Replace DS918+ OS with Debian/Ubuntu?

[ebel]

I recently got a Synology DS918+ NAS. I would like to replace the built in OS (DSM?) with just stock Debian (or Ubuntu). Is this possible? How can I do it. I've installed lots ofd Ubuntu/Debian servers and desktops, I've set up dozens of RAIDs, accessing this through a SSH terminal is my natural habitat. However, I cannot see how to boot from the Debian netinstall USB stick I have.

 

[fredbert]

Interesting project but why? What do you expect to gain.

You could run DSM and then Docker and/or Virtual Machine Manager for another OS.

 

[ebel]

Interesting project but why? What do you expect to gain.

Because I want to, because I know Debian/Ubuntu like the back of my hand, and I don't know anything about DSM. To me, a stock Debian/Ubuntu server is easier to use and more featureful.

 

[frankfenderbender]

Interesting project but why? What do you expect to gain.

You could run DSM and then Docker and/or Virtual Machine Manager for another OS.

DSM has a near-destroyed Linux distro "under the hood". It makes troubleshooting/debugging overly-generalizing documentation a waste of time, AND, support rarely solves much. At least with a real OS one can speak with a wider ranged community about a real OS.

 

[RonV42]

Synology hardware and DSM is a appliance solution. Yes they do change many things in the core OS and have locked down the hardware. That was to be expected when most have taken the plunge with Synology. This is probably not the right solution for you if you want every part of the system to be open sourced.

 

[frankfenderbender]

Synology hardware and DSM is a appliance solution. Yes they do change many things in the core OS and have locked down the hardware. That was to be expected when most have taken the plunge with Synology. This is probably not the right solution for you if you want every part of the system to be open sourced.

That's not how it was advertised. Like [cr]Apple, they lie for the sales. There is no support, per se, just people sending you to either an "ignore" pile or to a closed kb documentation wherein no bugs are ever admitted or even pursued. There is no functional or design specifications document, and there is no "open/pending" bugs list, nor a way to add one as a user, and apparently as a customer support clone. No one is allowed to discuss Linux or Apache esp. the way they get mishandled via DSM. Commands? Not even 'man', 'apachectl', 'fsck', or networking utilities. Sad and laughable. It's like Linux was the target of Windows throwbacks! For me, an expensive waste of time. I categorize this OS with Windows and Mac: fake. I categorize this company as deceptive and unsupporting, certainly never getting near a Software Quality certification, as in ISO-9001 or CMMI. Back to FreeBSD, Ubuntu, and Debian... and a search for a NIC'd data drive (non-NAS, non-RAID, non-Synology, non-Buffalo) whereon I can do Python/PyQt/SQlite development out of a revision+build+branch controlling repository. Suggestions welcomed.

 

[Rusty]

Well, it is clear that this product will not be a good fit for your needs. Best to, as you said, to look for other solutions.