interested to install alternate OS

10 Replies

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