Installing TrueNAS SCALE on a VPS using a Custom ISO

[HeyYuvraj]

What topic does your proposed suggestion relate to?

Virtual Private Servers (VPS), custom ISO installation, storage & NAS solutions, Linux system administration

How do you aim to structure your proposed change?

Introduction

• Brief overview of TrueNAS SCALE
• Use cases for running TrueNAS SCALE on a VPS
• Important limitations and considerations

Prerequisites

• Minimum system requirements
• Required access (VNC, ISO upload permissions)

Booting the ISO

• Navigating the ZAP control panel
• choosing custom ISO
• Setting the ISO as boot media

Installing TrueNAS SCALE

• Booting via VNC
• Installation steps
• Disk selection and warnings
• Completing installation and rebooting

Initial Configuration

• Web UI access
• Network configuration
• Default credentials and security steps

Troubleshooting

• Boot issues
• Network access problems
• Common installation errors

Conclusion

• Summary
• Recommended use cases

Could you briefly summarise the contents you plan to write about to ensure you have the appropriate technical knowledge?

• Explanation of what TrueNAS SCALE is and when to use it
• Step-by-step guide to installing TrueNAS SCALE
• Accessing and securing the TrueNAS web interface
• Common issues users may face and how to resolve them

What is your ZAP ID?

zap480562

What is your Discord ID?

646310108116287518

Do you have any previous experience in writing and publishing articles?

I have experience writing technical guides and step-by-step documentation, I previously wrote: https://zap-hosting.com/guides/docs/dedicated-windows-fs-22-epic . I focus on clear instructions, practical examples, and troubleshooting tips to help users of all skill levels.

Additional Information

The article will help users understand both the possibilities and limitations of running TrueNAS on a VPS.

Do you depend on a service for creating your guide?

Yes. I would require temporary access to a VPS.

By submitting this form, you agree that...

• You have read and understood our contribution section on our documentation.
• You understand our guidelines and conditions that exist.
• Your suggestion is original and not a duplicate.
• You have provided the correct ZAP ID.
• You have answered this suggestion form to the best of your ability.
• You agree to receive feedback and communicate with our ZAP docs team.
• You agree to the ZAP-Hosting Contribution Program Terms & Conditions, which can be accessed here.

[fgalz]

Hi @HeyYuvraj,

TrueNAS SCALE is fundamentally designed as a bare metal storage solution. Direct access to physical data carriers is required for meaningful use. In virtualized environments with abstracted block devices, limitations in disks, this prerequisite is barely met, meaning that TrueNAS SCALE can only be used to a very limited extent and without clear added value.

The TrueNAS SCALE ISO was not really provided as a recommended production solution, but because individual customers requested this ISO for learning, testing or experimental purposes.

It can be operated for such scenarios, but it is rather suitable for meaningful productive use as a NAS or storage solution on our VPS products. Before we decide whether a guide is useful at all, it would be important to know what specific information you would like to implement in there.

[HeyYuvraj]

Hi @fgalz ,

Thanks for the clarification and I agree with your assessment.

My original idea was based on working with the TrueNAS SCALE ISO strictly for testing and learning purposes. During that process, I noticed that installing the ISO requires some platform-specific steps like initial network access that are currently not documented, meaning users have to find these steps on their own.

That said, I understand that TrueNAS SCALE on VPS offers very limited value. If it is more appropriate, I’m happy to scope the guide primarily to Dedicated Servers, where SCALE is actually designed to be used and either omit VPS usage entirely or mention it only as experimental/testing, with clear limitations.

The intention is documentation completeness and reducing trial-and-error, not promoting unsupported use cases.

Please let me know what scope you consider appropriate.

[fgalz]

Hey @HeyYuvraj!

Sorry for the delayed response. Due to my vacation and other tasks, your suggestion was unfortunately not followed up further after our previous exchange. If you are still interested, you are welcome to proceed with creating the corresponding guide.

Please let us know whether you are still interested in continuing with this contribution. If there is no longer any interest or no response within one week, the suggestion will be closed again. 🙂

[HeyYuvraj]

Hi @fgalz,

Thank you for the follow-up, and no worries at all and Yes, I’m still interested in continuing with this contribution.

I just wanted to quickly confirm which direction you would prefer:

• A guide mainly focused on Dedicated Servers with maybe a short note about VPS limitations.
• A guide specifically about VPS installation via Custom ISO, clearly marked as experimental/testing only, including strong limitations and warnings.

Once confirmed, I’ll wait for your go-ahead before starting the draft.

[fgalz]

Hey, we are currently in the process of creating general guides for installing services that are suitable for both VPS and dedicated servers. We want to get away from duplicate content, as the instructions don't really differ for this type of guide.

Accordingly, the guide should refer to both products, but the focus should be on dedicated servers. You can mention both products, but then add a note about the limitations with VPS.

As I can see, you need a service for this. We can provide you with a dedicated server for 3 days for this purpose. Please let me know when you would like to start so that I can set up the service on your account for the appropriate period.

[HeyYuvraj]

Hey @fgalz ,
That approach makes perfect sense! I’ll write the guide as a general TrueNAS SCALE installation guide for both VPS and Dedicated Servers, with the main focus on Dedicated Servers and a note about VPS limitations.

I’d like to start from Tuesday, 17 February.
3 days should be fine but if I run into any issues (like needing a reinstall/reset), I may request 1 extra day as a buffer.

Thanks again!

[fgalz]

Hey @HeyYuvraj

the service has just been made available to you. You can now use it to start creating the guide! :)

[HeyYuvraj]

Hey @fgalz ,
Awesome! I’ll start working on the guide.

[HeyYuvraj]

Hey @fgalz,
Quick update, I am about 90% done with the guide. The installation and initial setup worked fine.

However, when I reached the storage pool section, I noticed the server only has one disk. Since TrueNAS uses the full disk as the boot device, it does not appear in the pool creation screen, so I cannot complete the pool/dataset/share configuration steps properly.

I also checked the TrueNAS community forum and it confirms that a second disk is required for proper usage (boot disk + storage disk). Reference:
https://forums.truenas.com/t/truenas-on-a-single-disk-for-a-small-home-server/47430

I tried looking for a workaround, but unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be one.

Would it be possible to provide a different dedicated server with at least 2 disks so I can finish the storage section of the guide?

Thanks! 🙂

[fgalz]

Oh, I actually wanted to provide you with a system with two hard drives. I made a mistake there. Do you need to back up anything on the current system or can I remove it and assign an alternative system to the account?

[HeyYuvraj]

Hi @fgalz ,
I don’t need to back up anything from the current system. It was only used for the installation and testing process, so you can safely remove it and assign the alternative system with two disks.

Once it’s available, I’ll continue with the storage pool, dataset, and share configuration sections right away.

[fgalz]

I replaced the previous system with a different configuration with 2x500GB hard drives. It should now be visible to you. If you encounter any issues, please let me know.

[fgalz]

Is there an update on this yet? Did everything work out or are there any issues? If so, feel free to lemme know! 🙂