Unraid Slackware Distribution (32 + 63 bit)

[callummc]

It would be great if we are able to get a version of unRAID on a full Slackware distribution (Slackware or perhaps Salix?)  Or even just a set of the default source libraries + kernel config that could be used on a alternate distribution.

 

There are many people who go through the steps of building an unRAID kernel for each of the beta builds and I for one would be very keen on a 64bit version (I run MythTV etc on mine and it benefits from the 64 bit capabilities when trans-coding).

 

It's very useful if you want to run many of the software packages that are not available (or cannot be implemented) as unRAID add-ons.

 

Anyone else in this boat?

[abs0lut.zer0]

does this take the usb stick os out of the equation, that has always been a selling point for me... ?

[sacretagent]

well if we can have xbmc on that slackware then i would get on that trai too .. saves me a computer if i can use the unraid as HTPC

[bubbaQ]

You should consider that unRAID is not an application ... it is an appliance. 

 

I have run unRAID on standard Slack distros including Slack64.  I wrote much of the wiki entry for running unRAID on a full Slack distro.  I ran all by unRAID boxen that way for years.  With 5.x, I am no longer doing that, because it is way too much hassle for minimal benefit.  Tom has been very accommodating in adding requested kernel config changes.  With the 5.x series, the plugin architecture provides the versatility I need w/o having to roll a custom kernel.  Plus, with a dev system properly configured, I can compile modules and move them over if really necessary, but again Tom has been very accommodating there too, so I still do it for testing, but once it works, Tom has added them to the next version.  I keep the dev system for testing and compiling other apps, like custom C code for controllers and utilities, but my unRAID boxen are going to be running stock unRAID once 5.x goes RTM.

 

Sure there are some special cases, but that set is shrinking.

 

[Donovan]

Unraid is undoubtedly a very successful appliance.  As the original poster was suggesting, however, for us hard core geeks, a completely dedicated box feels partly a waste of a PC and electricity, when it could easily handle doing other things as well.

 

In my case, I have 6 IP cameras I want to monitor at home and it does not feel right to build a second Linux PC and have it consuming power 24/7 if I can put unraid and ZoneMinder on the very powerful existing unraid PC.  I have yet to setup such a system but it is something I want to do before too long. Should be interesting, since my other servers (both remote servers) are Ubuntu LTS and aside from a lot of Gentoo experience, Slackware will be completely new to me.

 

 

...Donovan

[bubbaQ]

I have IP cameras, home security, transcoding, MySQL, Postgres, and a number of other "always on" applications running on unRAID without installing a full Slackware distro.

 

There are plenty of tutorials on how to install unRAID on a full slack distro.

 

As for apps that "cannot be implemented" on stock unRAID via packages or scripts, I'd suggest determining what needs to be added to stock unRAID and ask Tom to incorporate it.  He has been very accommodating in that regard.

[mbryanr]

After a brief glance, the zoneminder dependencies don't look that bad. Many are already used by unRAID users.

http://www.zoneminder.com/wiki/index.php/Slackware_12.2

[bubbaQ]

Don't get me wrong... getting unRAID up and running on a full Slacky distro is a fun project and deserving of a merit badge to be worn proudly.  Anyone serious about using unRAID beyond a simple appliance should try it for their own edification.

 

But at some point, a new upgrade will come out, and you will be busy with other stuff and don't have time right now to finger out all the changes you need to make to the full distro to get it going.  After this happens a few times, you will acquire new appreciation for the value in the simplicity of just copying a couple of files to the flash and everything still working.

 

Throw in some extra RAM so you can load a lot of packages, and you can even have a complete build environment.

[EddieA]

Unless the application needs a change in the kernel configuration, which none of the ones I use have, thankfully, then I've found this to be the easiest way to add them to unRAID.

 

If you need any normal Slackware packages that are not installed, then just download them, from the Slackware site, and put them in /boot/extra.  On the next boot, they will be installed.

 

For other applications check if a Slackware package has been built, either via the applications own website, or one of the other sites that specialise in maintaining Slack packages.

 

Failing that, then use a second Slack installation, I use a virtual one, to build your own Slack package, to put in /boot/extra.  There are plenty of sites that will show how this is done, or modify an existing Slack build script.

 

You will also have to make sure that any updates to configuration files are also written back to a directory on the flash, and re-installed at each boot.

 

Note:  This only works for 32-bit setups, as that's what unRAID is.

 

Cheers.

[Donovan]

Throw in some extra RAM so you can load a lot of packages, and you can even have a complete build environment.

 

Unless the application needs a change in the kernel configuration, which none of the ones I use have, thankfully, then I've found this to be the easiest way to add them to unRAID.

 

Wow, that's good news.  I had assumed that unRAID was locked down and/or due to running off USB, it was not possible to use it for anything else significant.  That's why I thought people were going through the trouble of creating a Slackware development environment in the first place.  Now I understand it is only necessary to add device/feature support to the Linux kernel that is missing in the unRAID build.

 

Based on EddieA's notes, it appears a more appropriate course of action in my case will be to create a virtual install of Slackware and create a Slack package for Zoneminder, as well as copying other dependencies.  There is an older Slackbuild that I should probably try first to see how things go.

 

Looks like I have some learning to do.  Thank you, guys!