Install TrueNAS on AOOSTAR WTR PRO | Home Lab NAS Setup (Step-by-Step Guide)

If you're looking to build a powerful, all-in-one NAS solution, then installing TrueNAS on the AOOSTAR WTR PRO is a great way to get started. In this guide, I'll walk you through the installation process, configuration, storage setup, and optimization tips for performance.

If you haven't seen my walkthrough video of the AOOSTAR WTR PRO, check it out for an overview of the hardware. Today, we’re diving straight into installing TrueNAS SCALE, setting up RAID, and optimizing storage performance.

What is TrueNAS?

TrueNAS is an open-source storage operating system designed for managing and sharing data efficiently. It’s built on FreeBSD and uses the ZFS file system, known for:

• Data integrity with checksumming and snapshots.
• High reliability with built-in RAID management.
• Scalability for home labs and enterprise environments.

TrueNAS CORE vs SCALE

You may hear two versions of TrueNAS:

• TrueNAS CORE – The traditional FreeBSD-based version.
• TrueNAS SCALE – The newer Linux-based version, offering better Docker support, virtualization, and clustering.

For this setup, I’ll be using TrueNAS SCALE for its flexibility with Docker and VM support.

Why I Chose TrueNAS for My Home Lab

I needed a NAS solution that offers storage, virtualization, and Docker in one place. TrueNAS looks like a great all-in-one platform that lets me:

While I don’t expect its virtualization features to be as robust as Proxmox, it’s still a great way to experiment.

Upgrades & Hardware Configuration

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Storage Setup

To optimize performance, I installed:

• One SSD for TrueNAS installation.
• One SSD for caching (L2ARC) to boost read speed.
• One SSD for ZFS log (SLOG) to improve write performance.

• These will serve as my primary storage pool.
• Configured in RAIDZ1 for redundancy and data protection.

AOOSTAR WTR PRO Hardware Notes

• The device includes a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth expansion slot but comes with an adapter to convert it into an NVMe slot—which I took advantage of.
• It ships with 64GB of RAM, which is plenty for now, but I can upgrade if needed.

This setup ensures fast storage performance and data protection while keeping things efficient for my home lab needs.

Installing TrueNAS on AOOSTAR WTR PRO

Step 1: Download TrueNAS SCALE

• Go to Google and search for TrueNAS SCALE Download .
• Click on the official website and navigate to the downloads page (TrueNAS Websit).
• Scroll down and download the latest stable version of TrueNAS SCALE.

Step 2: Create a Bootable USB Drive

We need a bootable USB to install TrueNAS. For this, we’ll use Rufus:

1. Download Rufus from its official site (Rufus Website).
2. Insert a USB drive (at least 8GB recommended) into your PC.
3. Open Rufus and:
   • Select the TrueNAS SCALE ISO file.
   • Choose your USB drive as the destination.
   • Under Boot selection, select DD Image Mode (avoids issues during installation).
4. Click Start and let Rufus create the bootable drive.

Once complete, remove the USB and insert it into the AOOSTAR WTR PRO.

Step 3: Boot into TrueNAS Installer

1. Power on the AOOSTAR WTR PRO and press Delete to enter BIOS.
2. In the Boot Menu, set the USB drive as the first boot device.
3. Save and exit BIOS. The system will boot into the TrueNAS Installer.

Step 4: Install TrueNAS SCALE

1. On the TrueNAS installer screen, choose Install / Upgrade.
2. Select the NVMe SSD (1TB) as the installation drive.
3. Confirm that the drive will be formatted.
4. Set a root password (important for logging into the GUI later).
5. Let the installer complete the installation process.

Once finished, remove the USB drive and reboot the system.

Step 5: Accessing the TrueNAS Web Interface

After reboot, TrueNAS will display an IP address on-screen.

1. Open a browser and type in http://[your-IP-address].
2. Log in using the admin credentials set during installation.
3. You are now inside the TrueNAS GUI!

Setting Up Storage & RAID Configuration in TrueNAS

ZFS organizes storage into pools, made up of Virtual Devices (VDEVs).

RAID Options in TrueNAS:

• RAIDZ1 → One disk failure tolerance (not recommended for large pools).
• RAIDZ2 → Two disk failure tolerance (best balance of storage and protection).
• RAIDZ3 → Three disk failure tolerance (best for mission-critical storage).
• Mirroring (RAID 1) → Each disk has an exact copy (high redundancy, low storage).
• Striping (RAID 0) → Maximum speed, NO redundancy (not recommended for important data).

For my setup, I’m choosing RAIDZ2 since it provides two-disk failure protection while keeping plenty of usable storage.

Step 6: Create a Storage Pool

1. Go to Storage > Create Pool.
2. Select your four 10TB HDDs and configure them in whatever RAID you want.
3. Name the pool "MyLab" (or any name you prefer).
4. Assign one NVMe SSD for Log (SLOG) to improve write performance.
5. Assign another NVMe SSD for Cache (L2ARC) to optimize read speeds.
6. Click Create Pool and confirm.

Your storage pool is now set up!

Next Steps: Configuring Datasets & Shares

With the storage pool ready, the next steps include:

I’ll cover these in future videos, but for now, your TrueNAS installation is complete!

Final Thoughts

We’ve successfully:

I installed TrueNAS SCALE on the AOOSTAR WTR PRO, configured RAIDZ2 for redundancy, optimized performance using cache (L2ARC) and log (SLOG), and accessed the TrueNAS Web GUI to set up our first storage pool. Stay tuned for more home lab content, and don’t forget to subscribe for upcoming tutorials. Stay Geeking!