PogoPlug Pro - Discussion Thread

Arch linux has issues when 2 drives are connected it cannot boot its a bug which the developers have accepted
 
I have a Pogoplug E02 running arch off a USB pendrive and decided to try a USB HDD install, specifically one with two partitions. Digging around a bit on the Internet turned up this thread http://archlinuxarm.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=1325#p10059

I followed the instructions in post #1, #3, #16 on that thread and then rebooted, but can't connect to the plug via ssh (connection timeout without a login prompt). I had /boot as 512MB ext2 and / as a 230GB ext3 partition.

I then tried the standard install at http://archlinuxarm.org/platforms/armv5/pogoplug-v2-pinkgray onto the USB HDD with one ext3 partition. The plug boots fine and I can ssh in so it appears the problem is something to do with the two partitions. A few questions:

1. Any ideas as to what could be going wrong with the two partition approach.
2. Are there any disadvantages to just one big partition as opposed to a separate /boot and / ?
3. If I go with the single partition approach, is it sufficient for backup purposes to just tarball the root partition after installing and configuring the software I need and excluding any download directories? or do I have to backup differently?
 
So my old HDD which I was using with pogoplug had died and i have ordered a new WD one which I intend to use with it. Any tips on how to minimize HDD wear and tear. Should I increase cache size on transmission? If I am seeding say 10 torrents in transmission (not uploading anything most of the time, just getting bonus points) does it still do continuous HDD read/writes? Do HDD companies ever reject RMA if the drive has been used 24*7? Any other ideas?
 
manu1991 said:
So my old HDD which I was using with pogoplug had died and i have ordered a new WD one which I intend to use with it. Any tips on how to minimize HDD wear and tear. Should I increase cache size on transmission? If I am seeding say 10 torrents in transmission (not uploading anything most of the time, just getting bonus points) does it still do continuous HDD read/writes? Do HDD companies ever reject RMA if the drive has been used 24*7? Any other ideas?
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I have being using my External HDD since last 2 years there is always something downloading no issues so far though i do run fsck every month
 
jsmithe said:
1. Any ideas as to what could be going wrong with the two partition approach.
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The /boot partition should be the first, as uBoot simply tries to access the kernel and initrd from the first partition of the OS drive. I am not sure of your exact uBoot environment, but it might be detecting the usb_root parameter (ie the partition which holds the rootfs) wrong. You may try running this command

fw_setenv usb_root=/dev/sda2 (the suggestion on post # 9 in the thread you linked)

This will set the rootfs partition to sda2 ie the second partition.

If you really want to know where exactly its failing, enable netconsole (not sure how to go about that with Ubit used by Arch) and check the boot log.

jsmithe said:
2. Are there any disadvantages to just one big partition as opposed to a separate /boot and / ?
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Not an issue, even though the thread says the primary partition has to be ext2, I have been running with an ext3 rootfs partition for few years now.

jsmithe said:
3. If I go with the single partition approach, is it sufficient for backup purposes to just tarball the root partition after installing and configuring the software I need and excluding any download directories? or do I have to backup differently?
Click to expand...

Yes that should do, better option would be to create an image of that partition and restore it.


I have the entire rootfs on a single ext3 partition and the download folders on a separate ext4 partition, you could try the same.
 
manu1991 said:
Do HDD companies ever reject RMA if the drive has been used 24*7? Any other ideas?
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Na, I don't think they do that. ;) As long as there is no physical damage and the disk isn't working, they will replace the drive. :)

As per SMART the disk that I am using should've failed about 2.5 years ago (which is when I removed the disk from my laptop and used it with my Dockstar) but its still running fine with almost 24/7 usage.
 
@varkey

Do flash drives have any chances of failing as well like hdd,i know that flash drives can take lot more abuse but still i am using a sandisk one if that matters.
Any method to do a backup of the flash drive connected to my pogoplug.
 
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@Nalin : AFAIK flash drives have a much higher chance of failure than a hard disk, flash drives are not designed for large number of read/writes and continuous usage.
 
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Thanks so i will get a new hdd and transfer everything to that hdd, thinking to backup the installation in a flash drive to a safe place first.
If i am not wrong i will just copy all the contents of the drive to the pc,do this work for the backup restoration purpose in future.
 
I have been using my Transcend 8GB drive which i was using earlier on my router more than 2 years still going strong.
 
@varkey - Just to let you know the new debian tarball does not work with Pogo Pro did you build a new tarball ?
 
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@dinjo : New tarball? I don't have the Pogoplug Pro anymore, never really liked the OXNAS system. I only have Kirkwood based units with me now.
 
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Anyways i saw a new tarball created since the older tarball was not working since it required all packages in unrar form.
 
varkey said:
The /boot partition should be the first, as uBoot simply tries to access the kernel and initrd from the first partition of the OS drive. I am not sure of your exact uBoot environment, but it might be detecting the usb_root parameter (ie the partition which holds the rootfs) wrong. You may try running this command

fw_setenv usb_root=/dev/sda2 (the suggestion on post # 9 in the thread you linked)

This will set the rootfs partition to sda2 ie the second partition.

If you really want to know where exactly its failing, enable netconsole (not sure how to go about that with Ubit used by Arch) and check the boot log.



Not an issue, even though the thread says the primary partition has to be ext2, I have been running with an ext3 rootfs partition for few years now.



Yes that should do, better option would be to create an image of that partition and restore it.


I have the entire rootfs on a single ext3 partition and the download folders on a separate ext4 partition, you could try the same.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the detailed reply and suggestions. Will give them a try at the next opportunity I get to mess around with this device. Right now, I have left it in peace to do what it was meant to do with everything sitting on just one partition.
 
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