Overview  

In some cases, it might be required to recover a Nodegrid unit. The Nodegrid platform offers different methods for this one is to create a USB boot media. This can be used to recover a unit if no or limited network connectivity and infrastructure is available.

This process will erase all settings and data on the Nodegrid unit.

Create USB boot media  

Most Operating Systems offer built-in methods to create bootable USB devices or applications exist which assist in the process. To create a Nodegrid USB bootable device the following items are required:

1. Current firmware version file (i.e.: NodeGrid_Platform_v3.2.45_20180710.iso) 
   
2. 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

1. Insert the USB drive to the Mac
   
2. 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

1. Unmount the USB device, so that it can be flashed with the .img file 
   

MacBook-Pro:~ user$ diskutil unmount disk2

Volume UNTITLED on disk2s1 unmounted

1. Flash the USB device with the .img file. 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)

1. Eject the USB device after it was successfully flashed 

MacBook-Pro:~ user$ diskutil eject disk2

Disk disk2 ejected

Create USB Boot media with 3rd party applications 

For Windows, MacOS and Linux exist 3rd party applications which allow users to create bootable USB media. There are two options, ZPE recommends Etcher (Select Image, Select Drive and Flash! - Instructions below), or Rufus. 

Boot from USB boot media 

To boot from a USB device, the following items are required: 

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

1. Nodegrid appliance needs to be turned off.
   
2. Insert the USB flash in NodeGrid (any USB port).
   
3. Power the unit on.
   
4. During the boot process press ESC or DEL to enter BIOS (if using a keyboard directly connected to a Nodegrid appliance you may have to use the F2 key) Navigate to the last tab (Save & Exit) then scroll down to the USB flash option under 'Boot Override'.
   
1. Note: Bold systems require connecting through VGA + USB keyboard to enter BIOS using F2.

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15. Press Enter.
    
16. Nodegrid will boot from USB device.
    

1. The Nodegrid platform will Ask to Accept the EULA type accept to continue to install the software in the internal SSD.
   
2. 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.
   
3. The Nodegrid will be in a factory default state at this point. Follow the normal configuration process to finalise the installation of the unit. 
   

APPENDIX A

The USB boot device may need to be added to the list of bootable devices.

1. In the BIOS go to the Boot menu and choose the “Boot Option #2”

1. Add the USB device.

1. Save Changes and Reset.

1. Nodegrid will reboot and follow the steps in “Boot from USB” again from where you press ESC to enter the BIOS.