Best alternative OS for TerraMaster Hardware

[Valnjes]

What is your choice for an alternative OS for TerraMaster NAS Systems?

TerraMaster supports running various OS on their Hardware, and thats the best thing they do!
Just swap the TOS USB with another USB with OS flavour of your choice.

So what are the options?

Free OS:
TrueNAS -> Old but gold, standard for experts
Open Media Vault -> Alternative to TrueNAS, beloved by many
ProxMox -> Virtualisation at its best!
XigmaNAS -> For those in need of ZFS, a great solution
Rockstor -> BTRFS NAS platform OS with many features for new user and experts
EasyNAS -> Simple solution for small offices
CasaOS -> Running a Linux Server with CasaOS is a good solution for users who need more than a NAS

NonFree OS:
Unraid -> One of the best AIO solution with ZFS. Its not free, but has a great support and community

Dark Horse solution:
ARC Loader -> Run Synology DSM on non-Synology hardware

Installation is easy, there is already a topic that describes how you can do it yourself:
viewtopic.php?t=6751

Im a huge fan of DSM, and i run DSM on two of my TerraMasters, F2-424 and F4-424, and i have a great experience with them.
TOS is great, but DSM and TrueNAS are still the Go-To NAS solution.

What are your opinions about that? Do you run TOS or an alternative OS on your TerraMaster Hardware?

[Gremlin]

I'm not sure that TrueNas is really suitable for the TNAS because of the limited memory upgrades available in TNAS (single dimm on newer) and, for the purists, Non-ecc memory.

[Valnjes]

Upgrade is possible - the N95 and N305 support up-to 16GB non-ECC memory, but i have seen systems with single 64GB SO-DIMM @ 4800Mhz too.

You can add ECC SO-DIMM, but without hardware support it would be a waste of money.

Im happy with DSM on TerraMaster Hardware. Its a complete package.

[bugacha]

I'm not sure that TrueNas is really suitable for the TNAS because of the limited memory upgrades available in TNAS (single dimm on newer) and, for the purists, Non-ecc memory.

F4-424 Max or F6-424 Max are ideal for TrueNas

[bugacha]

What is your choice for an alternative OS for TerraMaster NAS Systems?

TerraMaster supports running various OS on their Hardware, and thats the best thing they do!
Just swap the TOS USB with another USB with OS flavour of your choice.

So what are the options?

Free OS:
TrueNAS -> Old but gold, standard for experts
Open Media Vault -> Alternative to TrueNAS, beloved by many
ProxMox -> Virtualisation at its best!
XigmaNAS -> For those in need of ZFS, a great solution
Rockstor -> BTRFS NAS platform OS with many features for new user and experts
EasyNAS -> Simple solution for small offices
CasaOS -> Running a Linux Server with CasaOS is a good solution for users who need more than a NAS

NonFree OS:
Unraid -> One of the best AIO solution with ZFS. Its not free, but has a great support and community

Dark Horse solution:
ARC Loader -> Run Synology DSM on non-Synology hardware

Installation is easy, there is already a topic that describes how you can do it yourself:
viewtopic.php?t=6751

Im a huge fan of DSM, and i run DSM on two of my TerraMasters, F2-424 and F4-424, and i have a great experience with them.
TOS is great, but DSM and TrueNAS are still the Go-To NAS solution.

What are your opinions about that? Do you run TOS or an alternative OS on your TerraMaster Hardware?

How do you install DSM ? I thought its closed source repo

[Valnjes]

Follow the guide on ARC Loader.

In a few short steps:
1. Get a new USB Stick
2. Flash it with ARC Loader
3. Boot ARC Loader and configure as you need
4. Profit

[Valnjes]

BTW am I blind, or i cant find the EDIT button to edit my post.

[bugacha]

thank you !

they dont allow editing posts here unfortunately

[Valnjes]

You are welcome!

Join ARC Discord Group, to activate ARC Loader, and read the Wiki before asking questions, because people get annoyed by asking the same questions over and over, and they are all explained in the Wiki/FAQ.

DSM is superior to all other NAS OS-es. With DSM - TerraMaster Hardware is perfect.
UGreen NAS Hardware can run alternative OS too.

[Mamex]

Very interesting post I come from years of DSM but with obsolete hardware is a bit of a bore I got an F4-424 and I've been playing with TOS for a few hours.