Just got a NAS! Need help flashing it with another OS/FW, or extending it's features!

[TnA]

Hey, I just bought a 'Buffalo Tera-/LinkStation' 1TB NAS (99€) and got it working with OPL and SMS (I'll try deba5er's Linux-Distro later.).
It works well and I have no problems with stuttering FMV, or whatever...

I can change the network-settings, but the problems start when I try to define the sharing-rights for different users and shares... ^^
I can't define any other user to access the NAS (or maybe I must restart the NAS?!)...
I have no problems whatsoever, if I simply use the admin-account...

Another thing, I am interested in...
I'd like to use other filesystems for both, the internal and the external HDD.

I also would like to compress single files, or folders... (but still want to see the files uncompressed 'on my end', like if I compress a NTFS-Drive)
Is there any other OS/Firmware, which I could flash onto the LinkStation or any other way to accomplish my goal (especially, the compression of files/folders)?

Btw.: I use this NAS mainly for my PS2-Game-Collection and will backup ALL my games as ISOs and hope I could compress a few of them (since the NAS is not dedicated to PS2-Games only, but also contains my music-collection and a few movies/series [AVI/DIVX]).

[mark_k]

Hey, I just bought a 'Buffalo Tera-/LinkStation' 1TB NAS (99€) and got it working with OPL and SMS (I'll try deba5er's Linux-Distro later.).
It works well and I have no problems with stuttering FMV, or whatever...
...
Another thing, I am interested in...
I'd like to use other filesystems for both, the internal and the external HDD.

I also would like to compress single files, or folders... (but still want to see the files uncompressed 'on my end', like if I compress a NTFS-Drive)
Is there any other OS/Firmware, which I could flash onto the LinkStation or any other way to accomplish my goal (especially, the compression of files/folders)?

Did you notice any game name corruption? I have an older model Buffalo NAS, and mentioned that in this thread (OPL 0.8 network game name corruption).

My Buffalo NAS uses ext3 for its shared partition. While that doesn't support compression, it does work with sparse files. Many PS2 titles contain large amounts (like a gigabyte or more) of all-zero data. You can reduce the amount of space they occupy on the NAS by copying them sparsely.

Using Linux, copy an ISO like this:

cp --sparse=always game_iso_name.iso "/media/LinkStation/DVD/SLUS_123.45.game name.iso"

(Obviously replacing the path to your NAS with the correct one.)

[TnA]

Did you notice any game name corruption? I have an older model Buffalo NAS, and mentioned that in this thread (OPL 0.8 network game name corruption).

Nope, 'no problems whatsoever' like I said.

My Buffalo NAS uses ext3 for its shared partition. While that doesn't support compression, it does work with sparse files. Many PS2 titles contain large amounts (like a gigabyte or more) of all-zero data. You can reduce the amount of space they occupy on the NAS by copying them sparsely.

Using Linux, copy an ISO like this:

cp --sparse=always game_iso_name.iso "/media/LinkStation/DVD/SLUS_123.45.game name.iso"

(Obviously replacing the path to your NAS with the correct one.)

I'm using WinXP on my PC's end and want to be able, that the NAS handles it automatically for folders or sub-folders I define.
I know exactly how much it would 'save me',...
I proposed the NTFS-Compression, when OPLs SMB-Feature was totally 'fresh&new' to the PS2-Scene. I even used NTFS-Compression on my OPL-Share on PC, but I want to accomplish my goal on this NAS too.


So what I found out,...

It seems that I have a Linkstation Live 'LS-CHL1.0TL V2', with an ARM9/'Kirkwood'-CPU and that I could expand it pretty much to a small PC.

NAS-Central Buffalo - The Linkstation Wiki
Buffalo NAS-Central Forums • Index page


So what I need,...

-I want to keep all original features
-I want those features, which are normally only available to the 'PRO-Versions' ( )
-I really need support to read/write on multiple filesystems (atleast external)...
It seems that the Linkstation supports reading from FAT32/NTFS/EXT2 or 3 on external, but can't write to it... (but I didn't tested this yet... It's just what I can read around the 'net'.)
-I need support for 'on-the-fly'-compression, for files/folders...
-I want to control the NAS 'per SSH' or similar, for example from the PS2.


Edit: Oh and it came with a 1.34-1.8x-build and I upgradet it to a 1.37-2.xx-build.
I saw that there is a 1.40-update available, or even a newer one...
Just if it matters...

[TnA]

Anyone here, which might have some answers to my questions?

-compression of files&folders
-maybe support for more filesystems internal and/or external (+ write-support for external)
-flashing custom OS
-keeping all original features


Edit: O.K., it seems the best choice for me, is either to install 'FW 1.37 mod1', or to install a linux-distro which is ARM9/'Kirkwood'-CPU-Compatible.

Still,... It would be cool, if ANYONE could give me an answer.

Even if I install the mod, or a distro... I'm still not sure which app I need, which handles the packing&unpacking (and that the files are still shown as 'uncompressed' on my side/client-side which connects to the Samba-Server).


Another thing,... Just tried to connect a FAT32-Formatted USB-Device to the NAS and I can write to it also... I'm just not sure about NTFS-Formatted (and other filesystems) drives.

[TnA]

I just installed FW 1.37 mod1. It keeps all features installed, but deactivates a few of them.
I also found how to reacivate things, which got deactivated in this mod.
It's also possible to revert to an official FW.

So I have telnet-access as admin and password works. I only need some stuff to extend it.

Anyone here, which might have some good links how to extend it?

-I guess, it is possible to write to externaly connected HDDs (I read something about it). --> It works on FAT32 (partially), but I guess not on NTFS.
-SSH would be interesting to remote-control it.
-Is it possible to install a 'desktop' onto the NAS (which I remotely control throu SSH, or however)?
-How to reach the goal 'transparent' folder/file-compression?
-I might intall Twonky, but I didn't read through it yet...
-I also want to update some stuff, like the 2year old Samba-Server (even thought it is compatible to my stuff, I can revert to another version, if the newer versions give me any problems...)
-It would be cool if I could add some stuff to the web-interface, so it would be interesting to know where they are located and how I can access them.
-What other things might be useful?

Btw.: A mod of 1.41 would be cool, since it adds support for drives over 2TB.

Edit: What about DD-WRT. Is that something for me?

[Rotosound_rb666]

I'm new to doing NAS, and don't have any experience with stand alone NAS devices, but I reflashed my Asus RT-N16 with DD-WRT firmware and use a stand alone 1TB USB drive as NAS through the routers USB ports. I formatted it with EXT2fs, but only to support running "optware" (a collection package of linux based software opriginally developed openly to run on the Linksys NSLU2 NAS device, but now supported for OpenWRT and DD-WRT, that includes cool stuff like a bittorrent client, "asiablock" firewall, and others) on the router. DD-WRT's "Big" builds support EXT, FAT, FAT32, and NTFS file systems. With NAS enabled (samba) I can use it for PS2 network share, and access it easily through Window's "Network", as well as accessing it as well as the router's entire file system with WinSCP, as well as SSH and Telnet. DD-WRT is amazing, there is no end to the cool features and capabilities that it has, and it is supported by many different kinds of routers, and with a few exceptions, free.
I have a startup script I can implement, now, called "Autoap" that, when configured in either client/bridge (connects computers on the wired lan to another wireless ap, as another client/computer, instead of using the wan port) or repeater/bridge (similar, also adds a wireless ap, so it is both an ap and a client to another wireless ap, instead of the wan port, at the same time), automaticly scans for open wireless ap's, tries them, and connects you to the best connection all by itself: hotspot robo-leech. You can connect the ps2 to any lan port, and you are online for free, if there are any open ap's in range. One of DD-WRT's neat functions that helps with that is the ability to adjust the transmit power, ex a Linksys WRT54G is set to 28mw, and static. With DD-WRT installed, the same router can be turned up to 251mw, max transmit power, improving the range considerably.

Asus RT-N16 - DD-WRT Wiki
Main Page - DD-WRT Wiki
DD-WRT Forum :: Index
Router Database | www.dd-wrt.com
Supported Devices - DD-WRT Wiki

[Rotosound_rb666]

I just installed FW 1.37 mod1. It keeps all features installed, but deactivates a few of them.
I also found how to reacivate things, which got deactivated in this mod.
It's also possible to revert to an official FW.

So I have telnet-access as admin and password works. I only need some stuff to extend it.

Anyone here, which might have some good links how to extend it?

-I guess, it is possible to write to externaly connected HDDs (I read something about it). --> It works on FAT32 (partially), but I guess not on NTFS.
-SSH would be interesting to remote-control it.
-Is it possible to install a 'desktop' onto the NAS (which I remotely control throu SSH, or however)?
-How to reach the goal 'transparent' folder/file-compression?
-I might intall Twonky, but I didn't read through it yet...
-I also want to update some stuff, like the 2year old Samba-Server (even thought it is compatible to my stuff, I can revert to another version, if the newer versions give me any problems...)
-It would be cool if I could add some stuff to the web-interface, so it would be interesting to know where they are located and how I can access them.
-What other things might be useful?

Btw.: A mod of 1.41 would be cool, since it adds support for drives over 2TB.

Edit: What about DD-WRT. Is that something for me?

If you have SSH, try WinSCP, a gui based program that uses SSH to acess the remote file system.
WinSCP :: Download
DD-WRT is an open source firmware for your wireless router, depending on what kind of router you have. Being open source developed, it does EVERYTHING that EVERYONE that knows anything has EVER wanted a router to do. Being a Linux operating system, it has command line features through Telnet, or it's own gui, and can run startup and shutdown scripts, and be configured far beyond the features in the gui, that way.

[Rotosound_rb666]

I just installed FW 1.37 mod1. It keeps all features installed, but deactivates a few of them.
I also found how to reacivate things, which got deactivated in this mod.
It's also possible to revert to an official FW.

So I have telnet-access as admin and password works. I only need some stuff to extend it.

Anyone here, which might have some good links how to extend it?

-I guess, it is possible to write to externaly connected HDDs (I read something about it). --> It works on FAT32 (partially), but I guess not on NTFS.
-SSH would be interesting to remote-control it.
-Is it possible to install a 'desktop' onto the NAS (which I remotely control throu SSH, or however)?
-How to reach the goal 'transparent' folder/file-compression?
-I might intall Twonky, but I didn't read through it yet...
-I also want to update some stuff, like the 2year old Samba-Server (even thought it is compatible to my stuff, I can revert to another version, if the newer versions give me any problems...)
-It would be cool if I could add some stuff to the web-interface, so it would be interesting to know where they are located and how I can access them.
-What other things might be useful?

Btw.: A mod of 1.41 would be cool, since it adds support for drives over 2TB.

Edit: What about DD-WRT. Is that something for me?

Funny, you mention "Twonky", I am not entirely sure what that is, but I have it now. My exparamentation with the new RT-N16 router has led me to install "optware", which was originally a software package, or collection of apps made to run on the linksys NAS device, but is now running on any router that supports either dd-wrt, or open wrt. It required me to format my router's usb hard drive (used also as the NAS, and now supporting OPL without my computer being involved, too) to EXT2, but everything is working. Optware has a bunch of stuff, I have yet to learn what all of it is and does, but I know that "Twonky" is one of them, as well as samba share, I can access the routers usb drive/NAS through windows easily. Optware also has torrent clients that can run independant of my pc, and some cool firewalls like Asiablock, that ban third world ip's, and more, running on my router, with dd-wrt. get dd-wrt, if you have a router that supports it, I highly reccomend the Asus RT-N16, it does it all, 128mb ram, 32mb flash, 500mhz cpu, 1000mw output ala 3 onboard amps, usb support that does nas, printers, and all that, gigabit earthnet, "N" wireless, and its even full duplex. its amazing.
I noticed that you use a Buffalo NAS device that I know nothing about. I do know that Buffalo could not sell anything here in thier own country for about 5 years, since some asian company sued them (and lost, eventually) over some snippet of code in their router's os code. So when Buffalo found out about dd-wrt, and how well it worked on their machines, they didnt have any problems with it, in fact, they got with brainslayer, who started and continues dd-wrt, and cut him a deal (he dont have a job, and needs to eat, after all) so that Buffalo routers not only support it, and come with it from the factory, their newest top of the line wireless router was designed for it, to begin with, and brainslayer made a special, all the bells and whistles version of dd-wrt specificly for it, it was a sort of joint project. I was torn between the buffalo and the asus, I went with the asus since it has a broadcom chipset, and buffalo used an atheros. Nothing against atheros, in fact, I swear by them over broadcom, but the autoap program I like that scans and finds any open wireless ap, and connects to the best internet connection automaticly, wont work with them for some reason. Not that I need it for anything, but I wasn't done playing with that at the time, so support for it was the deciding factor. That being said, the buffalo n router is in every way comperable, and has all the same features, and as a bonus, it comes with dd-wrt as the factory os, so no reflashing, unless you want to update to the latest version, that is. I highly reccomend those, too, even though I don't own one. Maybe even more so. Either of those and dd-wrt are answers to all of your questions, the lines you start with -
even the ones that I dont understand, funny, huh? I dont know what "Twonky" is, but dd-wrt can run it, and dd-wrt is the desktop, and nas, and samba, and all that.