Preface: As an important member of the NAS family, Synology's DSM is known for its comprehensive services and higher prices. Therefore, general users tend to use industrial control computers to build their own file servers with a hacked version of Synology's software. This article provides a detailed explanation of the installation process for a hacked Synology system.
Preparation: You will need a USB drive, a host computer (including a screen and keyboard), and at least one hard drive.
Note:
- The USB drive will be used as a boot device and should not be removed after installation.
- As of the date of writing this article, the Snail Interstellar device has been inflated by scalpers, so it is recommended to use a router and industrial control computer with a hard drive.
- Mechanical hard drives are required, as SSD arrays may cause strange issues.
Installation process: Burn the ISO image, boot from BIOS, select the version to compile and install, and enter the Synology interface to install DSM.
- Burn the ISO image
First, download the arpl-1.0-beta2.img file from https://www.52pojie.cn/thread-1745197-1-1.html, and then use a disk writing tool (such as Rufus, recommended here) to write the file to the USB drive. Rufus: https://www.423down.com/10080.html
Note that the USB drive will be formatted. After that, eject the USB drive and insert it into the host computer.
- Boot from BIOS and compile the installation
Turn on the computer and press F2 or DEL to enter the BIOS. Set the boot order to prioritize the USB drive. Then, you can enter the following interface:
Take note of the address after "Access" and then access it from a browser on another computer. You will see the following interface:
Select the DSM version. In this example, we will use DS3615 (note that DS918 requires a high-quality network card, so please confirm before choosing). Press Enter to confirm.
PS: Synology device models and package architectures can be found at https://www.shenzhuohl.com/syno_list.html
Next, select the version number. In this example, we will use 42962 (you will need to download the corresponding system later).
Then, enter a serial number. Since this is a hacked Synology system, let it generate a random one.
After that, build the loader and enter the code running interface. The compilation and installation process will take some time.
Once it's done, boot the loader and the following interface will appear:
When the internal network address appears, it means the installation was successful. Take note of the version number and corresponding model.
- Enter the Synology interface and install DSM
Access the internal network address you just saw (or use Synology Assistant, https://finds.synology.com/#auto-discovery) and you will see the following interface:
Download the corresponding system from the official Synology website and enter the installation program. At this point, there will be a 10-minute restart time, so you can have a cup of tea.
After the installation is complete, you can enter the interface and then add a storage pool.
Afterword: Some features are missing in the hacked Synology system, so the Package Center is a central feature for customization. It is recommended to add the source mentioned in https://imnks.com/1780.html to start your NAS journey.