Installed syncthing package, but package is very old, how to update?

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Chico Barker

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Apr 1, 2020, 1:08:00 AM4/1/20
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Linux amateur here.
Alt-f current
DNS-320ax

Alt-f is awesome.

Want to add syncthing to recive file sync.

Installed package from Alt-f Packages list..  It appears to work fine.  EXCEPT.  it is quite old version compared to current.  
Current in the automatic update provided gives 0.13.9, and it is the most recent version provided here: (as a .ipk)

I could get newer versions from 

Which is the version i'm hoping to match to my other systems. (FYI this is not the latest version, which is 1.4, but my other hardware is limited to 1.0.1, so i can't go past that version - there is an update to current version button on the syncthing gui which would make this a piece of cake, but i can't go to that version - at least i'm not sure i can)

But my concern is i'm not sure even which OS choice to make (yes noob), much less how to get it into the alt-f system running on my NAS.  I tried some basic 'nix commands like yum and apt, but not resident on NAS. SO i'm guessing the OS there is very stripped down version of something, but i don't know what.  What is it?

I searched a lot and found a refernce to installing the ..ipk into a folder and Alt F would install it automagically. but i did not find a newer version .ipk of syncthing

So, can someone give noob level step by step:
1) which of the versions (ie which file to download) would be appropriate for this NAS?
2) how can i install it into alt-f os?

Seem like it should be easy.

help?

João Cardoso

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Apr 1, 2020, 3:20:35 PM4/1/20
to Alt-F


On Wednesday, 1 April 2020 06:08:00 UTC+1, Chico Barker wrote:
Linux amateur here.
Alt-f current
DNS-320ax

Alt-f is awesome.

Want to add syncthing to recive file sync.

Installed package from Alt-f Packages list..  It appears to work fine.  EXCEPT.  it is quite old version compared to current.  
Current in the automatic update provided gives 0.13.9, and it is the most recent version provided here: (as a .ipk)

I could get newer versions from 

You can try to download the syncthing-linux-arm-v1.0.1.tar.gz and install it over the existing one:

cd /tmp
wget https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/download/v1.0.1/syncthing-linux-arm-v1.0.1.tar.gz # download from github
tar xzf syncthing-linux-arm-v1.0.1.tar.gz # extract to temporary location
rcsyncthing stop # stop an existing syncthing. *Don't* stop it other way
cp -a syncthing-linux-arm-v1.0.1/* /opt/syncthing/ # copy over existent
chown -R syncthing:sync /opt/syncthing # change user and group
rm -rf syncthing-linux-arm-v1.0.1* # remove download and tmp extracted files
rcsyncthing start # start syncthing. *don't* start syncthing other way

Untested.
Worked? Please report back.
Note in the comments above: rcsyncthing start (or stop or status)  # *don't* start/stop syncthing other way



Which is the version i'm hoping to match to my other systems. (FYI this is not the latest version, which is 1.4, but my other hardware is limited to 1.0.1, so i can't go past that version - there is an update to current version button on the syncthing gui which would make this a piece of cake, but i can't go to that version - at least i'm not sure i can)

But my concern is i'm not sure even which OS

linux arm. not arm64
 
choice to make (yes noob), much less how to get it into the alt-f system running on my NAS.  I tried some basic 'nix commands like yum and apt, but not resident on NAS. SO i'm guessing the OS there is very stripped down version of something, but i don't know what.  What is it?

Build from bare metal ;-)

João Cardoso

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Apr 1, 2020, 3:43:50 PM4/1/20
to al...@googlegroups.com


On Wednesday, 1 April 2020 20:20:35 UTC+1, João Cardoso wrote:


On Wednesday, 1 April 2020 06:08:00 UTC+1, Chico Barker wrote:
Linux amateur here.
Alt-f current
DNS-320ax

Alt-f is awesome.

Want to add syncthing to recive file sync.

Installed package from Alt-f Packages list..  It appears to work fine.  EXCEPT.  it is quite old version compared to current.  
Current in the automatic update provided gives 0.13.9, and it is the most recent version provided here: (as a .ipk)

I could get newer versions from 

You can try to download the syncthing-linux-arm-v1.0.1.tar.gz and install it over the existing one:

cd /tmp
wget https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/download/v1.0.1/syncthing-linux-arm-v1.0.1.tar.gz # download from github
tar xzf syncthing-linux-arm-v1.0.1.tar.gz # extract to temporary location
rcsyncthing stop # stop an existing syncthing. *Don't* stop it other way
cp -a syncthing-linux-arm-v1.0.1/* /opt/syncthing/ # copy over existent
chown -R syncthing:sync /opt/syncthing # change user and group
rm -rf syncthing-linux-arm-v1.0.1* # remove download and tmp extracted files
rcsyncthing start # start syncthing. *don't* start syncthing other way

Untested.
Worked? Please report back.
Note in the comments above: rcsyncthing start (or stop or status)  # *don't* start/stop syncthing other way

well... after all I tested it and worked, but went immediately to upgrade, as seen in the log:

[UAHGC] 19:35:05 INFO: Automatic upgrade (current "v1.0.1" < latest "v1.4.0")
[UAHGC] 19:35:16 WARNING: Automatically upgraded to version "v1.4.0". Restarting in 1 minute.
...
[UAHGC] 19:36:16 INFO: Exiting
...
[monitor] 19:36:16 INFO: Restarting monitor...
[start] 19:36:16 INFO: syncthing v1.4.0 "Fermium Flea" (go1.13.8 linux-arm)

so before executing the above commands one needs to disable that in /usr/lib/syncthing/config.xml, perhaps setting autoUpgradeInterval to  0

Chico Barker

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Jun 20, 2020, 7:31:57 PM6/20/20
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Hello Joao,

I did follow the instructions you provided.  The progress appeared to be sucess at each step.

After the lsat command the appropriate reply was provided.

I then opened the GUI for syncthing to try to connect to it's webUI.  No connection.  I opened Alt-f webgui to see that the process was stopped.

I reissued the last command line command, and then ran top to confirm syncthing was running.  Also quickly conformed in ALT-f GUI.

After some short period, syncthing terminated.

I retried it several times with same result.

The syncthing log from ALT-F says:

[monitor] 23:17:32 INFO: Starting syncthing
[TJDVX] 23:17:38 INFO: syncthing v1.0.1 "Erbium Earthworm" (go1.11.5 linux-arm) team...@build.syncthing.net 2019-01-18 10:34:18 UTC
[TJDVX] 23:17:38 INFO: My ID: TJDVXBI-IXWLS2O-V3CT3YF-NS5JROZ-EJKWELC-GD4WFFK-6ZNOOX2-66BCUQX
[TJDVX] 23:17:39 INFO: Single thread SHA256 performance is 6.2 MB/s using crypto/sha256 (6.2 MB/s using minio/sha256-simd).
[TJDVX] 23:17:40 INFO: Archiving a copy of old config file format at: /var/lib/syncthing/config.xml.v30
[TJDVX] 23:17:43 INFO: Hashing performance is 5.11 MB/s
[TJDVX] 23:17:43 FATAL: Database schema: Syncthing v1.6.0 required
[monitor] 23:17:43 INFO: Syncthing exited: exit status 1
[monitor] 23:17:44 WARNING: 4 restarts in 45.550844701s; not retrying further


It appears to fave failed due to some version issue.  Any thoughts?

Chico Barker

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Jun 20, 2020, 8:45:23 PM6/20/20
to Alt-F
Further update to the syncthing silent fail.

Developer there says "no idea why use old version", so clearly not interested in helping.  Which is reasonable for a free product.  You get what he is willing to give.

So, the idea of installing the older version of sync thing over-top of the later version appears to be a problem.  So now i will try to remove all traces of sync thing then install the original (as provided with Alt-f) then attempt the upgrade again.

only trouble is, I have no idea how to unistall syncthing from the ALT-f nas.  Is there any easy answer you can offer to the clueless Nube that i am?

Many thanks.

Joao Cardoso

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Jun 20, 2020, 9:59:02 PM6/20/20
to Alt-F


On Sunday, June 21, 2020 at 12:31:57 AM UTC+1, Chico Barker wrote:
Hello Joao,

I did follow the instructions you provided.  The progress appeared to be sucess at each step.

After the lsat command the appropriate reply was provided.

I then opened the GUI for syncthing to try to connect to it's webUI.  No connection.  I opened Alt-f webgui to see that the process was stopped.

I reissued the last command line command, and then ran top to confirm syncthing was running.  Also quickly conformed in ALT-f GUI.

After some short period, syncthing terminated.

I retried it several times with same result.

The syncthing log from ALT-F says:

[monitor] 23:17:32 INFO: Starting syncthing
[TJDVX] 23:17:38 INFO: syncthing v1.0.1 "Erbium Earthworm" (go1.11.5 linux-arm) team...@build.syncthing.net 2019-01-18 10:34:18 UTC
[TJDVX] 23:17:38 INFO: My ID: TJDVXBI-IXWLS2O-V3CT3YF-NS5JROZ-EJKWELC-GD4WFFK-6ZNOOX2-66BCUQX
[TJDVX] 23:17:39 INFO: Single thread SHA256 performance is 6.2 MB/s using crypto/sha256 (6.2 MB/s using minio/sha256-simd).
[TJDVX] 23:17:40 INFO: Archiving a copy of old config file format at: /var/lib/syncthing/config.xml.v30
[TJDVX] 23:17:43 INFO: Hashing performance is 5.11 MB/s
[TJDVX] 23:17:43 FATAL: Database schema: Syncthing v1.6.0 required

The database created while you where using other syncthing version can't be read by the 1.0.1 version.
Try removing it, 'rm -rf /var/lib/syncthing/index-v0.13.0.db', start thinksync (ah!) the right way and watch the logs. Might work...
The db folder might have another name in your system, do a 'ls /var/lib/syncthing' to get the right name, should end in .db

Joao Cardoso

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Jun 20, 2020, 10:12:14 PM6/20/20
to Alt-F


On Sunday, June 21, 2020 at 1:45:23 AM UTC+1, Chico Barker wrote:
Further update to the syncthing silent fail.

Developer there says "no idea why use old version", so clearly not interested in helping.

Not quite. There are free(*) lunches! No matter what they want you to convince to (or embed in your mind).

(*) free as in beer and speech, as Alt-F.
 
  Which is reasonable for a free product.  You get what he is willing to give.
 
You might have to wash the dish at the lunch end, of course :-)
 

So, the idea of installing the older version of sync thing over-top of the later version appears to be a problem.  So now i will try to remove all traces of sync thing then install the original (as provided with Alt-f) then attempt the upgrade again.

only trouble is, I have no idea how to unistall syncthing from the ALT-f nas. 

Ah! Search for it, no free lunches, remember? :-)

Chico Barker

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Jun 21, 2020, 11:47:46 AM6/21/20
to Alt-F
Joao,

Your idea worked like a charm.  Thank you 1,000,000!!!

Although the database file name was the same, the internal structure must have been different.  The missing file was recreated by syncthing upon start, and it is happily humming away rebuilding the database.

If only i could now change the topic of this post to "How to upgrade or downgrade the syncthing package provided in ALT-f distribution" so that others might find it if they are trying some similar silliness.

Again, thank you!  Can i send you a coffee (or beer) via paypal somehow?


On Wednesday, April 1, 2020 at 1:08:00 AM UTC-4, Chico Barker wrote:

Rolf Pedersen

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Jun 21, 2020, 12:28:05 PM6/21/20
to al...@googlegroups.com
On 6/21/20 8:47 AM, Chico Barker wrote:
Joao,

Your idea worked like a charm.  Thank you 1,000,000!!!

Although the database file name was the same, the internal structure must have been different.  The missing file was recreated by syncthing upon start, and it is happily humming away rebuilding the database.

If only i could now change the topic of this post to "How to upgrade or downgrade the syncthing package provided in ALT-f distribution" so that others might find it if they are trying some similar silliness.

Again, thank you!  Can i send you a coffee (or beer) via paypal somehow?


On Wednesday, April 1, 2020 at 1:08:00 AM UTC-4, Chico Barker wrote:
Linux amateur here.
Alt-f current
DNS-320ax

Alt-f is awesome.

Want to add syncthing to recive file sync.

Installed package from Alt-f Packages list..  It appears to work fine.  EXCEPT.  it is quite old version compared to current.  
Current in the automatic update provided gives 0.13.9, and it is the most recent version provided here: (as a .ipk)

I could get newer versions from 

Which is the version i'm hoping to match to my other systems. (FYI this is not the latest version, which is 1.4, but my other hardware is limited to 1.0.1, so i can't go past that version - there is an update to current version button on the syncthing gui which would make this a piece of cake, but i can't go to that version - at least i'm not sure i can)

But my concern is i'm not sure even which OS choice to make (yes noob), much less how to get it into the alt-f system running on my NAS.  I tried some basic 'nix commands like yum and apt, but not resident on NAS. SO i'm guessing the OS there is very stripped down version of something, but i don't know what.  What is it?

I searched a lot and found a refernce to installing the ..ipk into a folder and Alt F would install it automagically. but i did not find a newer version .ipk of syncthing

So, can someone give noob level step by step:
1) which of the versions (ie which file to download) would be appropriate for this NAS?
2) how can i install it into alt-f os?

Seem like it should be easy.

help?
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Göran Roseen

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Aug 19, 2020, 8:29:29 AM8/19/20
to Alt-F

I am about to install Synthing on my Alt-F boxes, and I would just like to summarize what you did. Please shout if I have missed something:

1) Install syncthing 0.13.9 using the Alt-F GUI and unstable sources (https://sourceforge.net/projects/alt-f/files/pkgs/unstable/)
2) Start syncthing and allow it to auto upgrade
3) Delete the database file, probably somewhere under /var/lib/syncthing
4) Restart syncthing

Göran Roseen

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Aug 19, 2020, 4:43:38 PM8/19/20
to Alt-F
OK, now I have access to the NAS, and have tried the above.
For me, the problem was that user syncthing and group sync was never created, and therefore all other scripts failed, without even logging.

I created them manually, chown:ed the application folders, and now it came up nicely!
I selected to upgrade in the web UI, and it worked without problem, according to the log the database was migrated.
I am now on v1.8.0.

Now I just have to find a way to let the syncthing user have access to existing folders on the NAS. I can add syncthing folders if I create a folder manually that is owned by syncthing.sync, but so far I have only got "Permission denied" when trying to create a syncthing folder on an existing path. 
Adding user syncthing to the group that owns the folder didn't work.

Göran Roseen

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Aug 25, 2020, 5:17:40 AM8/25/20
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Edit: My mistake, adding the Syncthing user to the appropriate group DID work.

andre.lin...@gmail.com

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Feb 4, 2021, 7:48:38 AM2/4/21
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Are these pkgs being updated?
https://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/alt-f/pkgs/unstable

Giles Cotterill

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Feb 4, 2021, 4:16:53 PM2/4/21
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Nothing is being updated anymore, which is shame, but Alt-F is excellent, very lucky to have such a good firmware thats easy to install and better to run than the standard.  The DNS series is pretty old now in all it's forms and updates aren't going to be priority for the dev.

Linhares

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Feb 5, 2021, 4:47:19 AM2/5/21
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any guideance to how can i make these updates?
@João Cardoso can you guide me?
Thanks 

João Cardoso

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Feb 5, 2021, 11:27:07 AM2/5/21
to Alt-F
On Friday, February 5, 2021 at 9:47:19 AM UTC Linhares wrote:
any guideance to how can i make these updates?

After installing 0.13.9, you can upgrade it to the last version, Services->User, syncthing, Configure, it has a button saying "Upgrade to v.13.1", hit it.
After the upgrade, its webUI can't be embedded in the Alt-F webUI, you have to open a new browser tab and type its URL, as in http://dns-325:8088 (or https, or using the box IP; the port must be 8088).
Those already using syncthing might have issues, as this is a major revision level upgrade and there have been database incompatible changes.
Also notice that the first time syncthing runs it has to create strong TLS certificates, and that can take a couple of minutes to happen.
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