Hey guys, I would like to build a ZFS fileserver out of parts that I already have lying around and would like people to confirm whether my build is okay for ECC compatibility or not, and whether I should be able to boot off of USB 2 or 3.0?
according to this http://www.asus.com/us/Motherboards/M5A97_LE_R20/specifications/ your motherboard should support ECC ram.
booting off USB shouldn't be an issue (not sure about usb3.0). just set the priority in your bios. if you have an available usb header, invest in something like this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815201028. it will keep your boot USB drive in a safe location to avoid accidentally getting pulled or knocked out and damage.
i've always had trouble booting off usb3.0 ports. i normally just use the usb2.0. not sure if there are performance difference between running freenas on usb2.0 vs usb3.0.