It is, yes and no. The console says the UIMAGE-named file should be selected, and a user might well believe the firmware would be in the "firmware" subfolder, and that all items below /tftp would be folders themselves. As you see in the screen captures, they don't have a regular icon, and there's a "+" on their left, meaning they would be subfolders.fvdw wrote:I think it is obvious when te console ask to select a standalone kernel that shoud you should select a standalone kernel, read more carefully the dialog windows that pops up.
The other instructions are not so clear: it says to wait for the command window to display "waiting for u-Boot" before turning the NAS on, but this message is relayed in the main console window, so the manual could point there instead.
This is especially confusing: the console expects the user to point it to the correct UIMAGE file in the /tftp subfolder, no point it to the "firmwarere" subfolder. There's no explicit instruction NOT to use what's in /tftp/firmware subfolder. Add this to my point above (UIMAGE appearing first as a subfolder of /tftp), and you should understand why it may not be easy for a first-time user to follow what's going on.The files in the firmware subfolder are used by the firmware installer program which can be started using the install firmware action and reading the instructions
Maybe it would be easier if the assistant included in the archive clearly stated it detected a "kirkwood" NAS?
If you assume the user as having only a Windows PC and be helpless in imaging the hard drive, maybe you shouldn't bet on him reading a dense text in the dialog? When doing computer support, I saw most Windows users tend on clicking "OK" without reading what's shown to them.
Is the assistant able to detect a NAS without a properly formatted HDD?
And what's the technical difference between the UIMAGE present in /tftp/firmware/kirkwood and the one in /tftp?
The instructions don't give any clue on what to do when the NAS has been previously assigned an IP in static DHCP.There is no need to set the ip address manual, both ways, using the defaults or setting it as you like will work if your setup is correct.
Should the user manually correct the NAS IP to the static-DHCP-assigned IP, or is the uboot made available on .252 and .251 simultaneously no matter what? The console says to check no other device is using those addresses, but stays mute about what should be done if those addresses aren't available.
Imaging a .img file isn't exacty "complex". The Raspberry Pi Foundation recommends it for newbies, and provides instructions for all three platforms.Why we develop the console ? This is because most users don't have experience or knowledge to use linux or don't even have an usb->sata interface and don't feel comfortable to take out the harddisk and give all kind of linux commands.
And removing the HDD in the CloudBox isn't hard. One clip keeps the white cover in place, and four regular screws keep the drive in place. In fact, I had to remove the cover because of the overheating issue with the stock Seagate HDD, and I am pretty sure not to be the only one with a overheat issue.
You can think about it another way: if a user is bold enough to willingly void his warranty by installing a non-original firmware with no chance (AFAIK) to put back the LaCie firmware, do you think he would be completely helpless, hardware-wise?
Even as I don't consider myself a newbie, the manual wasn't clear enough and I experienced problems. Overall the manual could explain better what option is used in which scenario. Most users would only need "install fvdw firmware", assuming a hard drive upgrade.
That may come as strange, but while it's true that the majority of computers are Windows PCs, LaCie hard disks are mostly sold where Macs are sold. I don't know why exactly (perhaps the price premium often carried by LaCie compared to other brands), but places that sell PCs more often sell other brands. Hence I thought one user who owns a LaCie is more likely to be a Mac user.Also most users have a windows pc, then it is not so likely to use linux. Of course persons with linux machines might prefer manual install. Maybe one day we will make a fvdw-sl console for linux users. But as the number of potential user will be low it is not high on the priority list. Believe me using the manual setup via linux and taking out the disk is far more complicated and troublesome for most users. And then there are the MAC users. Agree for those the console is not ideal. But I don't have MAC it is difficult to develop a similar tool for it for me, sorry
While it's true that Linux users are few and far between, Macs make it for a far more interesting target for the fvdw console. I am no programmer alas, but depending on how platform-specific the fvdw-console code is, it may be possible to write it in a way it would compile on all three platforms.
Is the source available? I guess interested developers would be ready to modify it to suit their needs.
And have you found the old guide for imaging?
