Cant install ipkg on DNS320 vA1 using RC5

[4s4...@gmail.com]

Hi,

I'm very new to ALT-F, so I humbly apologise in advance because I'm sure I'm overlooking something very obvious.

*** Important note - I was trying to attach 10 screenshots to this post, but I keep getting a 302 error from the server when trying to do so, so I'm going to try and post without the screenshots ***

I'd like to say that while I consider myself an expert at windows operating systems, I have limited Linux knowledge, I've installed several Linux distros and used a few for work, but I'm definitely not an expert. I understand what ext4 is though... don't worry :-)

I have a DNS320 version A1 which I just bought 2nd hand of E-Bay. It previously had v2.05 of the D-Link Firmware, which the previous owner had flashed on to it a while ago.

Before switching to ALT-F, I verified that the unit was working OK with the standard firmware and that I could format a drive, set up a SAMBA share and access it.

I then flashed version 0.1RC5 of ALT-F on to it, the right one for a DNS320 (not a 320L), version A1 - https://sourceforge.net/projects/alt-f/files/Releases/0.1RC5/Alt-F-0.1RC5-DNS-320-rev-Ax.bin/download

After it set itself up as a fixed IP address of 192.168.1.254 (which I found a bit surprising... but whatever) and I moved it to another IP address (192.168.1.31), I started the wizard. At the moment, I have a pair of 4TB SATA drives in it. They get Recognised just fine. I have had some issues partitioning the way I want, but for now I'm just trying to get familiar with the features and get ipkg installed so I can then install the package to get NTFS support. I'd prefer to format the drives as NTFS rather than EXT4 so that if the DNS320 ever fails (but the drives still work), I have an extra option of recovering the drives from a windows machine easily.

I've taken lots of screenshots of what I was doing and saved them as 256-colour .gif files (so they are nice and small):

00-Main-Status-Page.gif - Here's the main configuration page, showing my two nice 4TB NAS drives. For extra completeness, I also dumped the whole system configuration log in to a file named "Alt-Fs-System-Log.txt" too

01-Attempting-to-Install-the-Alt-F-Package.gif - The problems start here, attempting to install ipkg... if I'm doing it right anyway... I have tried both with the experimental packages enabled and disabled. I just wondered if somehow trying to access the expereimental packages was screwing it up. I've tried installing on both partitions, but sda2 is where the user folders are, so I thought that's the best place for this.

02a-Cant-Install-Error-no-such-host.gif - The first time I try to go to do this, I get "Trying sourceforge.net... no such host", which is odd. Note that the second and subsequent times, I get the error shown in 02b-Cant-Install-Error-Segmentation-Fault.gif, that there's a segmentation fault. This led me to this posting (https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/alt-f/ipkg$20is$20not$20installed|sort:relevance/alt-f/DX3QF-hcV1U/MDNgkfrRCQAJ).

So at this point, I'm wondering if I do have the network set up properly, because maybe I got the gateway wrong or something.

First, I checked the HOST configuration, see 03-Host-Configuration.gif

Then I SSH'd in to the device and tried a few pings. See 04-Ping-Results-from-an-SSH.gif

As you can see, I was able to ping my gateway (192.168.1.1), www.google.com and even downloads.sourceforge.net.

Also the fact that I can get to the device through my browser and from my SSH client does suggest the network is set up properly.

No, I don't need a proxy server on my network. I'm on my home network and there's no proxy required to get out. Just in case there was a proxy by default, I checked the proxy settings. See 05-No-I-Dont-Accidentally-have-a-Proxy.gif

I re-checked it's sda2 that has the user folders, see 06-Checking-its-sda2-with-the-user-folders.gif. Then I wondered if I had to manually create the tmp folder, see 07-Maybe-I-Need-a-manually-creates-tmp-folder.gif.

Then I started wondering if my ISP or the Australian government was blocking sourceforge for some reason (they just blocked a whole lot of .torrent trackers recently), so even though I could PING downloads.sourceforge.net, I tried going to the URL in my browser. See 08-My-Web-Browser-can-go-to-that-URL.gif. Yes, it can go there.

I tried checking the installation of ffp. I don't know what that is and I don't think I want it, but someone else did it in a forum post as part of trouble shooting problems like this, so I tried. I couldn't download it either, see 09-Cant-install-FFP-either-whatever-that-is.gif.

If I try to go back to the package installation pages, then when I try to "Submit" or "Update Package List", I get told ipkg isn't installed, but just for the sake of completeness, here's the popup box I get as a screenshot in 10-ipkg-is-not-installed-install-using-the-webUI.gif.. 

I'm really stuck here. I might well be doing something stupid. As I said, my linux knowledge is quite limited, so maybe I've missed a fundamental point here.

One thing to consider - I get the impression that not many people are using the Original DNS320 version A1. Perhaps that's just too old (it only has 128MB Ram) or there's some other incompatibility. I get the impression from the forums that most people are using later devices like the DND323 or 320L. If anyone has actually got it working on a DNS320 Version A1, I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks in advance for any guidance anyone can provide.

Kind regards,

Spencer Davey.

[Rolf Pedersen]

On 01/30/2017 05:31 AM, 4s4...@gmail.com wrote:
> Hi,

> I then flashed version 0.1RC5 of ALT-F on to it

> Kind regards,
> Spencer Davey.
Hi,

"-Follow the announcement followups at
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/alt-f/id1-ATfweZI/1TGbUxMGCAAJ,
particularly the "WARNING: Network data corruption on RC5" topic that
publish a fix to this serious issue."

seen here: https://sourceforge.net/projects/alt-f/files/Releases/0.1RC5/

AFAIK, RC5 requires this fix or it just cannot be used. I didn't see
that you report doing that.
Rolf

[João Cardoso]

On Monday, 30 January 2017 13:31:51 UTC, 4s4j4d wrote:

Hi,

I'm very new to ALT-F, so I humbly apologise in advance because I'm sure I'm overlooking something very obvious.

*** Important note - I was trying to attach 10 screenshots to this post, but I keep getting a 302 error from the server when trying to do so, so I'm going to try and post without the screenshots ***

too many attachments? unrecognized format? I only had issues trying to attach "executables".

You should be able to attach at least the text "System Configuration" log

I'd like to say that while I consider myself an expert at windows operating systems, I have limited Linux knowledge, I've installed several Linux distros and used a few for work, but I'm definitely not an expert. I understand what ext4 is though... don't worry :-)

I have a DNS320 version A1 which I just bought 2nd hand of E-Bay. It previously had v2.05 of the D-Link Firmware, which the previous owner had flashed on to it a while ago.

Before switching to ALT-F, I verified that the unit was working OK with the standard firmware and that I could format a drive, set up a SAMBA share and access it.

I then flashed version 0.1RC5 of ALT-F on to it, the right one for a DNS320 (not a 320L), version A1 - https://sourceforge.net/projects/alt-f/files/Releases/0.1RC5/Alt-F-0.1RC5-DNS-320-rev-Ax.bin/download

After it set itself up as a fixed IP address of 192.168.1.254

This either means that it was set with a static IP from the previous fw or that DHCP didn't work.

Have you run the "first login wizard" till the end the first time? Using the webUI? Setup->Host, check the DHCP checkbox.

But first, as Rolf already said, you have to apply a fix.

 

(which I found a bit surprising... but whatever) and I moved it to another IP address (192.168.1.31), I started the wizard. At the moment, I have a pair of 4TB SATA drives in it. They get Recognised just fine. I have had some issues partitioning the way I want, but for now I'm just trying to get familiar with the features and get ipkg installed so I can then install the package to get NTFS support. I'd prefer to format the drives as NTFS rather than EXT4

That's OK, but You might have file/folders ownership or permissions issues latter; also Alt-F packages (with executable binaries) can only be installed on a linux native filesystem. You might want to add a USB pen with ext2/3 for that purpose.

 

so that if the DNS320 ever fails (but the drives still work), I have an extra option of recovering the drives from a windows machine easily. 

I've taken lots of screenshots of what I was doing and saved them as 256-colour .gif files (so they are nice and small):

00-Main-Status-Page.gif - Here's the main configuration page, showing my two nice 4TB NAS drives. For extra completeness, I also dumped the whole system configuration log in to a file named "Alt-Fs-System-Log.txt" too

01-Attempting-to-Install-the-Alt-F-Package.gif - The problems start here, attempting to install ipkg... if I'm doing it right anyway... I have tried both with the experimental packages enabled and disabled. I just wondered if somehow trying to access the expereimental packages was screwing it up. I've tried installing on both partitions, but sda2 is where the user folders are, so I thought that's the best place for this.

To start with, *checking* the checkbox *disables* the feed -- keep them all unchecked; then, a linux native filesystem should be used

02a-Cant-Install-Error-no-such-host.gif - The first time I try to go to do this, I get "Trying sourceforge.net... no such host",

This has probably to do with your network nameserver or gateway  settings, the IP for  sourceforge.net was not resolved. Use Setup->Host and use DHCP or specify your router (or a public nameserver) as nameserver.

Until the command 'nslookup sourceforge.net', as typed at the command line, gives a valid IP, the network is not setup OK.

which is odd. Note that the second and subsequent times, I get the error shown in 02b-Cant-Install-Error-Segmentation-Fault.gif, that there's a segmentation fault. This led me to this posting (https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/alt-f/ipkg$20is$20not$20installed|sort:relevance/alt-f/DX3QF-hcV1U/MDNgkfrRCQAJ).

So at this point, I'm wondering if I do have the network set up properly, because maybe I got the gateway wrong or something.

First, I checked the HOST configuration, see 03-Host-Configuration.gif

Can't see it, as you know. Attach the System Configuration text file, System->Utilities, Logs, ... Download at the bottom.

 

Then I SSH'd in to the device and tried a few pings. See 04-Ping-Results-from-an-SSH.gif

Using the host server names or its already know IPs? Can't see the pictures...

 

As you can see, I was able to ping my gateway (192.168.1.1), www.google.com and even downloads.sourceforge.net.

Also the fact that I can get to the device through my browser and from my SSH client does suggest the network is set up properly.

No, I don't need a proxy server on my network. I'm on my home network and there's no proxy required to get out. Just in case there was a proxy by default, I checked the proxy settings. See 05-No-I-Dont-Accidentally-have-a-Proxy.gif

I re-checked it's sda2 that has the user folders, see 06-Checking-its-sda2-with-the-user-folders.gif. Then I wondered if I had to manually create the tmp folder, see 07-Maybe-I-Need-a-manually-creates-tmp-folder.gif.

Then I started wondering if my ISP or the Australian government was blocking sourceforge for some reason (they just blocked a whole lot of .torrent trackers recently), so even though I could PING downloads.sourceforge.net, I tried going to the URL in my browser. See 08-My-Web-Browser-can-go-to-that-URL.gif. Yes, it can go there.

This is what you should get from within the box if your network is OK:

 

[root@dns-323]# wget https://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/alt-f/pkgs/stable/Packages

--2017-01-30 16:45:13--  https://downloads.sourceforge.net/project/alt-f/pkgs/stable/Packages

Resolving downloads.sourceforge.net... 216.34.181.59

Connecting to downloads.sourceforge.net|216.34.181.59|:443... connected.

HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 302 Found

Location: https://freefr.dl.sourceforge.net/project/alt-f/pkgs/stable/Packages [following]

--2017-01-30 16:45:14--  https://freefr.dl.sourceforge.net/project/alt-f/pkgs/stable/Packages

Resolving freefr.dl.sourceforge.net... 2a01:e0d:1:8:58bf:fa88:0:1, 88.191.250.136

Connecting to freefr.dl.sourceforge.net|2a01:e0d:1:8:58bf:fa88:0:1|:443... failed: Address family not supported by protocol.

Connecting to freefr.dl.sourceforge.net|88.191.250.136|:443... connected.

HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK

Length: 281 [application/octet-stream]

Saving to: 'Packages'

Packages               100%[=========================>]     281  --.-KB/s    in 0s      

2017-01-30 16:45:15 (4.03 MB/s) - 'Packages' saved [281/281]

I tried checking the installation of ffp.

Not related, it's an alternative to Alt-F packages, command line only.

 

I don't know what that is and I don't think I want it, but someone else did it in a forum post as part of trouble shooting problems like this, so I tried. I couldn't download it either, see 09-Cant-install-FFP-either-whatever-that-is.gif.

If I try to go back to the package installation pages, then when I try to "Submit" or "Update Package List", I get told ipkg isn't installed, but just for the sake of completeness, here's the popup box I get as a screenshot in 10-ipkg-is-not-installed-install-using-the-webUI.gif.. 

I'm really stuck here. I might well be doing something stupid. As I said, my linux knowledge is quite limited, so maybe I've missed a fundamental point here.

One thing to consider - I get the impression that not many people are using the Original DNS320 version A1.

Not related.

 

Perhaps that's just too old (it only has 128MB Ram) or there's some other incompatibility. I get the impression from the forums that most people are using later devices like the DND323 or 320L. If anyone has actually got it working on a DNS320 Version A1, I'd love to hear about it.

Thanks in advance for any guidance anyone can provide.

If you want a fresh start don't use IE, use https (some users reported that the silent network corruption error is minimized), "clear settings" System->Settings, remove or rename the Users folder and follow the first login wizard till the end using DHCP.

Then apply the fix (which will disappear if you reformat the disk, partition or filesystem where it is stored).

And try to solve the forum attachments issue, it's only Google responsibility.

 

Kind regards,

Spencer Davey.

[Gregory Didycz]

is there anything on these drives that you want to save? if no then it will be easier.

[4s4...@gmail.com]

Hi Rolf,

Thank you so much for your quick reply. I suspect that is my issue. I read through the article you linked to and I'll consider what to do next.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but at this point I'm seriously considering switching back to the D-Link firmware. I think Alt-F is a wonderful project and adds a lot to the device. It's fantastic that you guys have put so much in to this, but I'm starting to think this is a bit more work than I have time for. I think I'd have a fair amount to learn here and I'm pretty short on time. All I really wanted from Alt-F was the ability to use NTFS and it was a bonus being able to mount the USB volume. The rest of it is more than I need.

I might just live with EXT4 partitions and boot up a linux instance if I ever need to read them away from the DNS320 (if it breaks).

I'll sleep on it tonight, but I think that's what I'll do. I'll come back in a year or two (if the device is still working) and re-assess.

Thanks for your help. I do appreciate it and I don't mean any disrespect by considering not using Alt-F. It's a fine project with a lot to commend it, I just don't think it's for me with my very limited requirements.

Kind regards,

Spencer Davey.

 

[4s4...@gmail.com]

On Tuesday, January 31, 2017 at 3:58:22 AM UTC+11, João Cardoso wrote:

Hi João, I also appreciate your reply too. I suspect I was trying to upload too many attachments (11 in total). As I said in my reply to Rolf's helpful comments, I don't think I'll be proceeding further, so I won't waste everyone's time trying to upload them again.

I was using Google Chrome, by the way. A pretty recent update as it's set to auto-update.

Kind regards,

Spencer.

 

[João Cardoso]

On Tuesday, 31 January 2017 10:25:32 UTC, 4s4j4d wrote:

Hi Rolf,

Thank you so much for your quick reply. I suspect that is my issue. I read through the article you linked to and I'll consider what to do next.

I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but at this point I'm seriously considering switching back to the D-Link firmware.

OK, just be sure that you observe the (text) flashing progress, something like (for the DNS-320/320L/325/327):

kernel: Erasing...flashing...verifying...OK

rootfs: Erasing...flashing...verifying...OK

sqimage:  Erasing...flashing...verifying...OK

Flashing new settings, it should take some 5 seconds...

 As you haven't applied the network corruption fix some webpages might not render well.

Some users reported that using https seems to diminish the network issue.

Also be certain to read https://sourceforge.net/projects/alt-f/files/Releases/0.1RC5/, even when returning to the vendor's fw, and read also https://sourceforge.net/p/alt-f/news/2016/12/warning-possible-issue-when-upgrading-firmware-under-rc3rc4rc41rc5/