limetech

How Fast it is Going, Who is Doing It, What They are Doing, and Who is Sponsoring It Very interesting.

Flash failures are not from being written - unRAID OS very rarely writes to the Flash. There are many uses for this feature... stay tuned...

Hey that's a pretty good idea!

No use for Raid-0 yet because speed is limited by network throughput - even a single old 7200RPM IDE drive is faster than real-world GigE. When 10GigE becomes more common, then perhaps it might be worth considering. As for no array Raid-1 - we're working on it. Our philosophy is to release stuff incrementally. In it's current form, this feature is very useful, so there's no point in delaying it further - may as well get it out there & get some feedback. Also, a big consideration, perhaps the biggest consideration, for any new feature is simplicity. The original vision for unRAID was to not even have any UI - it would be an appliance that just "worked". Well that's unrealistic, but you really have to make an effort to fight complexity. The 'split-level' concept is a good example of something that is too complex & we are thinking all the time about how to simplify it or design it away. The cache disk feature is also borderline too-complex & that's one reason it's implementation has been delayed until now.

Download. Finally a new feature in this release to speed up write operations (and more), called 'Cache Disk' (explained below). Other changes include updating to latest linux kernel and Samba releases, and a few other bug fixes. Reminder: this is a beta release - there may still be a few 'rough edges' unRAID OS Cache Disk Feature This release includes an innovative new feature that will greatly increase perceived system write performance. You may now assign one of your hard drives to be a "cache" disk. A cache disk is a hard drive that is not part of the normal parity-protected array. When a cache disk exists in the system, it is visible under My Network Places as a disk share named "cache" (provided disk shares are being exported). You may read/write the cache share just as you would any other disk share. Since the cache disk is outside the array, writes will be much faster, but of course if this disk fails, all it's data may be lost. The real power of a cache disk is realized when User Shares are enabled. The cache disk may be automaticaly "included" in every user share. Hence any object (file or directory) created on a user share is created on the cache disk, provided enough space exists. Therefore, when you browse a user share via My Network Places, the listings will transparently include objects on the cache disk as well as on the other data disks. In order to prevent the cache disk from filling up, we have created a new utility called the "mover". The mover is a process which periodically moves objects from the cache disk to the array proper. You can set a schedule which defines when the mover will "wake up". The default schedule is to wake up at 3:40AM every day. Since there is a lag between the time objects are created on the cache disk, and when they are moved to the array, it may be desireable to disable the cache disk for certain shares. For this purpose, there is a setting for each user share to disable use of the cache disk for that share. To provide redundancy for the cache disk it may be possible to set up a "raid-1" array on your motherboard or controller card. Another possibility is to assign the cache disk to an external SATA raid array. We also plan to provide sofware raid-1 for the cache disk in a future unRAID OS release. Notes & current limitations: * The cache disk feature is for Pro licenses only. Including the cache disk, the maximum number of hard drives supported by unRAID OS is now 17. Note: the 17th hard disk can only be used as a cache disk - the maximum array width is still 16 hard drives. * The "model/serial number" display for the cache disk is slightly different. * The cache disk statistics will not be cleared when you click 'Clear Statistics'. * The "Cache disk floor" setting defines the minimum amount of free space on the cache disk which must exist in order for a new object to be created on the cache disk. This setting does not apply when accessing the cache disk directly via the 'cache' share. * When the mover moves files from the cache disk to the array, a pair of syslog entries are made for each file. There is currently no control for turning this off, though an advanced user can do so by editing the script "/usr/local/sbin/mover", removing the "-v" option on the mv command. Also, the mover does not delete the directory structure on the cache disk, thus it is possible for many empty directories to accumulate on the cache disk over time. This will be addressed in a future unRAID OS release. * The mover will not move any top-level directories which begin with a '.' character. Such directories will not exist in normal use, but an advanced user may use this knowledge to create directories which won't get moved. * The mover will not move any files that exist in the root of the cache disk. Such files will not exist in normal use, but an advanced user may use this knowledge to create files which won't get moved (for example, a swap file). * If the mover finds no files to move, and the disks are spun-down, the disks will not spin up. * The format of the "Mover schedule" string follows the linux "crontab" format. In a future unRAID OS release, we plan on making this more user friendly, but here is the description of this format: The crontab format consists of 5 fields separated by spaces. Individual fields may contain a time, a time range, a time range with a skip factor, a symbolic range for the day of week and month in year, and additional subranges delimited with commas. If you specify both a day in the month and a day of week, the result is effectively OR'ed: the crontab entry will be run on the specified day of week and on the specified day in the month. A field consisting of an asterisk ('*') indicates "every" time of that field. Examples: # MIN HOUR DAY MONTH DAYOFWEEK # at 3:40 a.m. every day 40 3 * * * # every two hours at the top of the hour 0 */2 * * * # every two hours from 11p.m. to 7a.m., and at 8a.m. 0 23-7/2,8 * * * # at 11:00 a.m. on the 4th and on every mon, tue, wed 0 11 4 * mon-wed # 4:00 a.m. on january 1st 0 4 1 jan * * When a cache disk is assigned and formatted a new entry exists in the /mnt directory: /mnt/cache * When a cache disk is assigned and formatted, and user shares are enabled, another new entry exists in the /mnt directory. This mount point is a view of the user shares which doesn't include the cache disk: /mnt/user0 * The mover is just a script called "/usr/share/sbin/mover" which invokes 'find' to traverse the cache disk and move files to the array using the 'mv' command. Advanced users may edit this script to fine-tune the mover. For example, it's possible to set conditions such as "move only files older than N days", or "only move files greater than N bytes in size", etc. Refer to the script itself and the 'man' page of the 'find' command. unRAID Server 4.3-beta4 Release Notes Upgrade Instructions (Please Read Carefully) -------------------------------------------- If you are currently running unRAID Server 4.2-beta1 or higher (including 4.2.x 'final'), please copy the following files from the new release to the root of your Flash device: bzimage bzroot If you are currently running unRAID server 4.0 or 4.1, please copy the following files from the new release to the root of your Flash device: bzimage bzroot syslinux.cfg menu.c32 memtest This can be done either by plugging the Flash into your PC or, by copying the files to the 'flash' share on your running server. The server must then be rebooted. If you are currently running unRAID Server 3.0-beta1 or higher, please follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Referring to the System Management Utility 'Main' page, make a note of each disks's model/serial number; you will need this information later. 2. Shut down your server, remove the Flash and plug it into your PC. 3. Right-click your Flash device listed under My Computer and select Properties. Make sure the volume label is set to "UNRAID" (without the quotes) and click OK. You do NOT need to format the Flash. 4. Copy the files from the new release to the root of your Flash device. 5. Right-click your Flash device listed under My Computer and select Eject. Remove the Flash, install in your server and power-up. 6. After your server has booted up, the System Management Utility 'Main' page will probably show no devices; this is OK, navigate to the 'Devices' page. Using the model/serial number information gathered in step 1, assign each of your hard drives to the correct disk slot. 7. Go back to the 'Main' page and your devices should appear correctly. You may now Start the array. If you are installing this release to a new Flash, please refer to instructions on our website at: http://www.lime-technology.com/wordpress/?page_id=19 Changes from 4.3-beta3 to 4.3-beta4 ----------------------------------- New feature: cache disk support. Improvement: enable SMART before reading disk temperature. Improvement: upgrade from linux kernel 2.6.24.3 to 2.6.24.4 (refer to http://lwn.net/Articles/274741). Improvement: upgrade from Samba 3.0.28 to Samba 3.0.28a (addresses some Vista issues, refer to http://us1.samba.org/samba/history/samba-3.0.28a.html). Improvement: added back a few more missing libraries needed for certain user customizations. Bug Fix: Support normal expansion of array when Parity is not installed.

We have been installing the 1.6GHz Conroe-L Celeron 420 for a while now in the MD-1500 product. At 35W max, it consumes about half as much power as CeleronD's we were originally using. It also has an 800MHZ FSB, and though externally clocked slower, it also outperforms the CeleronD as well. Highly recommended.

Where did 800M go??? Perhaps used by on-board video??

Yes it does look like a nice case. Can you remove the top power/reset/usb panel and gain a 10th slot? Also, be sure to report how those Trayless drive cages work out with the fans removed!

Thank you!

Might need to clear your browser cookies.

I'd like to try and understand how people want to use NFS. To be honest, NFS is a bit of pain-in-the-neck to implement properly, in part because user shares are implemented using FUSE, which itself has certain issues vis-a-vis NFS. So to kick things off, I'd like to quote a post from WeboTech (if that's ok) from this thread: How would you be using nfs?

Actually if the kernel sees all the individual drives, then it will probably just work.

Good advise Joe. Even if you don't assign any disk to Parity, if you Start the array unRAID will consider the other drives to be "new", and it will proceed to write a new MBR (master boot record) upon start-up (even if you don't click Format). This behavior is a bug and we'll fix it before 4.3 "final" is released.

Download. This is another "patch" release of the 4.2 series. This releases fixes a bug with User Shares having to do with deleting directories. As with the previous 4.2.3 release, this is a very minor patch of the latest stable unRAID OS software. This is the software we have been shipping with servers & I thought we should make it available for customers who are seeing this bug, but don't want to upgrade to a beta release yet. unRAID Server 4.2.4 Release Notes Upgrade Instructions (Please Read Carefully) -------------------------------------------- If you are currently running unRAID Server 4.2-beta1 or higher (including 4.2 'final'), please copy the following files from the new release to the root of your Flash device: bzimage bzroot If you are currently running unRAID server 4.0 or 4.1, please copy the following files from the new release to the root of your Flash device: bzimage bzroot syslinux.cfg menu.c32 memtest This can be done either by plugging the Flash into your PC or, by copying the files to the 'flash' share on your running server. The server must then be rebooted. If you are currently running unRAID Server 3.0-beta1 or higher, please follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Referring to the System Management Utility 'Main' page, make a note of each disks's model/serial number; you will need this information later. 2. Shut down your server, remove the Flash and plug it into your PC. 3. Right-click your Flash device listed under My Computer and select Properties. Make sure the volume label is set to "UNRAID" (without the quotes) and click OK. You do NOT need to format the Flash. 4. Copy the files from the new release to the root of your Flash device. 5. Right-click your Flash device listed under My Computer and select Eject. Remove the Flash, install in your server and power-up. 6. After your server has booted up, the System Management Utility 'Main' page will probably show no devices; this is OK, navigate to the 'Devices' page. Using the model/serial number information gathered in step 1, assign each of your hard drives to the correct disk slot. 7. Go back to the 'Main' page and your devices should appear correctly. You may now Start the array. If you are installing this release to a new Flash, please refer to instructions on our website at: http://www.lime-technology.com/wordpress/?page_id=19 Changes from 4.2.3 to 4.2.4 --------------------------- Bug Fix: fixed directory delete problem with user shares Changes from 4.2.2 to 4.2.3 --------------------------- Bug Fix: fixed directory rename problem with user shares Bug Fix: get rid of auth & comsat services from inetd.conf. Changes from 4.2.1 to 4.2.2 --------------------------- Improvement: include /usr/src/linux/.config file used to build the kernel. Improvement: include ULi SATA support Bug Fix: fixed problem with "swap-disable" configuration not being recognized. Changes from 4.2 to 4.2.1 ------------------------- Bug Fix: use Samba version 3.0.26a (fixes issue with Vista)

Here's a site which might have all the asterisk packages you need for slack 12 (which is what unRAID 4.3 is based on). If they have all the packages needed, it might be easier for you than building from source. If you are missing a critical non-asterisk library, let me know & I'll send it to you and/or build into next beta.

Download. Critical bug fix: in 4.3-beta2 the user share file system 'debugging' output was left on & will quickly fill up available RAM with system log info. If you are using -beta2, please get rid of it and use -beta3. This is what happens when you try to release s/w on St. Patty's day!

Hey that would be a nice feature. Our 'factory clear' script just clears the drive using 'dd' command and then writes an unRAID-specific MBR with a type field that indicates "factory cleared". We'll put this script into the next release.

Download. Just some bug fixes. If you are using -beta1, get rid of it and use -beta2 instead unRAID Server 4.3-beta2 Release Notes Upgrade Instructions (Please Read Carefully) -------------------------------------------- If you are currently running unRAID Server 4.2-beta1 or higher (including 4.2.x 'final'), please copy the following files from the new release to the root of your Flash device: bzimage bzroot If you are currently running unRAID server 4.0 or 4.1, please copy the following files from the new release to the root of your Flash device: bzimage bzroot syslinux.cfg menu.c32 memtest This can be done either by plugging the Flash into your PC or, by copying the files to the 'flash' share on your running server. The server must then be rebooted. If you are currently running unRAID Server 3.0-beta1 or higher, please follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Referring to the System Management Utility 'Main' page, make a note of each disks's model/serial number; you will need this information later. 2. Shut down your server, remove the Flash and plug it into your PC. 3. Right-click your Flash device listed under My Computer and select Properties. Make sure the volume label is set to "UNRAID" (without the quotes) and click OK. You do NOT need to format the Flash. 4. Copy the files from the new release to the root of your Flash device. 5. Right-click your Flash device listed under My Computer and select Eject. Remove the Flash, install in your server and power-up. 6. After your server has booted up, the System Management Utility 'Main' page will probably show no devices; this is OK, navigate to the 'Devices' page. Using the model/serial number information gathered in step 1, assign each of your hard drives to the correct disk slot. 7. Go back to the 'Main' page and your devices should appear correctly. You may now Start the array. If you are installing this release to a new Flash, please refer to instructions on our website at: http://www.lime-technology.com/wordpress/?page_id=19 Changes from 4.3-beta1 to 4.3-beta2 ----------------------------------- Bug fix: Restore missing 'installpkg' script. Bug fix: Fixed possible user share crash if top-level disk directories contain ordinary files. Bug fix: Fixed warning message generated by 'find' when searching user shares. Bug fix: Fixed problem reporting correct hostname to DHCP server.

All links within posts, and all links to wiki should be fixed now.

Ok, fixed the attachments (and restored all the previous attachments)...

We have just completed a move to a new web host provider. Everything has been moved: - main website - the wiki (note: a slightly different URL) - this forum (note: a slightly different URL) - the download directory Please post any problems or bad links you notice in this thread. Thanks!! P.S. This has been a long time coming. Our old provider (not to name names - but starts with 'pow' and ends with 'web') started out ok, but has really gone downhill - stay away. Our new provider, dotable.com, is an Australian-based company with US servers located in Los Angeles. Gotta love the Aussies!

Are you using a Windows NFS client? If so, which one?

That's great news Sparkie!

Welcome! Sounds like hard-earned wisdom...

Haven't tested it