Author Topic: WS-WVL Win 2008 R2 EOL/ESU End of life - to buffalo WS-WVHL/debian, discussion  (Read 12510 times)

1000001101000

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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #15 on: January 19, 2020, 08:59:16 AM »
What you're describing sounds very much like what happens if you try to install the firmware on the 4/6/8 drive models with less than 4 drives.

I would hope/assume that the installer would somehow know that it's the 2-bay model and act accordingly but I've never had a ts-wvhl.

I'll see if I can get the ts-6vhl to install with just 2 drives and share the procedure.

Kane88

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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #16 on: January 19, 2020, 10:19:55 AM »
Great, thanks!  Hope it works for you.  Fingers crossed.

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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #17 on: January 19, 2020, 08:14:58 PM »
I was able to install with only two disks by setting the MAX_DISK_NUM to 2. Here is how you can accomplish that:

1. Boot into EM mode again with both drives blank
2. Download ACP Commander from https://github.com/1000001101000/acp-commander
3. install java if you don't already have it installed
4. Run the following command:
Code: [Select]
java -jar acp_commander.jar -t <device ip address> -c "echo MAX_DISK_NUM=2 >> /etc/nas_feature"5. Run the install again with all the debug options set except Update BOOT

Let me know if that helps.


Kane88

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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #18 on: January 19, 2020, 09:19:07 PM »
That is great news.  Glad it worked! Ok, I'll give it a shot.

But before I do, I'm going to need a login.  When the EM USB ISO finishes booting, it eventually goes to a login prompt.

Also, am I running ACP commander on the EM console?  Or am I running ACP commander from my windows pc?

Thanks.


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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #19 on: January 19, 2020, 09:22:38 PM »
You run it from your pc, it uses the same protocol that the firmware updater does.

In EM mode the username/password is admin/password though you won’t needed it.

Kane88

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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #20 on: January 19, 2020, 09:44:11 PM »
Ok, I ran ACP commander on my windows pc, java is installed on the pc.
then I did your command as
java -jar acp_commander.jar -t 192.168.0.106 -c "echo MAX_DISK_NUM=2 >> /etc/nas_feature"

console is showing
TS-QVHL-EMB80 login: sh: java: command not found

and when i login to console with admin/password and then run it, i get
-sh: java: command not found

does java and/or acp commander need to be installed or copied into this EM session somehow?
If so, I don't know how to do that.

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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #21 on: January 19, 2020, 09:49:37 PM »
You just need java on your PC. It should add java to your path so that typing java works but you may need to logout/reboot/open new shell depending on setup. If you can find where java is you can run ot directly too.

Kane88

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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #22 on: January 20, 2020, 07:17:37 AM »
Success!  Thank you so much, that did the trick. :)
I checked all the boxes in debug mode for update + config, including update boot (my usual method, as the drives were wiped), and it worked.
I've got the Buffalo web console up now, and it looks just like their older one for the TS-XEL.

Here is the product page for this one if you want it for your notes or web articles, the firmware update worked with your MAX_DISK_NUM=2 tweak.
http://www.buffalo-asia.com/forbusiness/business_nas/tswss/ws-wvl_r1-ap/

A question on the java stuff:

(I see now where I first went wrong- I was running that command in the acp commander windows gui.  I thought it was a linux command, not ms/windows.  Oops!)

I put acp_commander.jar in the jre library folder:
And still, for whatever reason, it could not run your command.

C:\>java -jar acp_commander.jar -t 192.168.0.106 -c "echo MAX_DISK_NUM=2 >> /etc/nas_feature"
Error: Unable to access jarfile acp_commander.jar

You mentioned the path, so I checked it.  java.exe is definitely in the path
PATH=C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Oracle\Java\javapath;<rest of path...>
It only has that path, no libraries or other java paths are in it.

I wound up having doing it this way, and it worked w/windows firewall disabled.
C:\>cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.8.0_231\lib"
C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.8.0_231\lib>java -jar acp_commander.jar -t 192.168.0.106 -c "echo MAX_DISK_NUM=2 >> /etc/nas_feature"
OK (ACP_STATE_OK)
C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jre1.8.0_231\lib>

How's that going to play out doing the debian install stuff for the other post on the TS-XEL?  Am I going to have to add something else to my path to make things easier for that project? 

----

firmware steps followed:
1. make the boot iso w/systemrescuecd- need to document this process. 
2. boot EM mode via USB
3. run MAX_DISK_NUM 2 command
4. flash with tsupdater
5. unit is at factory defaults, ready for config and use

----

Other observations, nothing to do with the firmware load:

SMART
This WS-WV unit supports SMART, the Buffalo OS on the TS-XEL doesn't.  I assume the other units in this Intel d510 series - also support SMART.

At some point,  I am hoping someone can help me to write a script (maybe even automate it) to where we can run smartctl, and have it save to a text file.  Some other Buffalo units I've seen support SMART, but either do not report the smart data in the web console (TS 3400), or if they do, there's not enough detail in it (TS 5400).

I wind up using the windows acp commander gui manually to run these guys...

smartctl -a /dev/sda
smartctl -A /dev/sda
smartctl -a /dev/sdb
smartctl -A /dev/sdb
smartctl -a /dev/sdc
smartctl -A /dev/sdc
smartctl -a /dev/sdd
smartctl -A /dev/sdd

The idea is to have these commands run every 4 hours, or at some regular interval.

One monitoring report emailed every 24hrs, really isn't enough monitoring.  Plus, the report the nas sends- has little detail in it. 

I had a failed disk last month that just about knocked out a whole raid 0 array in a 3400 series, and I didn't realize it- until 2 weeks after the failure began.  (Who's going to log in and check email, when they are busy?!)  The seagate drive in question, jumped from 400+ bad sectors, to almost 15000 in like 2 days!!!!  Having a regularly updated SMART log to check, would be beneficial.  Buffalo needs to up their game in the monitoring dept, no question.

sample info from /dev/sda on this modified WS-WV unit:
running
smartctl -a /dev/sda
smartctl -A /dev/sda


smartctl -a /dev/sda <tells us our disk model, serial, firmware version, etc>
ACP Commander v1.5.6.0 started
Sending discovery request...
Found new LinkStation 192.168.0.106
Authenticate EnOneCmd... OK
Authenticate with admin pw... OK
smartctl version 5.37 [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu] Copyright (C) 2002-6 Bruce Allen
Home page is http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net/

=== START OF INFORMATION SECTION ===
Device Model:     ST2000DM001-9YN164
Serial Number:    XXXXXXXX
Firmware Version: CC9D
User Capacity:    2,000,398,934,016 bytes
Device is:        Not in smartctl database [for details use: -P showall]
ATA Version is:   8
ATA Standard is:  Not recognized. Minor revision code: 0x29
Local Time is:    Mon Jan 20 18:27:15 2020 JST
SMART support is: Available - device has SMART capability.
SMART support is: Enabled

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART overall-health self-assessment test result: PASSED
See vendor-specific Attribute list for marginal Attributes.

General SMART Values:
Offline data collection status:  (0x00)   Offline data collection activity
               was never started.
               Auto Offline Data Collection: Disabled.
Self-test execution status:      (   0)   The previous self-test routine completed
               without error or no self-test has ever
               been run.
Total time to complete Offline
data collection:        ( 575) seconds.
Offline data collection
capabilities:           (0x13) SMART execute Offline immediate.
               Auto Offline data collection on/off support.
               Suspend Offline collection upon new
               command.
               No Offline surface scan supported.
               Self-test supported.
               No Conveyance Self-test supported.
               No Selectiv

smartctl -A /dev/sda <gives us an accurate reallocated sector count, power on hours, power on/off cycles, and more>
Authenticate EnOneCmd... OK
Authenticate with admin pw... OK
smartctl version 5.37 [x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu] Copyright (C) 2002-6 Bruce Allen
Home page is http://smartmontools.sourceforge.net/

=== START OF READ SMART DATA SECTION ===
SMART Attributes Data Structure revision number: 10
Vendor Specific SMART Attributes with Thresholds:
ID# ATTRIBUTE_NAME          FLAG     VALUE WORST THRESH TYPE      UPDATED  WHEN_FAILED RAW_VALUE
  1 Raw_Read_Error_Rate     0x000f   116   099   006    Pre-fail  Always       -       104382496
  3 Spin_Up_Time            0x0003   095   094   000    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  4 Start_Stop_Count        0x0032   099   099   020    Old_age   Always       -       1165
  5 Reallocated_Sector_Ct   0x0033   100   100   036    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
  7 Seek_Error_Rate         0x000f   072   057   030    Pre-fail  Always       -       17248962564
  9 Power_On_Hours          0x0032   086   086   000    Old_age   Always       -       12951
 10 Spin_Retry_Count        0x0013   100   100   097    Pre-fail  Always       -       0
 12 Power_Cycle_Count       0x0032   100   100   020    Old_age   Always       -       372
183 Unknown_Attribute       0x0032   100   100   000    Old_age   Always       -       0
184 Unknown_Attribute       0x0032   100   100   099    Old_age   Always       -       0
187 Unknown_Attribute       0x0032   097   097   000    Old_age   Always       -       3
188 Unknown_Attribute       0x0032   100   099


----

other observations:

I do notice that my seagate drives are a little beepy (not the typical crunchy r/w sound) on the bootup with this buffalo os.
That wasn't the case when using the Windows 2008 R2 os.

Too bad Buffalo has not updated their os for this series to be on par with the 3400 and 5400 series interface.
It's limited to SMB 1.x, whereas the Win 2008 Storage Server R2 had SMB 2.1 :(
Big read/write speed drop from 100MB/sec in Win 2008 R2 to 30MB/sec, typical of this buffalo os :(

I hope buffalo continues to security patch this series, it's better than being in an unsupported microsoft os for now anyway.

SMB 1.x can be added to Windows (though it is insecure).  I have it added on an 'acceptable risk' machine.

C:\>net use Z: \\TS-WVHLB80\share
System error 384 has occurred.

You can't connect to the file share because it's not secure. This share requires the obsolete SMB1 protocol, which is unsafe and could expose your system to attack.
Your system requires SMB2 or higher. For more info on resolving this issue, see: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=852747



The only other option I see so far on the windows side, is to go with the Windows 2012 R2 or 2016 upgrades, but lose the buffalo management software and their apps in the process.  I don't know what the buffalo preinstalled software really is even needed for, except for iSCSI users, NAS monitoring, and to control the NAS display.

----

Thanks again for your help.

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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #23 on: January 20, 2020, 08:37:45 AM »
wow, that's a big post. I'll try to throw a note in the instructions for the MAX_DISK_NUM trick. It might help other folks in the same situation or who just don't have 4 disks handy.

Whatever method you used to make ACP commander work this time should work when you set up the TS-XEL. The github wiki  page has a step by step example that should help.

I'd recommend using my updated command line version of acp commander rather than the old GUI one, I've made some updates that make it more reliably for more models (particularly for enabling root access).
https://github.com/1000001101000/acp-commander

The TS-XEL may not support SMART because it uses a SATA port multiplier, I'm not really sure. I can try using smartmontools on mine later and see if it works or not from within Debian.

Regarding SMB versions on stock firmware some folks have hacked SMB2 support into older devices, I've never tried it myself.
http://forums.buffalotech.com/index.php?topic=24630.msg88052#msg88052

You can always install Debian on the WS-WVL. That would at least provide a version of samba that supports SMB2/3.
https://github.com/1000001101000/Debian_on_Intel_Terastations






Kane88

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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #24 on: January 20, 2020, 09:46:10 AM »
Yeah, the post was a little longer than I intended.  Hopefully it helps someone else.  There's little to no documentation out there for the WS-WVL that I could find anyway.  So it seemed right to share.

Ok- I'll leave the java path alone and look at the github wiki.

Cool, I'll check out the command line version of acp commander.  I forgot how I even stumbled across acp.  I never could get an ssh shell working with linkstations to check smart like that, so I just went with the acp gui.  I read somewhere adding either ssh (or maybe was it root?) to the stock firmware- the modifications would get knocked out on reboots, so I never bothered.  It sounded complicated.

Thanks for the SMB patch info. 

True, I definitely want to put debian on the WS-WVL, now that I know the buffalo os will work if I need it.  That system will probably be happier and better off all around- with a newer os.

Which system do you think it would be easier to load debian on first?
The WS-WVL?  Or the TS-XEL?  The WS-WVL does have the video console, maybe that's the better one to start with?

I need to read up on what has to be done, before I start.  I saw the java app was one of the first steps for the TS-XEL. 

And I'll definitely be doing the debian load off of the stock os- that's loaded already.







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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #25 on: January 20, 2020, 10:54:56 AM »
The WS-WVHL might be easier for you since you boot from a usb image just like you did for the stock o/s.

they're all pretty manageable if you have some linux experience. I think creating that recovery image was more complicated than loaded either installer.

Kane88

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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #26 on: January 20, 2020, 01:53:14 PM »
I'm curious what your smartmontools wind up doing.
I can say I have had an esata external disk array connected on a windows pc before, with an esata port multiplier pci-e card: a highpoint rocketraid 622.  I don't know which controller chip it uses.  Smart data could be pulled from all the drives in the array with that card, in a windows environment. 

I guess it all has to do with the engineering of the sata hardware itself.  I know intel crippled the port multiplier on their esata ports for many desktop pc mainboards (which is why I had to get that card), to where a person could only connect one external sata drive.  The on board intel ports port couldn't use a disk array. 

I used to never be into the smart data monitoring- until a couple of years ago.  But as hard drive quality seems to drop each year, and after what happened recently, I try to monitor it when possible.

---

Anyway, trying your intel d510 debian.  I did not see any instructions, so I dived in.  Made a dd of your ts-buster-installer.iso

It boots
Grub loading.
Welcome to grub
and then 12 of these
error: unknown filesystem
Entering rescue mode...
grub rescue>

it does this with the stock firmware we loaded, and also- with wiped drives.

My linux skills are very very novice.  In fact, if you have any suggestions for debian guides for beginners- that's probably something I should read.  I know enough to be dangerous with linux. These terastations are just test boxes for the most part, I can blow them up at will.

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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #27 on: January 20, 2020, 02:27:20 PM »
My first guess would be that something went wrong with making that usb disk (grub seems to work but the filesystem couldn't be accessed). I would try creating it again and wait longer before removing the drive.

I connected to my TS-XEL and confirmed I can access SMART data for the drive it has in the top bay (the only one currently inserted).

Kane88

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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #28 on: January 20, 2020, 05:49:46 PM »
Yep, sure enough.  That was it.  Strange it did not write the data.  The partition was blank.
ran dd again, the usb boot works fine now. But a problem with the installer.

This happened right before the end of the install.  Right after it loaded grub onto the boot sector.

It's at finishing installation now.

 Failed to run preseeded command                     │
  │ Execution of preseeded command "mount -t proc none /target/proc/;       │
  │ mount -t sysfs none /target/sys/; cp /source/*.sh                       │
  │ /target/usr/local/bin/; cp /source/micro-evtd /target/usr/local/bin/;   │
  │ cp /source/*.patch /target/usr/src/; cp /source/*.service               │
  │ /target/etc/systemd/system/; cp /source/it8721.conf                     │
  │ /target/etc/sensors.d/; cp /source/module_exclude.txt                   │
  │ /target/usr/local/etc/; cp -r /source/micon_scripts                     │
  │ /target/usr/local/bin/; cp /source/micon_scripts/*.service              │
  │ /target/etc/systemd/system/; echo it87 >> /target/etc/modules; echo     │
  │ gpio-it87 >> /target/etc/modules; echo gpio-ich >>                      │
  │ /target/etc/modules; mkdir -p /target/etc/initramfs/post-update.d/;     │
  │ in-target ln -s /usr/local/bin/update_boot.sh                           │
  │ /etc/initramfs/post-update.d/update_boot; in-target ln -s               │

I let it reboot.  I noticed one red

Failed to start load kernel modules, then a bunch of greens that went by very fast, and now at a debian login prompt.

Is there anything of concern with those items it could not run?  Is there anything I need to verify to see if it is missing?


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Re: Buffalo WS-WV4.0TL/R1 Windows Server 2012 R2 / 2016 help
« Reply #29 on: January 20, 2020, 07:26:12 PM »
Weird.

What does it say on the lcd?