Introduction

Welcome to the Ultimate OpenMediaVault Installation Guide! If you’ve ever dreamed of turning an old PC into a slick, NAS-powered fortress of solitude (or bustling family media hub), you’re in the right place. We’ll cover everything from the very first ISO download to advanced plugin magic. Buckle up, keep your coffee warm, and let’s dive in.

Why OpenMediaVault?

• Lightweight: Based on Debian, OMV runs on modest hardware.
• Modular: Extend functionality via plugins (SMB, NFS, DLNA, Docker, more).
• Web-UI: Clean, responsive, and surprisingly fun to click.
• Community: Active forums, OMV Forum, and endless GitHub contributions.

Prerequisites

• Hardware: Minimum 1 GB RAM, 1 CPU core, 4 GB disk (for OS), plus data disks.
• USB stick or CD/DVD: For installation media.
• Network: DHCP recommended initially static IP is better long-term.
• Patience: And maybe a snack break, because we’ll cover a lot.

Step 1: Download Prepare Installation Media

1. Visit the official OMV website and click Download.
2. Choose the latest stable ISO (e.g., openmediavault_6.6.10_amd64.iso).
3. Burn the ISO to USB using your favorite tool:
   • Windows: Rufus
   • macOS/Linux: dd if=openmediavault.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress
4. Verify the write succeeded. No one likes corrupted install media!

Step 2: Boot Install

2.1 Boot from USB

Insert your USB, reboot the machine, press the magical F12/Esc/F2 key to enter the boot menu, select USB, and brace for liftoff.

2.2 Debian Base Installation

1. Select Install or Graphical Install.
2. Choose your language, location, and keyboard layout.
3. Network Configuration:
   • For DHCP: accept defaults.
   • For static IP: enter IP address, Gateway, Netmask, DNS.
4. Set up a root password. Choose something memorable yet secure. No “password123” please.
5. Partition Disks:
   • Guided – use entire disk: Easiest for newcomers.
   • Manual: For custom RAID/LVM schemes.
6. Choose software to install:
   • Keep SSH server ticked for remote console magic.
   • Skip desktop environment – we only need the web UI.
7. Install the GRUB bootloader to the primary disk.
8. Finish installation and reboot.

Step 3: First-Time Web UI Configuration

1. Point your browser to http://your_server_ip. Default credentials:
   • User: admin
   • Password: openmediavault
2. Navigate to System gt General Settings: set timezone, language.
3. Go to Storage gt Disks: wipe, identify, and smart-ctl test your disks.
4. Under Storage gt File Systems, create ext4/ZFS/Btrfs volumes:
   • Click Create, select device, choose filesystem.
   • Mount the new filesystem.

Step 4: Sharing Protocols

4.1 SMB/CIFS (Windows Shares)

1. Enable service under Services gt SMB/CIFS.
2. Define a Shared Folder in Access Rights Management.
3. Create a SMB/CIFS share, attach the folder, set permissions.
4. Access from Windows via your_server_ipsharename.

4.2 NFS (Linux/Mac Shares)

1. Enable Services gt NFS.
2. Add an Export, set network access (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24(rw,sync)).
3. Mount on client: mount your_server_ip:/export/path /mnt/point.

Step 5: Plugins Extensions

Extend OMV’s superpowers:

• openmediavault-docker-gui: Docker container management via UI (GitHub).
• openmediavault-monitoring: Collectd Grafana dashboards.
• openmediavault-backup: Automated config data backups.

Install under System gt Plugins, tick your favorites, Apply.

Advanced Topics

RAID LVM

Combine disks for redundancy and flexibility. Under Storage gt RAID Management, create RAID1/5/6/10 arrays. Then layer LVM on top for dynamic volumes.

SSL / HTTPS

1. Generate or import certificates under System gt Certificates.
2. Enable HTTPS in General Settings, select your certificate.
3. Force redirect from HTTP for extra security.

Monitoring

Use Prometheus Grafana to graph CPU, disk I/O, network. Or stick to the Monitoring plugin for simpler graphs.

Troubleshooting Tips

Conclusion

You’ve reached the end of this installation saga. Congratulations! Your shiny new OpenMediaVault server is now ready to store backups, stream movies, and impress visiting friends. Remember, curiosity and experimentation are your friends. If something breaks, Google it, check the OMV community, and enjoy the journey. Happy NAS-ing!