unRAID Server Release 4.5.4 Available

[limetech]

Download

 

This release fixes the problem where, under certain conditions with certain hardware, data drives can be marked "unformatted" in the System Management Utility (a.k.a., webGui) upon array Start. In addition, additional code was added to safeguard against this kind of thing happening in the future.

 

If you are currently running version 4.5.3 you should upgrade to this release.

 

Another change is the elimination of the "Restore" button.  This functionality is still available as a command called

initconfig

.  Therefore, to initialize the array configuration to that of a "brand new system", you must enter the

initconfig

command either from the console or a telnet session.

 

unRAID Server 4.5.4 Release Notes
=================================

Changes from 4.5.3 to 4.5.4
---------------------------

Bug fixes:
- Fix (another) problem where formatted data disks could appear 'unformatted' immediately following array start.  This one was due to race condition where md devices could possibly not exist before management utility issues 'mount'.

Other:
- Generate additional logging information during 'mount'.
- Added additional "safeguards" in the code handling 'format' operations.
- Removed 'Restore' button from webGui, replacing with new shell command called 'initconfig'.
- Updated mc (midnight-commander) utility to slackware's 2010-02-06 version.


Changes from 4.5.2 to 4.5.3
---------------------------

Other:
- Update linux kernel to 2.6.32.9
- Enable SMT (Hyperthreading) scheduler support in kernel.
- Update linux udev subsystem to 1.41.
- Fix problem reading USB Flash device model & serial number with some motherboads.
- Added USB FTDI Single Port Serial Driver per user request.


Changes from 4.5.1 to 4.5.2
---------------------------

Bug fixes:
- Fix problem where device assignment via webGui could fail if device identifier is too long.

Other:
- Added SCST subsystem (see http://scst.sourceforge.net) in order to support Marvell 88SE63xx/64xx/68xx/94xx SAS controller-based cards.
- Added 'COPYING' file in release that includes text of the GPL version 2.


Changes from 4.5 to 4.5.1
-------------------------

Bug fixes:
- Fix javascript bug checking valid settings on the Settings page.
- Fix bug where a disk can appear 'Unformatted' immediately after array Start.
- Change unmount polling rate from 1 second to 5 seconds when Stopping the array when external extensions still have a disk or use share mounted.

Other:
- Updated linux kernel to version 2.6.31.12
- Updated Samba to version 3.4.5
- Added Areca driver.
- Added Marvell legacy PATA support.
- Added USB printer support.

 

[DocBlock]

Thanks a ton!

[purko]

- Fix (another) problem where formatted data disks could appear 'unformatted' immediately following array start.  This one was due to race condition where md devices could possibly not exist before management utility issues 'mount'.

 

- Generate additional logging information during 'mount'.

- Added additional "safeguards" in the code handling 'format' operations.

- Removed 'Restore' button from webGui, replacing with new shell command called 'initconfig'.

- Updated mc (midnight-commander) utility to slackware's 2010-02-06 version.

Thank you very much!!

 

Now that we got the bug out of the way, maybe we can bring this thread to your attention:

The most desired features for stock unRAID.

 

Thanks again!

[justinkas]

Would the same upgrade installation be as follows if upgrading from 4.5.3 to 4.5.4?

 

" If you are currently running unRAID Server 4.2-beta1 or higher (including 4.2.x 'final'), please copy the following files from the new release to the root of your Flash device:"

    bzimage

    bzroot

 

Thanks....

[DocBlock]

Would the same upgrade installation be as follows if upgrading from 4.5.3 to 4.5.4?

 

" If you are currently running unRAID Server 4.2-beta1 or higher (including 4.2.x 'final'), please copy the following files from the new release to the root of your Flash device:"

    bzimage

    bzroot

 

Thanks....

 

That's what I did, and it's up and running like a champ.

[BRiT]

Good to see the update with the fix out there.

 

 

For those running emhttp on an alternate port, if you ever need to use initconfig be sure to edit the script to specify the port number in the calls to wget.

 

For those running unRAID on a full Slackware distro, be sure to update the following files in /usr/local/sbin/  : emhttp, shfs, initconfig, and powerdown (if you utilize it).

[queeg]

unRAID 4.5.4 installed and rebooted - working fine.  Thanks very much.

[peter_sm]

Some strange happens after I manually spun down all my disks..... when clicking on refresh, one disk is spun up?! and clicking on refresh again another disk spun up? I newer seen this before.

 

 

//Peter

[limetech]

Some strange happens after I manually spun down all my disks..... when clicking on refresh, one disk is spun up?! and clicking on refresh again another disk spun up? I newer seen this before.

 

 

//Peter

 

I don't see that behavior.  Need a system log.

[Soul]

Installed and working fine. Thanks a lot!

[prostuff1]

Some strange happens after I manually spun down all my disks..... when clicking on refresh, one disk is spun up?! and clicking on refresh again another disk spun up? I newer seen this before.

 

 

//Peter

 

How are you spinning them down?

In the newer version of unRAID you need to go through the md device to properly spin down a drive as unRAID now tracks it for the spin-up-groups feature.  This might be what is happening to you.

[Romeo]

on boot stuck on dots of loading bzroot... found 4.5.3. i will replace it back!

after dots on 4.5.3 appears "Ready", on 4.5.4 it's stuck instead.

 

I have :

Item: MD-1500/LL

Description: Mid-tower Media Storage Server with 15 SATA hard drive trays.

Linux Tower 2.6.32.9-unRAID #1 SMP Fri Feb 26 19:35:20 MST 2010 i686 Intel® Celeron® CPU          420  @ 1.60GHz GenuineIntel GNU/Linux

4GB RAM!

 

looks like something related to hyper threading...just my bet!

[Rajahal]

My upgrade went smoothly, just replaced bzroot and bzimage and rebooted the server.  I fully support removing the 'restore' button as it is only useful in very rare circumstances, and most users end up seeking help in these forums when in those circumstances anyway.  Well done, LimeTech, and thank you.

[queeg]

Well, it did boot slower, took about twice as long as before.  I assumed it was waiting for the drives to get mounted before finishing.  Otherwise, no problem.

[NAS]

No issues here going from 4.5.1 to 4.5.4

[speeding_ant]

No issues, but massive (read 20-30%) increase in read/write speeds, and parity is checking at 98,900KB/sec. Nice! I was getting around 60k before.

[hawihoney]

We do have a problem with 4.5.4.

 

We own two 15-drive machines from Limetech. A newer MD1510/LL and an older MD1500/LL. The newer MD1510/LL worked and works perfect with every release up to the current 4.5.4 release.

 

Starting with 4.5.3-TEST the older MD1500/LL refuses to boot. I shows "Loading bzimage" and "Loading bzroot" and at the end of some lines of dots the system freezes and stops.

 

Release 4.5.3 did not show any problems on the older machine. It started with 4.5.3-TEST.

 

I'm back to 4.5.3 now ...

 

Regards

Harald

 

[Joe L.]

We do have a problem with 4.5.4.

 

We own two 15-drive machines from Limetech. A newer MD1510/LL and an older MD1500/LL. The newer MD1510/LL worked and works perfect with every release up to the current 4.5.4 release.

 

Starting with 4.5.3-TEST the older MD1500/LL refuses to boot. I shows "Loading bzimage" and "Loading bzroot" and at the end of some lines of dots the system freezes and stops.

 

Release 4.5.3 did not show any problems on the older machine. It started with 4.5.3-TEST.

 

I'm back to 4.5.3 now ...

 

Regards

Harald

 

Some have reported they needed to use the newer version of syslinx on their drive as the size of the loaded bzimage increased.

You do NOT need to re-format the drive, and you do not need to change anything in the configuration. Just download and use the newer syslinux on the flash drive as

syslinux -ma x:

where x: = the drive letter of the flash drive on your PC.

[hawihoney]

Joe,

 

as always - perfect. It's working now.

 

May I ask you about the size of your head. Man, it's hard to tell you about my breakfast yesterday. And you remind all those funny Linux things.

 

Thanks a lot.

 

Regards

Harald

 

 

P.S.: Some entries above somebody wrote about the same problem. I hope he'll read this tip.

 

[limetech]

Joe,

 

as always - perfect. It's working now.

 

May I ask you about the size of your head. Man, it's hard to tell you about my breakfast yesterday. And you remind all those funny Linux things.

 

Thanks a lot.

 

Regards

Harald

 

P.S.: Some entries above somebody wrote about the same problem. I hope he'll read this tip.

 

 

Harald, what version of the syslinux were you using before?  The version on the Download page is 3.72.  Unfortunately, there does not seem to be any way to get syslinux to print out it's version number.  If you still have the original version that you were using (and didn't work), please tell me it's size.  I'm trying to determine if I should update the syslinux version I'm providing for download.

[limetech]

No issues, but massive (read 20-30%) increase in read/write speeds, and parity is checking at 98,900KB/sec. Nice! I was getting around 60k before.

 

What unRAID version were you using before?  Changes from 4.5.3 to 4.5.4 should not account for this.

[speeding_ant]

No issues, but massive (read 20-30%) increase in read/write speeds, and parity is checking at 98,900KB/sec. Nice! I was getting around 60k before.

 

What unRAID version were you using before?  Changes from 4.5.3 to 4.5.4 should not account for this.

 

Using 4.5.3...  Whatever you've done hits the spot 

[Romeo]

P.S.: Some entries above somebody wrote about the same problem. I hope he'll read this tip.

i did also copy new menu.c32, because it's start cry on boot menu.c32 not com32r format....

 

thanks to Joe L.

[jbrodriguez]

upgrade to 4.5.4 was nominal ...

[hawihoney]

Harald, what version of the syslinux were you using before?  The version on the Download page is 3.72.  Unfortunately, there does not seem to be any way to get syslinux to print out it's version number.  If you still have the original version that you were using (and didn't work), please tell me it's size.  I'm trying to determine if I should update the syslinux version I'm providing for download.

 

hard to tell - I did delete it immediately. If I remember correctly I think it was two years before current file date - guess 2006 then ...

 

I did download the old one from LimeTech site when I had to format and prepare a failing stick. Could be in the end of 2008 or in the first half of 2009. Is this reasonable?

 

Regards

Harald