Some starter questions about debian and rescue system @ Pogoplug v2 (Pink/Gray)

Hi there!

First thank you very much for all work done by jeff and the community! I'm not new to small NAS boxes (I worked with Linkstation Pro Duo and Kurobox in the past) but new to this tiny Pogoplug box.
Now, last days the pogoplug was offered for less money so I must but it and now it's here and I want "pimp" it ;-)

First i tried it with oxnas because my box was labled with b04 and got a error which, so I find out, was a indicator for that I've a "new" pogoplug, documented here: http://archlinuxarm.org/platforms/armv5/pogoplug-v2-pinkgray

So my next step was visiting the page http://projects.doozan.com/debian/ and follow the instructions for installing wheezy. Because I got the "kernel is too old" message, I continued my work with squeeze and booted the box finally without any failures into debian squeeze.

So far I'm happy but there are 2 tasks which I need help and I hope, I can get it here:

1. I want install a rescue system in case of failure so I've a system I can always boot when the "main system" on sda (or the harddisk itself) is crashed. Now, my way would be follow the instructions on http://forum.doozan.com/read.php?4,3896 and install the stuff. But the hint "This installer will only work on a Seagate Dockstar or Pogoplug Pink" confuse me! Have I the "right" Pogoplug Pink or maybe a wrong revision for that?
2. Maybe I want upgrade from squeeze to wheezy but I think, a hard requirement is a kernel from version 3.0 or higher. So how I can upgrade the kernel, running on the box? I read that arch linux arm have a simple mechanism for that, but how I can do that under debian?

>Have I the "right" Pogoplug Pink
> or maybe a wrong revision for that?

Yes, the Pogplug V2 Pink/Gray is what being referred to as Pogoplug Pink. Since you have installed Squeeze successfully with that procedure, you do have a Pogoplug V2.

> So how I can upgrade the
> kernel, running on the box? I read that arch linux
> arm have a simple mechanism for that, but how I
> can do that under debian?

You can just upgrade the kernel from squeeze to wheezy with simple steps: change apt sources list to point to wheezy, and run 2 commands: update and dist-upgrade. For example:

# cat /etc/apt/sources.list
deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian wheezy main

#apt-get update
#apt-get dist-upgrade

But of course, please remember to backup first! it's a massive change when doing dist-upgrade from squeeze to wheezy. After this, only do "apt-get upgrade" once in a while.

Thx for your answere bodhi! The reason, why I'm asking how the kernel can upgraded is, that I know it from other NAS, that the kernel are stored somewhere in a MTD Partition and that they need special patched kernel. But perfect, if the debian stock kernel works out of the box with the pogoplug.

Another question: I understand it right, that the rescue system is the right one for my box? I execute the installer and I get a full working rescue system from NAND with can helps me in case of a crashed harddisk for example?

prodigy7 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thx for your answere bodhi! The reason, why I'm
> asking how the kernel can upgraded is, that I know
> it from other NAS, that the kernel are stored
> somewhere in a MTD Partition and that they need
> special patched kernel. But perfect, if the debian
> stock kernel works out of the box with the
> pogoplug.
>
> Another question: I understand it right, that the
> rescue system is the right one for my box? I
> execute the installer and I get a full working
> rescue system from NAND with can helps me in case
> of a crashed harddisk for example?

If you run Jeff's script http://projects.doozan.com/debian/kirkwood.debian-wheezy.sh (or squeeze version), it will install the current uBoot (by invoking http://projects.doozan.com/uboot/install_uboot_mtd0.sh). The mainline Debian kernel will be installed on USB drive, and it will work out of the box. The Pogo stock kernel and rootfs in NAND should not be effected.

Yes, that is the right rescue system, by Jeff, and it is fully automated. There is also a newer version by Davy: http://forum.doozan.com/read.php?4,7915, but it must be installed with manual steps. So try Jeff's Rescue version 2 for simplicity, but if you feel comfortable with Davy's version 2.8.2 manual procedure then that will work too. And its purpose is exactly what you stated. But please be careful, when you install the rescue system, if there is error during installation then don't try to force it, make sure you can still boot with your USB stick first and might consider not installing at the moment. You can set up netconsole to to recover when there is problem, too. In fact, the first thing I would do when I got a running system is setting up netconsole first, before installing rescue system.

Ok, all done! I flashed the rescue system and it boots fine. Netconsole is also working and so I'm happy not with an good low cost nas for my backups :-)
Thx for assistance!