Any way to monitor console task remotely?

[pfp]

I have preclear running on my server console.  I'm no longer at the same location as my server so I can't check the console directly but I can access the server through the network.  Is there any way to see what is happening on the console remotely?

[StevenD]

Its too late for your current session, but I usually run a telnet session to the server from my main desktop and run the pre-clear from there.

[pfp]

Its too late for your current session, but I usually run a telnet session to the server from my main desktop and run the pre-clear from there.

 

I had to run it from the console since my main (currently only) workstation is a laptop that travels with me.

[barrettj]

If you have some way to view the syslog from where you are (unMenu, perhaps):

 

The preclear runs a smart report both before clearing and after clearing - so if you can see two reports then you know the preclear is completed.  You wouldn't be able to get the current progress, but at least you could know it was complete.

[purko]

It is very convenient to run the preclear script in a "screen" session.

That way you can detach from it, and later reattach to it from anywhere.

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=2817.msg24827#msg24827

 

[starcat]

You can also convert your console to go to Eth and view it from anywhere. Either your mainbo can use an IPMI card or has it built in or you can redirect it to serial and then convert via some terminal server to Ethernet. This way you also get the BIOS stuff to Ethernet.

[pfp]

You can also convert your console to go to Eth and view it from anywhere. Either your mainbo can use an IPMI card or has it built in or you can redirect it to serial and then convert via some terminal server to Ethernet. This way you also get the BIOS stuff to Ethernet.

 

What you just said

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

my head

[pfp]

It is very convenient to run the preclear script in a "screen" session.

That way you can detach from it, and later reattach to it from anywhere.

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=2817.msg24827#msg24827

 

 

Doesn't seem this will help me now but would in the future.  I downloaded the install files noted in the link you posted but have no clue how to install them.  Any clues would be greatly appreciated. 

[WeeboTech]

It is very convenient to run the preclear script in a "screen" session.

That way you can detach from it, and later reattach to it from anywhere.

http://lime-technology.com/forum/index.php?topic=2817.msg24827#msg24827

 

 

Doesn't seem this will help me now but would in the future.  I downloaded the install files noted in the link you posted but have no clue how to install them.  Any clues would be greatly appreciated. 

 

screen is the way to go, but it has to be installed and run before any long running command.

 

installpkg screen-4.0.3-i486-1.tgz

installpkg utempter-1.1.4-i486-1.tgz

 

then run screen before anything you do.

 

It will run a shell but now in a virtualized session and screen.

 

After your long running command press ctrl a and then d to detach.

The program will be running in a virtual screen in the background.

 

type screen -ls to see background sessions.

type screen -r  to resume a background screen session.

or you can use screen -x to attach to a undetached session.

 

 

 

[pfp]

screen is the way to go, but it has to be installed and run before any long running command.

 

installpkg screen-4.0.3-i486-1.tgz

installpkg utempter-1.1.4-i486-1.tgz

 

then run screen before anything you do.

 

It will run a shell but now in a virtualized session and screen.

 

After your long running command press ctrl a and then d to detach.

The program will be running in a virtual screen in the background.

 

type screen -ls to see background sessions.

type screen -r  to resume a background screen session.

or you can use screen -x to attach to a undetached session.

 

Yep, that's what I figured, but it didn't seem to work.  Turns out the files that were downloading had a .gz extension and the installer refused to install them.  I renamed the extension to .tgz and that seems to have done the trick.

 

I did get an error on one of the installs though:

 

I also had to reinstall after rebooting the server - is that normal?

[WeeboTech]

I also had to reinstall after rebooting the server - is that normal?

 

Yes, no worries on that.

[JustinChase]

Sorry for pulling out an old thread, but it's relevant to my current situation now.

 

I did get an error on one of the installs though:

 

 

I also get these 2 errors on every bootup of unRAID.  I'm guessing it's not too important, as it all seems to run okay (mostly), but I also assume utempter wants those files installed for some reason, so I'd like to "fix" it so that I stop getting these errors.  How might I do that?

 

Also, from reading the thread, it sounds like I cannot, but I still want to ask if there is *any* way that I can get access to/see/use the session that I see on the screen directly attached to the unRAID box?  The screenshot above is what I'm referring to getting remote access to.

 

I want to move the box to a remote location, and won't have a monitor, but I often need to access the server and "fix" errors in starting and/or stopping some plugins.  Yes, I need to fix the errors, but still.

 

How can I gain access to this information without a monitor directly hooked to unRAID?  I don't think there's any way to boot with screen, so I'm just not sure how everyone manages this without a monitor?

 

Specifically, when I use the unRAID menu/GUI to restart any of the SAB/CP/SB plugins, I get weird/laggy behavior until I restart.  Sometimes I can just open this monitor/session, and it's sitting there, waiting for someone to press enter, then it 'finishes' whatever it was toing, and takes me back to a prompt.  this is sometimes enough to get the system to respond quickly again, sometimes not.

 

Either way, once I move the box, this option would go away, and I'd like to avoid that if possible.

 

ideas?

[dgaschk]

You can also check the status of pre-clear with mymain un unMENU.

[JustinChase]

thanks, but I'm done with pre-clear for now, I'm just talking about regular system messages that currently go thru the video card to the connected monitor.  once this goes away, how can I see those messages?

[dgaschk]

There is a log in /boot/preclear_reports

[JustinChase]

I'll try to clarify my request.

 

When I first installed unRAID, I had a monitor hooked up to the machine, and could watch from the initial request to boot unRAID/memtest on thru to the final prompt requesting me to log in.

 

Sometimes, when my system is acting weird, if I turn that monitor on, I can see what the system has been doing.  For example, currently, when I let the couchpotato plugin install at bootup, it does not finish.  It looks like a command has been typed, but not "entered".  If I hit the enter button on the keyboard I have plugged directly into the unRAID box, it will 'accept' and return me to a command prompt.

 

Sometimes, there have been error messages displayed here, or other instances where pressing the enter button was necessary.

 

One day, I don't want that monitor or keyboard to be connected to the box itself.

 

I'm curious to know how I could see the messages I am currently able to see as described above.

 

Thank you.

[Joe L.]

thanks, but I'm done with pre-clear for now, I'm just talking about regular system messages that currently go thru the video card to the connected monitor.  once this goes away, how can I see those messages?

you cannot.  not unless they are also sent to the system log.  It is why those newer motherboards with a BIOS you can access via its own IP address are popular for headless servers.

[JustinChase]

...newer motherboards with a BIOS you can access via its own IP address are popular for headless servers.

 

hmmm, i bet.            ...newegg... 

 

I wonder if I can get my android phone to act as a monitor thru the mini hdmi output?  doubt it.

 

thanks for confirming what I feared

[opentoe]

Stick with dmesg and your syslog using Putty as your client.

[dgaschk]

I use a Trendnet KVM($30): http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=safari&rls=en&oe=UTF-8&q=trendnet+kvm&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=8081128951513036&sa=X&ei=qVm1Tv-8OYiRiQKV45VB&ved=0CIgBEPMCMAY#ps-sellers

[Johnm]

A few solutions are..

 

1 Buy a motherboard with IPMI, AMT or PROv support. (single machine KVM over IP support requiring you have to replace the motherboard)

 

2 Buy a KVM with IP over KVM support. (this way you can monitor several existing servers from anywhere.)

 

3 Buy a KVM over ip PCI card (adds KVM over IP to a server, beyond cost prohibitive. cheaper to by a new motherboard and CPU).

 

4 train a chimp to stand at your physical server and do what you need done. (probably not so good)

[WeeboTech]

1 Buy a motherboard with IPMI, AMT or PROv support. (single machine KVM over IP support requiring you have to replace the motherboard)

 

This is a but costly because you have to change out the motherboard, but it's also one of the cleanest solutions in the long run.

 

I would not build a server these days without it.

I do have a KVM, but it's for machines that I frequently access at the console.

For a server, IPMI with KVM over IP. Not only do you get Keyboard Video Mouse access. you have power control and hardware sensor information.

[JustinChase]

I would not build a server these days without it.

For a server, IPMI with KVM over IP. Not only do you get Keyboard Video Mouse access. you have power control and hardware sensor information.

 

I've decided I'm willing to get a new motherboard to allow this, but I'm having some trouble searching for this ability.  Probably something simple, but Newegg isn't showing me any motherboards with any of those terms.

 

How might I limit my search to just boards with this ability, or better yet, any specific suggestions?  I currently have a socket 775 intel processor, but expect I'll need to replace it also, but just in case, I would prefer to recycle it.

 

thanks again.

[WeeboTech]

I would not build a server these days without it.

For a server, IPMI with KVM over IP. Not only do you get Keyboard Video Mouse access. you have power control and hardware sensor information.

 

I've decided I'm willing to get a new motherboard to allow this, but I'm having some trouble searching for this ability.  Probably something simple, but Newegg isn't showing me any motherboards with any of those terms.

 

How might I limit my search to just boards with this ability, or better yet, any specific suggestions?  I currently have a socket 775 intel processor, but expect I'll need to replace it also, but just in case, I would prefer to recycle it.

 

thanks again.

 

 

How many drives do you have? Are you planning to support?

Do you want to keep the same CPU and Memory?

What is your budget?

 

Generally the supermicro boards that are in the $200 range have IPMI.

I remember a few atom boards had it.

I have the X7SBE which required a daughter board. But it can run your CPU.

 

if you are inclined to ugprade the Mobo/Cpu/fan/Ram the model a number of people are using is

http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/Xeon/C202_C204/X9SCM-F.cfm

 

There are a bunch of atom boards too.

Look for the ones with the HF at the end and specs with

"IPMI 2.0 with virtual media over LAN and KVM-over-LAN support"

[JustinChase]

I have 8 drives now, with maybe an upper end of 12 or so; maybe many more, I have plenty of room in my case.

 

I'd like to keep the CPU and memory, but if replacing them has benefits such as better availability of options, better performance, lower overall cost, etc I would be willing replace them.

 

I think my budget is about the cost of a cheap monitor, since that's the big benefit I get from replacing the MB.  So, maybe $100 or so.  The convenience of not needing a monitor is worth something also.  $200 is probably more than it's worth to me.

 

If I could find a way to use my android phone as a monitor, that would be ideal, otherwise, I'd buy a cheap/small monitor to keep handy, for the few times I expect to need it, now that it's running without any problems/issues.  I plan to move the box to a closet one of these days, so small is good.

 

I'll look some more tonight.

 

thanks again for the great feedback.