**** BEGIN LOGGING AT Fri Dec 26 02:59:57 2008
Dec 26 13:23:28 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Hello all. I've run into some problems with my NSLU2 device after a recent power cut. It starts up as in powers on accordingly and the external HDD starts making sounds as it is powered on however the disk 1 lamp doesn't light anymore as it used to and the device doesn't seem to boot up properly and won't connect to the network (although ethernet light is green). I am running Debian on the device. Anyone has any suggestions on what
Dec 26 14:01:13 <DrJ> Tekeo__Rekeo: try booting it without the hd
Dec 26 14:01:44 <DrJ> if that works, try then to plug the hd in
Dec 26 14:01:46 <DrJ> and mount it
Dec 26 14:01:54 <DrJ> then have a look at your system message log
Dec 26 14:02:26 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Ok will try booting it without it now
Dec 26 14:12:49 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Back, had to change some networking around
Dec 26 14:14:12 <Tekeo__Rekeo> and nope, at least I can't access it via the network
Dec 26 14:14:29 <Tekeo__Rekeo> not listed in router device list and such
Dec 26 14:19:27 <Tekeo__Rekeo> tried starting it up with the HDD now
Dec 26 14:19:33 <Tekeo__Rekeo> And the HDD is working quite a lot
Dec 26 14:19:48 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Suspecting a filesystem check or something possibly
Dec 26 14:29:34 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Gonna leave it for a while and do some other stuff, be back in an hour or something
Dec 26 14:52:05 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Hmm the system doesn't seem to boot after all
Dec 26 14:52:27 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Checking the logs and nothing really written after the power cut
Dec 26 15:15:44 <DogBoy> debian what are you running Tekeo__Rekeo 
Dec 26 15:17:34 <Tekeo__Rekeo> DogBoy: Umm how do you mean?
Dec 26 15:17:51 <DogBoy> I mean could you be more specific
Dec 26 15:17:56 <Tekeo__Rekeo> The Debian-arm if that's what you mean. Think it's called Lenny or something
Dec 26 15:18:13 <DogBoy> how did you install it
Dec 26 15:18:42 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Via networking, put the NSLU2 into upgrade mode and used upslug2
Dec 26 15:19:22 <DogBoy> and then it was done
Dec 26 15:19:37 <DogBoy> armel probably
Dec 26 15:19:44 <Tekeo__Rekeo> sshed into it and followed the install thing
Dec 26 15:19:48 <DogBoy> how long did the install take
Dec 26 15:20:12 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Hmm, was a while ago that I did the install but I think in the range 1-2.5 hours or something
Dec 26 15:20:51 <DogBoy> how long ago
Dec 26 15:21:03 <DogBoy> where did you get the installer
Dec 26 15:21:11 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Well September I reckon
Dec 26 15:21:48 <Tekeo__Rekeo> I used the unofficial image I think
Dec 26 15:22:00 <DogBoy> if there is a power failure and some trouble with the disk it can stop during boot waiting for you to respond to a fsck prompt
Dec 26 15:22:01 <Tekeo__Rekeo> With the  IXP4xx microcode included
Dec 26 15:22:23 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Ah that could possibly be it indeed
Dec 26 15:22:48 <Tekeo__Rekeo> How would I be able to fix that?
Dec 26 15:22:49 <DogBoy> you can fix that 
Dec 26 15:22:51 <Tekeo__Rekeo> USB keyboard?
Dec 26 15:23:09 <DogBoy> mod some config file by mounting that drive on your desktop
Dec 26 15:23:16 <DogBoy> I don't know off hand which one it is
Dec 26 15:23:33 <DogBoy> some reading about fsck should help you find it
Dec 26 15:23:40 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Ok, I have the drive mounted on my desktop atm
Dec 26 15:24:01 <DogBoy> oh, he mentions it on 
Dec 26 15:24:15 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Would I be able to perform a file system check from my desktop?
Dec 26 15:25:11 <DogBoy> don't know
Dec 26 15:26:34 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Ok
Dec 26 15:26:51 <DogBoy> to me it sounds like that is the problem
Dec 26 15:27:03 <DogBoy> power failure will lead to fsck check
Dec 26 15:27:09 <Tekeo__Rekeo> DogBoy: "DogBoy: oh, he mentions it on ", where is it mentioned?
Dec 26 15:27:17 <DogBoy> don't remember
Dec 26 15:27:23 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Hehe ok
Dec 26 15:27:30 <DogBoy> where I saw it, the guy that makes the installer I think
Dec 26 15:27:37 <DogBoy> maybe on a mailing list
Dec 26 15:27:51 <DogBoy> oh maybe in his changelog
Dec 26 15:30:13 <DogBoy> you could fix it yourself though
Dec 26 15:30:30 <DogBoy> just research fsck and see about the config where you set it to bypass those questions
Dec 26 15:30:50 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Kk
Dec 26 15:45:24 <Tekeo__Rekeo> I changed fstab to disable fsck for now just to see if it's going to start up
Dec 26 15:46:28 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Seems like that did it!
Dec 26 15:46:37 <Tekeo__Rekeo> DogBoy: Thanks a bunch mate
Dec 26 15:46:55 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Saved me a lot of trouble there
Dec 26 15:54:08 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Will a force fsck on reboot still ask if you want to perform it?
Dec 26 15:54:20 <Tekeo__Rekeo> Or will it start on its own?
Dec 26 17:23:40 <pinky1234> hi! i'm trying to install debian on my slug using this guide: http://www.cyrius.com/debian/nslu2/install.html from Martin Michalmayr.
Dec 26 17:23:40 <pinky1234> After i flashed the new image i'm supposed to ssh to the slug. The guide says i'm supposed to use user: installer pass: install, but i can't log in. i get 3 tries, and then it says "Permission denied (publickey,password).
Dec 26 17:23:40 <pinky1234> " and kicks me out.
Dec 26 17:24:26 <pinky1234> i've googled som other guides as well, and they also say user installer and password install.
Dec 26 17:25:43 <pinky1234> i used the Debian/NSLU2 ARM (armel) 5.0 rc1 image now, but i had the same result with the 4.0r3 image before
Dec 26 17:37:26 <pinky1234> my bad! i was connecting to a machine with a similar name XD sorry for disturbing you
Dec 26 19:23:34 <schmoop> this is a totally noob question, but is it possibly for the nslu2 to mount a samba share or iscsi or nfs mount.... i have all my storage on another computer and not usb drives
Dec 26 19:37:17 <mwester> sure
Dec 26 19:37:33 <mwester> most development is done using nfsroot
Dec 26 20:02:33 <BusError> does everyone fatslug their's, nowaday ?
Dec 26 20:17:41 <mwester> there are very, very few fatslugs in existence, actually.  It is not easy to do .
Dec 26 20:20:34 * BusError is flashing openwrt
Dec 26 20:21:08 <BusError> I love debian, but it feels a tad overbig :D
Dec 26 20:27:30 <mwester> Yep.
Dec 26 20:27:40 <mwester> SlugOS is my preference (but I'm biased)
Dec 26 20:32:06 <BusError> is it based on the original firmware ? I haven;t digested all the options yet :D
Dec 26 20:32:49 <BusError> gah I launched 'top' and I can't quit it. such a noob at the uclibc environment :D
Dec 26 20:33:14 <mwester> SlugOS is not based on any part of the original Linksys code.  It's basically a specific distro designed for small devices like the NSLU2, but not so extreme as OpenWRT
Dec 26 20:59:31 <Carcass> greetings fellow mortals
Dec 27 02:17:26 <chrisb> BusError: are you flashing the nslu2 with openwrt?
Dec 27 02:17:43 * chrisb agrees that debian "feels" big on a slug
Dec 27 02:18:01 <chrisb> i don't want debian cruft accumulating on my slug
Dec 27 02:18:37 <DogBoy> I don't see it that way myself
Dec 27 02:20:33 <mwester> Every distro has it's place, it actually works out pretty nicely in the matrix.
Dec 27 02:22:22 <DogBoy> I looked at that
Dec 27 02:22:40 <DogBoy> couldn't figure out how to do what I wanted with a lighter slug oriented distro
Dec 27 02:23:47 <chrisb> DogBoy: it is definitely great that debian runs on the box, i'm glad it is working for you
Dec 27 02:23:48 <mwester> Yep, that's the advantage of debian on the NLSU2 -- it's debian.  Pick up any book or wiki that describes debian, and it pretty much applies to the NLSU2 as well.  The problem is that you have no in-firmware recovery, and it's HUUUGE!
Dec 27 02:24:21 <DogBoy> the problem is what?
Dec 27 02:25:04 <mwester> Sorry, my line is too long?
Dec 27 02:25:12 <mwester> The problem is that you have no in-firmware recovery, and it's HUUUGE!
Dec 27 02:25:23 <DogBoy> what does that mean
Dec 27 02:26:33 <mwester> It means that installing any package usually takes up more memory (packages for SlugOS and OpenWRT are compiled with options to reduce size) and the package itself takes up less flash space or disk space (things like dev libs or man pages are split out into separate packages)
Dec 27 02:26:52 <mwester> Not an issue, of course, if you have an external disk at all times.
Dec 27 02:27:11 <mwester> Which is the other big problem with debian; because it is so large, it cannot run from the internal flash.
Dec 27 02:27:38 <mwester> So whenever it won't boot, you must find another system to attach the external disk, to fix the disk or fix whatever is wrong that prevents booting.
Dec 27 02:27:49 <mwester> Again, not a big problem for many folks.
Dec 27 02:27:57 <mwester> But for others, it's a significant drawback.
Dec 27 02:28:28 <mwester> So all the firmwares have very distinct purposes, and no one is better than any other, overall -- just each is best at a specific purpose.
Dec 27 02:28:30 <DogBoy> that's true of any headless server though
Dec 27 02:28:41 <mwester> No, I think not.
Dec 27 02:29:06 <mwester> But I'll not argue.  You can think of it as similar enough, I guess.
Dec 27 02:29:42 <DogBoy> well
Dec 27 02:29:47 <DogBoy> at least make your point
Dec 27 02:29:52 <mwester> My bet is that you can put a repair CD or such into your headless server, you don't have to pull out the drives unless you wish to.
Dec 27 02:30:16 <mwester> I've made my point -- all the distros have their places.
Dec 27 02:30:25 <DogBoy> <mwester> No, I think not.
Dec 27 02:30:41 <mwester> Really?  You would eliminate a distro or two, then?
Dec 27 02:30:45 <DogBoy> it's the same thing on my cobalt qubes
Dec 27 02:30:46 <mwester> Hmm....
Dec 27 02:31:11 <mwester> Well, that would be unfortunate for the users of those distros ;)  Ah well.
Dec 27 02:31:17 <DogBoy> I thought you were responding to me saying <DogBoy> that's true of any headless server though
Dec 27 02:33:19 <DogBoy> cobalt qube install is almost exactly the same
Dec 27 02:33:45 <DogBoy> only difference is you have a serial port to see what's happening at boot
Dec 27 02:34:13 <DogBoy> but then you need a crossover cable and I got serial ports on the slugs I have 
Dec 27 02:35:11 <DogBoy> the point I was trying to make was it's not any different than most headless servers, it's just the barrier to entry is lower with slugs
Dec 27 02:35:28 <DogBoy> kind of like knoppix
Dec 27 02:35:36 <DogBoy> it has it's good and it's bad points
Dec 27 02:37:57 <DogBoy> heh, seems to me that you were deliberately being argumentative but when we got to the point of refutation you pulled out
Dec 27 02:40:48 <mwester> Nope other things to do.
Dec 27 02:41:07 <DogBoy> <mwester> No, I think not.
Dec 27 02:41:17 <mwester> Serial port is the big difference -- you have it on your servers to fix things, you don't without soldering on the NSLU2
Dec 27 02:41:19 <DogBoy> it's ok if you don't want to explain what you mean
Dec 27 02:41:41 <mwester> I said several times what I meant.
Dec 27 02:41:55 <mwester> With the NSLU2 you do not have access by any means should it fail to boot.
Dec 27 02:42:07 <DogBoy> access to what
Dec 27 02:42:07 <mwester> With even headless servers youhave  a serial port.
Dec 27 02:42:09 <mwester> That's what I mena.
Dec 27 02:42:13 <mwester> That's the difference.
Dec 27 02:42:24 <DogBoy> headless server is headless server
Dec 27 02:42:45 <DogBoy> if there is a problem they're not as easy to fix as a regular computer
Dec 27 02:42:47 <mwester> Accxess to what???  to login and fix the system!  To run fsck! to fix your network config!  :)  A serial port opens the world up on a Linux server!
Dec 27 02:43:21 <mwester> It's the single most significant hack one can do to an NSLU2 - it brings it to par with your headless servers -- but few users can do it.
Dec 27 02:43:44 <DogBoy> that was my point
Dec 27 02:43:59 <DogBoy> in general
Dec 27 02:44:34 <DogBoy> it's like knoppix, it introduces people to linux, many of which are not that capable, they're newbies
Dec 27 02:44:40 <DogBoy> everybody starts somewhere
Dec 27 02:44:57 <mwester> We agree on that.
Dec 27 02:45:55 <DogBoy> lol
Dec 27 02:46:13 <DogBoy> took me about 4 hours to figure out out to get that solder out of the holes
Dec 27 02:46:16 <mwester> But if you are of the opinion that a headless, serial-port-less device is a better learning tool with Debian vs SlugOS, then I would disagree.  It is entirely too unforgiving.  It's like taking a 16 yo and putting them behind the wheel of a race car for their first outing.
Dec 27 02:46:22 <DogBoy> I had to go buy more tools
Dec 27 02:46:50 <DogBoy> not at all
Dec 27 02:46:58 <DogBoy> that was not what I was saying
Dec 27 02:47:16 <mwester> Oh ok - I misunderstood something then.
Dec 27 02:47:25 <DogBoy> it's like knoppix
Dec 27 02:47:36 <DogBoy> you get a lot of newbie questions with it
Dec 27 02:47:41 <mwester> That's true
Dec 27 02:47:44 <DogBoy> it's both a good thing and a bad thing
Dec 27 02:47:49 <DogBoy> heh
Dec 27 02:48:26 <DogBoy> most users are gonna be better off using something other than debian
Dec 27 02:48:52 <DogBoy> <chrisb> i don't want debian cruft accumulating on my slug
Dec 27 02:48:53 <DogBoy> <DogBoy> I don't see it that way myself
Dec 27 02:49:04 <DogBoy> I was just responding to what chrisb said earlier
Dec 27 02:49:35 <mwester> Well that gets back to the "need" thing -- different users will have different needs.  The challenge is wading through the wiki to figure out which to install.
Dec 27 02:49:52 <DogBoy> if I could do what I wanted with some lighter "fits in flash" distro I would be using that
Dec 27 02:50:48 <mwester> Yep.  But if you have a serial port, then it's not so big an issue.
Dec 27 02:51:14 <DogBoy> even with a serial port I can't figure out something
Dec 27 02:51:34 <DogBoy> I thought I could tar up a single partition install
Dec 27 02:51:55 <mwester> Should be able to.
Dec 27 02:52:06 <mwester> You'll need to backup the flash as well, though.
Dec 27 02:52:10 <DogBoy> and put it on another stick and flash another slug with what's in the flash of the slug with debian install
Dec 27 02:52:22 <DogBoy> but so far I can't get it to work
Dec 27 02:52:30 <DogBoy> even watching it boot 
Dec 27 02:52:35 <mwester> Hmm... I'd check things like UUID mounting?
Dec 27 02:52:57 <DogBoy> I thought it might be that but I don't see it complaining about that
Dec 27 02:53:13 <DogBoy> it does seem like it's something to do with mounting
Dec 27 02:54:25 <mwester> Dunno how Debian does the rootfs mounting, but it should be by either label or uuid, because the latest kernels all have the same limitation when it comes to USB mass storage devices; they move around (in terms of /dev/sd<letter>).
Dec 27 02:57:05 <DogBoy> oh yea
Dec 27 02:57:16 <DogBoy> not sure how to get around that then
Dec 27 02:57:49 <mwester> anyway - I gotta run, I have two minutes to get out of here! later!
Dec 27 02:58:30 * chrisb was more interested in BusError switching to openwrt from debian for the slug
Dec 27 02:58:52 <chrisb> DogBoy: i didn't mean to dis your Debian slugs
Dec 27 02:59:04 <DogBoy> I didn't take it as a diss
Dec 27 02:59:17 <DogBoy> you were chiming in with your point of view and I did the same
Dec 27 02:59:34 <DogBoy> I didn't mean what I said as a diss either
Dec 27 02:59:55 <chrisb> what about slug as an authentication server, nis or openldap or kerberos...
**** ENDING LOGGING AT Sat Dec 27 02:59:57 2008