Hack a Snap Sever 1000?

[marmfield]

[quote=AdjeH]I've read almost all the pages but did not find an answer to my problem. I have a Snapserver 1100 with a harddiskproblem. It makes a terrible noise and is not readable. Can someone make me an image so i can use an other harddisk?QUOTE]


I have this issue, but have found that the drive is a Maxtor MaXLine Plus II 250GB ATA/133 HD that is still under warranty from Maxtor until 2007! I'm going to RMA the hard drive but I will need an image to put back onto my Snap 1100 when this comes back in. I would appreciate any help that can be given.

BTW, old drive is unusable and I can't get any pc to see it in BIOS.


Thanks,

Matt

[JPB]

Originally Posted by firestar2k3

What can i do to make it work? Like a command or somthing to reset it.

I don't think there is a simple command to get it work. The BIOS for the promise chips are located in the motherboards BIOS - like on other PC-mainboards with simular problems. Now there are 3 possible answers:
1. Quantum did some bad design and the 4100's motherboard simply lacks some address lines to use 48bit addressing
2. Adaptec is not willing to support 48bit-LBA due to some hardware bugs - though it might work in some cases
3. Adaptec is not willing to support 48bit-LBA because they don't want customers to upgrade their devices without paying a lot of money or buy newer devices from Adaptec.

So what we need is
a. an answer from Adaptec about 1. and 2.
b. a way to extract and flash a new BIOS to the 4100 with a hacked BIOS from Promise
c. if b. works, we still need a way to prevent the 4100 OS from disabling 48bit LBA just because it is a 4100 - seems to be hardcoded ("IDE: 48 bit LBA is not supported on 4100 and 12000 platforms.")

IMHO Adaptec became a "bad company" to do business with. Over the last few years they took over some good products to make them worse and to get as much money as possible from their customers. Their support for anything but Windows is a mess and didn't make any progress the last years. I doubt we will ever see an aswer to our questions. I removed about 20 4100 now just because the support is not willing to help me without paying a lot of money and I still cannot mount even single volumes in any other machines. I now try to remove every single Adaptec product here and replace it with NEC, Atto and some others. My test-4100 is took apart waiting to either reach the trash can some day or get a new life with 4x 300GB.. time will tell..
I did not make any progress booting Linux with bootp yet and without more information about "bios flup" I'm kind of stuck now. It's likely that I will replace the mobo with an EPIA and just use the 19" case.. ^^

[blue68f100]

I remember reading some ware that the File System is an Modified XFS originating from FreeBSD. If you use a hex editor and look at the .sup file you will find MOAI### markers. These are for the different version of servers. An earlier user said it was IBM Hex. (starting address then data, 16 bit). The way a 1100 is factory loaded. This MOAI300.hex is forced down to the units before the OS can be loaded. The software for doing this only runs on NT4.0. I have tried it, in hopes to recover a 1100 that is messed up from a user trying to make it work as a 2000.

You can read the OS and boot tracks from a HD with dd from knoppix.

[re3dyb0y]

XFS is what i was told by EU Snap Support


Sam

[marmfield]

So who has a link to the v4 upgrade?

I had v4 on my SnapServer 1100 250GB model before the drive went belly up, 2 months after the warranty expired by SnapAppliances, of course!

Matt

[JPB]

Originally Posted by poogles_uk

XFS is what i was told by EU Snap Support

They told me that too - but did you ever try to mount it somehow somewhere? I was not able to even determine the partition scheme..
I tried with FreeBSD, NetBSD, Linux, OSX, AIX, Windows... no luck.

[blue68f100]

I went through that. The only thing I didn't try was WINHEX in clone mode. And all it would give me would be ????. I gaveup.

[HLouie]

To Forum

I'm looking for a Snap Server 2200 image of the drive. The bin file I have works but there is a problem with the ftp on the Snap.

I've done a complete reset the 4 blinking light and a total redownload of the os but still no ftp server.

Thank-you

[blue68f100]

Sounds like a setup problem. If you reloaded or installed the OS, it should have corrected the problem.
What version of OS are you running?

[HLouie]

I'm using 4.0.860 OS.

What I've done is replace the dead hard drive with a 80GB.
-I use the Knoppix 4.0, in "failsafe" boot mode from DVD.
-Start a termial window, Super User, grep the Hard drive info
-I have the orignal image of the drive 4.0854

-Try ftp, no go, complete format of drives, complete 4 blink reset
-Try ftp, no go, Upload the 4.0.860 using Assist, upgrades no problems
-Try ftp, no go, complete format of drives, complete 4 blink reset
-Try ftp, no go, but everthing eles works.

Our server at work died, they got a new one, I get the old one before the crash ftp was working. Now I have Snap 2000, 2200. I've worked on 1000, 1100, 2000, 2200, 4100

[blue68f100]

Are you using dd to copy the image file to the 80 gig?

[HLouie]

You bet

dd if=/mnt/cdrom1/snap2200.bin of=/dev/hcd bs 1M
or
dd if=/mnt/cdrom1/snap2200.bin of=/dev/hcd bs

The only thing different is that the images are on a CD and not on a hard drive.
dd if=/dev/hda/snap2200.bin of=/dev/hdb bs=1M

Both provided the same image on the 80gb drive and both boot to 4.0.854 OS. Both work http hppts with the java, shares work, security works, local network works.

Even the firewall has been turn off for this ip. My other Snap Server work with ftp. What I might try is the snap1000.bin and try that on the 80gb drive.

[blue68f100]

You are using the correct image file. The 2200 also works on 1100 and some 1000v2 units.

You have a lot newer image than I have, mine is v3.4. I don't think the bs is required to write to disk (hd), is required to read the Mod XFS correctly.
Did you check the config menu to make sure ftp is turned on?

Were you required to use the /reinit cmd to rebuild the drive space?
Are you seeing 80 gig or just image file size?
We genneraly are required to reinit the drives after reloading the server drives.

Sorry for all the questions, but you have an Odd problem.

[HLouie]

Well, after a weekend of work on the Snap Server 2200.

To blue68f100, yes I did check if the FTP server is on. After every image and every os upgrade. Yes, I completed the Image to HD with dd. After complete I used debug to /reinit. After rebooting the drive started formatting. All 80gb no problems. But no FTP.

My procedure
Knoppix 4.0 -> failsafe -> Terminal Window -> SU -> grep -> dd -> Snap Server debug -> config device XXXXXX /reinit -> reboot -> started formatting -> check amdin screen -> No FTP

Taking your advice on FTP server is on. I turned it off. Upload the same Snap OS on the drive and 4 blink reset. Boom FTP is working.

I know what you're thinking "The idiot did not have the FTP server on". But I check after ever image and os upgrade.


Now that the Snap Server 2200 is online, I'll start on a full comparison of
1000 48meg ram (std) with - 10gb hd (std)

2000 64meg ram (std) with - 2x10gb hd (std)
2000 128meg ram (mod) with - 2x80gb 2meg cache hd (mod)
2000 256meg ram (mod) with - 2x80gb 2meg cache hd (mod)
2000 128meg ram (mod) with - 2x160 8meg cache hd (mod)
2000 256meg ram (mod) with - 2x160 8meg cache hd (mod)

2200 64meg ram (std) with - 2x80gb hd (std)
2200 64meg ram (std) with - 2x160 8meg cache hd (mod)

The software I'll be testing with is http://www.iozone.org/


I would like to thank blue68f100 for great assistance, I'll EM later.

[blue68f100]

Great news.

Sorry for all of the questions. I use to do R&D work, for 25 yrs. Was trained to ask all of the hard questions.

We both learned something from this exercise.

Snap server store some setting in flashram and some on the hd. I know the disk configuration JBOD, raids are stored in a area that is not cleared during a reset. I did not know that the supported portocall were. This finding may shead some light in why some 4100 have been able to get 48bitLBA to work.

[JBidule]

Sorry for disturb, but:

I had a snap server 1000 and tried the Joe's procedure and made THE mistake like a kid during a long night, mixed two drives during trying to copy with dd the proprietary partition to the new drive. So, the unit is like a dead one, with LED flashing indefinitely...
What I want to do first is to recover the unit (like factory) and make it run.
After, AND ONLY AFTER Cloning proptietary OS information with dd, I will play with trying to grow the hard disk size.
I am not so interested with new features of v4, but if the image comes with I will live with it.

So, if someone can give me the possibility to download the proprietary partition, this will be great.
As my unit is dead, I can't give you more details, I have seen that the latest version installed was 3.4.790.
H/W version is unknown, processor is ST.
70700034-003, S/N 103632.
Manual indicates version 1000, it was delivered with a 30GB Quantum Fireball.

You can reach me via this forum or via john.bidule <AT> gmail.com.
I know that I am maybe asking for something like a miracle, but if someone can help me, this will be so nice...

Thanks a lot! John.

[blue68f100]

Some of the 1000 will auto setup the hd. But only if there is not a partition present.
You should still be able to connect with the web interface. I think only the newer models do not allow this. Do you know what hardware and bios version you are at.

The 1000's units have used 2 different image files. One for the older models, which genreally allows you to connect with no drive installed. And the Newer model which uses the boot bios like standard pc.

I will send you instructions to help you recover.

David

[crapfactory]

Does anyone know the maximum size memory that can be installed in a 4000? If so, can you recommend a part number?
Thanks, Carl

[Matt]

Lo all,

I've been meaning to take a backup copy of the hard drive in my snap 1000 for ages and finally got around to it today. I wiped the drive and then dd the contents to another and got the new one working (same size, just wanted a backup of the OS). I've made a ghost image of this if anyone has a dead 1000 that they need an image for. Dunno if this image works for other snap servers too.

[blue68f100]

Norton's Ghost in the past have not been able to read the Modified XFS corectly. The reason dd is widely used. Only the first 25 meg of the hd contain the boot tracks needed to boot.

[blue68f100]

Originally Posted by crapfactory

Does anyone know the maximum size memory that can be installed in a 4000? If so, can you recommend a part number?
Thanks, Carl

The max I have heard someone using was a 256meg.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by blue68f100

Norton's Ghost in the past have not been able to read the Modified XFS corectly. The reason dd is widely used. Only the first 25 meg of the hd contain the boot tracks needed to boot.

One of the previous posts mentions using the -ir switch which tells Ghost to do a raw copy, which I did.

Because only the first few MB are needed I stopped Norton Ghost after a few minutes to keep the image size small. However I did also do a full image of a 3GB snap drive which I've bunged on DVD (this image is about 1.4GB). My original snap drive is 80GB but I wanted to make a backup of the OS onto the 3GB which I've done and is working. Can't use a 3GB drive for much else!

[re3dyb0y]

Originally Posted by Matt

One of the previous posts mentions using the -ir switch which tells Ghost to do a raw copy, which I did.

Because only the first few MB are needed I stopped Norton Ghost after a few minutes to keep the image size small. However I did also do a full image of a 3GB snap drive which I've bunged on DVD (this image is about 1.4GB). My original snap drive is 80GB but I wanted to make a backup of the OS onto the 3GB which I've done and is working. Can't use a 3GB drive for much else!

Sounds about right

[JBidule]

To all,

I come back with upgrading the Snap Server 1000 from 30GB, dead disk to a beautiful 250GB Snap Server.

Here are my specs:
Model: 1000 series
Software: 3.4.805(US)
Hardware: 3.1.1
BIOS: 2.1.363
Original HDD Size, 30GB.
New HDD Size, 250GB.
I follows the procedure given and all works as expected.

For temperature, be aware (as I am sure you are) that a new 7200rpm disk can give too much dissipation.
I have choosen a HDD with good performance, but with "not too much peak current on 12V and with a reasonable power dissipation".
I choose the 7k250 from Hitachi/IBM.
I use the unit without the plastic cover (temparaure rise above 55°C inside with plastic cover).
Without plastic cover, temperature between HDD and mainboard doesn't rise above 45°C which is within the HDD specs (55°C).

Thanks a lot to David help, procedure and for giving me trust to buy a new 250GB.

I have now a unit which works like before, which I am able to restore in case of HDD crash.

The only warning can be if like me your unit was delivered with an international OS (french by example), the OS image given will be in english.
So, just switch codepage to Western (850) and you can work with international files and directories.
If you take the procedure to create your recovering image, it should work also with international OSes.

Cheers everybody, John.

[blue68f100]

Did you check to see if you have full capacity?
Since you are using the rare v3.4.805, I would like confirmation that you have >137gig.

David