Looking for NAS Hardware Recommendations

Joseph Sinclair plug-discussion at stcaz.net
Wed Jul 13 21:47:12 MST 2011 

It's in the firmware zip file[1], something like FWUpdate.exe (they change the name sometimes).

[1] http://www.buffalotech.com/support/getfile/ls_series-143.zip


On 07/13/2011 08:55 PM, Mark Phillips wrote:
> On Wed, Jul 13, 2011 at 7:09 PM, Joseph Sinclair
> <plug-discussion at stcaz.net>wrote:
> 
>> The best suggestion I can make (other than waiting for acp_commander to get
>> an update so it's able to open up the 1.43 firmware) is to use the Windows
>> or Mac uploader to upload your modified firmware.
>>
> 
> I installed the Windows sw that came with the box on the CD, but there is no
> option there to upload a file. Is there another piece of software that is
> the Windows uploader? Where do I get it?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Mark
> 
>>
>> On 07/13/2011 05:45 PM, Mark Phillips wrote:
>>> On Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 10:38 PM, Joseph Sinclair <
>> plug-discussion at stcaz.net
>>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I missed the 1.43 part...  Seems they've improved security.
>>>>
>>>> If you can get a shell prompt with acp_commander, try running whoami. If
>>>> you're already root, then "passwd -d root" will clear the current
>> password,
>>>> and you can then set it to anything you like with "passwd"
>>>>
>>>
>>> I get a shell prompt, but nothing seems to work. Every command returns 3
>>> blank lines and a prompt.
>>>
>>>>
>>>> The only safe way to upload firmware is, unfortunately, a Windows or Mac
>>>> binary that's included with the firmware update.
>>>>
>>>> That said, you can try
>>>>
>> http://buffalo.nas-central.org/wiki/Manually_flash_the_LinkStation%27s_firmwareifyou're brave.
>>>>
>>> That looks good, but I cannot access /dev/fl1 from the telnet prompt I
>> get.
>>> Nothing works at that prompt.
>>>
>>>>
>>>> You might also just try (from an acp_commander shell prompt) copying the
>>>> ssh key (put it on a share first) from the array locally over to
>>>> /root/.ssh/authorized_keys (make sure to check permissions after
>> copying),
>>>> then try ssh.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Good idea, if I could just get telnet to work. Any thoughts on that?
>>>
>>>>
>>>> good luck.
>>>>
>>>> On 07/12/2011 09:59 PM, Joseph Sinclair wrote:
>>>>> You shouldn't need to change or upload firmware.
>>>>>
>>>>> acp_commander can reset the root password (If it can get a shell prompt
>>>> it should be able to reset the password...)
>>>>>   java -jar acp_commander.jar -t $YOUR_NAS_IP_ADDRESS -o
>>>>> That will clear the root password to nothing, allowing you to login via
>>>> ssh or telnet as root with the (blank) password.
>>>>>
>>>>> You should be able to re-secure things from there (ideally drop an SSH
>>>> key in for root, create a second account that can sudo and drop a key
>> there
>>>> as well, then lock the password for both to prevent password login and
>>>> disable telnet).
>>>>>
>>>>> On 07/12/2011 02:25 PM, Mark Phillips wrote:
>>>>>> Joeseph,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> One more issue, oh Great Buffalo NAS one....;-)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I started to work on rooting the device by following this
>>>>>> http://buffalo.nas-central.org/wiki/Category:LS-WXL. First stumbling
>>>> block
>>>>>> is I have firmware 1.43. However, the zip key for 1.41 worked to unzip
>>>> the
>>>>>> firmware image. It turns out ssh is already enabled for root in 1.43,
>>>> but
>>>>>> one needs a password. It is not the same as the admin password. So, I
>>>> set up
>>>>>> an ssh key and put the disk image back together as described in the
>>>> article.
>>>>>> However, how do I get the LS-WXL beastie to gobble up the new
>> firmware?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The web access only allows firmware to be downloaded from Buffalo (no
>>>> upload
>>>>>> file dialog, just a button to update the firmware, which only goes to
>>>>>> Buffalo to check on available updates, and then installs them), and
>> the
>>>>>> Windows software does not have an option to upload firmware, either. I
>>>> can
>>>>>> get in with acp_commander to the shell prompt, which seems to be a
>>>> disguised
>>>>>> telnet prompt, so I am not sure how to upload new firmware via that
>>>> method.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Anyway to get the root password from the device or the file system I
>>>>>> downloaded so I can use that to ssh in and not have to replace the
>>>> firmware?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Thanks for any further suggestions you may have!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Mark
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Mon, Jul 11, 2011 at 7:13 AM, Joseph Sinclair
>>>>>> <plug-discussion at stcaz.net>wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> rsync will preserve ownership if you set the option to do so (I don't
>>>>>>> recall the exact flag offhand).
>>>>>>> I actually prefer rsync over the Samba mount because cifs doesn't
>>>>>>> understand POSIX permissions.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> If you root the box you can certainly do the rsync over ssh, but on a
>>>> local
>>>>>>> net native(uncompressed) rsync protocol is *immensely* faster because
>>>> the
>>>>>>> little ARM chip in the NAS can't handle the ssh encrypt/decrypt very
>>>> fast.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> SSH is useful for a lot of things, but I prefer the rsync daemon for
>>>> rsync.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> IIRC backuppc can handle the hardlink issue via rsync (rsync can
>>>> preserve
>>>>>>> hardlinks, softlinks, etc...), but if not then your best bet might be
>>>> to
>>>>>>> install something more NAS-friendly.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'd not recommend installing Debian.  It's possible, but the machine
>> is
>>>>>>> quite limited in CPU and RAM, so the experience is likely to be
>>>> somewhat
>>>>>>> frustrating.  Most of the people who install Debian are running
>>>>>>> Terastations, which have desktop CPU's rather than ARM chips (and
>> cost
>>>> 5
>>>>>>> times more).
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 07/10/2011 10:42 PM, Mark Phillips wrote:
>>>>>>>> In the shared folders section, one can check Windows, Apple, disk
>>>> backup,
>>>>>>>> ftp, and sftp. When I clicked Windows and backup, rsync works.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> mark at orca:~/Desktop$ rsync SANY0002.JPG
>>>>>>> rsync://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/array1_fred/
>>>>>>>> mark at orca:~/Desktop$ rsync rsync://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/
>>>>>>>> array1_fred
>>>>>>>> mark at orca:~/Desktop$
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The file was copied to fred, as verified by ftp.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Thanks for the link. I am worried that backup files will loose their
>>>>>>>> ownership attributes when I back them up, as the poster says:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> "Yes, you can use rsync on another machine to connect to the
>>>>>>> rsync-enabled
>>>>>>>> shares on a LSpro; BUT all the files created by this method on the
>>>> LSpro
>>>>>>> are
>>>>>>>> owned by root/root and not by any of the users created on the LSpro,
>>>> and
>>>>>>>> there is no way to delete or update these files except by using the
>>>> rsync
>>>>>>>> command."
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> If I root the device and enable ssh, then I can rsync in via ssh and
>>>>>>> bypass
>>>>>>>> all this Buffalo c**p, right? Backuppc also depends on hard links,
>> so
>>>>>>>> perhaps I have to go all the way and install Debian on the box?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Mark
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> On Sun, Jul 10, 2011 at 10:18 PM, Joseph Sinclair <
>>>>>>> plug-discussion at stcaz.net
>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> For the mount, you can just use normal mount with -t cifs (or put
>> it
>>>> in
>>>>>>>>> fstab with cifs as the filesystem type).
>>>>>>>>> umount is generic; the unmount interface standardized a while back,
>>>>>>> that's
>>>>>>>>> why umount.cifs is no longer in Debian, it's obsolete.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> For rsync, the module name will never have a space.  Given that
>> it's
>>>> not
>>>>>>>>> showing up the way we expect, my best guess is the module naming
>>>> changed
>>>>>>> in
>>>>>>>>> the most recent revisions of the firmware.
>>>>>>>>> It seems something odd is going on, quite possibly the rsync daemon
>>>> is
>>>>>>>>> running but no shares are enabled as backup targets.
>>>>>>>>> According to the Linkstation forums on buffalo.nas-central.org,
>> You
>>>>>>> have
>>>>>>>>> to go into the backup section in the web interface and set each
>> share
>>>>>>> that's
>>>>>>>>> supposed to be available via rsync as a backup target (not entirely
>>>> sure
>>>>>>>>> what that looks like).
>>>>>>>>> Here's the post I found:
>>>>>>>>> http://forum.buffalo.nas-central.org/viewtopic.php?p=41941#p41941
>>>>>>>>> It's not 100% applicable, but it should apply to your device fairly
>>>>>>>>> equally.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On 07/10/2011 07:12 PM, Mark Phillips wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> The only way I can gain access to the shares is to use the
>>>> following. I
>>>>>>>>>> created a new share called 'fred' and deleted the other shares:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> mount.cifs   //xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/fred   /home/nas_share   -o
>>>>>>> user=user_name
>>>>>>>>>> password=pass
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Of course, umount.cifs is no longer in Debian, but umount -f works
>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>> unmount the share.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I cannot get rsync to work. According to the man page the
>> following
>>>>>>>>> should
>>>>>>>>>> return a list of shares:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> rsync rsync://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Nothing is returned (eg a blank line). I tried telnet
>>>> xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
>>>>>>> 873
>>>>>>>>>> and I got the rsync response @RSYNCD: 30.0, so the daemon is
>>>> running, I
>>>>>>>>>> suppose.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> The following all return 'unknown module' regardless of what name
>> I
>>>> put
>>>>>>>>>> after the url (array1_fred, , array0_fred array2_fred)
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> rsync some_file rsync://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/array1_fred/
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> or a '/' instead of a '_' returns the same error for module
>> array1,
>>>>>>>>> array2,
>>>>>>>>>> array0. I also tried Array[0,1,2] with the same result. Some of
>> the
>>>> web
>>>>>>>>>> pages show the name as Array 1, so I tried the capital A and a
>>>> space,
>>>>>>> but
>>>>>>>>>> still not luck.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> When I ftp into the box, the path to fred is
>>>>>>> xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/array1/fred.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I tried restarting the Linkstation, and no change.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I also tried the alternative rsync format, rsync some_file
>>>>>>>>>> xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx::array1_fred, and that did not work.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Any more ideas on how to get rsync to work?
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Mark
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On Sun, Jul 10, 2011 at 1:15 PM, Joseph Sinclair
>>>>>>>>>> <plug-discussion at stcaz.net>wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Dash and underscore are fine.
>>>>>>>>>>> The only way to "reset" the name using the standard web interface
>>>> is
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>>>>>> delete the share and re-create it with the new name.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> On 07/10/2011 11:23 AM, Mark Phillips wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> Can the share name have a dash or underscore in it? How can I
>>>> "reset"
>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>> share names?
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Thanks for all your help!
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Mark
>>>>>>>>>>>> On Jul 10, 2011 10:59 AM, "Joseph Sinclair" <
>>>>>>> plug-discussion at stcaz.net
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>> The info folder is used by the web interface; don't delete that
>>>>>>> unless
>>>>>>>>>>>> you'd like to reload the device from scratch ;)
>>>>>>>>>>>>> The correct value should be array1_Hshare. array1_Hshare is the
>>>>>>> rsync
>>>>>>>>>>>> top-level "module" name, not a directory.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> The issue you're seeing sounds like a case-match issue or
>>>> something
>>>>>>>>>>>> similar. The module will be exactly "array1_" followed by the
>>>>>>> (initial)
>>>>>>>>>>> name
>>>>>>>>>>>> of the directory on the array.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you initially put spaces in, or changed the name, then
>> you'll
>>>>>>> have
>>>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>>>>>>> hard time figuring out the module name because it's based on the
>>>>>>> first
>>>>>>>>>>> name
>>>>>>>>>>>> you give for the share; it doesn't get updated if you change the
>>>>>>> share
>>>>>>>>>>> name
>>>>>>>>>>>> later.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Also, if you changed the RAID settings, then try using array2
>> or
>>>>>>>>> array0,
>>>>>>>>>>>> just in case it changed the array numbering.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> ---------------------------------------------------
>>>>>>>>>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list -
>> PLUG-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>>>>>>>>>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
>>>>>>>>>>> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> ---------------------------------------------------
>>>>>>>>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>>>>>>>>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
>>>>>>>>>> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> ---------------------------------------------------
>>>>>>>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>>>>>>>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
>>>>>>>>> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> ---------------------------------------------------
>>>>>>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>>>>>>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
>>>>>>>> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ---------------------------------------------------
>>>>>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>>>>>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
>>>>>>> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ---------------------------------------------------
>>>>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>>>>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
>>>>>> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ---------------------------------------------------
>>>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>>>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
>>>>> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ---------------------------------------------------
>>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
>>>> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ---------------------------------------------------
>>> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
>>> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>>
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------
>> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
>> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>>
> 
> 
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------
> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss at lists.plug.phoenix.az.us
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss

-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 490 bytes
Desc: OpenPGP digital signature
URL: <http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/pipermail/plug-discuss/attachments/20110713/42c194ed/attachment.pgp>

More information about the PLUG-discuss mailing list