NASLite Network Attached Storage

thanks graham and mike - i wondered about the memory - could not see it being onboard - clever to add another slot but cannot see the point

has some sort of a processor - or looks to have - or is that all part of the original nas - am a little confused as to how to add the unlock code - i thought that changed as you changed hardware - especially a network card - so setting the drive up in a remote pc and then moving it to that would surely change the unlock code - or am i missing something

looks useful without Naslite as a network drive -but i doubt it would work with vista which is where naslite would come into its own

Nice photo of your NetGear.

Here is mine with new fans and 2 256MB rams.

The frunt side.



Then the back side:



I am not going to install NASLite HDD on this one it works good like it is and took a long time to set it up. But I have a ND520 with a 320GB hard drive and 256MB ram with new fans too that going to install NASLite in.

It's nice not to have it make a lot of fan sound like it comes. The new type hard drives don't make a lot of heat like when they came out. The power supply in there make a little heat still.

-Raymond Day

Hi Tony. Yep, that's a processor. It's actually a Cyrix 200MHz. Affectively the whole thing is a very small stripped-down PC but with no video, keyboard, mouse etc connections. Natively, as sold by Netgear, it had a Linux operating system that installed on a small partition and ran with a timny memory foot print, and used the rest of the hard disk for data sharing. Sounds familiar, right? Of course, because that's exactly what NASLite does, albeit in a more up-to-date OS. Fortunately NASLite is so small and efficient that it's able to run with minimal hardware, hence old kit like the Netgear remains relevant (though with a relatively slow 100Mbps network interface).

If you were to remove the original hard disk with Netgear's OS on it and simply put another hard disk in, nothing would happen at all. Just like your PC, it needs the OS (apologies if you already know all this!)

Basically what we have done is install NASLite on a similar spec PC so that the appropriate drivers etc load up when we put the disk in the Netgear.

I can see no problem with using Vista on your network as NASLite shares it files by Samba (among others) which Vista will be able to "see" (to put it crudely) in exactly the same way as sharing data from Vista with other on your network.

Once you install NASLite, the Telnet and HTTP services run, so you can access the Netgear to put your unlock codes etc in which in turn unlocks Samba/NFS/CIFS etc, so there isn't an issue. I think I was rushing when I said I put it in whilst the disk was still in my PC (I'm going from my memory of an install some weeks ago!)

Hope that helps.

As an aside, I've just been comparing the cost of buying a Netgear ND508, naslite HDD and a hard disk. I think it works out quite favourably unless you are after something with more than one disk and/or gigabit ethernet. Mine runs alongside a Icy Box NAS901 and frankly the Netgear beats the pants off the Icy Box, and cost about the same to buy and kit out with disks.

All in all it's been a bit of fun, but nowhere near as flexible as putting NASLite on an old spare PC.

Graham

O yes. If you put a 512MB in the one slot it only sees 256MB of it. So you need 2 slots for 512MB.

I used a solder suker on each of the over 100 holes. I guess it took about a hour. I did it over a year ago now.

-Raymond Day

Some boards are picky about the memory configuration of the DIMM and others aren't, this is due to the configuration on the DIMM it's self.

As far a the soldering is concerned you can simply use solder wick to remove the solder from the thru holes, for the DIMM connector you can go to digikey for that or just use a blowtorch on an old, bad board that has the proper connector. Heat it up and give the board a smack and off the connector will come. PITA though.

For a learning project it would be good but the fine spacing of the memory makes it a bit advanced for those new to soldering and it may cause problems if you don't make good solder joints. Cold solder joints are the bain of many a repair tech.

Mike

again thanks all - all interesting - have to agree with mike that paying money for one is not a good option - they are £30 in the Uk - including postage - and plenty of old PC's can be had for free

my question about vista was as it came from netgear - but i would have no idea whether the original OS could be transfered to a new drive and whether it would work with vista - and in truth why bother as naslite does it all and probarbly better

have seen them at computers fairs for a few pounds - that would seem all they are worth - will look with more interest next time

I guess if you can pick one up for a few quid Tony, then it would be worth it just for a Sunday afternoons fun (or frustration! )

I'm off to do the resistor thing with my fans!

best way to make a fan quieter Graham - assuming it is 12v - is run it at 5v - easier than resistors

Or 7V

true but 5v is there for the taking - just connect into the 5v HDD line not sure 7v is as easy ??

+ve to 12V, -ve to 5V - voila - 7V.

very good - did not know that - useful

I don't have one on hand to verify, but here is a theoretical sequence one can follow to install on the Netgear:

1. Mount the boot drive in another intermediate PC and install NASLite-HDD. Chipset or any other particulars are not important since NASLite-2 HDD will auto-configure those once it boots in the Netgear.

2. While still in the intermediate PC, boot HDD, login and provide an IP as well as enter the license. Save and reboot to verify.

3. Move the drive into the Netgear and boot. When the boot is complete the admin interface should be available via TELNET and all remaining items including unlock can be completed at this time.

Someone can verify or edit the above, but I think that's pretty much it. I suspect that almost all suitable PC-based "embedded" devices will be very similar in setup, so if you have old hardware collecting dust, feel free to experiment.

To be clear about this, You would want the black or negative lead of the fan to go to the POSITIVE five volt line and the red or positive lead of the fan to go to the POSITIVE twelve volt rail.

Mike

Wow Tony if that works it would be very good. It was hard for me to find a old PC I all ready have with a VIA chip set like the NetGear and then had to find the same type network card.

I left that PC all apart and waiting for the files to copy so I can install NASLite with it. But I will test it on another PC to see if that does work later today.

If that works then any one can do this. You can get a Netgear ND508 or ND520 for a good price now on Ebay and I bet you could even put a 1TB hard drive in them.

Back then they came out they cost a lot. The OS in them only worked good with like Windows 98 because of Java and you could not up grade Java else then you could not use all the things it's OS had. So it's very good to have a updated Linux like NASLite-2 HDD work on it.

-Raymond Day