has anyone ever tried to do this kind of thing?
let's say with this x86 model for example : https://www.asustor.com/product/spec?p_id=76
check is someone managed to boot something else than stock fw.
a long time ago, i installed the synology DSM 5.x on a Thecus N2200XXX
so it was possible +10 years ago...i also read elswhere another guy installed debian on this NAS.
That's why i'm wondering if this is still possible nowadays...
I've installed OpenWrt on a QNAP TS269 and a TS453, both are x86 models. Just plug in a keyboard and screen, interrupt the bios and boot OpenWrt from USB stick. I didn't care to keep the stock image so just dd'ed OpenWrt onto the internal 512 MB Disk On Module (DOM) and that was it. If you want to be able to go back to stock in the future you need to either take a backup of the DOM or unplug it and just run from USB stick. I did have to disable the serial in grub.cfg on one of the models otherwise it would not boot reliably. I didn't want to convert the NAS to a router but just prefer to run the minimal number of services and run an up to date kernel and software. Installing a full linux distro would probably work as well but it would take space from the installed drives. I like to use OpenWrt since it fits on the DOM and does not require you to install on the drives which leave the maximum space and allows you to spin them down when not needed.
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nice to know. i used a DOM with my old NAS too. i kept the original thecus OS on its DOM and just bough another one on which i installed the DSM or xpenology, i don't remember...