NASLite Network Attached Storage

Anyone else have trouble running Norton Ghost and Naslite?

I can set the drive up fine, the backup starts... goes
till about 10% and then quits. It looses connectivity
somehow. It is a wired connection through DI-254 router.
Info:
ST3300831A, ATA DISK drive

Thanks in advance,
Kevlaur

Hello Kevlaur:

I use NG9. I do daily incremental image backup, but to local HDD, *NOT* NASLite+.

But for discussion sakes ... I just did a full (first) image backup of a 27.9GB partition with only 3.18GB used. A little slow in my opinion (8.5 minutes), but no problems. The compressed image was written to Disk-1 on NASLite+, while streaming MP3 from Disk-2. Size of compressed image: 3.11GB (the partition has compressed data). So, not taking into account overhead, etc to start the process, average speed is 6.24 MB/sec.

So, actually, that's pretty good for a 100Mbps net, because that's a respectable write-speed based other posts showing performance in about this ballpark (and taking into account the other network activity).

One thing that I first thought was odd, and you should check in NG10 version. I first tried to save to "LOCAL FILE" using a mapped-network drive (NASLite+ Disk-1). Since it's mapped in Windows Explorer I would expect that to work. But NG9 complained, as it detected it as non-local. NG9 forced me to use the "NETWORK FILE" option. In NG10 check to see if you can use either technique and if so, does it help make a difference.

You might want to check that SMART testing (every 5 minutes) is turned off, and that you are not writing to NASLite+ during the one-time initial post-powerup SMART Self-Test. It can impact peformance a bit.

If you are using the free NASLite, performance is slower, and SMART testing can not be turned off ... so that may be where the problem lies.

Hope this helps ... at least I was able to show NG9 & NASLite+ seems ok.

Georg

Georg,

Thanks for the post. I'm finding out some wierd stuff.

First, I can map my naslite drives (free version)... but
then they won't show up under the listing. Norton finds
them fine. I can connect to them with telnet and in mozilla.
In fact, I can see them from my laptop on the wireless. I can
even get to them through windows explorer. The mapping
of them just won't stick. In fact, I had the same trouble with
a USB external drive (the reason I went with NAS... the usb
external was waaaaay to slow). Hence, I can't try and connect
to the drive under windows explorer vice network places.

I tested genie a few weeks ago and it worked fine. Ghost
had a few other options and was a tad cheaper. Ghost
finds the nas drive fine, starts the back up.... goes to
about 12% of 60GB worth of data and then loses the connectivity.

Another thing that is strange, ghost wants a logon for the
network drive. If I put in admin and the password, it
doesn't like it. I put in admin and blank for password it's
fine.

I'm de-fragging C: right now so I'll have to wait a bit.

And... Norton's liveupdate is giving me fits... so... more
waiting in line to chat with someone... I can't believe it
can't connect to the internet when the connection is already there
AND I registered it through the internet when I installed it! Norton's
used to be known for great products (I used them!). I'm starting
to wonder.

Thanks again for your help. I'd rather not upgrade to Naslite+
until I know what the problem is. To upgrade and have it not
work would be bad.

Kevlaur

I thought the floppy version of NASLite had a 4GB file size limit?? Could that be the problem?

Do you have a file > 4GB that you could try to copy to the NASLite box and see if that works or if it disconnects you.

I know the NASLite+ versions allow files bigger than 4GB.

GREAT CATCH, smeyer, THANKS ! Yes, the 4GB limit is the problem. 12% of 60Gb = 7.2GB, but compressed it's easily 4GB.

Kevlaur: check the size of the image file on the NASLite drive after the backup gets stuck ... I bet it's 4GB.

I will do a double-digit GB image a little later and report back, but I believe NASLite+ will solve the issue for you.

The login: very strange that it even requires a login (mine does not) and then accepts a blank password, but I believe this is a Windows issue, not NASLite. I have had issues with network drives before in even a pure-Windows-environment, especially when it comes to accessing drives on other systems. I have never figured out a consistent solution, and I believe it has to do with Workgroups vs. Domains and XP Home vs Pro. But in the end I just got tired of these Microslop issues.

As to your NG LiveUpdate: I have had LiveUpdate issues on Norton Internet Security (a 2002 version) and eventually got rid of it on my sons computer. Generally Symantec has a great prodct line-up, but they have gotten more bloated over the years and have also exhibited a few bugs. In this case I think NG10 will work well for you once you have NASLite+.

A few other things to check: a] what kind of firewall(s) are you running ? Could that be causing the mapped drives not sticking, your Norton internet access problem, and the login requirement ? b] do a spyware check. If you are not running anything for that already, you should. A great free online-check is available at http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/securityResponseCenter/index.jsp ... scroll down a bit and click on "FREE Spyware Scanner" on right side. You can safely ignore cookies it might warn about, but if you have anything else more serious you need to do a clean-up using your choice of anti-spyware software before further debugging of your situation.

I'll report back on the NG9 large image backup.

Georg

SUCCESS: used NG9 to back up a 21.8GB partition with 16.6GB used (according to Windows Explorer). NG took a total time of 40 minutes (did not stream MP3 this time), using standard compression, and it created a 14.6GB image file on NASLite+ disk.

Hope this helps allay your fears, Kevlaur. But if you want to be sure ... try a NG10 backup that results in a compressed image file LESS than 4GB with your free version of NASLite. Remember that performance will be slower than the 8.5 minutes in my first test.

Georg

I tried to make a ghost floppy for the purposes of pulling a ghost image off the NAS and restoring it to a terminal on my network. Put the ghost exe over and everything but cant get it to connect on boot to the thing and pull it down... anybody got this to work or tried anything similar?

Reasoning is I have 8 terminals here and would like to make a floppy image to remotely pull the correct image down to each of the terminals (custom floppies per system) but I am having no luck at all.

Any assist would be great!

smeyer and georg,

Thanks for the tips.

Its seems all of the aborted files on the NAS box are
just under 2GB. I'm going to try and force NG to do a smaller
back up... but it doesn't seem to do anything but the whole drive.

Ok, I'm doing an ad-aware check now
for spy-ware. I have ZoneAlarm already running
but I've tried shutting it (and McAfee av, too!).
I think I've found the answer, but I can't fix it.
In the msconfig, it shows Liveupdate in services as stopped.
I don't know if that means it ran and quit, or if something is blocking
it. I guess a wait with symantec live tech is the answer.

Harsh, soon as I get mine to go, I'll check it out and let you know.
'Course, you may have it solved by then.

Kevlaur

HarshReality

If I understand correctly, you are trying to load a boot floppy image from NASLite. Is this correct?

If so, it won't work, because to see the NASLite server you have to have the SMB protocol running over a network. Unless your boot floppy brings up the network and starts SMB you won't see the NASLite box or any other network storage.

Sounds like what you really need is a BOOTP or TFTP setup.

Fantastic! NG (with NASlite+) is now at 25% and going strong.


Thanks all for your help.

Now... to get on line with symantec and fix the update problem.

Kevlaur

Ghost boot floppy loads a network driver and is configured to run the ghost.exe from a network drive. Trick is after I select my driver and create the floppy, if I boot to it it goes stupid and cant see the NAS drive.


http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/gh ... 2113392125

Harsh,

My boot from the NG CD wasn't seeing the NAS either.

Here is how mine became 'fixed.' I write it that way
because I don't know if the first step is needed.

In NG under XP, I mapped the NAS, if you can't find
it under network places, etc, etc, etc, try \\Naslite\\Disk-X
where X is your back up disk (1, 2, 3, or 4).

Now, re-boot with the floppy (I use the CD). Start
network services. Map network drive. When the dialog
pops up (looks just like XP's dialog for mapping), type
the \\Naslite\Disk-X, as before. Mine was able to find
it this way. For some reason, it likes the UNC (I believe
that is the correct term, correct me if I'm wrong,
network gurus).

I hope this helps.

And, on a side note, my NG Liveupdate connection issue
was solved with a re-install. Programs are funny.

Adios,
Kevlaur

Thats all fine and good and it works however I am talking about a cold start dos floppy restore

I would think it would be the same as CD boot.
Perhaps not.

I'm going to check here in a bit... I havent' checked
the restore from a boot in a while.

Hi All!
I've been running NASLite now for ...20 mins.! i.e. first time ever; very impressed so far BUT do I understand from this forum I should have the + version so as not to have a file size limit?? This if true is bad news; did I miss something?

I came to NASLite so as to be able to discard my awful Netgear SC101.

Do I also understand that I can only start the server from floppy every time?

Aplogese if these seem very naive questions but as I say only...30 mins. now!
Thanks Jeffjohn