Now with two unRAID servers and (2x2) USB sticks I often stumple over the wrong stick having the wrong key file. Why? My sticks often fail and I have to initalize/format and copy a restore of it's contents back onto them.

 

I would like to copy all key files (eg Pro1.key, Pro2.key, Pro3.key, ...) on all sticks and forget them.

 

Any chance for this?

 

Regards

Harald

 

Another possible solution would be to allow for an arbitrarily named key file, for example:

 

tower.key

unraid.key

library.key

 

Even if you still only allowed one per server, it'd be easier to keep track of which was which. I suppose you could either make it the hostname or just look for any *.key. Your suggestion to have multiple keys on the card, and just check them all, is a good one, too, but would require a bit more effort.

Another possible solution would be to allow for an arbitrarily named key file, for example:

 

tower.key

unraid.key

library.key

 

Even if you still only allowed one per server, it'd be easier to keep track of which was which. I suppose you could either make it the hostname or just look for any *.key.

It already works exactly that way. 

 

It uses the first *.key file it finds though, so I just name the "wrong" file pro2.keyy ( a suffix it is not looking for and always keep both my ".key" files on both flash drives.

Your suggestion to have multiple keys on the card, and just check them all, is a good one, too, but would require a bit more effort.

Not a bad idea for an enhancement... If of ALL the .key files found matched, use the one with the most capabilities matching the flash drive labeled as UNRAID.

 

Joe L.

Joe, thanks, that's good to know. I'll name my keys after the hostnames, and that would definitely be good enough for me, i.e.:

 

leng-pro.key

tower-plus.key

 

Cheers!

Joe, thanks, that's good to know. I'll name my keys after the hostnames, and that would definitely be good enough for me, i.e.:

 

leng-pro.key

tower-plus.key

 

Cheers!

The other tip would be to label the physical key itself.  That way, you can visually see which is which.  (It is something I did)

 

Joe L.

... perhaps I did not explain enough ...

 

I think in Towers not in Sticks. Every tower has it's unique files, configuration, directories, ... So if I need to restore the files on a stick I want to use the backup files of that special tower and not a backup of a special stick. unRAID uses the first (!!!) found key file - so I need a second step to put the right key file on the stick.

 

Every shown error - and a failing stick is one of them - produces a near heartache. I don't want to play around with sticks and matching keys in that situation. I want to copy a recent backup of that machine on a stick and reboot. Chosing the wrong key file ended in a complete sync two days ago. What happened:

 

Machine didn't boot. Go downstairs and look at monitor. See USB stick error. Grab a new stick, copy backup from the failing stick on new one. Hit CTRL-ALT-DEL. After reboot I see three drives (argh, wrong key file). Copy correct key file on new stick. CTRL-ALT-DEL. Tower comes up and does complete sync...

 

Regards

Harald

 

... perhaps I did not explain enough ...

 

I think in Towers not in Sticks. Every tower has it's unique files, configuration, directories, ... So if I need to restore the files on a stick I want to use the backup files of that special tower and not a backup of a special stick. unRAID uses the first (!!!) found key file - so I need a second step to put the right key file on the stick.

 

Every shown error - and a failing stick is one of them - produces a near heartache. I don't want to play around with sticks and matching keys in that situation. I want to copy a recent backup of that machine on a stick and reboot. Chosing the wrong key file ended in a complete sync two days ago. What happened:

 

Machine didn't boot. Go downstairs and look at monitor. See USB stick error. Grab a new stick, copy backup from the failing stick on new one. Hit CTRL-ALT-DEL. After reboot I see three drives (argh, wrong key file). Copy correct key file on new stick. CTRL-ALT-DEL. Tower comes up and does complete sync...

 

Regards

Harald

 

 

It is for that exact reason that lime-tech made a change in version 4.5-beta5.

Quote from release notes:

After looking in the 'config' directory on the Flash for the license key file (for backward compatibility), if not found, unRAID Server OS will look in the root of the Flash. This allows easier backup/restore of the 'config' directory contents.

 

Put the ".key" file at the root of the drive.  Backup/restore the config folder.  That way, you don't restore the wrong .key file.

 

Joe L.

Why not keep better track of your backups then? Use 7zip to backup the files for the machine. Keep your files separate. eg:

 

MachineA.7z

MachineB.7z

 

MachineA.7z contains only the files and config for MachineA. When you need to restore Machine A, you merely unzip those files onto the USB device.

 

MachineB.7z contains only the files and config for MachineB. When you need to restore Machine B, you merely unzip those files onto the USB device.

 

This seems drop dead simple.

 

 

BRIT,

 

now I'm sure that I couldn't explain my real problem. Must be my bad english.

 

As written in the starting post I own two tower with two sticks each. In reality you need four backups for two towers with two sticks each and not one for each machine. A key file is bound to the stick and not to the server. I should name them like shown below to better find out what key file to place on what stick:

 

"I'm the key file of the green plastic stick with the white sticker with the washed out 'Tower2_Stick1'.key

 

I would like to close the thread. Seems I'm just to stupid to handle that correctly.

 

Regards

Harald

 

Don't close the thread.

I think it's worthwhile to keep all keys on the flash drive and not have to worry or rename them a certain way.  emhttp could scan the directory for key files and use which everone matches the guid to set options for service.  I really wish emhttp iterated through all keys so i do not have to concern myself with naming them so one goes first.

Don't close the thread.

I think it's worthwhile to keep all keys on the flash drive and not have to worry or rename them a certain way.  emhttp could scan the directory for key files and use which everone matches the guid to set options for service.  I really wish emhttp iterated through all keys so i do not have to concern myself with naming them so one goes first.

I agree.  Use the one that matches the GUID of the drive labeled UNRAID.  It would not be a difficult improvement to code and make it so much easier. 

It'd make it a lot easier for the end users, I agree.

 

However, how much easier would it make it for pirates to use? That's just opening a door to placing a key on a newsgroup and having *everyone* use it. Many small software houses have issues with this already, LimeTech is avoiding it by using a key-hash bound to the flash key. Yes, hardcore pirates can find a way around it, but it limits the ease of doing so. Few companies offer a product that's as compelling, interesting as unraid, and I'd hate to see lime-tech fail due to piracy.

 

IMO it's worth the extra effort involved right now.

I don't think they're asking for a universal key, which I agree is not the right solution. I think it's simply more like, "I have 4 licenses for unRAID, let me put all 4 .key files on each of my 4 servers and let them figure it out."

I don't think they're asking for a universal key, which I agree is not the right solution. I think it's simply more like, "I have 4 licenses for unRAID, let me put all 4 .key files on each of my 4 servers and let them figure it out."

Exactly.  If one matches the flash drive being used, use it.  If not, try the next.  If none match the GUID of the flash drive, act as if none were found at all.