OpenBlockS™

FAQ

• What is the MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) for the OpenBlockS?
• How can I log in as root over telnet?
• The device suddenly stops or reboots.
• How many PCMCIA adapter boxes can I connect to the OpenBlockS266?
• When I use the su command, I get the message `/dev/pts/0: Operation not permitted'
• I configured the httpd (http daemon) over the Web Setup Tool / Serial Setup Tool, but no page appears.
• When I use the ftp program on the Windows command prompt to download files for OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS / SSD/Linux from the ftp server, the files are broken.
• I installed Debian on the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS266, but the iptables command does not work.
• What is the difference between a special CF card for the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS266 compared to a normal one? What are the merits?
• I forgot my password, so I can't login anymore and can't change settings.
• I tried to use ftp or telnet, but it takes a long time to connect.
• Can the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS266 be used as a load balancer?
• When I login over the serial port, the display in the vi editor is garbled.
• How can I fetch the setting files stored in the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS266 Flash ROM.
• The firmware update of my OpenBlockS / OpenMicroServer failed, and now it does not boot anymore.
• Is the queryperf command from bind available for OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS266?
• Can I backup the OS environment to a CF card or (on OMS) a USB storage device?
• I tried to use the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS266 as a router, but it did not work. I thought about using routing, but in the web setup tool the settings for IP masquerading, port forwarding and easy firewall do not appear.
• Can I upgrade the RAM in the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS?

• What is the MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) for the OpenBlockS?
  OBS: 1,480,000 hours = 168.8 years
  AC adapter: 50,000 hours
  optional PCMCIA Adapter: 3,500,000 hours
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• How can I log in as root over telnet?
  • If you are booting from internal ROM or CF card:
  Change the following lines in the file /etc/login.defs

  (before) CONSOLE console:ttyS0:ttyS1
  (after) CONSOLE console:ttyS0:ttyS1:ttyp0:ttyp1:ttyp2
  

  In case of the OpenMicroServer, for RELEASE-20060915 and later use

  (before) CONSOLE console:ttyS0:ttyS1
  (after) CONSOLE console:ttyS0:ttyS1:pts/0:pts/1:pts/2
  

  instead.
  
  Add the following line to the file /etc/flashcfg

  /etc/login.defs
  

  if it is not included already.
  Execute

  # /usr/sbin/flashcfg -s /etc/flashcfg
  

  
  
  
  • When booting from HDD
  Uncomment the lines from pts/0 to pts/7 in /etc/securetty
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• The device suddenly stops or reboots.
  Please check whether the power plug is tightly plugged in. If it is only plugged in halfway, it can happen that it has a loose contact, causing the device to suddenly stop or reboot sometimes.
  Note that you can fasten the contact on the OpenMicroServer models with a cable clamp.
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• How many PCMCIA adapter boxes can I connect to the OpenBlockS266?
  You can connect up to two boxes.
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• When I use the su command, I get the message `/dev/pts/0: Operation not permitted'
  When using su with the hyphen `-' as argument, the following message is displayed:

  # su - <user name>
  Password: 
  /dev/pts/0: Operation not permitted
  

  
  
  To make the message disappear, comment out the following passage in the file /etc/profile

  if [ -x /usr/bin/biff ]; then
   biff y
  fi
  

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• I configured the httpd (http daemon) over the Web Setup Tool / Serial Setup Tool, but no page appears.
  Please first check in the Web Setup Tool / Serial Setup Tool, whether your httpd settings are as the following:

  • Mark the checkbox "httpd starts at startup"
  • Mark the checkbox "Perform chroot to Data Directory"
  • Data Directory (dir): /home/www
  • CGI pattern (cgipat): **.cgi
  • Log file (logfile): /home/www/logs/thttpd.log

  Then, log in and use su to become root. Execute the following commands.

  # mkdir /home/www/data
  # mkdir /home/www/logs

  Store the contents of your Web pages in /home/www/data/
  
  Next, add the following lines to /etc/flashcfg:

  /home/www/data
  /home/www/logs
  

  to save the data to the Flash ROM at shutdown / reboot, otherwise the data is lost.
  
  Finally, save the configuration and reboot.

  1. In the Web Setup Tool / Serial Setup Tool:
     Select "Save: Restart" in the "Save" tab.
  2. At the command line, enter:

     # /usr/sbin/flashcfg -s /etc/flashcfg 
     # reboot

  See also:

  • http://www.acme.com/software/thttpd/
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• When I use the ftp program on the Windows command prompt to download files for OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS / SSD/Linux from the ftp server, the files are broken.
  When using the Windows command prompt ftp program to upload / download files (that are not text files), be careful to use the right file transfer type. When downloading binary files like firmware, you need to set the transfer mode to binary.
  Since the default mode is ascii, always use the following command on the ftp prompt to switch to binary mode before downloading program files.

  ftp>  binary
  200 Type set to I.
  

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• I installed Debian on the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS266, but the iptables command does not work.
  You can solve this by exchanging the debian iptables with the one from SSD/Linux.

  1. Boot to the factory default status. To do that, hold down the init button and plug in the power.
  2. Log in via telnet or serial port. Run the following commands with root permissions.
  3. Mount the storage device where you installed debian. In this guide, we assume a CF card in the internal slot, so the device name is /dev/hda1. Change as appropriate.

  # e2fsck /dev/hda1
  # mount -t ext3 /dev/hda1 /mnt

  4. Copy the iptables command from SSD/Linux
     

     # cp /sbin/iptables /mnt/sbin/iptables

  5. Unmount the storage device where Debian was installed.
     

     # umount /mnt

  6. Reboot
     

     # reboot

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• What is the difference between a special CF card for the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS266 compared to a normal one? What are the merits?
  The difference is that Plat'Home guarantees proper operation for CF cards sold especially for the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS266.
  
  CF cards have different operation modes, which can lead to different problems during use. There can also be problems with the built-in memory controller. These specifications are usually hard to verify before purchase. Memory controller and specifications can differ even within the same model number.
  
  To avoid this, all special CF cards are tested by us in the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS. There is also a preliminary control by the maker to avoid differences in one model. That way, we can guarantee proper operation. If there should still occur a problem, we will respond and investigate the matter.
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• I forgot my password, so I can't login anymore and can't change settings.
  With the method below, you can reset the password while retaining all other settings.

  1. Boot the device while pressing the INIT button.
     IP address after boot:
     • OpenMicroServer

     ETHER-0: 192.168.252.254
     ETHER-1: 192.168.253.254
     ETHER-2: 192.168.254.254
     

     • OpenBlockS266

     ETHER-0: 192.168.253.254
     ETHER-1: 192.168.254.254
     

  2. Login as root
  • telnet
  Login as user1/user1, and become superuser with the command `su -' (password root)
  • serial connection
  Login as root/root
  3. Run 'flashcfg -x'
  4. Set the password
  • for the root user
    run `passwd'
  • for a normal user
  Run `passwd <login name>'
  5. Run `flashcfg -s /etc/flashcfg'
  6. Reboot with the command `reboot'
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• I tried to use ftp or telnet, but it takes a long time to connect.
  It is likely that the name server settings are wrong. Either enter a correct name server, or remove all name servers from the setting files.
  You can do that either by using the Web setup tool or serial setup tool, or by editing the configuration file directly.
  

  1. Web setup tool or serial setup tool
     In the section "network" under "resolver settings", either enter a correct name server address or make all entries blank.
  2. Login
     Enter a correct name server address in the file /etc/resolv.conf in the line nameserver or remove the entry.
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• Can the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS266 be used as a load balancer?
  You can use the open source software Pen for load balancing with the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS266.
  
  Note: We have tested and verified basic operation, but we did not perform a stress test. Please test whether pen runs in your environment before actual live use.

  • OpenMicroServer
    You can run the program by installing it into the user area of the internal Flash ROM.
  • OpenBlockS266
    You need an storage device to install the program, such as a CF card.

  You can download a precompiled package of the software for OpenMicroServer / OpenblockS266 at the address below. Please read the README, LIST and MEMO files.

  • OpenMicroServer: ftp://ftp.plathome.co.jp/pub/OMS400/packages/ pen-0.17.0-mipsel-1.tgz
  • OpenBlockS266: ftp://ftp.plathome.co.jp/pub/OpenBlockS266/packages/ pen-0.17.0-ppc-1.tgz
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• When I login over the serial port, the display in the vi editor is garbled.
  Before starting vi, use the following command to set the TERM variable.

  # export TERM=vt100

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• How can I fetch the setting files stored in the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS266 Flash ROM.
  The setting files stored in the OpenMicroServer/OpenBlockS266 Flash ROM with the command

  # flashcfg -s /etc/flashcfg

  can be fetched with the following commands:

  • OpenMicroServer

  # cp /dev/mtd/3 flashcfg.tgz

  • OpenBlockS266

  # cp /dev/mtd/0 flashcfg.tgz

  The setting files are collected in the gzip-compressed tarball flashcfg.tgz.
  You can view a list of them with the following command:

  # tar ztpvf flashcfg.tgz
  

  Note: You can view the information in the device mtd.

  # cat /proc/mtd
  

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• The firmware update of my OpenBlockS / OpenMicroServer failed, and now it does not boot anymore.
  Try whether you can boot the device while holding down the init button.

  • If this works, check the correct update procedures and try again.
  • If this does not work, try the "Updating firmware by using BOOTP+TFTP server" method described in the User's Guide (Chapter 5.3.2 for OBS manual)

  
  Caution:

  • Please check the integrity of the downloaded firmware files by comparing file sizes and MD5 sums.
  • If you are using the ftp command on a PC to download the firmware, set the ftp client to binary mode.
  • If the above methods and checks do not help, it is possible that there is a hardware failure. In that case, please contact our customer service.
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• Is the queryperf command from bind available for OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS266?
  You can download a compiled version of the queryperf command for OpenMicroServer and OpenblockS266 from our ftp server.

  • For OpenMicroServer (43232 bytes)
  • For OpenBlockS266 (33583 bytes)

  Please set your ftp client to binary mode for download.
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• Can I backup the OS environment to a CF card or (on OMS) a USB storage device?
  Yes, that is possible. You can make a complete backup of the OS environment to play it back in case of trouble.
  The easiest way is to create an ext2 or ext3 partition on the medium and just copy all data.
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• I tried to use the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS266 as a router, but it did not work. I thought about using routing, but in the web setup tool the settings for IP masquerading, port forwarding and easy firewall do not appear.
  For security reasons, routing is disabled in the OpenMicroServer/OpenBlockS266 default configuration.
  To activate it, add

  iptables=YES

  as the last line in the file /etc/rc.conf.
  Then, save the settings to the flash ROM with the command

  # flashcfg -s /etc/flashcfg
  

  and reboot.
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• Can I upgrade the RAM in the OpenMicroServer / OpenBlockS?
  No, the RAM is hardwired onto the motherboard.
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