**** BEGIN LOGGING AT Wed Mar 28 02:59:56 2007 Mar 28 03:19:12 Anyone here? Mar 28 03:21:26 I have a quick question: I have an NSLU2 that I've been using in its stock configuration (with a few users and one USB HDD) for a while. Can I simply unplug the hard drive, install the Unslung firmware through the existing interface, and plug the drive back in? Mar 28 03:41:46 Anyone around yet? Mar 28 03:52:34 yeah I am here but don't run unslug Mar 28 03:53:00 I stopped running it b/c of kludges needed to overcome original linksys firmware Mar 28 03:57:12 What would you recommend for a UPnP server on the NSLU2? Mar 28 03:57:20 I was going to install Unslung and then put TwonkyMedia on it. Mar 28 03:58:18 sorry, I'm the wrong guy to ask about that... I have heard of those but I think there are wikis for that, if I'm not mistaken. Mar 28 04:02:07 Yeah.. they're just not particularly well-written. These are simple questions, and the wiki is something of a mess. Mar 28 04:05:29 yeah it can be. Problem mostly is that ppl figure out how to get it working and don't always update the wiki Mar 28 04:05:46 might just search posts or post msg in forum. Mar 28 04:06:06 I'm looking around. I found this (http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/content/view/24241/77/1/2/), and it looks promising. Mar 28 04:06:23 Although he's clearly an expert and expects that you've got an Unslung box with the telnet mod enabled. Mar 28 04:06:59 I'm very comfortable in with the *nixes -- I run OS X and Ubuntu exclusively. Still, something about the "this may destroy your data" part irks me. :-P Mar 28 04:07:23 I've already got tons of data on the disk that's attached to my NSLU2 now. It isn't feasible at the moment to copy it all elsewhere. Mar 28 04:07:34 So I want to know whether or not I can do this safely without harming that data. Mar 28 04:09:11 oh if that is the case, you can install debian slug and manually partition. You actually run linux filesystem out of USB HDD versus linux from flash/RAM. Mar 28 04:10:24 but the consequence is if you want to only use 1 disk, you'll have to re-allocate about 5GB for debian install, and 128MB for swap. However, the benefits (for me at least) far outweigh the cons, and it's a fully-supported debian system versus patches, etc. for unslug (which may have issues with different kernel mods) Mar 28 04:10:47 Right right. At that point it's just debian. Hack away. Mar 28 04:10:59 hmmm Mar 28 04:11:15 I'm researching this because I bought a DLink DSM-520 last night.. the UPnP receiver for HD. Mar 28 04:11:25 It's nifty, but I don't like having to run the server on my laptop. Mar 28 04:11:33 Especially when I already have an NAS doing its job. Mar 28 04:12:15 gotcha. only thing I would suggest, if you wanted to try debian is as follows: Mar 28 04:13:06 1) add another HDD, and install debian on that, and then mount your existing HDD as new mounts (part of the install). that will keep the existing data intact and no partition resizing necessary Mar 28 04:13:27 2) re-size your existing HDD to give about 5GB for debian, and 128MB for swap, Mar 28 04:14:29 or 3) use unslung firmwares, and implement a lot of work-arounds to work around linksys "cripples" and stuff. Mar 28 04:15:25 Well, from what I've read going the Unslung + Twonky route for what I want (A UPnP server) is really simple. Mar 28 04:15:29 Basically three steps. Mar 28 04:15:58 devjj: Yes, you can reflash the unit with Unslung, and use the existing drive without reformatting. The data will be preserved. Mar 28 04:15:59 I just want to make sure the slug isn't going to reformat my HDD the first time I plug it in after installing Unslung. Mar 28 04:16:24 mwester-laptop: OK, so is the procedure I added above correct? Mar 28 04:16:53 dunno about that, this is a good question. I know as part of the debian install, it asks if you want to use existing partitions, etc. if you manually partition. I never automatically do anything. Mar 28 04:17:16 devjj: what procedure is that? Mar 28 04:17:37 1. Unplug all disks. 2. Use built-in Linksys upgrader to install Unslung-latest. 3. Plug the disks back in, the HDD in port 1 and a a Flash disk in port 2, and use the NASSetup.exe to install. Mar 28 04:18:04 What is NASSetup.exe? Mar 28 04:18:50 It's included in the TwonkyMedia download. The README says to install Unslung, and then to use the NASSetup.exe. It'll ask for the IP of the slug, and then set it up to run TwonkyMedia. Mar 28 04:19:19 Ok, I don't know about Twonky. But, no your procedure won't work as-is. Mar 28 04:19:39 Where did the flash disk come from? Is that already on your NSLU2? Mar 28 04:19:53 No. Mar 28 04:19:59 Right now I just have an HDD plugged in. Mar 28 04:20:01 What is it's purpose then? Mar 28 04:20:03 Completely stock. Mar 28 04:20:15 Mainly just an NAS. Mar 28 04:20:20 I want to use it as a UPnP server. Mar 28 04:20:22 Twonky specifically. Mar 28 04:20:29 I mean what is the purpose of the flash disk? Mar 28 04:20:43 According to http://howtotwonky.pbwiki.com/RAM%20Installation, that's where Twonky is installed. Mar 28 04:21:12 My concern is that that wiki doc is for a version of Twonky that's old, when Unslung was still at 5.5. Mar 28 04:21:17 I don't know about that wiki site Mar 28 04:21:24 Long story short, here's what I want to do: Mar 28 04:21:41 You can't use 5.5 docs for 6.8 -- Linksys changed fundamentals with disk devices. Mar 28 04:21:53 Hence my concern. Mar 28 04:22:07 I read that one rev seriously outdated even the Linksys documentation. Mar 28 04:22:31 No concern if you just stick with the README that comes with the Unslung firmware, and a few key wiki articles. Mar 28 04:22:34 I want to take my currently in use NSLU2, and repurpose it as a UPnP server without having to destroy the existing data. Mar 28 04:22:48 No problem. Mar 28 04:23:21 How? :-D Mar 28 04:23:24 * devjj is excited. Mar 28 04:24:36 Simple solution: unplug disk, reflash NSLU2, follow the README with the Unslung firmware to "unsling" the unit to the existing disk, but be cautious not to format the disk. Mar 28 04:24:51 Complicated solution: add a flash disk to the equation. Mar 28 04:25:52 If you have a flash disk, and you wish to use that so as not to disturb your existing disk at all, here's what you need to do: Mar 28 04:25:52 hehe, I hear you. Mar 28 04:25:58 Go on. Mar 28 04:26:02 Put existing disk on the shelf. Mar 28 04:26:32 Reflash NSLU2, follow the readme to format and unsling to the flash disk BUT USE PORT 1 regardless of advice otherwise. Mar 28 04:27:10 Once setup and running, ipkg update and ipkg install openssh, the install Twonky software. Test. Mar 28 04:27:37 When happy with the result, take existing drive off shelf, plug into USB 2. Mar 28 04:27:57 Configure twonky etc to see the new drive's data. Mar 28 04:28:03 Gotcha. Mar 28 04:28:17 Pitfalls: all user id info and passwords on the existing drive will be lost Mar 28 04:28:41 That's what I needed to know: that the NSLU2, Unslung or not, would not automatically format the drive after a configuration change, up to and including a reflash back to the original firmware. Mar 28 04:29:47 Nope, it will not automagically do destructive things. There's actually a Linksys bug that will prevent a GUI-issued reformat from working if the drive is already partitioned and formatted; we chose to leave that bug in place as it can be considered a "feature" in a way... Mar 28 04:30:12 Just be cautious of a few things: Mar 28 04:30:31 Oh wow. So I can't reformat a formatted drive through the GUI? Mar 28 04:30:33 That's comforting. Mar 28 04:30:46 (Not sarcasm. I'm glad.) Mar 28 04:30:58 The docs will encourage you to use USB 2 as the primary; in your case with two natively-formatted disks, your configuration is the exception -- use USB 1 as the primary and the target for the unsling operation. Mar 28 04:31:19 And then check the "known issues" section on the wiki for known gotchas. Mar 28 04:32:18 In particular, the README says you can use a 256MB flash disk; that's wrong as 6.8 requires 512MB or more (Linksys changed the partition sizes) Mar 28 04:32:45 All right. Twonky doesn't even take up a meg, so a 1GB Flash disk should suffice. Mar 28 04:33:17 One more question, before I scamper off: If I want to, is it as simple as reflashing back to the original Linksys firmware? Mar 28 04:33:40 Yeah, two years ago the 256/512 difference was a big deal. I just picked up a 1GB Flash device for 14 USD last week, so not as big a problem! Mar 28 04:34:04 Ah good question, the reflash is not as simple. Mar 28 04:34:12 :-\ Mar 28 04:34:13 The GUI screen is there, but it doesn't work. Mar 28 04:34:37 What made it work was just too awful to support, frankly, and the bug is that the GUI screen is still present! Mar 28 04:34:54 Review http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/Unslung/KnownProblems Mar 28 04:35:30 Gotcha. I missed that. Mar 28 04:35:39 It points to this wiki article to reflash using the reset-button upgrade mode: http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/HowTo/InstallUnslungFirmware Mar 28 04:35:44 Right. Mar 28 04:35:48 Sorry.. one more question. Mar 28 04:36:04 If you have a Linux box, use upslug2 to reflash with the reset button mode, works great. Mar 28 04:36:04 All things being equal, if I take my time and I'm carefully following the directions, how hard is this kind of thing to get right? Mar 28 04:36:21 I can run it on my Ubuntu box. Mar 28 04:36:47 It seems to vary greatly. My first experience was flawless, and straightforward. Others have struggled for days. Mar 28 04:37:00 That's comforting. :-P Mar 28 04:37:18 I think (personal opinion) the key is to follow the README carefully, and not to "skip ahead" or second-guess the intent. Mar 28 04:37:19 If it all goes to hell, at the very least I can still plug the HDD into my Ubuntu box and rescue the data that way. Mar 28 04:38:16 The installation is convoluted to some degree because it must maintain compatability with Linksys, so the sequence of when to plug in disks, and when to restart, is carefully thought out - don't skip any steps :) Mar 28 04:38:27 I understand. Mar 28 04:38:43 A backup is always a good idea, of course! Mar 28 04:38:52 Understood, hehe. Mar 28 04:38:58 I wouldn't normally try this without a full backup. Mar 28 04:39:02 But it just isn't practical at the moment. Mar 28 04:39:22 And I've never had the kind of "OMG I JUST DELETED MY LIFE!!!111" moment. Mar 28 04:39:24 I'm careful. Mar 28 04:39:37 Perhaps you want to "play" for a while with the drive on the shelf, using just a pair of flash devices... Mar 28 04:39:53 That's what I'm thinking. Mar 28 04:39:56 * mwester has had a number of "OMG" moments... Mar 28 04:40:00 hehe Mar 28 04:40:04 I've been lucky. Mar 28 04:40:13 Had a few snags, but I keep tons of backups in most cases. Mar 28 04:40:30 That box is different because its original purpose was to hold the huge files I don't ever need but don't want to trash. Mar 28 04:42:22 Sounds familiar. My wife is a photographer, I started with a 40GB drive with that idea (just to hold the working copies of images). Now I have a pair of 250GB drives on an NSLU2 and running out of space... Mar 28 04:42:35 Yup. Mar 28 04:43:03 (which runs Unslung 6.8, FWIW) Mar 28 04:43:06 If this goes well I'm probably going to get some kind of USB RAID setup and pipe it through the NSLU2 Mar 28 04:44:03 I'm actually a fan of the rsync copy approach -- that's why there's two 250's on the NSLU2. It means that if she deletes something, there's a copy easily available on the other drive, at least until they sync up overnight. Mar 28 04:44:03 Either that or bite the bullet and just set up a full-blown linux box. Mar 28 04:44:14 Yeah. Mar 28 04:44:24 All right.. I'm off to try that. Mar 28 04:44:30 If I come back in here crying, you'll know how it went. Mar 28 04:44:40 :D Mar 28 05:35:28 I got it Unslung, and I'm doing the Twonkyvision stuff now. Mar 28 05:35:42 It should be in its final reboot phase. Mar 28 05:54:37 Success!! Mar 28 05:54:40 It works perfectly! Mar 28 06:18:51 mwester: You there? Mar 28 06:22:30 hello Mar 28 06:22:42 I installed a debian on my nslu2 Mar 28 06:22:47 Yo. Mar 28 06:22:51 but i didn't create a swap partition Mar 28 06:23:16 and it seems i have some problem of memory with my 32MB when I want launch some perl scripts Mar 28 06:23:44 do you know how can i boot in the firmware? Mar 28 06:23:54 so far I boot on my /dev/sda1 Mar 28 06:24:11 and I would like boot on the 8MB flash Mar 28 06:25:09 Sorry.. I'm a newb myself. Mar 28 06:31:58 it seems i need just to reboot without the usb dongle **** BEGIN LOGGING AT Wed Mar 28 10:36:56 2007 Mar 28 11:40:08 Hello there!!! Mar 28 20:09:34 mika_ :) Mar 28 20:24:26 capbot: :) Mar 28 20:24:35 How are you caplink811-log Mar 28 21:28:08 /window show 2 Mar 28 21:28:22 oops Mar 28 21:29:58 /show irssi users Mar 28 21:36:36 hey kapookee, you outed yourself as an irssi user. :p Mar 28 21:37:35 great stuff :) Mar 28 22:12:59 hey all Mar 28 22:13:22 I've just installed openslug for the first time and I'm having a problem Mar 28 22:13:36 I've searched the wiki for a couple hours and found nothing Mar 28 22:13:59 anyway what's happened is I can't ssh into my NSLU2 Mar 28 22:14:04 I can't even ping it Mar 28 22:14:22 I've tried pinging it via a broadcast and I still get no response Mar 28 22:16:30 hello? **** ENDING LOGGING AT Thu Mar 29 02:59:56 2007