1️⃣ System Requirements
- CPU: 64-bit processor (Intel or AMD)
- RAM: 8GB minimum (16GB+ recommended for ZFS)
- Storage:
- Boot Drive: 16GB+ USB, SSD, or NVMe (DO NOT use a hard drive for boot)
- Data Drives: Minimum 1, recommended 2+ for ZFS pools
- Network: 1GbE or 10GbE NIC (depending on your use case)
2️⃣ Download TrueNAS CORE
- Go to TrueNAS Download Page
- Download the ISO file
3️⃣ Create a Bootable USB
Use balenaEtcher (Windows/macOS/Linux) or dd on Linux/macOS:
bashdd if=truenas.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress
(Replace /dev/sdX with your USB drive path)
4️⃣ Boot & Install
- Insert USB → Boot from USB
- Select “Install TrueNAS”
- Choose the boot drive (SSD/NVMe/USB)
- Set root password
- Reboot after installation
5️⃣ Initial Setup via Web UI
- Find the TrueNAS IP (shown after boot)
- Access http://<IP>:80 in a browser
- Log in with
rootand your password - Create a Storage Pool (ZFS recommended)
- Set up Users, Shares, and Services (NFS, SMB, iSCSI, etc.)
6️⃣ Optional: Advanced Configuration
- Enable SSH (for remote access)
- Configure VLANs/Bonding (for multiple NICs)
- Tune ZFS settings (ARC, L2ARC, SLOG for performance)