Slugs

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Introduction

LinkSys has built a device called an NSLU-2, affectionately called a SLUG. These devices include 266 MHz CPUs which are shipped underclocked to 133 MHz (for heat issues?). An NSLU2 is a small low-cost network storage device designed to share up to two USB hard-drives or flash drives to a small network using Samba. In other words, at first look a SLUG is a networked storage device. Since it has this nice processor onboard one can flash new firmware on it and treat it like a Single Board Computer. SLUGs in SEAMONSTER are hence cheap simple microserver cores and perhaps they might even fit inside the Gen 3.2 enclosure.


Here is the intro from the Wikipedia article which expands a little more on these useful critters:


"The NSLU2 (Network Storage Link for USB 2.0 Disk Drives) is a device made by Linksys. It makes USB Flash memory or hard disk devices accessible over a network (NAS). The device runs a modified version of Linux and by default formats hard disks with the ext3 filesystem, but a firmware upgrade adds the ability to use NTFS and FAT32 formatted drives with the device for better Windows compatibility. The device has a web interface from which the various advanced features can be configured, including user and group permissions and networking options. The device shares attached drives over a network using the SMB protocol (also known as Windows file sharing).


The device has two USB 2.0 ports for connecting hard disks and uses an ARM-compatible Intel XScale CPU. In models manufactured prior to around April 2006, Linksys had, for an unknown reason, underclocked the processor to 133MHz, though a simple hardware modification to remove this restriction is possible. Later models (circa. May 2006) are clocked at the rated speed of 266MHz."

Extended Quote from http://www.nslu2-linux.org/

Here is the actual link to the Linux SLUG page. The extended quote:


"While Linksys does not support any of the alternate firmware available for the NSLU2, we are always delighted to see a product gain such widespread acceptance. Like the similar community that emerged to enhance the WRT54G before it, the creativity and ingenuity of Linksys customers inspires us to continually improve our products."


-- Mike Wagner, Director of Marketing, Linksys.


This is the web presence of the NSLU2-Linux development group and user community. We discuss, develop and modify the firmware and hardware of the Linksys NSLU2, the Synology DS101, the Iomega NAS100d, the D-Link DSMG600, and other ixp4xx-based devices with large attached storage. Purchase a Linksys NSLU2 and join our community if you are interested in doing the same.


Every community has its own set of rules. Here are ours:


  • Never *ever* use the Linksys EraseAll tool - it will brick your slug permanently.
  • You will search the wiki first here and read the FAQ before asking questions.
  • You must read and follow the steps in the README file precisely when flashing firmware.
  • Those who ask the questions, update the wiki when they get the answers.
  • Those who complain about the documentation, update the wiki to make it better.
  • Friends don't let friends flash custom firmware without confirmed RedBoot Upgrade Mode access.
  • Friends don't let friends flash custom bootloaders without confirmed JTAG access.

How I Did It: Matt's Configuration Procedural

I'm starting on Slug07 and trying to write the "slugs from scratch to serial loggers" documentation for the average schmoe to use.


The goal is to get full blown debian installed on the slug.


I'm documenting it "the way I do it" so some things (like using a mac laptop that does auto-sensing of cross over cable or not for ethernet) could be done differently for sure, but not nearly as easily. maybe.


First, open the box, unwrap, etc..


Attach the slug to power and ethernet (network cable), and plug the other end of the network cable into a mac laptop. Nothing plugged into the slug USB ports.


First, grab the Debian/NSLU2 image from http://www.slug-firmware.net/ . It is the unofficial one with the built in (proprietary) ethernet driver. You can read more about this at http://www.cyrius.com/debian/nslu2/install.html


At first powerup, the slug will go to 192.168.1.77, so set the Mac IP address to 192.168.1.76. (SEVERAL SCREEN SHOTS) Boot up the slug, and on the Mac laptop, fire up a browser, go to 192.168.1.77. You should be at the slug (SCREEN SHOT).


For more details at this point, see http://www.cyrius.com/debian/nslu2/install.html


Barebones, you need to set the network info under the administration tab (SCREEN SHOT). The default slug admin log in is admin/admin.


On the UAS campus, use IP 137.229.197.something Netmask 255.255.252.0 Gateway 137.229.196.1 DNS 137.229.196.94


Once you enter this, the slug will switch to the new network, and you can't see it through the straight cable. Plug the slug into the world/network and connect to the IP address you used. (SCREEN SHOT)


Go under administration again, select advanced, and select upgrade (SCREEN SHOT). Now (having unzipped the image you downloaded a ways back), upgrade using that file (I've had no problems using wifi on campus to do this..) (SCREENSHOT)


You'll get the "rebooting now" message.


Throw in the USB stick, hit ok, and now you have a slug with (very) minimal debian. It'll take several minutes (up to 10, although it took about 30 seconds when I just did it..) to reboot, and then all you have for access is ssh. You can access it as 


ssh installer@192.168.1.77


and the password is install


Log in and hit return the first several until you get to installer components--there are 5 that are required: 


   * ext3-modules-2.6.18-4-ixp4xx-di: EXT3 filesystem support
   * partman-auto: Automatically partition storage devices (partman)
   * partman-ext3: Add to partman support for ext3
   * scsi-core-modules-2.6.18-4-ixp4xx-di: Core SCSI subsystem
   * usb-storage-modules-2.6.18-4-ixp4xx-di: USB storage support


Select those 5 and hit return.


Use manual disk partitioning. I make (on /dev/sda1) a 1GB swap and a "the rest" ext3 filesystem to park on /). Usually you have to delete the existing /dev/sda1 partition. Navigating this using up/down arrows (down arrow several times to get to /dev/sda), then hit return on the partition of interest--create some.. (Don't worry about the bootable flag--I just take all the defaults on the partition details.) (SCREENSHOT) switch the second swap partition from ext3 to swap by hitting return on the ext3 part (SCREENSHOT).



UG, with a DiskGo 8GB stick on Slug 07, the ssh connection was terminated when writing the partition table to disk..


I logged in via ssh, and got a shell, the did the fdisk /dev/sda and wrote the correct partition table (that was still there): 


Syncing disks...OK
Re-reading the partition table...FAILED!
Syncing disks...OK

*** Re-read table failed with error 16: Device or resource busy ***
  Reboot your system to ensure the partition table is
  updated.


So I fdisk /dev/sdb and got rid of the three partitions on that (the super-duper-wizz-bang security stuff that shipped on the thumb drive, I'm sure), then tried fdisk /dev/sda again. Same as above. So I shutdown, took the 8GB drive that was working on Slug06, threw it in Slug07, and.. no dice. only installer can log in. I guess some of the boot stuff in the firmware isn't written yet?


So trying again with Slug07 and the DiskGo.


Same Thing... Three times. I'm going to assume it is the DiskGo, and now I'm trying the 4GB Cruzer Micro USB drive. We'll do a 3GB ext3 and a 1 GB swap.


I think the memory stick was the issue.. We'll have to start a "our list of USB memory sticks we don't like" (I think Rob has a few to put on the list?)... Now progressing, hopefully back on track.


yep it was the memory stick. interesting on time notes--the clock is getting the date and time right (not 1970) and no password expiration issue. I did the "Standard Installation", but I don't think I entered the time. I wonder if the linksys grabbed time off the laptop or some other machine?

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