How to Boot Nodegrid using a Bootable Media

Create USB Boot Media

In certain situations, you may need to recover a Nodegrid unit due to software malfunctions or configuration errors. To accomplish this, you can create a USB boot media, a method provided by the Nodegrid platform that proves especially useful when network connectivity and infrastructure are limited or unavailable.

Note that this process will erase all settings and data on the Nodegrid unit.

Pre-requisites: 

To create a Nodegrid USB bootable device, ensure that the following pre-requisites are met:

• Ensure you have the current firmware version file
• Ensure you have a USB mass storage device with a minimum of 1GB storage for firmware up to 4.x and 2GB for firmware 5. x

Create USB Boot media on Mac OS

1. Convert the Nodegrid .iso file to .img format.

   MacBook-Pro:~ user$ hdiutil convert -format UDRW -o nodegrid-iso-file.img nodegrid-iso-file.iso
   Reading boot
   (Apple_ISO:0).......................................................................................................................................
   Reading  (Apple_Free : 1)...
   Elapsed Time: 862.112ms
   Speed: 430.3Mbytes/sec
   Savings: 0.0%
   created: /Users/user/nodegrid-iso-file.img.dmg

2. Insert the USB drive into the Mac.
3. Identify the entered USB device.

   MacBook-Pro:~ user$ diskutil list
   /dev/disk0 (internal, physical):
     #: TYPE NAME                                          SIZE                    IDENTIFIER
     0: GUID_partition_scheme.                      *500.3 GB           disk0
     1: EFI EFI                                                    209.7 MB          disk0s1
     2: Apple_CoreStorage Macintosh HD.       499.4 GB           disk0s2
     3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD                      650.0 MB          disk0s3 
   /dev/disk1 (internal, virtual):
     #: TYPE NAME                                           SIZE                     IDENTIFIER
     0: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD                    +499.1 GB          disk1
   
   /dev/disk2 (external, physical):
   #: TYPE NAME                                    SIZE                      IDENTIFIER
   0: FDisk_partition_scheme                 *8.0 GB                disk2
   1: DOS_FAT_32 UNTITLED                8.0 GB                 disk2s1

4. Unmount the USB device to write with the .img file.

   MacBook-Pro:~ user$ diskutil unmount disk2
   
   Volume UNTITLED on disk2s1 unmounted

5. Write the .img file to the USB device. This will overwrite all existing data on the device.

   MacBook-Pro:~ user$ sudo dd if=./nodegrid-iso-file.img.dmg of=/dev/rdisk2 bs=1m
   Password:
   371+0 records in
   371+0 records out
   389021696 bytes transferred in 57.403191 secs (6777005 bytes/sec)

6. Eject the USB device after the .img file has been successfully written.
   
   

Create a USB Boot media with Third third-party applications

Use the following instructions for Windows, MacOS, and Linux third-party applications that allow users to create bootable USB media. If you are using Rufus to create a bootable media, perform the following actions:

1. Launch Rufus.
   
   
   
2. Select Write in DD image.
   

Booting a Nodegrid from Bootable media

Before you begin, ensure that the following pre-requisites are met:

1. USB boot media with a current firmware version
2. Console connection through either a console port connection or the KVM interface on the Nodegrid

Boot from USB

To boot from the USB perform the following actions:

1. Turn off the Nodegrid device.
2. Insert the USB flash in the Nodegrid USB port.
3. Power the unit on.
4. During the boot process press ESC or DEL to enter BIOS:
   1. If you use a keyboard directly connected to a Nodegrid appliance press the F2 key.
   2. Navigate to the last tab.
   3. Save & Exit.
5. Navigate to the USB flash option under Boot Override.
   
   
   Note:
   Nodegrid BSR systems require connecting through VGA + USB keyboard to enter BIOS using F2.
   Since the BIOS on the Hive SR is not accessible you need to boot from USB media. Insert the USB media and restart the Hive SR. It will automatically boot from the USB media.

   
   
6. Press Enter.
7. Nodegrid will boot from the USB device.
   Note:

   If Nodegrid doesn’t boot from the USB device but still from the HDD, then follow the steps in Appendix A
8. The Nodegrid platform will Ask to Accept the EULA type Accept to continue.
9. After the installation is complete it will ask to remove the USB device. Remove the USB device at this point and press ENTER to reboot.
10. The Nodegrid will be in a factory default state at this point. Follow the normal configuration process to finalize the installation of the unit.

Adding a USB Boot Device to the List of Bootable Devices

If your Nodegrid device cannot boot directly from USB, you need to change the boot order priority. You must set the boot option 1 as boot from USB media.

1. In the BIOS go to the Boot menu and choose Boot Option #1.
    
2. Add the USB device.
   
3. Save Changes and Reset.
   
4. Nodegrid will reboot and follow step 4 onwards from the Boot from the USB section to enter the BIOS.