See How The TOS 6.0 Update Is A Big Deal For TerraMaster NAS

TerraMaster is working on the next update for its branded network-attached storage (NAS) and a public beta is available now for testing. I installed the update on a fresh TOS installation to see what’s new and how it compares to the competition. TerraMaster’s software support has lagged behind other NAS offerings. Still, notable improvements over recent versions and the highlights shared by TerraMaster for 6.0 have owners of NAS excited to see what’s on the horizon for their enclosures. After playing with the update, here’s what TOS 6.0 brings.

What’s new in TOS 6.0?

There are some major changes to TerraMaster’s NAS OS with TOS 6.0. Here are a few of the most important improvements:

Linux Kernel 6.1 LTS.
Improved btrfs and ext4 file systems.
Support for Intel Meteor Lake CPUs.
Reinforced security controls.
Ability to set a custom TOS system drive.

Refined installation process.
Revamped desktop UI with icons moved to the top taskbar.
System-wide dark mode and personalization options.
Improved Control Panel search.
Enhanced access control lists (ACL).
Improved Shared Folder management.
Real-time hard drive health checks.
Tab support in the File Manager app.

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Performance is night and day better

TerraMaster NAS have never been slow with most of them having capable Intel Celeron processors and enough RAM to run the OS and a few apps, but TOS always felt slightly sluggish. This has changed with TOS 6.0. Even the installation process has been revised and it’s snappier than ever, getting you from first boot to the desktop in just north of a minute if you’re paying attention. Once there, TOS 6.0 is snappy throughout the OS, whether using an installed app or navigating through settings and other areas of the GUI.

Speaking of night, TerraMaster’s new dark mode is brilliant.

The goal of TOS 6.0 is to make various parts of the OS feel more intuitive. The Control Panel has been tweaked to make rummaging around settings less tedious and there’s a powerful search function that will take you where you need to be. Other visual changes include moving all desktop icons to the top taskbar, which is also where you’ll find a new star menu, which is a handy addition to the UI to provide a quick means to shut down the NAS, and search for and view previously opened apps.

Speaking of night, TerraMaster’s new dark mode is brilliant. We’ve all had that moment when visiting a website or using an app where the primary color is white and it’s painful to gaze at the screen. Everything darkened for late-night NAS management is superb and works throughout the TOS interface. There are other personalization options such as accent colors like in Linux or Windows and the ability to set an avatar. There are a few visual glitches with this new mode, such as the desktop dashboard looking odd, but these are minor complaints that will likely be fixed for release.

How to join the beta

To test TOS 6.0 on your TerraMaster NAS, you must already be running at least TOS version 5.1.123. If you’re not running that OS update or newer, you’ll need to update using the available mechanisms on your NAS to bring your enclosure up to speed. After that, the TOS 6.0 can be manually installed by downloading it from the official TerraMaster website. More details on how to join the beta program can be found on the forums. I recommend you carefully read through the guide.

The following TerraMaster NAS models will run the OS update:

F2-221, F2-223, F2-422, F2-423, F2-424
F4-221, F4-223, F4-421, F4-422, F4-423, F4-424, F4-424 Pro, U4-111, U4-423
F5-221, F5-421, F5-422
T6-423
F8-421, F8-422, U8-111, U8-420, U8-423, U8-450, U8-322-9100, U8-522-9400, U8-722-2224
T9-423, T9-450
T12-423, T12-450, U12-423, U12-322-9100, U12-722-2224
U16-322-9100, U16-722-2224, U16-722-2288
U24-612, U24-722-2224