NASLite Network Attached Storage

OK, here's what I want to do. I bought NASLite+, the whole package, and have been using it but am now changing the box out and going Gigabit. The box doesn't boot off of USB and I have no room for the floppy drive in it. there is a CDROM drive and I want to convert a configured USB key drive image to a bootable CDROM with the configuration on it so when the box boots it has the proper IP address and Netmask.

Now I have tried creating an image from the USB key and burning it to a cdrom. It boots and comes up no problem, just with the default of 192.168.1.1. SO, WTF am I doing wrong? I can't be missing the config file unless it's hidden so why is it booting with the default IP address and Netmask?

Thanks in advance,

Mike

Just did a file compare (binary) of the disk and the USB key and they are both the same, end to end. So what gives? How is it that the CDROM doesn't boot with the same IP and netmask as the USB key from which the image comes from? Only thing I can think is that they embed it in the boot sector of the USB key, is that possible?

Mike

I'm an idiot! Upon further thought I figured out what is going on. The pointers in the config file tell the perver to goto the USB port for the config files. If there is no USB then it defaults. So the solution is to change the config files in the image with the desired IP, NetMask, and workgroup. Now how to do that? .........

Mike

You are correct in guessing the config info is stored somewhere on the USB key where you don't see it as a file. Either in the boot sector or in the directory sectors. It's the same way on a floppy. When you write config info to a floppy there aren't any files on it and it still shows 1.44meg available.

Your problem will be -- where is the config info stored? Normally it would be on the USB key or a floppy. You have neither of those. If you can figure out where it's stored and somehow get it on the CD in the right place AND trick NASLite into reading it from the CD then you could boot using only a CD.

If you figure that out, let the rest of us know how you did it

Guess I'm kind of waiting and hoping that one of the developers might just happen along and give me a quick pointer to the solution. I know it can be done, just don't want to have to go through the hell of reverse eng. the OS on the USB key to do it. It is a great app. but a little limited on options in some special cases like mine.

I will look at it a bit more this evening and see if I can find out how they do it. If I do I will post it here. The box runs fine, just a wast of a good USB key to just store 2 little changes to the NAS box.

Mike

so let me get this straight - you want to use NASLite+ from CD, but write the config to a USB flash drive instead of floppy?

im hoping this is right, as it is exactly what i want to do

i have a very small case with 3 drives and a cdrom, no floppy. usb, but no usb boot. so being able to write the config to usb v. floppy would be precisely what i need.....

Take a look at the "Naslite in a nutshell" article in the documentation section of the site. There is good info that may point you in the right direction. I do believe though that you'll need tyhe USB version to do what you need.

That is what I am doing now, works great. I just don't want the USB key there. I want to change the default config so I don't need to have the USB key at all and so that it boots with the IP address that I am looking for on my network.

You will need the USB version to do what I did. Make an image of it and then burn it to a bootable CDROM. Have the USB key in the USB slot and config NASLite like you normaly would, It will default and write the config to the USB key even thought you boot from the CDROM.

Works great for me, just wish I could get to the config files and do a little change to them so as not to need the USB key at all.

Mike

sorry if i am being dumb, but let me get this straight -

you have the usb version
you boot from cd, but write config to a USB key
you dont need a floppy
?

even though i just bought the CD version, ill ditch it for the USB version if this is correct. (and thank you)

You got it right. The USB version is set up to write the config data to the USB key. Unless you can edit the config files in on the disk it will always do this as the default.

So again to be very clear about what I have and have done.

I have the full CDROM with all three NASLite distros (Floppy, USB, CDROM)

I removed the floppy, not needed with the USB version.

My box will not boot from the USB port so I boot from a CDROM that I built from an image of the bootable USB key. I built the key using the NASLite utility that comes with the full server suite.

I boot with the CDROM, config the box using a KB and monitor and commit the changes which are written to the USB key.


The solution I am working on is to change the config file on the USB key before I make the image for the CDROM. This way I get it to boot with the proper parameters and no need for a USB key.

Mike

I read your post and it makes sense, but you might be making it more complicated for yourself.

Just get a cheap USB card that has an internal USB connection. Install the card in your box and the USB key on the card. That way you can run the USB version, without a key hanging off the back of your box.

I built a test rig like that and it works well, all the bays are available for drives and the system is clean on the outside.

Hope that works for you.

It's not about being clean on the outside or the inside for me. I just want to boot off of the CDROM and have the proper config there so I have no need to use a USB port or key.

Thanks,

Mike

Hello, i'm using NASLite+ on a CF-Card with CF to IDE-Adaptor.
It works very fine and i would like to have the config on the
CF-Card to.
Is there any chance to do it?

hsg