Frustrated so far trying to install fvdw-sl firmware

[Fuddyduddy]

Hello

(first post)

I can't get any further than step 5 in the instructions given in the Help file. Step 6 says
" Log in using the telnet client
username: root
password: giveit2me"

When the Telnet window pops up it's totally blank and I have no idea how to use it to log in. On the rare occasions I've used Telnet before I've been prompted to log in; I simply don't know what to do when confronted with a completely blank command window I. I've tried typing in the NS2's IP address and various other things but get no response, then it times out.

Can you please guide me as to what I'm not doing that I should be?

Also, can I please ask for guidance about IP addresses? I have my NS2 set up with a fixed address, and also my gateway's addresses don't follow either of the two patterns the instructions cover. The series I have is 192.168.11.-- The net effect is that my NS2 has the fixed address 192.168.11.5 (and my host PC on which I'm running this install has currently been assigned - by my DHCP server - 192.168.11.3). So presumably I must use 192.168.11.5 as the IP for my NS2 (since neither 192.168.1.252 nor 192.168.0.252 would seem to make any sense)?

Sorry if these are dumb questions but I'm a total newbie where this stuff is concerned.

Edit
I meant to post this in the existing thread [url]gui for ms windows / install via ms windows[/url]. It would then have been self-evident that I'm a Windows user (XP Home). The references I make are all to the downloaded file 'install_fvdw_sl_firmware_hlp.htm'

[fvdw]

Hi tahnks for trying our firmware.
setting up a fixed ip address in the (I assume) lacie firmware has no meaning. As it won't load the lacie firmware, the ms-gui install process loads a special standalone kernel running from RAM this kernel has a build in Telnet server. This can either be accessed using the two ip addresses mentioned and it also will request an ip address from the dhcp server in your network. If your network setting doesn't allow using the two ip's ending on 252 then you need to figure out the ip assigned by the dhcp server. Most of the time it is a router assigning the ip's and the ip could be found by using the web interface of your router to see dhcp clients.
Or allow access to 192.168.1252 or 192.168.0.252 during the time of install.

[Fuddyduddy]

Hi fvdw

Thanks for the swift response!

And for the explanation. Unfortunately I'm still a little confused :hammerhead

I've now grasped that the IP address I use in the Lacie firmware is irrelevant to the standalone kernel I'm trying to install in RAM. Since my LAN doesn't assign addresses starting with anything other than 192.168.11.xxx I imagine it will automatically assign the next available currently unused address in that series (which I guess will most likely be 192.168.11.4).

But what I don't yet understand is how any chosen address gets applied. Am I supposed to do this or does it just happen?

Or allow access to 192.168.1252 or 192.168.0.252 during the time of install.

and what would be the procedure for doing that?

[fvdw]

Your DHCP server will assign an IP address to any device in your LAN requesting one. The standalone kernel asks the DHCP server for an ip address besides assigning itself the two fix ones.

The ip address pool used by the DHCP server can typically be set on the device that is running the DHCP server in your LAN
In many cases this will be a router. Routers have a webinterface allowing you to set parameters.

[Fuddyduddy]

@fvdw

If I'm to persevere in my attempt to make use of your admirable work, I first have to be sure I can protect myself against the likelihood that in the process my clumsiness will brick my NS2 &/or (even worse) destroy my precious data. We all know what Murphy's Law says!

In this thread "Trying to create original disk image.. help needed" in General NAS-Central Forums -> Hardware -> lacie -> NS2 you wrote:-

It can only be done if you have shell access (ssh or telnet). Can not be done with ubuntu running on your PC.
You net a ssh client like Putty to connect to the nwsp2 after enabling ssh access. there are post on this port telling how to do that.
If you have manged that then you can make connection to the nwsp2 with an ssh client...

With the same aim as the OP in that thread, I'm now trying to follow that injunction.

So far, I've

downloaded/installed SSH Secure Shell

created private/public user keys

(and I already had Putty installed)

But here I come to a dead stop. Everything seems geared to using SSH to communicate with a remote PC - but NS2 isn't a PC! Using SSH I've tried to 'quick connect' with NS2, but the dialog box which appears wants a 'Host name'.

Can NS2 have a 'Host name'? What is it, or how can it be given one if it hasn't got one already? What am I missing? The quote from you (above) implies that "enabling ssh access" is child's play. Well, as you'll have gathered, for me it's nothing of the kind :scratch Some "child's guide" help would be very welcome!

(And btw I've read the thread (from 2011) in which kalleguld sets out a clear procedure, and I followed it; to no avail - I merely got a 404 error. Is it not the case that Lacie blocked that hack some time ago?)

[fvdw]

Well much changed since 2011 :-D

what are you trying to do ?
Install our firmware on a new disk or existing disk.
The easiest way is using the fvdw-sl console.
if you install on an existing disk all dta will be erased, so you will need to make a backup first. The installer can make backup of the the lacie firmware but not of the main data partition (too big).
If it is a new disk then nothing too loose and impossible to brick the nswsp2.

The only thing you need is a pc running windows and the nwsp2 connected to your lan allowing to use ip 192.168.1.252 or 192.168.0.252 (pretty easy of you have access to your dhcp server (most of the time a router).
The standalone kernel also is usable with an ip addresses assigned by dhcp server. Just use in the fvw-sl console an ip address you want to load the standalone kernel. As soon as it runs you need to find out which ip the dhcp server has assigned to it and use that for the telnet client.

If you don't want to use the installer via ms-windows then you will need to take out the disk and use the first time installer guide (see download topic). Alos then all data will be erased. The reason for that is that lacie uses another partition structure then we do

[Fuddyduddy]

what are you trying to do ?
Install our firmware on a new disk or existing disk.

The second

The easiest way is using the fvdw-sl console.
if you install on an existing disk all dta will be erased, so you will need to make a backup first.

That was exactly the point I arrived at - the need to make an image of the partitions on the my NS2's hard disk which contain my data, before going on to install the fvdw-sl firmware.

I then searched (in the General NAS - Central forums) for guidance on how to do that, and found the thread I've already cited above http://forum.nas-central.org/viewtopic.php?f=236&t=7727, and then tried to follow the guidance you gave there.

The problem is that so far I've not been successful. Specifically, your guidance requires that first of all ssh access to the NS2 must be established; I've acquired and installed the necessary tools to do that, but I still can't manage to complete the final stage in the process of establishing contact.

...the dialog box which appears wants a 'Host name'.

Can NS2 have a 'Host name'? What is it, or how can it be given one if it hasn't got one already? What am I missing?

I can't make any progress with installing fvdw-sl before I've succeeded in backing-up my data, for the reasons you give in the second quote above. I was hoping that you could help me to do that.

[fvdw]

That was exactly the point I arrived at - the need to make an image of the partitions on the my NS2's hard disk which contain my data, before going on to install the fvdw-sl firmware.

I then searched (in the General NAS - Central forums) for guidance on how to do that, and found the thread I've already cited above http://forum.nas-central.org/viewtopic.php?f=236&t=7727, and then tried to follow the guidance you gave there.

This was before we developed the ms-gui for windows to install the firmware.
The fvdw-sl-console will ask you if you wan to make a backup of your lacie firmware before installing our firmware. No need for ssh access. Just Install the fvdw-sl console on your windows pc and choose install fvdw-sl firmware action and follow the instruction. before starting that action go to the help menu and open the page for installation of the firmware, it is more detailed then the short instruction in the main window of the fvdw-sl console

[fvdw]

the installer will only back up the lacie firmware not the data present in shared folders. But thats easy, if your lacie nwsp2 still runs the original firmware just copy the data in the shared folders to another PC ;)

[Fuddyduddy]

No need for ssh access. Just Install the fvdw-sl console...

Well, that's a relief :doh

Seriously though, I've just spent a lot of time trying to give myself a crash-course in ssh - only to discover it wasn't needed after all! Never mind, I daresay it'll come in handy sometime.

I'll need to give fresh thought to how best, instead, to make straightforward file copies (and where to find the space to store them). But first I think I'll take a break.