Can we create dual boot Ubuntu 22.04.3 and True NAS Core on single drive?

TrueNAS General
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1

Hi,

Can we create a dual boot drive where, I have to install Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS and True NAS Core both.

  1. Is this possible and feasible method?
  2. I need to use Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS for my different project yocto build, flashing etc.
    Is installing Ubuntu and True NAS core separately on two different drives is better? so that I can choose as I like when I want to boot to corresponding OS.
  3. True NAS core works on ZFS file system, Ubuntu works on Ext4/NTFS file system. Will there be overhead or clash, if we install both OS on same drive.

Please provide your inputs on these queries.

Thanks n advance.

2

Either using separate systems or running Ubuntu as a VM inside TN[1] is way better.
You could even throw a hypervisor on top of everything and run TN and Ubuntu side by side, with TN providing the drives to Ubuntu.

However, if you don’t require TN to be powered on most of the time, you may not require a NAS.

  1. maybe better with the Linux-based SCALE. ↩︎

1 Like
3

You mean separate SSD drives? or separate systems?
( Note:
we are trying to reduce the redundant hardware usability here and so avoid two separate setup for YOCTO and TRUE NAS we want to use the same hardware setup, with dual boot facility)

I am still new to TRUE NAS and even Yocto build as I dont have enough supporting setup to experiment with trying VM as Ubuntu on TN, dont want to take up this suggestion right now.

We want to use the same hardware setup, with dual boot facility.

I am still new to hypervisor concept as well, so dont have time to learn and experiment on this right now.

Did not understand this. you mean linux based SCALE better than TreuNAS core?

  1. maybe better with the Linux-based SCALE. ↩︎

4

A NAS is supposed to run 24/7. If you dual boot, your NAS is not going to be on: if your NAS is not going to be on, you might not need a NAS.

5

TrueNAS does not support such an arrangement. You could simulate such a thing with two separate boot devices, but it’d be (to say the least) a suboptimal arrangement.

1 Like
6

IMHO

Is the better option.
Depending off course on how much resource you need/ you can effectively assign to the VM.
Turn off Nas means that you will be not able to accees data on it temporary on all device, and never on Ubuntu; and everytime you power off/on disks too.

Despite the VM can be easyly power on/off like a normal PC.

7

This is for current learning and development purpose and not for the actual production and release of NAS servers.

Hence we want to minimize hardware setup and use the same system for two projects ( one at a time ) using two seperate bootable disks.

8

Yes. We are using two seperate disks for separate bootable. one disk for ubuntu and another for True NAS Core.

Definitely they want suboptimal arrangement where we can work on one project at a time( mutually exclusive!)

9

Understood. There is no need for us to keepTRUE NAS ON all the time so we are ok, with seperate bootable disks for ubuntu/True NAS core.

As the ubuntu setup is used for YOCTO linux build which takes hours together and has lot of complex dependencies ( such as, it can be built in docker or non-docker methods ) like it need internet connection all the time, as the Yocto build will be talking to github all the time throughout the build etc…Some times it may throw errors during the build, hence usng VM on True NAS for installing Ubuntu and use it for Yocto build seems to be overhead, in my opinion.