NASLite Network Attached Storage

I'd like to try NASLite can't make a fracking floppy. I but don't have a *nix box available nor do any of my friends nor are there any where I work. I've tried several different linux distros inside vmware but can't download the floppy image in any of them. They all insist on downloading file.php, not the .img file. An I'm not ready to pay for it if I haven't tried it or, at least, had someone I know give me a recommendation.

Give all the posts about the impossiblity of creating floppies under any recent version of windows, why aren't the free floppy images converted to bootable .iso files?

the CD bootable version is the commercial product. This is one of its features that make it attractive.

I suggest you download Knoppix or Damn Small Linux and use that to make the floppy disks.

The floppy version saves its config to the floppy so being a cd iso it would not be able write to the CD.

your best bet is to download knoppix,
ftp://ftp.cise.ufl.edu/cise/ftp-mirrors0/knoppix
Burn it to CD then boot this cd hopefully you will have a net connection?
then download the image you need then perfom the following commands

gunzip NASLite.img.gz
fdformat /dev/fd0u1722
dd if=NASLite.img of=/dev/fd0u1722

remembering to change the NASLite.img.gz line to the name of the naslite file.

here are the images
http://www.edengreyfaulk.pwp.blueyonder ... FTP.img.gz
http://www.edengreyfaulk.pwp.blueyonder ... TPG.img.gz
http://www.edengreyfaulk.pwp.blueyonder ... NFS.img.gz
http://www.edengreyfaulk.pwp.blueyonder ... FSG.img.gz
http://www.edengreyfaulk.pwp.blueyonder ... SMB.img.gz
http://www.edengreyfaulk.pwp.blueyonder ... MBG.img.gz

Yes, booting from a CD is one of the advantages of the paid versions. But there are also a number of other differences as well. Enough so that I don't think that asking for CD boot versions of the floppy boots is asking for too much. They can keep the separate versions as well to help differentiate from the paid versions. A change would have to be made to allow saving the configuration info to a floppy.

IMO, I see the floppy versions as advertisements of the product. Some users use the floppy and, as it does what they want, they never upgrade. Others get a taste of what a NAS is all about and upgrade for the greater capabilities. In most cases, I suspect, they start with the free floppy version. Make the free version easier to obtain and there should be more sales for the paid version.

So far I have tried Damn Small Linux and Ubuntu. In both cases, any attempt to download the floppy image doesn't work. If I click the link for the image I go to a different page. If I right click the link and attempt to save the link as a file, it saves file.php, not the img file. I'm probably doing something wrong but don't know what.

azjerry, What you have to remember is that the free naslite floppies where the very start of the project, they were designed to only work via floppy. the reason there are different versions of the floppy is because each is a differnet version and combined they would not fit on the floppy.

you in the UK? if so pm me a address or po box what ever and i'll send you one.

Thanks for the offer but I'm in the USofA.

I understand the whole philosophy and limitations of the floppy versions. Only so much can fit on a floppy, I know.

But many posts have stated that the floppy versions are the "trial" versions for people to test the basics of NASLite. That's great if they were easily available. Yes I know many here have successfully made their own floppies. But, so far, I haven't been able to. I haven't given up yet but am not sure what else to try.

That's why I suggest a bootable CD version of the floppy, suitably modified to save the config info to a floppy. I can't imagine the mod is very difficult.

Or, maybe, a simplified version of the current floppy utility CD. Each CD ISO can create one type of floppy. Or one floppy per boot. Easy enough for a user to create a single version but painful enough to not affect FDU CD sales.

I just used my USB version to create an image and then created a bootable CDROM from that. The saves goto the USB key as usual.

Works great for me.

Mike

Ah, but I haven't bought any version yet. Since I haven't been able to successfully to create a free floppy version I'm asking about the possibility of a free CD boot version.

azjerry,

Have you downloaded Knoppix and ran the commands.
All I done was use the knoppix web browser i downloaded the image then ran each command and after a few mins I had a floppy ready to go.

load knoppix use the konqueror or firefox web browser and go to the naslite page,
download the image that you need, do save as, then save. leaving it as it is.but make a note of the exact filename.
on the bottom left of the knoppix gui you will see a monitor, its called Konsole, click this.
type in this command gunzip NASLite.img.gz remember to replace the filename with the version you downloaded.
ie.e gunzip NASLite-SMB.img.gz then press return, nothing happens but carry on.
put a floppy disk in the drive
now with the next command.
fdformat /dev/fd0u1722 NOTE its a zero on the fd0u1722 press return it will prepare the disk.
finally enter this command dd if=NASLite-SMB.img of=/dev/fd0u1722
the files will be copied to the floppy and your ready to go.
just remember to make a note of the file name of the downloaded file and enter each command as you see it

gunzip NASLite-SMB.img.gz
fdformat /dev/fd0u1722
dd if=NASLite-SMB.img of=/dev/fd0u1722

I just made the disk myself in knoppix so it does work

So far I've tried Ubuntu and Puppy Linux which were handy. Ubuntu has Firefox and Puppy has Seamonkey (Netscape suite) and Dillo browser. All 3 of those will not download the file. All I get is file.php. Just clicking on the link takes me back to the serverelements home page.

I do have a Knoppix CD somewhere. I'll dig it out it out and give it a go. If all else fails I'll just download it again and make a CD.

I realized that I was running the linux distros under VMWare so I couldn't have created the floppy anyway.

In the mean time I found a post where someone had created several shells that would download the img using wget, format and put the image on the floppy.

So booted off the Ubuntu 5.10 CD I had. I downloaded the img through Firefox. But the fdformat command wouldn't create a 1.72 floppy- just not one of the options.

So booted off DSL. Couldn't get the img file through Firefox or Dillo. Used the above shell but the location of the files at serverelements had changed. Noticed that an earlier post listed another site with the images. Downloaded the image and finished the process (although I had to use the shell anyway since I didn't have permissions for the dd command from the command line????. Have now successfully booted off the floppy and telneted to my NAS. Cool.

But the fact that I've spent upwards of 5 or 6 hours on this (and I know a LITTLE about linux) really rubs me the wrong way. If I knew nothing about linux and/or didn't like the challenge, I would have given up a long time ago and stuck with FreeNAS.

So how much was your time worth? No reason to be rubbed the wrong way. You made the choice to put yourself through the exercise. For the cost of Naslite-2 you could have been up and running without any problems or the need to reinvent the wheel. I understand that it's human nature to take that route because we all work for our dollars, but then again, I much rather spend the $30 and take care of business.

I have an opinion on that issue so I’ll try and resist, but if you are into self-abuse, then that other nas should be just the thing for you.

Dimension, I've seen your posts regarding FreeNAS and can agree that NASLite is likely more stable and faster (at least + and 2 are faster). Whether it's better enough for simple home applications like I'm proposing and, therefore, worth the $25 or $30 dollars is another question. That's been well covered in other threads and I won't go into it further here.

My point is that the NASLite floppy version is basically advertised as a free trial version of NASLite. Some people may find the trial works well enough for them and never upgrade. Others think it's great, want more and upgrade to + or 2. But as a trial version, meant to attract customers to the NASLite product family, it's a disaster for anyone without linux knowledge.

Using FreeNAS, as an example, (and I know you don't like it) was a breeze:
- download ISO and burn to CD using standard software that comes with any CD/DVD writer
- boot the CD
- install software to hard disk and reboot
- configure
- done, maybe 1/2 hour total

My NASLite experience:
- boot linux live CD I have on hand
- find I can't download floppy image through browser
- boot another live CD
- find I can't download floppy image through browser
- boot third live CD
- download .img file though browser
- unzip file, find included fdformat command doesn't have option for 1.722 M floppy
- search through forums and other links on web site. Find downloadable scripts that get automate the download and make floppy process.
- boot previous DSL live CD
- download script and find the file locations on serverelements site have changed so the script doesn't work
- start downloading 500M Knoppix iso file
- search through forums again and find alternates links to floppy .img files
- edit the script to get file from new location
- run script several times to find a floppy that will successfully handle the format (out of known good floppies).
- boot NASLite floppy
- configure
- done, 5-6 hours

Now which procedure looks easier. Given a choice, which procedure would most Windows only users choose. Luckily I have a little *nix knowledge that allowed me to get through the process.

Yes I could have chosen to spend the money on a product I've never seen based on the recommendations from people I don't know in these forums. (This isn't a knock on anyone here. I just don't know you) But I chose to use the free trial first, knowing I would have to jump through a few hoops. It just turned out to me way more difficult than I expected based on the recommendations I've seen here.

This is why I'm asking that serverelements make available CD equivalents of the the floppy images. It would take a bit of effort on their part but I think they would more than make up for it in increased sales because more people could more easily try it out.

When I used the NASLite free version it was a simple setup for me. Took maybe 5 minuets and it was up and running. I did not waste my time with a VMware machine and the troubles it brings. I simply used a stand alone machine and set it up using a Knoppix CD. Fast and simple. I am not a unix guy by any means either but I do a mean cut and paste.

Mike