*RTFI = Return to
Factory Image
I needed to prep
some USB sticks ready for an upcoming NetApp HCI install. There are various reasons
why you might want to RFTI: reset a test/demo/lab environment, apply the latest
versions, someone’s muddled the disks up...
Firstly, you will need a bootable USB drive maker. Go to:
And download rufus-2.6p.exe.
I know 2.6 works for this purpose (I had issues with 3.3). The ‘p’ is for ‘portable’/don’t-need-to-install
which I prefer, but you don’t have to go for the ‘p’ version.
Secondly, you will need to get the NetApp HCI compute and
storage node images from (Product = ‘NetApp HCI’):
The ISOs are quite big. Storage node ISOs are ~4GB and
Computes node ISOs ~ 15GB (mainly because it
contains a few different versions of VMware vSphere).
Here I’m using NetApp HCI 1.3.1 ISOs:
- solidfire-rtfi-neon-patch3-10.3.0.157.iso
(Storage Node)
-
solidfire-NetApp-HCI-Bootstrap-OS-1.3.1.0.iso (Compute Node)
Image: NetApp HCI Storage
and Compute Node ISOs
Step 1) Double-Click rufus-2.6p.exe to run
Image:
rufus-2.6p.exe
Step 2) Storage Node
Step 2.1) Enter
settings into Rufus as thus:
First check ‘Create a bootable disk using...’ and click
the CD icon to the right, and point to the solidfire-rtfi-neon-patch3-10.3.0.157.iso
(or whatever version you’re using).
Device = {Your USB Key}
Partition scheme = MBR partition scheme for BIOS or
UEFI-CSM
File system = FAT32 (Default)
Cluster size = 8192 bytes
New volume label = solidfire-rtfi
Uncheck ‘Check device for bad blocks’
Check ‘Quick format’
Already checked ‘Create
a bootable disk using...’
Check ‘Create extended label and icon files’
Image: Rufus Settings
for Storage Node
And click Start
Step 2.2) Select ‘Write
in ISO Image mode’
Image: ISOHybrid
image detected - Write in ISO Image Mode
Step 2.3) Click OK
to the warning
Image: ALL DATA
WILL BE DESTROYED!
Step 2.4) Wait for
Rufus to finish!
Image: Rufus done!
This will probably take about 5 minutes.
Step 3) Compute Node
Setting up Rufus for the Compute Node RTFI USB drive is
pretty much the same as for the Storage Node, except you must choose ‘Write in DD Image mode’ (IMPORTANT!)
You will need to point to the solidfire-NetApp-HCI-Bootstrap-OS-1.3.1.0.iso (or whatever version
you’re using).
I let the ‘New volume label’ autopopulate with
ember-hci...
Image: Rufus Settings
for Compute Node
Image: ISOHybrid
image detected - Write in DD
Image Mode
It took a good 40 minutes (on my system) to create the
Compute Node RTFI USB drive.
Bonus Material 1 of 2: Correct Syslinux Version
One problem you’ll have with Rufus 2.6, is that it cannot
download the correct versions of Syslinux, and you’ll get “The requested item could not be located”.
My trick was to use Rufus 3.3 to download the correct versions of Syslinux.
Image: Syslinux 5.10/2013-06-04
is required
Image: Rufus
2.6.818 - “The requested item could not be located.”
Bonus Material 2 of 2: Why Not Use Rufus 3.3?
Rufus 3.3 works fine for the Storage Node, but not the
Compute Node. Trying to create the USB key for the Compute Node, you’ll get
stuck because you can’t select anything other than NTFS for File System, and
when you click START, get the error message: “Unsupported filesystem: The file system
currently selected can not be used with this type of ISO. Please select a
different file system or use a different ISO.”
Image: Rufus 3.3.1400
- “Unsupported Filesystem”
