How To Install UnRAID On A UGREEN NAS – FULL GUIDE

A Step-by-Step Guide to Running UnRAID on a Ugreen NAS

Running UnRAID on a Ugreen NAS provides a flexible, feature-rich solution for managing your storage needs. This guide will walk you through the process of setting up UnRAID on your Ugreen NAS, from initial preparation and data backup to BIOS configuration and final setup. Unlike other operating systems, UnRAID runs directly from a USB drive, eliminating the need for an OS drive. Additionally, we provide an alternative method for installing third-party operating systems using the Ugreen NAS GUI and BIOS modifications.

Important – The UGREEN NAS Software is still in its first year of active development, following several months of Kickstarter crowdfunding. Therefore, the software is still in its early stages of development. It is a decent NAS operating system that the manufacturer assures users will see more and more AAA+ features added to it in a planned roadmap. So, I recommend taking some time with the UGOS NAS software before making a switch to a third-party OS. Additionally, UGREEN has made it clear that choosing to use a third-party NAS OS will not invalidate your hardware warranty, as long as the software does not negatively impact the hardware (e.g., overclocking the CPU to fry it, disabling fans, and harming the internal components through overheating, etc.).

What You Need:

• Ugreen NAS system
• USB drive (at least 8GB recommended)
• HDMI output cable
• Keyboard (and optionally, a mouse)
• USB docking station or splitter (recommended)

Preparation:

Ensure you have all the necessary tools and components before starting the installation.

1. Backup Data:

• Access Ugreen NAS settings:
  • Login to the Ugreen NAS management interface.

• Backup configuration and data:
  • Backup configuration to a local file or Ugreen cloud.
  • Use the Backup and Sync tool or the Net Tool to back up files to OneDrive, another remote NAS, or another Ugreen NAS system.
• Ensure all critical data is securely backed up to prevent data loss during the installation process.

2. Prepare the NAS:

• Decide on OS SSD usage:
• If you plan to use the existing SSD for other purposes, ensure it is properly backed up.

• If replacing, open the NAS and remove the SSD if you do not wish to use it for UnRAID storage.

• Refer to specific guides for your model (2-bay, 4-bay, etc.) to dismantle the NAS and access the SSD if needed. Ugreen models typically use a 2280 SSD, while smaller models may use a 2242 SSD.

3. Download Necessary Tools:

• Download UnRAID USB Creator:
  • Go to the UnRAID website and download the UnRAID USB Creator tool.

4. Create a Bootable USB:

• Insert the USB drive into your PC.

• Open UnRAID USB Creator:
  • Launch the UnRAID USB Creator tool.
  • Select the USB drive in the “Device” dropdown.
  • Click “SELECT” and choose the UnRAID version you wish to install.
  • Leave other settings at their default and click “WRITE” to create the bootable USB.
• Safely remove the USB drive after the process completes.

5. Setup the NAS for Installation:

• Insert the bootable USB into the Ugreen NAS.
• Connect the NAS to a monitor using an HDMI cable.
• Connect a keyboard (and mouse if available).
• Connect the NAS to a network via an Ethernet cable. <— IMPORTANT! Otherwise the software will not create a dynamic IP for your first time access (can change later)

6. Boot and Enter BIOS:

• Power on the NAS and repeatedly press the F12 and Delete keys to enter BIOS.

• Disable the Watchdog timer:

• Navigate to the “Advanced” tab.
• Locate the “Watchdog Timer” option and disable it to prevent the system from shutting down during installation.
• Note – if you are running the i5 UGREEN NAS systems, the Watchdog option might be in the ‘FAST’ tab – see below:

• Change the boot order:
  • Navigate to the “Boot” tab.
  • Set the USB drive as the first boot option.

OPTIONAL –  IF you want to keep the internal UGREEN NAS OS on the internal SSD, but do not want to risk ‘overwriting it’ or booting from it in error, you can DISABLE the SSD bay in the BIOS

7. Boot UnRAID:

• Save BIOS settings and reboot.

• The system should boot from the USB and start the UnRAID initialization process.

• Follow the on-screen instructions to set up UnRAID, including network configuration and storage setup.

8. Complete Installation:

• Reboot the system after the initial setup.
• Ensure the NAS is connected to the network for easier access.

9. Access and Configure UnRAID:

• Once rebooted, UnRAID should be accessible on the network.
• Use a web browser on a PC connected to the same network to find the NAS IP address.
  • Example: Open a browser and enter http://<NAS_IP_ADDRESS>.

• Complete the UnRAID setup:
  • Create storage pools.
  • Configure shares and other settings as needed.

Additional Resources:

• Detailed instructions and troubleshooting:
  • Refer to guides provided in the video description above
  • Check specific Ugreen NAS model guides for dismantling and SSD replacement.

By following these steps, you should be able to run UnRAID on your Ugreen NAS efficiently.

Alternative Way to Install a Third-Party OS on a Ugreen NAS

If you want the system to boot into BIOS without having to spam the Ctl+F12 keys, you can arrange this via the UGREEN UGOS NAS software GUI. Below outlines an alternative method to install a third-party OS (e.g., UnRAID or TrueNAS) on a Ugreen NAS using both the Ugreen NAS GUI and BIOS modifications. You will still need a Keyboard/Video output, however, later on:

Initial Setup Using Ugreen NAS GUI:

• Power on and connect the NAS:
  • Connect your NAS to a monitor via HDMI.
  • Connect a keyboard and mouse to the NAS.
  • Connect the NAS to your network via an Ethernet cable.
• Download the Ugreen app:
  • Install the Ugreen app on your mobile device (available on iOS and Android).
• Initialize the NAS:
  • Open the Ugreen app and follow the prompts to initialize your NAS.
  • Set an admin account and configure basic settings.
  • Skip setting up a Ugreen Cloud account if not needed.
• Enable SSH Access:
  • In the Ugreen NAS GUI, go to Control Panel.
  • Navigate to Terminal and enable SSH access.

Modifying UGOS and BIOS:

• Access the NAS via SSH:
  • On your PC, open Command Prompt.
  • Type ssh [username]@[NAS IP] and press Enter.
  • Type yes if prompted to continue connecting.
  • Enter the NAS user password when prompted.
• Identify the Boot Partition:
  • In the SSH session, type lsblk to list block devices.
  • Identify the nvme drive with the boot partition (usually labeled as nvme0n1p1).
• Gain Superuser Access:
  • Type sudo su and press Enter.
  • Enter your password when prompted.
• Mount the Boot Partition:
  • Type mkdir /mnt/nvme_efi and press Enter to create a mount directory.
  • Type mount /dev/nvme0n1p1 /mnt/nvme_efi and press Enter (replace nvme0n1p1 with your actual partition name).
• Rename EFI Directory:
  • Type cd /mnt/nvme_efi and press Enter.
  • Type ls to list the directory contents.
  • Type mv EFI EFI_RENAME and press Enter to rename the EFI directory.
  • Type ls again to confirm the directory has been renamed.
• Reboot to BIOS:
  • Type reboot and press Enter.
  • The NAS should reboot and enter the UEFI setup screen.
• Disable Watchdog Control in BIOS:
  • Navigate to the Advanced tab.
  • Select Watchdog Settings.
  • Disable Watchdog Control to prevent the system from rebooting every 3 minutes if UGOS is not detected.

Installing UnRAID:

• Prepare UnRAID Bootable USB:
  • For UnRAID: Create a bootable UnRAID USB drive using the UnRAID USB Creator tool on your PC.
  • UnRAID USB will load the NAS software into the system cache/memory.
• Insert Bootable USB:
  • Plug the UnRAID USB drive into the NAS.
• Save BIOS Changes and Reboot:
  • Save the BIOS changes and reboot the NAS.
  • The NAS should now boot from the USB drive and start the UnRAID initialization process.

By following these steps, you should be able to run UnRAID on your Ugreen NAS efficiently.