I need a noobs guide to installing base debian on the ix4-200d

Hi guys, I'm having trouble getting my ix4 200d to boot to the version on my sandisk cruiser, I'm connected via serial console, but am unable to type any commands to it or even interrupt the boot process.

I am pretty much a Linux noob despite using ubuntu on a daily basis as my go to OS, in hopes of becoming fluent after an eternitty (Go figure)

My plan is to setup a raid 5 array on the 3 2tb WD reds in there and use the ssd as the boot drive if possible.

Not sure what I'm doing wrong, but I'd like to install Freenas or something similar rather than the limited iomega software



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/2020 12:15PM by mike2156.

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I am pretty much a Linux noob despite using ubuntu on a daily basis as my go to OS, in hopes of becoming fluent after an eternitty (Go figure)

Sounds like you're exactly where I was in ~2010 when I started messing with my LG N4B1 NAS. It's a good way to learn a bunch of things "the hard way" without messing up your main system. Eventually those lessons apply back to managing your desktop and you suddenly find that installing graphic drivers/compiling kernel modules is not longer a big deal.

If I understood correctly you are getting output from the serial console but your input isn't working. My first guess would be that your tx line isn't hooked up to the rx line on the device. Since the serial pins are part of a ~8 pin header for this device I'd guess it's just on the wrong pin.

That's the odd thing, the console is registering keypresses, I.E the cursor goes still when I type something, it just seems that the console will not accept the input, I have soldered my serial cable directly tho the tx and rx lines and have tagged Gnd directly to the ground pin on the fan connector due to having ripped the pads on tx and gnd. (I pulled the cable downwards and snapped the pin headers when moving the device)

I think I need to perform a key combination to take control?

For these serial connections RX and TX are completely independent of each other, the fact that RX is working doesn't indicate anything about TX. I would suspect since one is working that your ground is also fine.

Anything you are seeing with the cursor is likely client-side and probably doesn't indicate much.

One thing to try is start tapping a key immediately after pressing the power button. The "press any key to interrupt boot" comes and goes very fast and there is a little bit of lag with the serial console.

If you still have trouble I would highly suspect that one of the connections is bad.

ok, thanks I'll give that a go

Sadly it looks like tx is indeed connected incorrectly, looks like I might well be out of luck unless I can find a schematic and find out if there are any pads further down the line I can Solder to.

Looks like I'm running jbod for now or chucking the drives into my main machine with a raid card.