[CONTAINER] CrashPlan & CrashPlan-Desktop


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For a summary of what is needed after CrashPlan in the Docker upgrades to 4.3.

 

The upgrade seems to work fine, you may need to start/restart the docker instance as it may have exited when CrashPlan restarted for the upgrade.

 

In 4.3 there is a new check that using a key in the .ui_info file.  You need to copy it from your server, it is in the "id" folder and since is "hidden" from normal browsing because of the dot. I suggest using scp to copy it or use ssh command line to make a copy of it without the dot.

 

Then you need to copy it to the system that you use for running the CrashPlan client.  I've seen a few notes on where to put it on a PC, but as I use Macs I didn't see the info in this thread.  So here it is.

 

On Windows, copy to: C:\ProgramData\CrashPlan\.ui_info

 

On a Mac copy to

/Library/Application Support/CrashPlan/.ui_info

and

~/Library/Application Support/CrashPlan/.ui_info

(these are were they go depending on if you installed CrashPlan for "all users" or "just myself")

 

On a mac you can open up a terminal window.  cd to the location and then use scp to copy the file.

cd "/Library/Application Support/CrashPlan/"

scp root@UNRAID_IP:/CRASHPLAN_CONFIG/id/.ui_info .

 

cd "$HOME/Library/Application Support/CrashPlan/"

scp root@UNRAID_IP:/CRASHPLAN_CONFIG/id/.ui_info .

 

Then use the same method you were using prior to the 4.3 upgrade., ssh port forwarding or direct with the IP and port of your unraid server in the ui.properties file.

 

Good Luck.

 

 

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All - thanks for all the detailed content above, really useful.  I've managed to get my windows crashplan front end to connect to the docker engine by doing the following:

 

  1. Copying over the .ui_info from the docker to my windows machine

  2. Setting my Unraid IP in ui.properties

 

I just wanted to confirm a few things:

 

Firstly - I can no longer connect to my local crashplan backup engine on my windows machine - even when I comment out the edits made to ui.properties and replace the original .ui_info file on my windows machine.  Any tips, or shall I reinstall crashplan on my windows machine?

 

Secondly - I'm nervous that whilst I used to need to set up tunnels in putty to connect (using an old crashplan plugin on unraid v5), with this method I now don't - is this method still secure?

 

Finally - the crashplan-desktop MATE is an awesome idea, and whilst I can connect using RDP and get to the linux desktop, the crashplan program can't connect to the backup enginge.  I notice it still says v4.2, where as the crashplan engine is now v4.3.  Is the MATE out of action until it gets updated, or am I doing something wrong?

 

Thanks all for all the help and development so far!

 

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All - thanks for all the detailed content above, really useful.  I've managed to get my windows crashplan front end to connect to the docker engine by doing the following:

 

  1. Copying over the .ui_info from the docker to my windows machine

  2. Setting my Unraid IP in ui.properties

 

I just wanted to confirm a few things:

 

Firstly - I can no longer connect to my local crashplan backup engine on my windows machine - even when I comment out the edits made to ui.properties and replace the original .ui_info file on my windows machine.  Any tips, or shall I reinstall crashplan on my windows machine?

 

Secondly - I'm nervous that whilst I used to need to set up tunnels in putty to connect (using an old crashplan plugin on unraid v5), with this method I now don't - is this method still secure?

 

Finally - the crashplan-desktop MATE is an awesome idea, and whilst I can connect using RDP and get to the linux desktop, the crashplan program can't connect to the backup enginge.  I notice it still says v4.2, where as the crashplan engine is now v4.3.  Is the MATE out of action until it gets updated, or am I doing something wrong?

 

Thanks all for all the help and development so far!

 

I decided to ditch this great docker (and the second MATE) and just install a small VM with ubuntu and install Crashplan. I mounted all my user shares within the VM and now don't have to edit my Windows client files everytime there is an update or a need for the docker to get updated. This will happen by itself on the VM now. No more waiting for the manual updates from the programmer. I just read in another thread he's working on other projects and is a busy guy. I would think this is on the bottom of his list. The VM is working great so far and is currently backing up as I write this.

 

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I second that approach...Crashplan is an important functionality for backups and I believe it's in the best interest of Limetech to provide first class support for the Docker image just as in the case of Plex. There shouldn't be any reason the Docker image for Crashplan can't be as self sufficient for updates and the like just like Plex. This isn't to say that there won't be times that the Docker image won't need attention for something in the future, but given the reliance that some of us have on the backup functionality, we need some communications that it is being handled and an update is on the way. I totally understand that Docker images to this point have been contributions from the community and folks get busy and can't provide attention to them as quickly as they would like. However, just as the videos and "promo" verbiage on the site for Limetech suggests...this is a whole new world for unRaid! Meaning, that if Limetech is going to provide and support the Docker functionality, it only makes sense that there will be a "core" set of Docker images that should be supported and maintained as well. This approach supports both sides moving forward...those that just want stuff to work (which is what is alluded to in the videos to make unRaid more "friendly" to the masses, hence commercialize it) as well as supporting the enthusiasts that want to create and use more esoteric pieces of software. I love unRaid and really want to see it succeed past the enthusiast realm. Anyone at Limetech considering kickstarter or sharktank?  :P

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I'd inject a note of caution that the crashplan updater has a history of not really being that great at doing updates. This isn't the first time it's gone a bit wrong. It doesn't update that often though which helps smooth this out.

 

This doesn't change the argument of having the docker build kept up to date (though it's easily forkable as necessary, in theory just change the path in the current one to the new crashplan install bundle) but does mean that regardless of the state of any crashplan install crashplan itself will always attempt to auto update itself. And it may not go smoothly.

 

This will apply equally to crashplan running inside docker images, inside your own vm's, on baremetal installs etc. It was ever thus with crashplan sadly.

 

Having an updated docker image won't help with this as by the time an updated docker image is necessary your running instance will have tried to update itself. It will have either succeeded in which case you don't care about a docker image update, or failed in which case your backups are broken until you notice and / or until you notice there is a docker image update and act accordingly to have it pulled down.

 

Certainly for this specific upgrade none of this would have helped with the changing client token exchange requirements which, as far as I can tell, aren't documented by crashplan. So would always have been at the mercy of someone bright in the community figuring it out.

 

All three of my pre-existing crashplan installs (three seperate machines, only one running inside an unraid docker container. The other two directly installed on the hosts) needed a bit of a prod during this round of updates to come back to life.

 

 

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i think the best plan of attack is to have a single Crashplan docker container that is slimmed down version of a lightweight linux.  Standalone, single instance.  That way everything can be updated as it should be by Code42.  As long as Crashplan on linux is supported, this docker will work.

 

I know very little about Docker, but I'm going to try and get this working on my own.  If I do, I'll share what I find.

 

This is fairly easy to modify to get started...

 

https://github.com/gfjardim/docker-containers/blob/master/crashplan-desktop/install.sh

 

This is exactly what the current docker is. It's based off the phusion base image which is just a slightly 'docker friendly' tweaked ubuntu install.

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Limetech is currently working on a container that should be better supported than this one. The main thing I don't like about using a VM, is the additional overhead in resources that using another OS requires.

 

This is good to know. I'll eventually switch back over to a docker based solution once it is more automated with updates. That's all I'm looking for, automation so I don't have to. Already have a full time job with less and less time as it is. Luckily I have a system that I can whip up a few VM's and not have to worry about resources. I never intended to have have so many resources or such a robust system, just kind of fell that way when I replaced my office home computer which then became my "new" unRaid build. I'll eventually put it all to use.

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Hi,

 

Is anyone having problems connecting to the Crashplan Central service since the update? I've followed the posts in the last couple of pages to restore connection from my Windows box to the Crashplan docker, but the backup engine can't connect to the online service.

 

Any ideas?

 

SR

 

I was having the same issue post upgrade.  Here's what I did to restore connectivity to Crashplan Central:

 

[*]Stop the Crashplan docker

[*]Backup your my.service.xml file in your Crashplan docker config folder - mine was in /mnt/cache/appdata/crashplan/conf/

[*]Edit my.service.xml and remove the hash string between the <autoLoginPasswordHash> tags

[*]Change the text between the <autoLogin> tag from "true" to "false"

[*]Start the Crashplan docker

[*]Launch the GUI client (either through Windows or the MATE, whichever you use) and sign in to your Crashplan account when prompted then close the client

[*]Stop the Crahsplan docker

[*]Edit my.service.xml and change the text between the <autoLogin> tag back to "true"

[*]Start the Crashplan docker again

 

Confirm through the GUI client that everything connected and your backups are working again.  I don't know if toggling the autoLogin part is strictly necessary, you may only need to remove your old password hash, but this worked for me.

 

 

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I've been watching this thread for a while now waiting for a sign that the issues have been resolved.  While I see a some people have come up with fixes for the problems they ran into, I must say I don't exactly get the "warm fuzzies" reading this thread.

 

What is the status of the Crashplan docker, and how well does it work?  From reading this thread, it looks like the primary alternatives to this Docker are: 1) running a Windows VM with the Crashplan client, or 2) waiting for some future plugin or core feature that includes Crashplan support by Lime Tech (is there any more information on that- I can't find references to it). 

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Guys, sorry for the delay. This was a bit trickier to debug.

 

Every time the CP 4.3 service starts, it creates a new port,hash pair into /var/lib/crashplan/.ui_info file. Since it's totally random, CrashPlan-Desktop must have access to CrashPlan service files. This is easily accomplished adding --volumes-from CrashPlan to "Extra Parameters" field on CrashPlan-Desktop settings, like this:

 

cf7dV41.png

 

 

Again, sorry for the delay.

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Thanks for the update.

 

Quick question, i'm sure it's something i'm missing

I've updated but i can't see the "Extra Parameters" field in the Crashplan Desktop settings page ?

 

Thanks for any help.

Just click the advanced settings at the top right of the section. You should be able to see it then.

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I can never get the Crashpla-desktop to work.  I have CORD running in OSX and it loads the rdp session and crashplan logo is showing but never does anything just hangs ?!?

 

Kryspy

 

I'm in the same boat.  Accessing CrashPlan Desktop through Guacamole.  Loads CrashPlan desktop, the CrashPlan splash screen appears when I run CrashPlan from MATE desktop and then it just hangs; not even a "cannot connect to backup engine" message.  I have pulled the latest docker and added --volumes-from CrashPlan to the Extra Parameters section.

 

Both engine and client are version 4.3.  I can connect to backup engine fine through Windows 4.3 client and putty/SSH.

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Every time I start the Guacamole CrashPlan connection this is what I see on the MATE Desktop; the CrashPlan splash screen frozen on the desktop.  It never times out or connects.  Same thing is true if I RDP in from Windows.

 

I have deleted and recreated the CrashPlan-desktop docker several times (each time deleting docker and image and making sure no files remain in the appdata confing folder).  I removed and recreated the Guacamole CrashPlan connection.  I have tried the server side edits to my.service.xml discussed in this thread.

 

Not critical as I can still connect via putty/SSH from Windows, but I would rather use the MATE desktop if I can get it working.

Crashplan_stuck.png.8eb5d8229ee5b57c19dc41e04152fb23.png

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Back to the drawing board for me.  The latest CrashPlan docker update has now broken my windows client connectivity as well.  Looks like .ui_info in the docker Id folder has changed to "4243, unRAID".  Copying this to C:\ProgramData\CrashPlan does not work as before.  I am back to square one on the tweaks to try and figure out what will allow client to connect after Code 42 latest changes in version 4.3

 

EDIT:  I got it working again. Fortunately, I renamed the .ui_info file on the Windows PC before copying the new one from the docker ID folder.  This time the fix was to go the other way; copy the "old" .ui_info file from the C:\ProgramData\Crashplan folder to the CrashPlan docker ID folder.  It did not like the .ui_info file with "4243, unRAID"

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