Is it possible to install version 16 from stock LaCie firmw?

[Cubytus]

Hello all,

the title says it all. The release notes from the 16 version of fvdw-sl tell us to avoid upgrading from versions previous to 15, but it is a bit unclear how it should be done from stock LaCie firmware.

Can it take the version 16 right away?

I also have an aprenhension if it fails because reasing all partitions on the disk leaves no failsafe mechanism to return to LaCie's stock firmware in case we don't like fvdw-sl or if it just fails to install properly.

Save of making a full dd copy of the original drive, is there a more practical and reasonably trouble-free way to install fvdw-sl, possibly from LaCie's Web interface? That's how I used to do when tinkering with routers.

[Jocko]

Hi cubytus,

The release notes from the 16 version of fvdw-sl tell us to avoid upgrading from versions previous to 15, but it is a bit unclear how it should be done from stock LaCie firmware.

No you can't do that.

fvdw-sl requires a new partition table and use its own system files. So to install fvdw-sl, you should first erase the Lacie firmware and build the new environment. This is done by using the fvdw-sl console viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1271 (please to note that the backup lacie partition feature works only with anetwork space 2)
After this step you get the version 15.1 on your NAS. To install version 16.0 and next release, you use the upgrade feature of fvdw-sl.

ave of making a full dd copy of the original drive,

You can do that for each original partition but I don't remember if a user succeeded by this way to restore the LACIE firmware.

[Cubytus]

So this is a more radical change than simply upgrading a router firmware through its own stock interface. On the bright side, if nobody on the main forum bothered with restoring, then fvdw-sl must be very stable. It's a pity LaCie chose an extremely locked-down Linux version, as opposed to Western Digital's run-of-the-mill Debian. LaCie also chose a rather complicated partitioning model for a single-drive NAS.

I have the Cloudbox (white). This unit seems to use the infamous Barracuda Green drives. Does fvdw-sl corrects the aggressive head parking that prematurely wears it out? Since there is full shell access, it would be possible to use hdparm anyways, however I was just curious to know if there was a GUI for that. Talking of GUI, I am not so convinced by the blue text on blue background I saw in the simulator :D

I read a bit about the console, but it is Windows-only, and there's no full-time Windows physical machine here. Are there detailed instructions on how to do that on Mac OS X or Linux? I don't mind taking the drive out as I have a USB-SATA interface. So the 15.1 can be installed on a formatted drive?

And as a newbie, a question as to why fwdw-sl chose to implement a new architecture instead of adapting the already-excellent OpenMediaVault?

[Jocko]

Since there is full shell access, it would be possible to use hdparm anyways, however I was just curious to know if there was a GUI for that.

Yes you can use hdparm but there is no GUI for that (only a SMART menu to display disk attributes and then see if you have an issue with the standby cycle count attribute)

Talking of GUI, I am not so convinced by the blue text on blue background I saw in the simulator

our goal is not based on some cosmetic considerates but to have a more efficient firmware. However you can custom the main used colours by the web-interface. ;)

I read a bit about the console, but it is Windows-only, and there's no full-time Windows physical machine here.

Maybe this can help you: http://plugout.net/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=1902&p=15496#p15496

So the 15.1 can be installed on a formatted drive?

If you means create manually the partition table and set the fs on each partition. Yes, and there is a guide to do that.

And as a newbie, a question as to why fwdw-sl chose to implement a new architecture instead of adapting the already-excellent OpenMediaVault?

This is only available if the boot loader allows it and our firmware is a long story where at the beginning fvdw wanted to improve the mediocre Philips firmware of his NAS SPD8020.


Note: the firmware name is fvdw-sl and not fwdw

[Cubytus]

Sorry for the typo, I don't know what the acronym means.

I tried to follow the help file from the topic you linked in your answer, but it is confusing. It says first "put an empty disk", so I backed up the original partitions and erased the disk.

Then it says "use the fvdw-sl installer included in the fvdw-sl console to install the firmware".

The problem is there's no such file in the archive. I have the MD5 checksum, fvdw-sl-11-0-nwsp2-6jan2012.img, NAME, MD5KERNEL, release notes, UIMAGE-26394-NWSP2CL-9, PLATFORM, and sda5-lacie-nwsp.tar.gz

It only redirects toward the MS windows console. Am I missing something?

[Jocko]

To understand the way that you follow. What it is the help where you read from the topic you linked in your answer, but it is confusing. It says first "put an empty disk"

And why do you try to install version 11.0 ?

[Cubytus]

Well to be clear I wanted to install the 16 version, the latest, but the help file linked in the RAR file only mentions the Windows method, not the "old" Linux method. The 11 version has a Linux method described (but missing files), the 15 only covers Windows.

[Jocko]

Ok you use this topic viewtopic.php?f=7&t=336.

I go to post some more updated step to install directly version 15.1

So Please to wait

[Jocko]

First download the fvdw-sl console package (32 or 64bits), in this package you will find in tftp>nwsp2, two files :
- xfvdw-sl-15-1-nwsp2-18feb2014.img (firmware image)
- UIMAGE-395-NWSPCL-199 (kernel)

Now in the howto :
- step (i) create the new partition table and store on the disk
The guide uses an old partition table settings and it can occur issues with AF disk. You must use this new partition table (viewtopic.php?f=11&t=1143&p=7081#p7079).
So change the start and stop value for each partition.

- step (k)
use the kernel image from the fvdw-sl console

Code: Select all

dd if=/path-to-kernel-image/UIMAGE-395-NWSPCL-199 of=/dev/sdb6

-step (l)
use the firmware image from the fvdw-sl console

Code: Select all

dd if=path-to-firmware/xfvdw-sl-15-1-nwsp2-18feb2014.img of=/dev/sdb1
dd if=path-to-firmware/xfvdw-sl-15-1-nwsp2-18feb2014.img of=/dev/sdb2
dd if=path-to-firmware/xfvdw-sl-15-1-nwsp2-18feb2014.img of=/dev/sdb7

Note: I assume that sdb it is the device name of your cloudbox
Note2: with version 15.1, credentials are login:admin-nas password:admin.

After you can install the version 16.0 directly (15.3 is useless) via the web interface

[Cubytus]

Thanks, better to provide an update for all to read than to one user only.

Currently there are eight possible combinations to take into account: with Windows, with Linux, upgrade, first-time installation, removing the drive (as I did), leaving the drive in.

Probably why it's difficult to follow for a newbie, in the sense I never modified a device that had such a tricky bootloader.