1 Unslung-5.x Family Release README INSTALLATION
3 You must follow the steps in this README *exactly*. Do not skip any steps, and
4 do not skip ahead thinking you know what you are doing and don't need to follow
5 instructions step by step.
7 If at any time you have any questions concerning the installation or operation
8 of Unslung firmware, your first port of call should be the NSLU2-Linux wiki at:
10 http://www.nslu2-linux.org
12 If you are looking for further Unslung notes - including ipkg usage, diversion
13 script details, or ChangeLog information, please consult the associated NOTES
16 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 There are three parts to completing the installation of the Unslung firmware:
20 1 - PRE-INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS
21 2 - FIRMWARE INSTALLATION DETAILS
22 3 - UNSLINGING DETAILS
25 PRE-INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS
27 1) You *must* test telnet Redboot access first before you flash the Unslung
28 firmware. Failure to do so will mean you get no sympathy at all if you
29 can't access Redboot when you need to recover from a bad flash. See
31 http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/HowTo/TelnetIntoRedBoot
33 - Redboot is the bootloader that runs when the device is first started,
34 loading things into memory and starting Linux. By testing your
35 ability to telnet into Redboot, you are ensuring that if you injure
36 your NSLU2 with a bad flash you should be able to follow the "How
37 To Recover From A Bad Flash" instructions at
39 http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/HowTo/RecoverFromABadFlash
41 2) If you want to install any packages, then you must have an external disk.
42 It is possible to make changes to the root filesystem in the internal
43 flash storage, but the space is very limited. In fact, just running
44 "ipkg update" on an NSLU2 which does not have an external disk attached
45 will most likely render the NSLU2 unusable due to filling up the flash (if
46 this happens then you will need to follow the recovery instructions in
47 the previous step). So unless you are an expert, then use an external
50 3) The external disk that you use as the target for package installation must
51 be (or have previously been) formatted by the NSLU2. It is possible to
52 upgrade from all previous Unslung versions without reformatting your disk.
53 The unsling script will not touch anything in /unslung or /opt on your
54 disk, so make sure all your file modifications are in those directories,
55 as you were warned in the README file in all previous Unslung versions :-)
57 4) If you want to use a flash disk as the target for package installation,
58 ensure that it is at least 256MB, plugged into port 1, and formatted
59 via the Linksys web interface.
61 5) Please verify that any disks you are going to connect to the NSLU2 are
62 recognized and working properly *before* updating your firmware (including
63 any shares and data you had previously stored.) If not, DO NOT CONTINUE.
64 You may want to check out "How To Troubleshoot A Drive Missing Condition"
67 http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/HowTo/TroubleshootADriveMissingCondition
69 - The only exception to this, of course, are those enclosures that the
70 stock firmware does not support, but the Unslung firmware does
73 6) If you are upgrading your firmware, you should make a configuration backup
74 via the Linksys web interface. The configuration backup can be found
75 under "Administration", "Advanced", and then "Backup." The top section of
76 that webpage is titled "Config Backup" and "Download" should be used to
77 save your NSLU2 Users, Groups and Shares setup to a disk file.
80 FIRMWARE INSTALLATION DETAILS
82 1) Shutdown the NSLU2, and remove any disks that you may have plugged into the
83 NSLU2. Power back up the NSLU2.
85 - Firmware upgrades must always be performed with *no* hard disks or flash
86 disks attached. This CANNOT be emphasized enough. Are you sure you
87 unplugged the disks before powering up? If so, you may continue.
89 2) Access the Web interface. Note that you should use the username "admin" and
90 password "admin" for the web interface at this point (as no disks are
91 attached, the default username and password is the only way to access the
92 Management web pages).
94 2-a) If you are installing Unslung 5.x onto an NSLU2 unit with Linksys
95 standard firmware *or* Unslung version 1.x or version 2.x already
96 installed, flash unslung-5.x.bin as you normally would flash new
97 firmware (using the web interface "Upgrade Firmware" page).
99 2-b) If you are installing Unslung 5.x onto an NSLU2 unit with Unslung
100 version 3.x already installed, you must put the NSLU2 into
101 maintenance mode before you can use the web interface to flash a new
102 version. Just click the "Enter Maintenance Mode" link on the web
103 interface "Upgrade Firmware" page, wait for the NSLU2 to reboot, and
104 then flash the new firmware in the normal manner (using the web
105 interface "Upgrade Firmware" page).
107 2-c) If you are installing Unslung 5.x onto an NSLU2 unit with Unslung
108 version 4.x already installed, you must put the NSLU2 into RedBoot
109 Upgrade Mode before you can upload new firmware. Note that Unslung
110 version 4.x has an "Enter Maintenance Mode" link on the web interface
111 "Upgrade Firmware" page, but it does not work, so you will need to
112 use the instructions at
114 http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/HowTo/TelnetIntoRedBoot
116 to access the RedBoot command line, and then type "upgrade" to put
117 the NSLU2 into RedBoot Upgrade Mode. Then you will need to use the
118 Linux UpSlug tool or the Windows SerComm Upgrade tool to upload the
121 2-d) If you are installing Unslung 5.x onto an NSLU2 unit with version 5.x
122 already installed, you must first put the NSLU2 into RedBoot Upgrade
123 Mode. Just click the "Enter Upgrade Mode" link on the web interface
124 "Upgrade Firmware" page, wait for the NSLU2 to reboot, and for the
125 Ready/Status LED to begin flashing red and green, and then use either
126 the Linux UpSlug tool or the Windows SerComm Upgrade tool to upload
129 - During firmware flashing, the top LED - Ready/Status - flashes red and
130 green (approximately 5 minutes, but can be much longer).
132 - The NSLU2 will reboot after the flashing is complete.
134 3) Shutdown the NSLU2 (again), attach disk(s), and power it back up.
136 4) Verify your NSLU2 is working normally again at this point in the web
137 interface. In particular, you should ensure that all your disks are still
138 recognized as they were before you updated the firmware (including any
139 shares and data you had previously stored.) If not, DO NOT CONTINUE.
140 You may want to check out "How To Troubleshoot A Drive Missing Condition"
143 http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/HowTo/TroubleshootADriveMissingCondition
145 - If you are not "unslinging", you can stop at this point. *HOWEVER!*,
146 the only reason for not unslinging would be in the case of a re-flash
147 of the SAME firmware. Even if this is a point firmware upgrade, you
148 will need to unsling.
150 ***** If you do not choose to do the unslinging procedure described below,
151 DO NOT install packages unless you are SURE you know what you are
152 doing! "Bricking" your NSLU2 by not unslinging and then running ipkg
153 is not just a possibility, it is a certainty.
155 5) Shutdown the NSLU2 and unplug *ALL* attached disks.
157 - You must NOT have any disk plugged into the NSLU2 when you reboot to
158 perform the next part of installation - the "Unslinging".
163 "Unslinging" is the process of copying the root filesystem of your NSLU2 onto
164 an external disk, and configuring that external disk for installation of
165 packages. Basically it's a script (stored in /sbin/unsling) which copies all
166 the files from the internal jffs2 filesystem onto the external disk and tells
167 the internal firmware to load the root filesystem from the external disk when
168 booting in the future.
170 To run the unsling-script you have to be logged in as root (with a telnet
173 NOTE: There are two root-passwords. One is saved in a internal file called
174 /usr/local/passwd (we know this one - it's "uNSLUng" and used when you boot
175 without a attached harddisk) the other is stored in a external file called
176 /share/hdd/conf/passwd (we don't know this one - it's used when you boot with a
177 external harddisk attached). Later in the process you can change both of
178 them. That means: Everytime you boot WITHOUT a attached harddisk you gain
179 root-access with the "uNSLUng" password. If you boot WITH an attached harddisk,
180 you won't have access until you change the file /share/hdd/conf/passwd.
182 1) Power up the NSLU2 without any disks connected.
184 - This only has to be done when you update the firmware.
186 ***** To reiterate, you should not have a disk plugged in at this stage.
187 If you powered up your NSLU2 with a disk attached, shutdown the
188 NSLU2, unplug the disks, and power up again.
190 2) Enable telnet by going to "http://192.168.1.77/Management/telnet.cgi", and
191 press the enable button.
193 - If you had previously changed the IP address of your NSLU2 from
194 192.168.1.77 to something else, then you should use that new IP
195 address to enable telnet. Again note that you should use the username
196 "admin" and password "admin" for the web interface at this point (as
197 no disks are attached, the default username and password is the only
198 way to access the Management web pages).
200 - Make sure you have **** NO DISKS ATTACHED AT THIS TIME ****
202 - If you plug a disk in before you complete the telnet connection, then
203 the NSLU2 will pick up the Linksys password from the disk, and you
204 will not be able to telnet into it. So don't have any disks attached
207 - Make sure you have **** NO DISKS ATTACHED AT THIS TIME ****
209 3) OK, now that you don't have any disks attached, you can proceed and telnet
210 into the NSLU2 using the username root and password uNSLUng.
212 4) Identify which drive you wish you "unsling", and plug it in. Wait a minute
213 or two while the disk is mounted. Check the web interface to make sure
214 that the disk has been recognised by the Linksys software.
216 - If the disk has not been previously formatted on the NSLU2, then now is
217 the time to do that. Make sure that the drive is recognized in the
220 5) In the telnet session, run "/sbin/unsling disk1" or "/sbin/unsling disk2"
221 (depending upon whether you want to unsling to a disk connected to the
222 Disk1 port or the Disk2 port).
224 - Once you "unsling" to an external disk on a particular port (Disk 1 or
225 Disk 2), it is important that you keep that disk continually plugged
226 into that same port whenever the NSLU2 is turned on.
228 ***** Unsling will not change the password on your disk, so if you had
229 previously changed the password on a disk, then your password will
230 not be changed. Also note that simply editing the /etc/passwd file
231 is not enough to permanently change a password. See:
233 http://www.nslu2-linux.org/wiki/HowTo/ChangePasswordsFromTheCommandLine
235 NOTE: There are two root-passwords. One is saved in a internal
236 file called /usr/local/passwd (we know this one - it's "uNSLUng"
237 and used when you boot without a attached harddisk) the other is
238 stored in a external file called /share/hdd/conf/passwd (we don't
239 know this one - it's used when you boot with a external harddisk
240 attached). That means: Everytime you boot WITHOUT a attached harddisk
241 you gain root-access with the "uNSLUng" password. If you boot
242 WITH an attached harddisk, you won't have access until you change
243 the file /share/hdd/conf/passwd. So you should change this file
244 as soon as you unsling to an external disk, before you exit the
245 telnet session that you are using to unsling to the disk.
247 6) If you wish to migrate your packages from the old Unslung 3.x location in
248 the /share/hdd/conf (disk1) or /share/flash/conf (disk2) partitions to the
249 new Unslung 4.x and 5.x location on the data partition, then run:
250 "/sbin/slingover disk1" (if your packages were previously on disk1 and you
251 ran "/sbin/unsling disk1" in step 5) or "/sbin/slingover disk2" (if your
252 packages were previously on disk2 and you ran "/sbin/unsling disk2" in
255 - If your packages were not stored in /share/hdd/conf or /share/flash/conf
256 (e.g. you had previously moved your packages from the conf partition
257 to the data partition), then all bets are off and you will need to
258 read the /sbin/slingover script and perform the appropriate steps
263 ***** DO NOT RUN ipkg BEFORE YOU REBOOT AND CONFIRM EXTERNAL ROOTFS *****
265 - If you were to run ipkg when the root filesystem is loaded from the
266 internal jffs2 filesystem, then you would fill the flash and cause
267 your NSLU2 to no longer boot and require reflashing to recover.
269 8) Wait for the NSLU2 to boot, telnet in, and confirm that the root filesystem
270 is being loaded from the external disk.
272 ***** Congratulations, you're now Unslung! *****
274 Make sure you add an entry to the "The Unslung 5.x" table in the Yahoo group.
275 Just use the next free integer for your Unslung number.
277 If you make no further changes, your NSLU2 will continue to operate normally.
278 But to customize things, you'll be downloading packages and adding stuff to the
279 /unslung directory using diversion scripts.
281 Read the NOTES file to expand the capabilities of your Unslung NSLU2!