Truenas on Proxmox

Posted on 18-03-2025 by Siddhant Dembi

Prerequisites

A USB drive with the Proxmox VE ISO (created via tools like BalenaEtcher).

A monitor/keyboard for initial NUC setup.

Network access to download ISOs/updates.

Step 1: BIOS Configuration

Access BIOS:

Reboot the NUC and press F2/Delete during startup.

Enable Virtualization:

Under Advanced > CPU Configuration, enable: - Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x) - VT-d (Intel Directed I/O for IOMMU)

Set Boot Mode:

Ensure UEFI Boot (not Legacy/CSM) is enabled.

Save changes and exit.

Step 2: Install Proxmox VE

Boot from USB:

Insert the Proxmox USB, reboot, and select the USB drive as the boot device.

Proxmox Installation:

• Select Install Proxmox VE.
• Agree to the EULA.
• Target Disk: Select the 1 TB WD NVMe.
• Filesystem: Use ext4 (simpler for single-disk setups).
• Configure hostname, network (use a static IP if possible), and password.
• Complete installation and reboot.

Step 3: Proxmox Post-Installation Setup

Web Interface:

Access Proxmox via https://[proxmox-ip]:8006 in a browser.

Update Packages:

bash apt update && apt upgrade -y

Enable IOMMU (for PCI Passthrough):

Edit /etc/default/grub: bash nano /etc/default/grub Modify the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT line to include: bash intel_iommu=on Save and exit.

Update GRUB and reboot: bash update-grub && reboot

Step 4: Identify the 4 TB NVMe for Passthrough

Find Disk ID:

bash ls -l /dev/disk/by-id/ Note the ID of the 4 TB Samsung NVMe (e.g., nvme-Samsung_SSD_4TB_XXXXXX).

Step 5: Create the TrueNAS Scale VM

Download TrueNAS Scale ISO:

Download from truenas.com.

Upload ISO to Proxmox:

In the Proxmox web UI, go to local (pve) > ISO Images > Upload.

Create VM:

General:

• Name: TrueNAS-Scale
• VM ID: 100 (default)

OS:

• Use the uploaded TrueNAS ISO.
• Type: Linux.
• Version: 5.x - 2.6 Kernel.

System:

• Graphics: Default.
• Machine: q35 (UEFI-compatible).
• BIOS: OVMF (UEFI).

Disks:

• Add a 32 GB virtual disk (for TrueNAS OS) on the 1 TB NVMe.

CPU:

• Cores: 4-6 (adjust based on host needs).
• Type: Host.

Memory:

• Allocate 16-32 GB (ZFS benefits from more RAM).

Network:

• Model: VirtIO (paravirtualized for performance).

Step 6: Passthrough the 4 TB NVMe to the VM

Add Disk Passthrough:

• In the VM’s hardware tab, click Add > Hard Disk.
• Select the 4 TB NVMe by its /dev/disk/by-id/... ID.
• Set Bus/Device to SCSI (or VirtIO if preferred).
• Check Discard and SSD Emulation (for TRIM support).
• Click Add.

Step 7: Install TrueNAS Scale

Boot the VM:

Start the VM and open the console.

Installation:

• Select Install/Upgrade.
• Choose the 32 GB virtual disk as the boot pool.
• Set a root password.

Reboot:

After installation, shut down the VM, detach the ISO, and restart.

Step 8: Configure TrueNAS Scale

Web Interface:

Access TrueNAS via http://[truenas-ip].

Create Storage Pool:

• Go to Storage > Create Pool.
• Name: tank (or your choice).
• Select the 4 TB NVMe (ensure it’s listed under disks).
• Configure as a Stripe (single disk) or add redundancy later.

Create Datasets/Shares:

• Add datasets (e.g., media, backup).
• Enable SMB/NFS/iSCSI shares as needed.

Step 9: Verify and Test

Check Pool Health:

In TrueNAS, go to Storage > Pools to confirm the pool is online.

Test File Transfers:

Mount a share on another device and test read/write speeds.

Troubleshooting Tips

• PCI Passthrough Issues: If the disk isn’t detected, ensure IOMMU is enabled and the NVMe is in its own IOMMU group.
• Performance: Use VirtIO drivers for network/disk in the VM settings.
• ZFS Warnings: TrueNAS may warn about non-ECC RAM; proceed if acceptable.