Data on TrueNAS share appears GONE from multiple Win11 machines but "found" from Win10

captdick48 · September 11, 2024, 8:54pm

Hello - (first time posting and doing my best to format per the “Joe’s Rules” sticky…)

Running TrueNAS-12.0-U8.1 on ESXi 6.5 with VM configured to use 2 CPU, 16 GB RAM, and connected to three disks (1 for the OS, and the other two dedicated to this VM in a RAID 1 mirror configuration), with one GB network port on my local LAN.

Installed TrueNAS a couple years back as I was looking for a free dedicated storage solution that “just worked" versus a Windows server. Started off slow, set up a data pool created mirroring across two disks, making it a dedicated repository for mp3, media, pictures, pdfs, etc, the majority of which I have backed up elsewhere.

Set up a couple users, one being read-only and the other with full privileges, and accessed this via SMB share occasionally for the past couple years, mainly using the read-only credentials. It’s been a couple months since I’ve connected but upon doing upon so recently, I find my entire directory structure gone.

However, when I log into the TrueNAS console, I see ”556.14 GiB (62%) Used | 335.11 GiB Free” for “Data (System Dataset Pool)” even though nothing is visible from the share in a couple of Windows 11 PC’s. While in the console, I reboot, with no file visibility and disable auto- updates to TrueNAS.

Fast forward one day and I connect to the share from a different Win10 PC using file explorer with the read-only credentials and am able to see (and copy over my ~600GB to a Windows folder) using the read-only credentials. However, the file system is still not visible from Win11 file explorers - where I positively previously connected to the TrueNAS SMB share.

I want to like and use TrueNAS but this is a bit concerning. Again, I’m looking for something that “just works” with a minimum of hassle, unless I’m looking for a project, not have one created for me.

So, my questions are:
Why can’t Win11 clients connect and view file structure using same credentials that allow Win10 client’s to do so?
Is there a third-party file explorer equivalent I could have used to prevent short-term anxiety?
Any way to view / export the file system from the TrueNAS console?

Thanks in advance.

captdick48 · September 12, 2024, 7:17pm

I was thinking this was permission issue as inputting some commands into shell did not return any output resembling my original file system structure. I did end up modifying, or recreating (forget which) the Windows Share, and was subsequently able to connect to the share and able to write a test file, but was still unable to see any of my old data or the filesystem structure.

Any suggestions on commands to enter to troubleshoot?

winnielinnie · September 12, 2024, 7:23pm

This can provide further clues:

zfs list -r -t filesystem -o space Data

Did you actually create children datasets, which you then shared via SMB? Or did you share the root dataset itself?

captdick48 · September 12, 2024, 10:02pm

Here’s what I get:

root@truenas[~]# zfs list -r -t filesystem -o space Data
NAME AVAIL USED USEDSNAP USEDDS USEDREFRESERV USEDCHILD
Data 335G 556G 56K 96K 0B 556G
Data/.system 335G 84.7M 0B 112K 0B 84.6M
Data/.system/configs-6db47e476a87416dae61f74d2047f68f 335G 62.2M 0B62.2M 0B 0B
Data/.system/cores 1024M 96K 0B 96K 0B 0B
Data/.system/rrd-6db47e476a87416dae61f74d2047f68f 335G 16.0M 0B16.0M 0B 0B
Data/.system/samba4 335G 2.47M 2.11M 364K 0B 0B
Data/.system/services 335G 96K 0B 96K 0B 0B
Data/.system/syslog-6db47e476a87416dae61f74d2047f68f 335G 3.61M 0B

As far as the datasets go, it’s been so long since I set them up, but I believe I just shared the root and gave the whole thing to whatever Windows machine(s) to start centralizing my data. I don’t recall setting up children datasets.

winnielinnie · September 12, 2024, 10:16pm

That’s likely your underlying problem.

Sorry. Typo in my command. I fixed my post.

captdick48 · September 12, 2024, 10:44pm

Updated my previous post with the output from that command:

root@truenas[~]# zfs list -r -t filesystem -o space Data
NAME AVAIL USED USEDSNAP USEDDS USEDREFRESERV USEDCHILD
Data 335G 556G 56K 96K 0B 556G
Data/.system 335G 84.7M 0B 112K 0B 84.6M
Data/.system/configs-6db47e476a87416dae61f74d2047f68f 335G 62.2M 0B62.2M 0B 0B
Data/.system/cores 1024M 96K 0B 96K 0B 0B
Data/.system/rrd-6db47e476a87416dae61f74d2047f68f 335G 16.0M 0B16.0M 0B 0B
Data/.system/samba4 335G 2.47M 2.11M 364K 0B 0B
Data/.system/services 335G 96K 0B 96K 0B 0B
Data/.system/syslog-6db47e476a87416dae61f74d2047f68f 335G 3.61M 0B

I found that hexadecimal following “syslog” suspect.

Not sure what you mean about the lack of child datasets.

Thank you.

winnielinnie · September 12, 2024, 10:59pm

Can you put the output in preformatted code?

CTRL + E

winnielinnie · September 13, 2024, 12:10am


root@truenas[~]# zfs list -r -t filesystem -o space Data
NAME AVAIL USED USEDSNAP USEDDS USEDREFRESERV USEDCHILD
Data 335G 556G 56K 96K 0B 556G
Data/.system 335G 84.7M 0B 112K 0B 84.6M
Data/.system/configs-6db47e476a87416dae61f74d2047f68f 335G 62.2M 0B62.2M 0B 0B
Data/.system/cores 1024M 96K 0B 96K 0B 0B
Data/.system/rrd-6db47e476a87416dae61f74d2047f68f 335G 16.0M 0B16.0M 0B 0B
Data/.system/samba4 335G 2.47M 2.11M 364K 0B 0B
Data/.system/services 335G 96K 0B 96K 0B 0B
Data/.system/syslog-6db47e476a87416dae61f74d2047f68f 335G 3.61M 0B

winnielinnie · September 13, 2024, 12:13am

You never set up any child datasets. You only have the root dataset, and the files are stored directly inside.

When did you create this pool? The defaults with TrueNAS Core 13.x would prevent you from sharing the root dataset, let alone change its permissions.

captdick48 · September 13, 2024, 12:15am

winnielinnie · September 13, 2024, 1:57am

Your previous post cut off the line about “Data/Home” dataset.

It appears your files are indeed housed here.

The next thing would be to check your SMB share configuration.

As root (or with “sudo”):

testparm -s

Make sure to enclose the output in preformatted text.

I would also check the permissions and/or ACL of the root dataset (“Data”) and the child dataset (“Data/Home”).

If you try to list the contents of /mnt/Data/Home in an SSH session, do you see anything?

captdick48 · September 14, 2024, 1:20pm

CTRL + E goes to browser address bar but found “preformatted text” under the settings icon.

Here’s what I’m getting from the two commands:


Warning: settings changed through the CLI are not written to
the configuration database and will be reset on reboot.

root@truenas[~]# zfs list -r -t filesystem -o space Data
NAME                                                   AVAIL   USED  USEDSNAP  USEDDS  USEDREFRESERV  USEDCHILD
Data                                                    335G   556G       56K  96K             0B       556G
Data/.system                                            335G  84.7M        0B 112K             0B      84.6M
Data/.system/configs-6db47e476a87416dae61f74d2047f68f   335G  62.3M        0B62.3M             0B         0B
Data/.system/cores                                     1024M    96K        0B  96K             0B         0B
Data/.system/rrd-6db47e476a87416dae61f74d2047f68f       335G  15.9M        0B15.9M             0B         0B
Data/.system/samba4                                     335G  2.47M     2.11M 364K             0B         0B
Data/.system/services                                   335G    96K        0B  96K             0

        posix locking = No
        read only = No
        vfs objects = streams_xattr shadow_copy_zfs ixnas aio_fbsd
        nfs4:chown = true
root@truenas[~]# testparm -s
Load smb config files from /usr/local/etc/smb4.conf
Loaded services file OK.
Weak crypto is allowed
Server role: ROLE_STANDALONE

# Global parameters
[global]
        aio max threads = 2
        bind interfaces only = Yes
        disable spoolss = Yes
        dns proxy = No
        enable web service discovery = Yes
        kernel change notify = No
        load printers = No
        logging = file
        max log size = 5120
        nsupdate command = /usr/local/bin/samba-nsupdate -g
        registry shares = Yes
        restrict anonymous = 2
        server role = standalone server
        server string = TrueNAS Server
        unix extensions = No
        idmap config *: range = 90000001-100000000
        idmap config * : backend = tdb
        directory name cache size = 0
        dos filemode = Yes


[Data]
        ea support

Copy/paste functionality is terrible and cuts off much of the output (tried putty without luck and setting up ssh is way complicated), so here’s a couple screenshots:

captdick48 · September 14, 2024, 1:26pm

Running “TrueNAS-12.0-U8.1”
I believe I installed this 2-3 years ago on ESXi…
Here’s a couple more screenshots of my config:

neofusion · September 14, 2024, 1:27pm

I could have sworn ssh was built-in in Windows 10 and 11 nowadays. Just run it from a basic command-line or PowerShell window.

captdick48 · September 14, 2024, 1:30pm

I have ssh clients, but the TrueNAS refuses to connect.

ssh: connect to host 192.168.89.8 port 22: Connection refused

So I’m limited to the shell from the browser window.

neofusion · September 14, 2024, 1:36pm

In that scenario is TrueNAS the host or the client? The way you word it makes it sound like you are trying to connect from your TrueNAS, not to.

Typically you use ssh on a client computer, like your W10-box, and use the TrueNAS as ssh host.

Make sure that the ssh service is enabled in TrueNAS, verify that the IP is correct (it should be the IP of your TrueNAS box), and consider if you have any firewalls either on the client computer or between the client and host. TrueNAS doesn’t have a firewall by default.

winnielinnie · September 14, 2024, 1:37pm

It’s hard to follow with inconsistent text, and it’s sad that iX could never give us a decent web “Shell” in Core, which they implemented in SCALE. (The GUI in Core has always felt “unfinished”.)

What I do notice is that you’re sharing out the root dataset directly (Data), and not a child dataset (Data/Home).

This is discouraged, and I believe newer versions of Core (and SCALE) will either warn you or prohibit this.

Even though your copy-pasted output does not show Data/Home, I know it exists, because it’s revealed in a previous screenshot in the thread.

You still haven’t posted the ownership/permissions/ACL.

But either way, do not share out the root dataset via SMB. You should only share child datasets.

captdick48 · September 14, 2024, 1:53pm

Gotcha - would’ve been nice to know when I set things up but this is one way to learn. The problem is that the data that has gone “invisible”, I believe was shared from the root or “Data” dataset.

Here’s the SMB share and ACL:

winnielinnie · September 14, 2024, 1:59pm

I meant the dataset(s) permissions / ACLs.

Do not share the root dataset’s path directly.

The SMB share should point to /mnt/Data/Home. If the share name automatically changes to “Home” from “Data”, it’s up to you if you want to change it back. Whichever name you settle on, your clients will have to use that “share name” to connect to the network share.

So instead of \\192.168.89.8\Data it would be \\192.168.89.8\Home when connecting from the Windows client. (Assuming that “192.168.89.8” is your TrueNAS server’s IP address.)

captdick48 · September 14, 2024, 2:19pm

Going to it by IP works (shows all files) for whatever reason where going to it by share name (TRUENAS) only shows the empty “Home” folder.

Thanks for the help.

Weird. Gotta wrap my head around what’s going on here…