unRAID Server release 4.0-beta4 available

[limetech]

unRAID Server OS version 4.0-beta4 is now available for download.

 

- Added Atansic L1 GigE driver

 

Please follow the upgrade instructions carefully (see below).

 

Here are the contents of the release "readme.txt" file:

---

unRAID Server 4.0-beta4 Release Notes

Upgrade Instructions
--------------------

If you are currently running unRAID Server 4.0-beta1 or higher, it is only necessary to copy the files:
    bzimage
    bzroot
from the new release to the root of your Flash device.  This can be done either by plugging the Flash into your PC or, but 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:
    bzimage
    bzroot
    syslinux.cfg
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 4.0-beta3 to 4.0-beta4
-----------------------------------

Added Attansic L1 GigE driver version 2.0.7.


Changes from 4.0-beta2 to 4.0-beta3
-----------------------------------

Improvement: upgrade Samba to 3.0.24.  This release of Samba includes better support for Vista.

Improvement: upgrade Intel Pro/1000 driver to latest release (7.4.27).

Improvement: replace "stock" Marvell driver with newer skge/sky2 drivers.


Changes from 4.0-beta1 to 4.0-beta2
-----------------------------------

Improvement: added more network drivers:
    D-Link DL2000-based GigE adaptors (eg, DGE-550T)
    National Semiconductor DP83820 series (eg, D-Link DGE-500T)
    SIS 190/191
    VIA "Velocity"

Improvement: added floppy support.

Bug fix: the GUID formation for some Flash models is not generated correctly.

Bug fix: array would not start if disabled disk was not physically present.


Changes from 3.1-beta2 to 4.0-beta1
-----------------------------------

Improvement: move to linux 2.6.20 kernel.  The linux 2.6 kernel offers several advantages over linux 2.4 kernel used in previous unRAID Server releases:
  - better hardware compatibility, especially with newer hardware
  - many enhancements and bug fixes in the disk i/o code
  - more opportunities for performance tuning

Improvement: permit custom timezone.  You can select the appropriate timezone file from our website and then download to the 'config' directory on your Flash.  The main purpose of this feature is to implement proper Daylight Savings Time adjustments.

Improvement: support up to 14 hard drives.

[dschur]

Any rough idea how stable and reliable this is?

 

When I first saw the beta 1 announcment I held off as there were no features I was interested in.

 

Seeing a new beta every day since then hasn't raised my confidence a lot.

 

Should I go for it?

[limetech]

I think we released 2 betas in the same day!

 

Following the change log, there's only been a couple unRAID-specific bug fixes, everything else is mainly driver additions which only get loaded at run-time for that specific h/w.

 

The core transfer code has been running several weeks on our own in-house servers.  Doesn't hurt to wait until 'final' version though.

[dschur]

hmm, now I'm interested. Ar you seeing any ancedotal reports if increased performance or simulateous access times?

[limetech]

Yes, but that's one of the things we need feedback on.  Here's what I'd recommend:

 

1. If you are building a new server from scratch, use latest 4.0 beta.

2. If you are comfortable rolling back from 4.0 to whatever you're using now, go ahead and try latest 4.0 beta.

3. If your server is in critical "production" use, wait for 4.0-final.

4. If you don't want to mess with syslogs, telnet commands, etc., wait for 4.0-final.

[Joe L.]

Yes, but that's one of the things we need feedback on.  Here's what I'd recommend:

 

1. If you are building a new server from scratch, use latest 4.0 beta.

2. If you are comfortable rolling back from 4.0 to whatever you're using now, go ahead and try latest 4.0 beta.

3. If your server is in critical "production" use, wait for 4.0-final.

4. If you don't want to mess with syslogs, telnet commands, etc., wait for 4.0-final.

Tom,

I  upgraded my second flash drive to 4.0beta2 yesterday, only issue was it wanted to recalc parity... probably since I cloned my existing flash drive using 'dd' and then copied the files from the new release to it.

 

This morning I upgraded once more to 4.0beta4.  (In beta3 you upgraded the Intel pro/1000 driver, and I think that is the one on the original Intel motherboard, so I wanted to get the upgraded driver)

 

I can now go back and forth between the old 3.1 beta4 release and the new 4.0  beta4 release simply by swapping USB flash drives.

 

I will make some tests over the next few days and let you know of any performance changes I can see.  I'm all IDE PATA so I won't be able to see if SATA changes, but it will give an idea how the 2.4 Linux Kernel does against the 2.6 Kernel and upgraded drivers.

 

Joe L.

 

[limetech]

Thanks Joe, very much appreciated (as are your contributions to this board)!