NASLite Network Attached Storage

I've been running Naslite for about 2 years, and until 3 or 4 months ago haven't ever had a significant problem. Since then however, I've started to get intermittent problems where all of the NASLite drives (6 of them in one machine) either become inaccessible from one or more other computers on the network, or they'll be accessible to read from, but won't allow me to save anything to them.

The process will go like this:
After a NASLite reboot, everything will be completely fine for days or even weeks, but usually not much longer than that. Eventually, I'll notice there's a problem in one of two ways - either I'll notice that my backup program (Acronis TrueImage) will start to fail during its nightly backups with "no permission to edit file" errors, implying that NASLite's not letting it update it's recurring backup, or I'll try to manually save a file from the web to a NASLite drive and it'll give me some sort of "you don't have to permission to do this" error. The weird thing on the downloading issue is that it will actually save an empty file (0kb) with the correct name to the drive, and even MORE weird is that if I immediately try to save the same file again, it will first ask me if I want to overwrite the file with the same name, and then when I say yes, it will actually save the entire file correctly. But then I can immediately try to save a different file to the same drive, and it will give me the "you don't have permission" error again.

When I notice that it's having this problem, I've tried to go check the syslogs and I can't ever get the page to pull up. I can get to the main NASLite status page, and everything seems to check out, but if I click any of the left column items (storage status, system status, syslogs, etc.) my browser will just show me a blank white page. I'll also try to access the drives from other machines on the network, and it's hit or miss as to whether or not I'll be able to do so. Sometimes one machine will give me a "cannot find network drive" error, while another machine will allow me to access the drives with no problem. But if I CAN access the drives, I'll only be able to open, read, or copy files FROM the drives. It won't let me save new files to the drives, or delete files from the NASLite drives.

Again, any time this is happening, a reboot immediately fixes the problem for days or weeks at a time again.

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be really grateful, and will do anything I can to help debug it on my end.

Thanks!

Don't suppose anyone has any suggestions here do they? Here's some new info that may help. I haven't noticed it actually causing any access problems yet since the last boot (shortly before my initial post in this thread), but I went to the status page today to check storage space on one of the disks, and I'm getting a similar problem to the "no status pages" problem I described before. Only now, it's pulling up the bulk of the html, just not the data that should populate each page. I'm wondering if I'm basically catching it sort of midway to the problem stage?

Here are screenshots of what I'm seeing on the status pages. Otherwise, I haven't noticed anything unusual in the behavior (or using telnet, which works fine), though maybe I just don't know where to look.

Any help at all on how to start to debug this?

what does your syslog have to say about it? assuming you can read the page.

That bottom image is what I see when I click on the syslog page. Is there another way to get to it?

Yes ... use (assuming Win XP or similar client) Windows Explorer and map a network drive to your NL server, then navigate to "Z:\Status\htm\syslog.htm".

Georg

I get the exact same page, either in my browser if I just double-click the file, or in my text-editor if I choose to edit the file. So the browser is displaying the .htm files properly, but there's just no data in them. Is syslog.htm suppose to read the actual log info from somewhere else when it's displayed, or is the syslog.htm file itself supposed to get updated with log data? If it's the latter, it's apparently not happening. And it's not just the syslog, as the other .htm files don't have any data in them either. Any idea what would cause this?

Reboot your nas and keep an eye on the syslog while you can. I had a machine do that in the past and it turned out to be a hardware problem that caused the syslog to grow and grow, eventually chocking itself. Before the status pages went blank, the system load was over 800% and things were crawling.

Good point ... check the file size of all htm files in "Z:\Status\htm\". Mine average in the 10-20 kilobytes range, with the syslog 24kb, and network.htm = 63kb.

And check the Load ("system.htm") if you can read it ...

Georg

By the time I went to go check the file sizes, they're now all blank files (0kb), which is what happens just before I get to the "don't have permission to modify drives" errors. I don't even get the htm templates that are present in the screenshots I posted before, just empty white pages. I'll reboot and try to keep an eye on the syslog. I may post it here if I can't figure out what I'm looking at.

I rebooted the naslite machine last night. Here's the current syslog contents (showing as 1mb in size currently). Anything here that I should be concerned about or that might provide a hint as to what's going on?

System Message Log:

* Nov 11 04:00:37 syslog.info syslogd started: BusyBox v1.01 (2006.02.26-22:07+0000)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 daemon.info init: ^MStarting pid 3549, console /dev/null: '/sbin/klogd'
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.notice kernel: klogd started: BusyBox v1.01 (2006.02.26-22:07+0000)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Linux version 2.4.33.NASLite (root@TZT) (gcc version 3.3.6) #1 Tue Aug 15 01:08:13 UTC 2006
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: BIOS-provided physical RAM map:
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 0000000000000000 - 000000000009f400 (usable)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 000000000009f400 - 00000000000a0000 (reserved)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 00000000000e8000 - 0000000000100000 (reserved)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 0000000000100000 - 000000000bef0000 (usable)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 000000000bef0000 - 000000000beffc00 (ACPI data)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 000000000beffc00 - 000000000bf00000 (ACPI NVS)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 000000000bf00000 - 000000000c000000 (reserved)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 00000000fff00000 - 0000000100000000 (reserved)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.notice kernel: 190MB LOWMEM available.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: On node 0 totalpages: 48880
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: zone(0): 4096 pages.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: zone(1): 44784 pages.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: zone(2): 0 pages.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: DMI not present.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: RSDP (v000 PTLTD ) @ 0x000f7000
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: RSDT (v001 PTLTD RSDT 0x06040000 LTP 0x00000000) @ 0x0befa4c1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: FADT (v001 INTEL Whitney 0x06040000 PTL 0x000f4240) @ 0x0beffb8c
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: DSDT (v001 INTEL Whitney 0x06040000 MSFT 0x01000007) @ 0x00000000
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Kernel command line: root=/dev/ram0 rw
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Initializing CPU#0
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Detected 731.130 MHz processor.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Console: colour VGA+ 80x25
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Calibrating delay loop. 1458.17 BogoMIPS
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Memory: 187692k/195520k available (2198k kernel code, 7440k reserved, 734k data, 536k init, 0k highmem)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Dentry cache hash table entries: 32768 (order: 6, 262144 bytes)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Inode cache hash table entries: 16384 (order: 5, 131072 bytes)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Mount cache hash table entries: 512 (order: 0, 4096 bytes)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Buffer cache hash table entries: 8192 (order: 3, 32768 bytes)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Page-cache hash table entries: 65536 (order: 6, 262144 bytes)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: CPU: L1 I cache: 16K, L1 D cache: 16K
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: CPU: L2 cache: 128K
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.debug kernel: CPU: After generic, caps: 0383f9ff 00000000 00000000 00000000
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.debug kernel: CPU: Common caps: 0383f9ff 00000000 00000000 00000000
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: CPU: Intel Celeron (Coppermine) stepping 06
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Enabling fast FPU save and restore. done.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Enabling unmasked SIMD FPU exception support. done.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Checking 'hlt' instruction. OK.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Checking for popad bug. OK.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: ACPI: IRQ9 SCI: Level Trigger.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: POSIX conformance testing by UNIFIX
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: Subsystem revision 20040326
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: PCI: PCI BIOS revision 2.10 entry at 0xfd9c0, last bus=1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: PCI: Using configuration type 1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: Interpreter enabled
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: Using PIC for interrupt routing
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: System [ACPI] (supports S0 S1 S5)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: PCI Root Bridge [PCI0] (00:00)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: PCI: Probing PCI hardware (bus 00)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Transparent bridge - PCI device 8086:2418
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.debug kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Routing Table [\_SB_.PCI0._PRT]
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKA] (IRQs *3 4 5 7 9 10 11 12 14 15)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKB] (IRQs 3 4 5 7 *9 10 11 12 14 15)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKC] (IRQs 3 4 *5 7 9 10 11 12 14 15)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKD] (IRQs 3 4 5 7 9 10 *11 12 14 15)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.debug kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Routing Table [\_SB_.PCI0.HUB_._PRT]
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: PCI: Probing PCI hardware
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKA] enabled at IRQ 3
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKD] enabled at IRQ 11
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKB] enabled at IRQ 9
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: ACPI: PCI Interrupt Link [LNKC] enabled at IRQ 5
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: PCI: Using ACPI for IRQ routing
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Linux NET4.0 for Linux 2.4
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Based upon Swansea University Computer Society NET3.039
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Initializing RT netlink socket
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Starting kswapd
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Journalled Block Device driver loaded
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: devfs: v1.12c (20020818) Richard Gooch (rgooch@atnf.csiro.au)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: devfs: boot_options: 0x1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Installing knfsd (copyright (C) 1996 okir@monad.swb.de).
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: Power Button (FF) [PWRF]
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: Processor [CPU0] (supports C1)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: pty: 256 Unix98 ptys configured
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Real Time Clock Driver v1.10f
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Floppy drive(s): fd0 is 1.44M
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: FDC 0 is a post-1991 82077
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: RAMDISK driver initialized: 16 RAM disks of 8192K size 1024 blocksize
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: loop: loaded (max 8 devices)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Driver - version 5.7.6-k1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Copyright (c) 1999-2004 Intel Corporation.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: dgrs: SW=$Id: dgrs.c,v 1.13 2000/06/06 04:07:00 rick Exp $ FW=Build 550 11/16/96 03:45:15
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: FW Version=$Version$
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: .24.2004 tsbogend@alpha.franken.de
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ThunderLAN driver v1.15
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: TLAN: 0 devices installed, PCI: 0 EISA: 0
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: dmfe: Davicom DM9xxx net driver, version 1.36.4 (2002-01-17)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ns83820.c: National Semiconductor DP83820 10/100/1000 driver.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: sk98lin: No adapter found.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: forcedeth.c: Reverse Engineered nForce ethernet driver. Version 0.50.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: r8169 Gigabit Ethernet driver 1.2 loaded
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: PCI: Enabling device 01:0d.0 (0114 -> 0117)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.debug kernel: eth0: Identified chip type is 'RTL8169s/8110s'.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: eth0: RTL8169 at 0xcc809400, 00:40:f4:f0:1f:a5, IRQ 9
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: eth0: Auto-negotiation Enabled.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: eth0: 1000Mbps Full-duplex operation.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Uniform Multi-Platform E-IDE driver Revision: 7.00beta4-2.4
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ide: Assuming 33MHz system bus speed for PIO modes; override with idebus=xx
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ICH: IDE controller at PCI slot 00:1f.1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ICH: chipset revision 2
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ICH: not 100% native mode: will probe irqs later
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ide0: BM-DMA at 0x1800-0x1807, BIOS settings: hda:DMA, hdb:DMA
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ide1: BM-DMA at 0x1808-0x180f, BIOS settings: hdc:DMA, hdd:DMA
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: SiI680: IDE controller at PCI slot 01:0b.0
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: SiI680: chipset revision 2
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: SiI680: not 100% native mode: will probe irqs later
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: SiI680: BASE CLOCK == 133
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ide2: MMIO-DMA , BIOS settings: hde:pio, hdf:pio
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ide3: MMIO-DMA , BIOS settings: hdg:pio, hdh:pio
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hda: ST3400620A, ATA DISK drive
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hdb: ST3400620A, ATA DISK drive
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hdc: ST3400620A, ATA DISK drive
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hdd: ST3300620A, ATA DISK drive
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hde: Maxtor 6H500R0, ATA DISK drive
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: ide0 at 0x1f0-0x1f7,0x3f6 on irq 14
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: ide1 at 0x170-0x177,0x376 on irq 15
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: ide2 at 0xcc80b080-0xcc80b087,0xcc80b08a on irq 5
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hda: attached ide-disk driver.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hda: host protected area => 1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: hda: 781422768 sectors (400088 MB) w/16384KiB Cache, CHS=48641/255/63, UDMA(33)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hdb: attached ide-disk driver.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hdb: host protected area => 1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: hdb: 781422768 sectors (400088 MB) w/16384KiB Cache, CHS=48641/255/63, UDMA(33)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hdc: attached ide-disk driver.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hdc: host protected area => 1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: hdc: 781422768 sectors (400088 MB) w/16384KiB Cache, CHS=48641/255/63, UDMA(33)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hdd: attached ide-disk driver.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hdd: host protected area => 1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: hdd: 586072368 sectors (300069 MB) w/16384KiB Cache, CHS=36481/255/63, UDMA(33)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hde: attached ide-disk driver.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: hde: host protected area => 1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: hde: 976773168 sectors (500108 MB) w/16384KiB Cache, CHS=60801/255/63, UDMA(133)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Partition check:
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target0/lun0: p1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: /dev/ide/host0/bus0/target1/lun0: p1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: /dev/ide/host0/bus1/target0/lun0: p1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: /dev/ide/host0/bus1/target1/lun0: p1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: /dev/ide/host2/bus0/target0/lun0: p1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: SCSI subsystem driver Revision: 1.00
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Loading Adaptec I2O RAID: Version 2.4 Build 5
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Detecting Adaptec I2O RAID controllers.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Red Hat/Adaptec aacraid driver (1.1-3 Aug 15 2006 01:22:52)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: scsi: Detection failed (no card)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.notice kernel: megaraid: v2.10.10.1 (Release Date: Thu Jan 27 16:19:44 EDT 2005)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: GDT-HA: Storage RAID Controller Driver. Version: 3.04
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: GDT-HA: Found 0 PCI Storage RAID Controllers
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: 3ware Storage Controller device driver for Linux v1.02.00.037.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: 3w-xxxx: No cards found.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.debug kernel: libata version 1.20 loaded.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.debug kernel: PCI(01:0e.0): version 0.9
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: PCI: Enabling device 01:0e.0 (0104 -> 0107)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ata1: SATA max UDMA/100 cmd 0xCC80F880 ctl 0xCC80F88A bmdma 0xCC80F800 irq 3
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ata2: SATA max UDMA/100 cmd 0xCC80F8C0 ctl 0xCC80F8CA bmdma 0xCC80F808 irq 3
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ata3: SATA max UDMA/100 cmd 0xCC80FA80 ctl 0xCC80FA8A bmdma 0xCC80FA00 irq 3
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ata4: SATA max UDMA/100 cmd 0xCC80FAC0 ctl 0xCC80FACA bmdma 0xCC80FA08 irq 3
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.debug kernel: ata1: dev 0 cfg 49:2f00 82:746b 83:7f61 84:4123 85:7469 86:bc41 87:4123 88:207f
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ata1: dev 0 ATA-7, max UDMA/133, 1465149168 sectors: LBA48
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ata1: dev 0 configured for UDMA/100
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.debug kernel: ata2: dev 0 cfg 49:2f00 82:746b 83:7f61 84:4123 85:7469 86:bc41 87:4123 88:207f
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ata2: dev 0 ATA-7, max UDMA/133, 1465149168 sectors: LBA48
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ata2: dev 0 configured for UDMA/100
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ata3: no device found (phy stat 00000000)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ata4: no device found (phy stat 00000000)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: scsi1 : sata_sil
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: scsi2 : sata_sil
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: scsi3 : sata_sil
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: scsi4 : sata_sil
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: AKS-0 Rev: 30.0
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 05
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Vendor: ATA Model: WDC WD7500AAKS-0 Rev: 30.0
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 05
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Attached scsi disk sda at scsi1, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Attached scsi disk sdb at scsi2, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: SCSI device sda: 1465149168 512-byte hdwr sectors (750156 MB)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: /dev/scsi/host1/bus0/target0/lun0: p1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: SCSI device sdb: 1465149168 512-byte hdwr sectors (750156 MB)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: /dev/scsi/host2/bus0/target0/lun0: p1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: raw1394: /dev/raw1394 device initialized
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: sbp2: $Rev: 1074 $ Ben Collins
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.err kernel: ieee1394: sbp2: Driver forced to serialize I/O (serialize_io = 1)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: usb.c: registered new driver usbdevfs
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: usb.c: registered new driver hub
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: host/uhci.c: USB Universal Host Controller Interface driver v1.1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.debug kernel: PCI: Setting latency timer of device 00:1f.2 to 64
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: host/uhci.c: USB UHCI at I/O 0x1820, IRQ 11
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: usb.c: new USB bus registered, assigned bus number 1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: hub.c: USB hub found
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: hub.c: 2 ports detected
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Initializing USB Mass Storage driver.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: usb.c: registered new driver usb-storage
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: USB Mass Storage support registered.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: NET4: Linux TCP/IP 1.0 for NET4.0
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: IP Protocols: ICMP, UDP, TCP
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: IP: routing cache hash table of 1024 buckets, 8Kbytes
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: TCP: Hash tables configured (established 16384 bind 32768)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: NET4: Unix domain sockets 1.0/SMP for Linux NET4.0.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.notice kernel: RAMDISK: NASLite file system found at block 0
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: .<6>hub.c: new USB device 00:1f.2-2, assigned address 2
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: .<6>scsi5 : SCSI emulation for USB Mass Storage devices
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Vendor: Model: Staples Relay Rev: 0.1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Type: Direct-Access ANSI SCSI revision: 02
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: .Attached scsi removable disk sdc at scsi5, channel 0, id 0, lun 0
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: .SCSI device sdc: 501759 512-byte hdwr sectors (257 MB)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: sdc: Write Protect is off
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: /dev/scsi/host5/bus0/target0/lun0: unknown partition table
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.debug kernel: WARNING: USB Mass Storage data integrity not assured
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.debug kernel: USB Mass Storage device found at 2
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: <6>Freeing initrd memory: 1601k freed
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: EXT2-fs warning: checktime reached, running e2fsck is recommended
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: VFS: Mounted root (ext2 filesystem).
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Mounted devfs on /dev
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Freeing unused kernel memory: 536k freed
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.err kernel: ext3: No journal on filesystem on ide0(3,1)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.err kernel: ext3: No journal on filesystem on ide0(3,65)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.err kernel: ext3: No journal on filesystem on ide1(22,1)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.err kernel: ext3: No journal on filesystem on ide1(22,65)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.err kernel: ext3: No journal on filesystem on ide2(33,1)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.err kernel: ext3: No journal on filesystem on sd(8,1)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.err kernel: ext3: No journal on filesystem on sd(8,17)

Your syslog looks relatively normal ... although I confess I am not an expert. I did do a side-by-side comparison to mine and noticed the following oddities:

A] I have "e1000: eth0: e1000_watchdog: NIC Link is Up 1000 Mbps Full Duplex, Flow Control: RX/TX" message to tell me the network card initialized properly. This occurs near the end of my syslog just before "kjournald starting." (which you don't have as it warns at the end). In your case it occurs way earlier using the RTL8169 driver. Not sure if this makes a difference.

It also appears you have a second NIC (Intel Pro/1000) ... might try activating that (in the configuration menus switch to First/Last interface detected for the NIC).

B] Your/my "Kernel command line:" entries are different. I am wondering if the boot image transfered to the USB key has been corrupted. Yours says "root=/dev/ram0 rw"; mine is "rw root=/dev/ram0 initrd=NASLite.02 quiet BOOT_IMAGE=naslite.01".

I don't know whether that is significant or not. Solution is to re-burn the USB key (and have to go through all the config hassle). If you have an extra USB key I would use that instead of overwriting the current one.

C] My syslog is 24kb. 1mb is WAY larger and suspicious. Check the size frequently; it should NOT be growing even larger, unless there are hardware errors being continuously reported (which obviously need to be fixed ... disk drive errors or network errors).

This may not help a lot ... but I figure I'd post anyway ...
Georg

Thanks for the notes, although I can't say I understand it enough myself to know if the differences you're pointing out mean anything.

Anyway, I suddenly can't connect anymore from one of my machines (I still can from another machine), so it seems like it's slowly but surely "disappearing" again. In fact, the syslog is now not 1mb anymore, it's only 6kb. And it doesn't look like there's anything new, it looks like it's getting shorter and shorter. Here's the current 6kb syslog. You'll notice at the end that it just cuts off mid-line. Almost like it's slowly getting deleted bit by bit, until eventually I'll end up where I always do - with an empty syslog.

Does anyone have any suggestions at all for debugging this? Is there a way to constantly output the log contents to a new file so that whatever info might be in there doesn't keep getting deleted before I get to see it?

* Nov 11 04:00:37 syslog.info syslogd started: BusyBox v1.01 (2006.02.26-22:07+0000)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 daemon.info init: ^MStarting pid 3549, console /dev/null: '/sbin/klogd'
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.notice kernel: klogd started: BusyBox v1.01 (2006.02.26-22:07+0000)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Linux version 2.4.33.NASLite (root@TZT) (gcc version 3.3.6) #1 Tue Aug 15 01:08:13 UTC 2006
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: BIOS-provided physical RAM map:
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 0000000000000000 - 000000000009f400 (usable)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 000000000009f400 - 00000000000a0000 (reserved)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 00000000000e8000 - 0000000000100000 (reserved)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 0000000000100000 - 000000000bef0000 (usable)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 000000000bef0000 - 000000000beffc00 (ACPI data)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 000000000beffc00 - 000000000bf00000 (ACPI NVS)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 000000000bf00000 - 000000000c000000 (reserved)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: BIOS-e820: 00000000fff00000 - 0000000100000000 (reserved)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.notice kernel: 190MB LOWMEM available.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: On node 0 totalpages: 48880
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: zone(0): 4096 pages.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: zone(1): 44784 pages.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: zone(2): 0 pages.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: DMI not present.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: RSDP (v000 PTLTD ) @ 0x000f7000
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: RSDT (v001 PTLTD RSDT 0x06040000 LTP 0x00000000) @ 0x0befa4c1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: FADT (v001 INTEL Whitney 0x06040000 PTL 0x000f4240) @ 0x0beffb8c
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: DSDT (v001 INTEL Whitney 0x06040000 MSFT 0x01000007) @ 0x00000000
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Kernel command line: root=/dev/ram0 rw
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Initializing CPU#0
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Detected 731.130 MHz processor.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Console: colour VGA+ 80x25
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Calibrating delay loop. 1458.17 BogoMIPS
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Memory: 187692k/195520k available (2198k kernel code, 7440k reserved, 734k data, 536k init, 0k highmem)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Dentry cache hash table entries: 32768 (order: 6, 262144 bytes)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Inode cache hash table entries: 16384 (order: 5, 131072 bytes)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Mount cache hash table entries: 512 (order: 0, 4096 bytes)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Buffer cache hash table entries: 8192 (order: 3, 32768 bytes)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: Page-cache hash table entries: 65536 (order: 6, 262144 bytes)
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: CPU: L1 I cache: 16K, L1 D cache: 16K
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: CPU: L2 cache: 128K
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.debug kernel: CPU: After generic, caps: 0383f9ff 00000000 00000000 00000000
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.debug kernel: CPU: Common caps: 0383f9ff 00000000 00000000 00000000
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: CPU: Intel Celeron (Coppermine) stepping 06
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Enabling fast FPU save and restore. done.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Enabling unmasked SIMD FPU exception support. done.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Checking 'hlt' instruction. OK.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: Checking for popad bug. OK.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: ACPI: IRQ9 SCI: Level Trigger.
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.warn kernel: POSIX conformance testing by UNIFIX
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: Subsystem revision 20040326
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: PCI: PCI BIOS revision 2.10 entry at 0xfd9c0, last bus=1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: PCI: Using configuration type 1
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: Interpreter enabled
* Nov 11 04:00:37 user.info kernel: ACPI: Using PIC for interrupt routing
* Nov 11 04:00:37 us

If you've already tried re-writing the USB stick, you are fundamentally looking at a hardware problem. Sometimes just re-seating all cables (IDE, SATA, network) or RAM solves strange issues. And although it could be the drive(s), more likely is the NIC and/or motherboard. Try moving the drives (or even just one of them) to a different motherboard and boot NL on that. Then by process of elimination move more hardware over (PCI NIC, more drives, etc). You can even try it on one of your XP clients if you don't have an extra mobo laying around (disconnect all Windows drives first, connect one+ NL data drive(s), and boot NL, re-configure, and get unlock code).
A completely different debugging approach would be to boot a Live-CD (Knoppix, Ubuntu, etc) on the NL system and doing some diagnostics, but if you've never done that before it can get a little too involved ...

In the photos there you have.

GATEWAY 0.0.0.0 Network Gateway or Router

I am not sure but should you set the IP to your Router? Maybe that would fix it.

-Raymond Day

Did you try upgrading to the latest release? A lot has changed since 2.02.