Lenovo PX4-400d NAS, upgrade EOL EMC software to something Linux via USB

[mikeford]

I am a total novice to Linux type OS almost, followed a recipe 20 years ago to turn a Mac IIc into a firewall / router, but never "played" with it. Deals part of the forum has a thread on these old EOL NAS units being clearanced out cheap. I bought one and am using as a NAS, but looking it over gave me the idea to convert one to a more general purpose network box, price dropped this morning to $99 so I bought another. A few threads already exist where people have done this, but they knew what they were doing so don't really cover any steps, hence this thread where I plan to dump all the details I find out.

Specs
Intel Atom D2701 Dual Core 2.13GHz , not sure if Intel ever released 64 bit drivers.
2GB ram, maybe expandable.
2x Gbe, USB 3.0, HDMI ports on the back.
SFF X11 PCIe, bios may have limited support.

4 SATA 3.5" bays, so I expect to keep some kind of NAS function, with tha in mind which OS do you all suggest looking into?

Maybe something simple to poke around with before deciding?

Thanks.

 

[compcons]

The picture on the site looks like it has an hdmi port and USB prts. Can you get video from that hdmi port? Is a USB keyboard functional on boot? If i didn't have 2 synokogies and an expenolgy running already, i would consider giving this a shot and if I couldn't make that work, just use it as designed. The CPU is earth shattering, but good enough for iSCSI to a raspberry pi eaxi-arm server.

 

[mxnerd]

OP asked the same questions several times in different threads,

Though a different model, the internal disk size probably will be the same for NAS OS.

The Daily Nerdism

yet another nerd blog by

open-desk.org

quote from the article:
Before installing a new Linux to the internal disk (1 GB size), a backup of this disk should be done.

I really don't know what Linux based NAS distro can be installed on an internal disk that's only 1GB in size.

Just give up the idea. Sell the NAS and buy a new one.

 

[mikeford]

AFAIK yes the HDMI outputs video, what works on the USB is to be determined, but I've read reports that there are a couple more USB ports on the MB.

Just a guess, but I think in reference to the PCI slot that its X16 not X11, which doesn't seem to mean anything, x11 that is.

 

[mikeford]

The link to the PX6 to linux post is one of many I have found, but the 300 series and 400 series are a generation apart, so details will vary. My guess the 1GB reference is to the internal flash.

Give up, nah this will be fun. Fair chance I will get some time to open up the PX4 and look around this week.

 

[|JosephB17331|]

I have successfully got Unraid and Synology DSM (via xpenoboot) running on my second PX6-300D. Currently testing DSM to see how it functions.
Main purpose is to use this for my NFS datastore for my Proxmox cluster.
Only issue so far is HDD S.M.A.R.T. isn't functioning (showing as not supported).. (works under Unraid)