Terrastation TS-XL

[jhmc93]

Hello I ended up buying the terrastation ts-xl,
I’m just wondering if theres a guide for this specific device?
Regards

[1000001101000]

There’s no extra steps for this device beyond what’s in the instructions for setting up /boot etc. It is one of the models that will only work with the custom kernel image that is part of this project but the installer sets that up automatically.

[jhmc93]

Will it be ok to run the Debian bullseye installer, or do I need to install buster first?

[1000001101000]

Yes! There is no reason that I’m aware of to run Buster at this point.

In fact, I’ll probably end up removing Buster support when Bookworm becomes the new “stable”. I haven’t decided yet but maintaining the installers for older systems get to be annoying with little/no benefit

[jhmc93]

So I can install bullseye?.
I don't need to install buster then update to bullseye,
I'm only asking as it says this:
replace the armel bullseye files with the ones that last worked properly with Orion5x devices

[1000001101000]

yes, that is the commit message from me fixing an issue with the bullseye installer, as far as I know that issue remains fixed.

[jhmc93]

I brought the TS-XL off ebay but it had no HDD with it and I'm getting the red emergency mode error due to putting in a clean HDD, is it possible to run the debian installer still?

[1000001101000]

The wiki instructions include how to minimally partition and format a drive so that you can load the installer files onto it and move forward with an install. If you would prefer to follow the method that starts with the device running the stock firmware you could follow the procedure to install the stock firmware, then install debian.

Either way you have options for moving forward.

Also, if you would like to skip straight to Debian Bookworm rather than Debian Bullseye I generated my first set of installer images for Bookworm yesterday and was able to install Bookworm on my TS-XL without any issues. I should be able to upload them to this issue if you want to give them a try.

[jhmc93]

do they need to setup with raid?

[1000001101000]

The wiki information covers what's required to boot the device. nothing has to be RAID if you don't want it to be, if you do want that it has to meet certain criteria.

basically /boot must be:

• on partition #1 (or each partition1 that make up the raid)
• a regular partition or an mdadm raid1 with metadata version 0.9
• formatted ext3, for this model device and older the inode size must be 128
• sufficiently small for the uboot your device runs, 1GB or less should be fine for that model.

[jhmc93]

do i just copy the boot files for this device over? Have u had any problems with bookworm? as i'd like to be on the latest version of Debian?, I was having trouble mounting /boot to my HDD but i've done it now

[1000001101000]

I haven't had any problems with Bookworm on the TS-XL so far. I've been running Bookworm on my laptop and x86 NAS's for a few months without any memorable issues.

[jhmc93]

I'm having problems with the /boot mount everytime i restart my nas it unmounts itself, any ideas?

[1000001101000]

actually, it looks like the release date for bookworm has been set to 6/10. I'll probably have the first round of installer images on github around the same time.

[1000001101000]

tsxl-bookworm.zip
These are the files I used for my Bookworm install on my TS-XL

[1000001101000]

I believe that should work

[jhmc93]

does the lcd display work like it should on the front of the nas when the install is done?

[1000001101000]

All I've implemented by default is setting a generic message at boot with the Debian Version on it.

I've got a separate project with examples for setting the LCD including examples:
https://github.com/1000001101000/Python_buffalo_libmicon

[jhmc93]

is it easy to install?
ur bookworm install do i transfer initrd.buffalo.armel with the armel at the end or without?

[1000001101000]

assuming the first half of question is about the python library.

There is a copy of the python library under /usr/local/bin if you install via my installers. You can also get the repo with git clone etc.

The process for loading the installer files is the same for every version, the files must always be renamed to what the device expects (initrd.buffalo and uImage.buffalo)

[jhmc93]

do u have it the lcd screen installer

[1000001101000]

Click on the link I posted earlier

[jhmc93]

I've got problems, my 1st installer messed up because my internet died during install, ive reformatted the drive transferred the bookworm stuff over but it keeps going into emergency mode

[1000001101000]

It's mostly a matter of repeating the steps that were successful earlier.

If you provide enough detail about the steps you are taking I might be able to spot where things are going wrong.

[jhmc93]

i start with pulling the bookworm files u gave me through the simple http server onto /boot
due to the files being name initrd.buffalo.armel i use mv 'initrd.buffalo' and with uImage i use 'mv uImage.buffalo.tsxl to uImage.buffalo' then i do 'sync' then 'exit' and then the java command to restart and it goes straight to emergency mode

[1000001101000]

if the device is in emergency mode /boot will be in a ramdisk rather than on your drive, if you run mount /dev/sda1 /boot before doing the file transfer that might solve things.

[jhmc93]

i've tried that but it keeps unmounting on each reboot...

[1000001101000]

it's not something that persists from boot to boot, but if the next restart it boots into the installer it also won't matter.

Either you successfully did that once last time you got the installer working or you connected the drive to a pc or something and loaded it that way..... either way whatever you did last time should work this time.

[jhmc93]

well i've tried nothing works, i've tried even using tsupdater and install the debian over the buffalo stock but nothing is working, i tried a different hard drive to, each time it a red screen. it's a shame because i nearly had it first time, so i don't know whats going on, i've tried my hardest. But no installer

[1000001101000]

There are a limited number of things that could be going on. Get back into em mode and mount /boot again , when you get that far show the output of df and mount so we can confirm some details about your /boot. then once you copy the files over run ls -lh /boot to give us some details about your boot files.

[jhmc93]

here

[1000001101000]

what version are you trying to install right now?

[jhmc93]

the bookworm.zip u gave me

[1000001101000]

actually, could you run date to confirm what the system clock says? Those don't look like the right boot files either way but November seems like an odd timestamp.

[jhmc93]

[jhmc93]

so can u go through the install with me? to make it easier for me as i'm new to python scripts

[1000001101000]

I don't really understand what install means in this context. you managed to run button_daemon.py, the process is the same for any of the other scripts.

clone the repo if you haven't already then run ./ts3000_examples.py

[jhmc93]

button_daemon.py ended up running into erros after 5 minutes

[1000001101000]

I'm not surprised. I haven't implemented anything to ensure different scripts don't try to talk to the micon at the same time, probably that button script and the fan_daemon tried at the same time and hit an issue.

I only added the fan_daemon because some of the rackmount models sound like a jet taking off if you don't turn down the fans after a boot.

The whole thing could use someone more familiar with that type of programming to set up something more robust though as-is it's usually "good enough" to make these devices usable which is mostly what I targeted when doing that bit of work.

[jhmc93]

So do a fresh restart and try button_daemon.py again

[1000001101000]

why are you trying to run button_daemon ?

[jhmc93]

that's how I though u implemented it into the system so it gets stuff working :/ sorry i sound thick

[1000001101000]

The only things I've implemented in the sense that they are set up by the installer:

• micon_startup.py: sends signal to disable boot watchdog once system loads, sets initial LCD message
• micon_shutdown.py: sends signals needed for device to shutdown/restart properly.
• micon_fan_daemon.py: attempts to read temperature and make fan speed adjustments.

everything else in the repo are examples that can be used as a starting point for anything you desire. Honestly, even the ones used by the installer are glorified example scripts, bare minimum to make the device run properly.

[1000001101000]

I would think so

[jhmc93]

Nvm I used a systemd script, all working, can u use the second Ethernet on the terrastation ts-xl with the Debian install

[1000001101000]

yes, you can do whatever you like with them

[jhmc93]

Is it possible to forward traffic on one port

[1000001101000]

It is possible to do anything that is supported by networking under linux, there are far better resources out there to learn about the details than me.

[Nick7677]

Hello, i have a TS-XL/R5 and i'm stuck after loading the initrd.buffalo and uImage.buffalo files.
The system after the reboot, stays in "terastation arm Debian Installer" message in the LCD display.
I can't do anything: no ssh , no acp-command , no nas navigator access.
Specifically, when i try an ssh installer@ip.address it says the port 22 is closed.
Can you help me or give me a clue? thanks in advance

[1000001101000]

I’d scan the network for devices with port 22 open. It could have a different IP than you expect

[Nick7677]

the ip address is correct: i can see it through the router cause i've had the same thinking the first time i tried the installation.
actually, the ssh connection says "rejected".
Could it be a newer firmware ( 1.76 )of the NAS that causes the issue?
thanks for you support

[1000001101000]

The firmware version won’t affect what the installer does. The device does need to download the ssh components from the debian mirror before it can proceed to that stage. If it doesn’t have an internet connection that could explain it.

a momentary failure to reach the mirror could even do it, powering off and trying again might make it work

[Nick7677]

That's why! i was working offline... now it's working. Thanks a lot for your great job!

[1000001101000]

Cheers!