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content/homelab/guides/Create a TrueNAS test vm.md

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+---
+title: Create a TrueNAS test vm
+publish: true
+date: 2026-01-14
+tags:
+  - guide
+description:
+---
+# TrueNAS Scale VM: Configuring Virtual Disk Serials
+
+## Overview
+
+This guide explains how to assign custom serial numbers to Proxmox virtual disks. 
+
+This is required for TrueNAS Scale to correctly identify disks and form ZFS pools in a virtualized environment.
+
+> [!WARNING] **Test Labs Only**
+> Never use virtual disks for production TrueNAS deployments. It prevents ZFS from accessing SMART data and increases data loss risk.
+
+## Prerequisites
+
+* A running PVE node.
+* A created TrueNAS Scale VM on your PVE node.
+* Basic shell knowledge.
+
+---
+
+## Steps
+
+### Step 1: Locate VM Config
+
+Open an SSH connection to your Proxmox node and identify your TrueNAS VM ID (e.g., `100`).
+
+### Step 2: Add Serial Numbers
+
+Edit the QEMU server configuration file for your VM:
+
+```bash
+vi /etc/pve/qemu-server/${TRUENAS_VMID}.conf
+
+```
+
+Locate the lines defining your hard disks (usually starting with `scsi`). Append a unique serial parameter `,serial=XXXX` to the end of each disk line.
+
+**Example Configuration:**
+
+```ini
+# Before
+scsi1: local-lvm:vm-100-disk-1,discard=on,iothread=1,size=16G,ssd=1
+scsi2: local-lvm:vm-100-disk-2,discard=on,iothread=1,size=16G,ssd=1
+
+# After (Ensure every serial string is unique)
+scsi1: local-lvm:vm-100-disk-1,discard=on,iothread=1,size=16G,ssd=1,serial=TRUENAS-01
+scsi2: local-lvm:vm-100-disk-2,discard=on,iothread=1,size=16G,ssd=1,serial=TRUENAS-02
+
+```
+
+### Step 3: Apply Changes
+
+For these hardware changes to register, you must fully stop and start the VM (a reboot is not sufficient).
+
+```bash
+qm stop ${TRUENAS_VMID}
+qm start ${TRUENAS_VMID}
+
+```
+
+---
+
+## Verification
+
+Open the Shell inside your running TrueNAS VM and run:
+
+```bash
+lsblk -o NAME,SERIAL,SIZE
+
+```
+
+**Expected Output:**
+
+```text
+NAME   SERIAL      SIZE
+sda    TRUENAS-01  16G
+sdb    TRUENAS-02  16G
+
+```
+
+---
+
+## Troubleshooting
+
+### "Disk Serial" or Multipath Errors
+
+**Problem:** TrueNAS complains about duplicate disks or fails to create the pool.
+**Solution:** You likely pasted the same serial number for multiple disks. Re-open the `.conf` file and ensure every `serial=...` string is unique.
+
+---
+
+**Created:** 2026-01-14