Connecting Dockstar to net for the first time

Hi guys,

I am about to install debian on my dockstar using jeff's guide, i read almost all guides i could find on the net on installing linux on the dockstar . Many guides suggest not to connect the dockstar to the net and to connect the dockstar to a linux machine to get its ip because the pogoplug update disables ssh, i read somewhere that even after the update ssh can be enabled again through pogoplug web interface, nothing is mentioned in jeff's guide regarding this , i am going to get the ip of the dockstar by connecting it to my router and then checking the ip mentioned under dhcp server in the router admin page, is this safe? After i connect the dockstar to the router if the update starts is it safe to let it update?

Disconnect your "internet" cable, boot your dockstar, check the ip, disable the pogo software, reconnnect your router to the world.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/2010 11:26AM by _Oscar_.

Should i use "killall hbwd" to disable the pogo software? How do i backup the dockstars nand?

Sorry, i didn't remember the point you need your internet to download Jeffs script to disable the software if you follow Jeffs howto :)

the offline way is:
* killall hbwd
* mount -o remount,rw /
* vi /etc/init.d/rcS
press "i" (to get into insert mode)
change the line "/etc/init.d/hbmgr.sh start" to "#/etc/init.d/hbmgr.sh start"
[esc] and ":wq" (write & quit)

regarding backup:

cd /tmp
mkdir usb 
mount /dev/sda1 /tmp/usb 
wget http://jeff.doozan.com/debian/uboot/nanddump
chmod +x nanddump 
./nanddump -nf usb/mtd0 /dev/mtd0 
./nanddump -nf usb/mtd1 /dev/mtd1 
./nanddump -nf usb/mtd2 /dev/mtd2 
umount /dev/sda1

Thanks

Having also just acquired a Dockstar, I was wondering what happens if the Dockstar fails to boot Debian on start up - will it just fall over to the original operating system if the pogo software is disabled using the above instructions?

Having seen the discussion about pros and cons, I did not disable the onboard software and installed Debian. It worked fine yesterday, including rebooting but this morning it won't start Debian (probably my fault with some conf files). Instead it has started the original OS. Would I have a bricked Dockstar if I had disabled the pogo software?

Or is the pogo software just used for going online to the web site/registration?

Some clarity would help me please.

Ian

To answer your question more directly: it would have worked the same way whether or not you had disabled the Pogoplug services.

The Pogoplug OS is simply a small, custom linux distro. Inside this distro is a program that provides the Pogoplug services. This program creates a VPN between you and Cloud Engines that is used for sharing files and applying updates to the Pogoplug OS. One of the Pogoplug OS updates disables SSH until you register on their site and re-enable it. Many people do not want to do that, and will choose to disable the Pogoplug service before it has a chance to apply that update.

If you choose to disable the Pogoplug services, it simply stops the VPN connection from being created. The Pogoplug installation still boots fine and still functions as a recovery disto. It just doesn't start their custom software.

-- Jeff



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/18/2010 09:12AM by Jeff.

Jeff

Thanks for the quick reply - that does indeed clarify just what "disabling the pogo software" means.

And I did sign up to the Pogo site - I had to since left my Dockstar connected to the internet for too long before daring to start the Debian install and so lost SSH access!

Beware you don't need to log on to the PogoPlug site for it to connect to your Dockstar and disable SSH

Ian