After some hours reading, I'm really confused.

Am I ready to pay for something like unRAID, because it's so difficult to make something working.

 

I want to mount an external USB HDD drive and use it on the unraid server.

There is a topic in the wiki about this here but  completely useless :

- first step,  the package "ntfs-3g" :  not available at all (even if there is a bunch of mirrors, in http or ftp, to try). No package, no way to try the product.

It seems that the sources are availables, but I want to mount a ntfs drive on my unraid server, not to suddendly be a linux master.

 

After some research, I understand there is an add-on called unMENU, that "may" be interesting.

Even when Joe L writes something about this, there is no hyperlink to this add-on.

So I have to search (again).

So I made a research on the starting page of limetech about this -> no result

Then on the forum -> something like ten pages about this, about details and problems.

But where may I download this, and maybe have some guess about what is this?

Btw, when somebody talks about something in the forum, of course there is a search facility that MAY help, but when nobody uses the hyperlink nowhere, it's very difficult to really go forward.

 

Why there is no "download" section, where people can find all the files, from the unRAID version, to syslinux, uSB format utility, add-ons, and the files like ntfs-3g...

Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've found a topic about unMENU in the forum, which titles is "unMENU.... and easy to install" 22 pages, but how to easy install it? and the ifiles I found here are they the good one? After de-zipping those, not a word about how to use, is there a hidden text?

 

A wiki page about the documentation here : not a word about how to install unMENU. How can I do this?

It is obvious that you have checked the unRAID wiki but please also take a look at the unRAID Add-on section of the wiki.  There is a link in there that talks about all of the stuff you just asked.  Check out the Best of the Forums and the Topical Index as they are good places to find information about all the stuff that has been developed for unRAID and links to instructions on how to install.

I've found a topic about unMENU in the forum, which titles is "unMENU.... and easy to install" 22 pages, but how to easy install it? and the ifiles I found here are they the good one? After de-zipping those, not a word about how to use, is there a hidden text?

 

A wiki page about the documentation here : not a word about how to install unMENU. How can I do this?

 

Try this link first in the wiki: http://lime-technology.com/wiki/index.php/UnRAID_Add_Ons#UnMENU

 

Go to the page listed for the download: http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=2595.msg23943#msg23943

 

Follow the installation instructions on that page.

 

I just added a line on that page showing how to see the output... (I take constructive criticism pretty well)  I realize you did not read through or follow the full unMENU thread... And the wiki is constantly being updated by many, so I can see there you had a valid point, as one entry in the wiki gives no clue on how to install it.

 

After you start the unmenu server (by typing "/boot/unmenu/uu" as shown in the instructions) you can see the improved interface in your browser by using the following URL:  

http://tower:8080

 

Of course, if you changed the server name, use your changed name instead of "tower"

 

Some of the "package" installation files are slightly out of date... as they refer to a path on a slackware server that is no longer valid.   I'm about ready to release a 1.2 version of unMENU with updates for those.  You can get the updated package files from here:

http://unraid-unmenu.googlecode.com/files/unMENU-packagesSept-2009.zipSee the next post.

 

Joe L.

To help things along... You can get all the current files  (version 1.2 of unMENU) now from google.code here

http://code.google.com/p/unraid-unmenu/downloads/list

 

Download all three zip files, create a folder on the root of the flash drive named unmenu, unzip them there and let me know of anything that does not seem to function.

 

When using the unMENU package manager, do not download and install all the possible packages... most people do not need everything there... pick and choose the ones that you desire.  Some will require additional configuration on your part... Post back in the forum for help with specific topics.

 

Joe L.

whow, it works. Thanks for explanations that help a lot.

 

I've installed the version 1.2 of unMENU, of course as stated it's easy enough, and it works.

Better, I've found in the "Packet Manager" of unMENU that I was able to download the file "ntfs-3g-2009.3.8-i486-1.tgz".

This is the file I needed for using a NTFS USB drive connected on unRAID.

I don't know where it was downloaded from, but after clicking on the right button the file was here, right in /packages directory.

 

Then I've followed the instructions from this page and now I may use an external USB NTFS drive .

 

Ooh, there is an error on the unMENU syslog :

 

"Sep 23 02:12:22 unRAID unmenu[1293]: smartctl: error while loading shared libraries: libstdc++.so.6: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory"

 

But I thing I should first try this while using it with unRAID v4.5 beta6; I'm currently using v4.4.2.

 

You are correct.  The c++ library in the error message was missing in your version...

 

But... the unMENU package manager has a package for it, so download and install the missing library.  It is as easy as pushing another button or two. 

In the package manager it is labeled:

cxxlibs-6.0.9-i486.tgz library accidentally left out of unRAID 4.4-beta2 through 4.5beta5

 

Also, you don't need to follow the steps in the wiki, as the "Disk Management" plug-in page will let you mount and share the NTFS disks you plug into your unRAID server.

 

Disks with file-systems will show as unprotected devices and a button will exist to mount them.  Once mounted, they may be shared on the LAN with another button.   

 

See this image where a unMENU user booted up their existing PC, did not assign any drives to the unRAID array, but still used the unMENU "Disk Management" screen to mount the drives and share them on the LAN.  He did this to evaluate the hardware he was using, but it shows you how easy it is:

 

 

The "Disk Management" page looks like this (I had plugged in a USB drive with an NTFS file system on it and had already pressed the button to mount it):

 

Joe L.