PuppyNAS idea...

[Grogster]

Hi all.

I want to use WOOF to build a custom Puppy, whose sole purpose is to control a NAS for sharing files via SAMBA.

MUST HAVE:

- Some kind of VNC for remote-desktop connection/administration, x11vnc server for example
- SAMBA for sharing with Windoze. Standard "SAMBA simple management" application.
- Gparted partition manager to administer the HDD's on the system
- Terminal....as frightened as I am of it, but it would be mandatory in this kind of build!
- "Dougal's Network Wizard" or similar, that allows you to set a static IP address
- Pmount to allow mounting of all volumes at boot

The idea of this, is to build a Puppy distro that has ALL the applications etc stripped from it, that are not directly related to admin of a NAS.
Don't need any kind of web-browser, games, office suites, don't need GUI wizards or graphics drivers other then generic - drivers for specific video cards are not required, just basic VGA/SVGA mode is more then enough for a NAS.

IE: I am wanting to build a Puppy that is as small as possible, and ONLY has the SAMBA network sharing, VNC and Gparted for setting up the HDD's. I have never needed anything other then SAMBA in ANY server, but the option to allow other network protocols could be useful - if easy enough to include.

I have had fantastic success with 32-bit Friendly Bionic, which one of the members here very helpfully added a VNC server to for me at the time, and it has been bulletproof for several years now, so I want to do that kind of thing, but strip out ANYTHING application-wise, that is NOT related to managing the HDD's and the network.

I found the thread about building your own Puppy using WOOF here: https://puppylinux-woof-ce.github.io/woof-ce.html, so this is my starting point, but I would love for those who know how to build custom Puppies from WOOF, to chime in and perhaps hold my hand a little through this process.

Thoughts?
Suggestions?

If I think of anything else, I will update this thread.

[spiritwild]

I havent tried any 64 bit puppies. I have 2 servers , one with a LxPupXenial 16.08, it's been running that since 2016, I think and one with xenialpup 7.5. For what I need, it works fine but I'm always interested in new ideas. Played around with a server called the SSS. I'd love to see a puppy version of that type setup. I believe it's a 4mlinix based server.

https://sourceforge.net/projects/thesss/

[wizard]

Have been running a Puppy file server since v4.1.2 on a Pentium 2. A time saver and a great use for old machines.

Currently running two file servers on old single core laptops since they are small, quiet and inexpensive to operate.
1. General file server, Pentium M - Puppy Friendly Bionic32
2. Media file server - AMD Sempron M120 - Puppy BionicPup64

Just a few configurations things I have found useful:
1. run in pupmode 13
2. use a static IP address for the server
3. use VNC for remote administration
4. run the firewall and open ports for VNC and Samba
5. schedule a restart once a day, mine is late at night

If the server computer is fast enough, you can use VNC to operate a browser on the server. Kind of a "proxy" setup that insulates your main computer from the web. I use mine to only do financial transactions.

Good luck with your Woof project, if it doesn't work out you could strip an existing Puppy and then remaster.

wizard

[Clarity]

... Thoughts?
Suggestions?..

I have done many-many of these in my life dating to the 1980s.

Today, I have a simple solution for a home LAN data server that is extremely simple, yet addresses 100% of a typical user's need for storage, access, and management for a simple user. It serves various needs from simple data to multimedia to etc...

Are you interested in a simple Home use in a Puppy-DOG coat of honor or are you seeking a full-blown enterprise standard solution?

My simple solution centers around your data storage as NO OS (PUP or otherwise) is installed on the PC. For forum distros, this is a no-brainer for me as it also allows simple non-invasive tests of forum distro changes if/when one might desire.

Question

• Does the PC that is to become a NAS have Windows present? If so, will it be left on the PC?

Lastly, this is a good thread for producing a forum NAS solution/outline that others can take advantage of with little to no effort to have operational.

Thoughts?

[rockedge]

Easy solution that works is a Puppy web server accessible via the LAN and WLAN that is running Owncloud.

I've used Hiawatha or Apache and also using XAMPP makes set up straightforward. Either the MySQL or the mariaDB is suitable for the database server.

[Grogster]

Hi all.
Thanks for your replies.

@ Clarity: "Are you interested in a simple Home use in a Puppy-DOG coat of honor or are you seeking a full-blown enterprise standard solution?"
Just a simple home server. There are plenty of other NAS projects, that offer all sorts of bells and whistles, and I don't really want ANY of that - that's why I love the Puppy server I have now. I setup a password for Puppy root, and for Samba using the terminal commands, so that the Windoze machines will ask for the SAMBA password before they allow access. That is the only level of security I need. I'm not really interested in "Users" and "Permissions" etc.
So long as you can find the server on the network, and can enter the "root" user and password, you have access and FULL read/write permissions.

The root password and SAMBA password are easily set using the terminal and the passwd root plus smbpasswd -a root commands.

No bells, no whistles, just simple password access for minimum security. This is not really any good for a multi-user server or NAS where different users need access to different folders etc, but there is only ever me using it, so Puppy is perfect, and becomes, in essence, a single-user password-protected NAS solution.

My simple solution centers around your data storage as NO OS (PUP or otherwise) is installed on the PC. For forum distros, this is a no-brainer for me as it also allows simple non-invasive tests of forum distro changes if/when one might desire.

I'm rather interested in this, as I figured you HAVE to have SOME kind of OS running a NAS.
Can you tell me more or link to how you are doing that?

Does the PC that is to become a NAS have Windows present? If so, will it be left on the PC?

NO WINDOZE.
No Linux either(installed, that is), no nothing. System boots from the Puppy USB flash-drive, and runs entirely in RAM just as Puppy is designed to do.
The PC is dedicated to the NAS - it has no other OS on it and never will have.

@ rockedge: Thanks for the link - I will have a read.

@ ALL: I should say at this point, I have ZERO complaints about the current FB32 version of Puppy that is running my NAS now, I am just wanting to experiment and play around with the WOOF builder, and see if it is hard or easy, to strip away everything in one of the standard Puppy distros, to leave only the stuff needed to run a NAS. Push comes to shove, I can happily stay exactly on the FB32 I am using now, but I thought it might help me learn something new, to tinker with the WOOF builder idea - but I really don't know where to start, and now members have linked off to other ideas!

[rockedge]

The download link for Owncloud -> https://owncloud.com/download-server/

[Clarity]

No windows no prior install OS. This is a very simple, easy solution that will NOT even require a USB to do this solution.

OK, your system will ONLY encompass data. In fact everything on it will be data. You will power it on and run it.

Do you have a spare USB? And I will guide you to the initial test? If you like, you can make it permanent easily?

If this is what you want. let do it. To do the initial review it will take you approximately 5 minutes to read. And then 5 mins to get the USB set. Then 2 minutes to boot for your review.

Your ONLY need for this is to choose the forum distro you want to use. Choose ANY except EASY for now.

Let me know. We will do it here; as others are familiar and can help should I become indisposed. This is not something magic or requiring anything elaborate or craftiness with parameters or otherwise. Just a USB and access to the internet to start. All forum distros over the past few years already have everything needed, so you'll choose ANY of your choices.
The Steps will be
If after USB review, it will be obvious how and why this is a simple solution that does not need the USB, later.

NO Magic. The Steps will be

1. You'll make a new USB

2. You'll put an forum ISO on the USB

3. You'll boot the USB's ISO (without modification) to desktop

4. You'll decide if you like

5. We'll make your PC to EXACTLY the same thing

6. You'll never need the USB or any USB for booting or using ANY forum distro in your PC's future.

I have been running a similar setup for over a year. You'll understand all this very quickly.

[Grogster]

@ rockedge: thanks, I will check out that link.

@ Clarity: YES PLEASE.
I'm very curious to know what you have come up with.
There is no point in reinventing the wheel, so if you(or others) have already done a build like I am wanting to do...

[Clarity]

See above addition to the prior post.

Now that you understand the summary, here's the starting point: Following the link in this forum post.

Post, should you have ANY problems. We have seen every situation in both the procedure and booting forum distros.

[Grogster]

Thank you.

I have to go and do a couple of jobs right now, but I will be back tonight(my time) to try this out on a spare PC.

[Clarity]

...on a spare PC.

• Again, you ONLY need a spare USB.

• Once you see it in action, we'll step you thru the minor step to have the PC do all the work without the need for the USB.

• Lastly, we'll assist you to your NAS operations which from your description is also extremely simple.

All efforts on the forum have been tested to make this foolproof in its use to give you the maximum amount of flexibility with no impact on any user data.

P.S. There's also a published document, which you shouldn't need, here

[wizard]

@Grogster

You actually can have different users with different access to your file server if needed. See this post:

viewtopic.php?p=17283&hilit=samba#p17283

wizard

[Grogster]

Hi all.

I have built a Ventoy boot USB, and added the ISO's for a few different Puppy distros, along with Super Grub 2.

https://1drv.ms/i/s!AgpJOK8F6xkSlwACoyA ... n?e=SRpjUv

I will try booting from this shortly, but now what?

[Clarity]

Hello @Grogster
Something is very wrong (but it could just be me)! I see a "BOOTISOS" folder along with the ISO files it contains.

Your picture does NOT show a USB drive that has the 2 partitions that the Ventoy Utility creates. I expected to see a mount of Ventoy as your picture shows (G:) but I dont see the other USB partition in the picture. Windows should show something like this.

A Ventoy USB.jpg (13.98 KiB) Viewed 626 times

The Ventoy utilities create a bootable USB for you ... no matter if you used the utility for Windows or the utility for Linux. The same USB will be created. After the USB is created, put the BOOTISOS folder on the Ventoy partition of the USB along with ISO files you choose. Your picture does show that G: has such; which is great!

When you plug your created USB in and power on the PC booting your USB, do you get a list showing those ISO files for your choosing to be booted? If so, you'll merely choose any of them to boot to desktop.

What are you seeing? Let's us know.

[Grogster]

Yes, that happens.

I get a 2nd menu from Ventoy, asking how to boot the image, I just selected "Boot in normal mode" - let me know if I am supposed to select one of the other options here.

Here is a screenshot of what I am seeing at the Puppy desktop, selecting FossaPup64 as a test subject:

test1234.jpeg (33.34 KiB) Viewed 612 times

My Ventoy and VTOYEFI partitions are on sdb, which is a 4GB USB flash drive that I booted from - the one with Ventoy on it.
sdc is another flash drive I am using to transfer screenshots from the Puppy machine, to this forum, so you can pretty much ignore that one.
sda is the currently unmounted data SSD(an internal M.2 NVMe) with all the files on it.
I have not mounted that yet though.

EDIT: Oh, BTW - how do you upload images DIRECTLY to the forum thread? When I try, I get prompted for a URL for the image, but when I paste that in, it just shows as an UNCLICKABLE link, so I am using the LINK button - which is working, but it would be better for everyone, if I could post the images direct to the forum thread. Does the forum only allow images from certain URL image sites perhaps? It does not like the Microsoft OneDrive links, anyway!

[rockedge]

how do you upload images DIRECTLY to the forum thread?

First the image should be .jpg or .png and can't exceed a certain size limit. You can drag and drop the file from a file manager directly on to the post editor when in edit mode. Or at the bottom of the page use the Attachment tab and browse for the image file. Then use the option to display in-line which will place the image BBCode where the cursor position is.

[wizard]

@Grogster

First the image should be .jpg or .png and can't exceed a certain size limit.

Maximum of 500kb per attachment, and maximum of 3 per post.

wizard

[Clarity]

Yes, that happens.

I get a 2nd menu from Ventoy, asking how to boot the image, I just selected "Boot in normal mode" - let me know if I am supposed to select one of the other options here.

Yes, taking that option, the WoofCE PUP will present a GRUB4DOS menu. Had you chose the other, the PUP would have presented a GRUB2 menu

Booting a WoofCE PUP from Ventoy leads to an issue that I want to make you aware of (I have brought this to the attention of the WoofCE developers for months, now, so see the next post on this thread). You will never know of any issue until you get to the end and want to save your work in a session.

See next post ...

[Clarity]

This POST is a follow-on from the prior post
OK, the bootable part of the task is fulfilled and the USB can be used for all forum distros. NOW, THERE IS 1 FURTHER STEP!!!

Remember the SuperGrub2Disk ISO (aka SG2D)? It is important as it is the ONLY launcher supported by WoofCE for OOTB booting with all its distro features. I'm going to come back to this in the next post on this thread.

Everything will work as advertised EXCEPT "saving a session" when a WoofCE PUP boots from Ventoy! ... EVERYTHING! This failure-bug ONLY applies to WoofCE distros. NONE of ALL other forum distros have this problem; namely the KLs, and the DOGs because their INITs work from both Ventoy and SG2D for ALL of their distro features. ONLY WoofCE PUPs have this quirk in their INITs which will affect efforts to save your session(s).

Saving distro sessions
I recommend 2 tasks that applies to ALL distros on this forum (this step is ONLY done once in your PC's lifetime)

1. Keep your sessions for every distro in a folder named "Sessions" on a system drive (USBs are terrible for sessions because of their unique behaviors, their performance, and how various distros will address them from PC firmware). THUS I recommend to never use a USB for any sessions you save. AND for good housekeeping, place ALL sessions in the Session folder.

2. On EVERY MAC or Windows PC I have ever work with, resize a partition to make a new partition to keep your sessions within. If you label the new partition name to be "Persistence", the WoofCE parm I give below will work with such. I format this new partition as a linux format (aka ext2/ext3/ext4 all of these have been tested to work for full session functionality offered by the PUP at shutdown)

Temporary Circumvention when booting a WoofCE PUP launched from Ventoy

1. Reboot the USB or boot launching a WoofCE PUP.

   

   ISO files by Grogster.jpg (23.88 KiB) Viewed 598 times

2. When at the WoofCE PUP's menu, on the stanza you choose to boot, you MUST edit the stanza

3. On the PUP's edit stanza screen add to the linux/kernel line

   Code: Select all

   psave=Persistence:/Sessions/

4. Now allow the PUP to boot that stanza

ISO files by Grogster2.jpg (19.81 KiB) Viewed 596 times

With this, your WoofCE PUP will boot and when you need to save the sesion at shutdown, the PUP will get beyond the bug AND will know where to save.

ISO files by Grogster3.jpg (22.39 KiB) Viewed 593 times

[Grogster]

Fantastic replies, thanks chums.

I will have a little play about with the image upload thing, and try to insert a cropped screenshot of the Fossa screenshot I linked to above.

@ Clarity: PLEASE BE AWARE that I only threw a handful of Puppy distros on that "Ventoy USB" to play about with. I may not end up using ones built on WoofCE if that is going to be an issue, but it seems it is not THAT much of an issue to get around that anyway.

[Grogster]

Inserting image test:

Ventoy2.jpg (26.52 KiB) Viewed 588 times

EDIT: Yay!!!

[Clarity]

... @ Clarity: PLEASE BE AWARE that I only threw a handful of Puppy distros on that "Ventoy USB" to play about with. ...

Reviewing your USB size, you are limitied. I have a 32GB USB that has 47 distros on it and it only has a little space left.

... I may not end up using ones built on WoofCE if that is going to be an issue, but it seems it is not THAT much of an issue to get around that anyway.

Yeah, its not an issue if your remember PSAVE when launching WoofCEs from Ventoy. Otherwise other distros never need it from Ventoy.

On your USB, you have SG2D which will list and launch all of those WoofCE ISO files and ALL other forum disros, too. The ability to save, even if you dont enter the PSAVE parm for WoofCE ISOs WILL ALLOW YOU TO SAVE SESSIONS. WoofCE provides a helper file for these SG2D boots. When you are comfortable, I will lead you to what it is, what is provides you, and how to check for its presence.

Lastly, when you are comfortable understanding how the ISO booting via your USB make your life easy, we can show you the 2 steps to setup your system drive and you wont need to use the USB afterwards. (Although you probably want to keep it handy for any special cases which could arise in the future).

In essence this is all about trouble-free booting forum distros directly from their downloaded content (i.e. ISO file or IMG files). I have NOT installed any one of the forum distros in several years. There is no need to, as all I ever do is "download and boot" forum ISOs. Sessions are saved and found easily as well, as ALL of them are in the same place. "Simple" and uncluttered.

BTW: If you find ANY forum distro that does NOT boot from its ISO file directly, please report that problem to the thread of the offending distro. The developer(s) there are keen to resolve such, as they have in the past.

Have fun! ... with all the various forum presentations that is offered in 'Puppyland'.

[Grogster]

Hello everyone.

It's Easter, so I have had a little more time to play around with this concept.
I copied two more Puppy ISO files to the Ventoy USB:

Xenialpup64-7.5-uefi.iso
S15Pup64-22.12-240323.iso

I've only played with S15 so far, but I rather like the GUI on this one.
Xenial is the next one to play with.

Lets ASSUME I like S15 and want to proceed with the NAS idea of this thread, using it as the basis of the controlling OS.

@ Clarity: You're up!!!!!

[Clarity]

Hello @Grogster Just saw this before signing off.

NAS, no problem. In fact I was considering a new setup.

I have a 64bit PC that can be dedicated for a "proof of concept". IIRC you have express a desired configuration in the recent past.

Since it will be a simple home server, there are various flexible approaches to providing a simple unit dedicated to easily serve a family of 6 with the kinds of media, documents, and backup purposes a home uses. Every PUP in the forum has 99% of the requirement to do this.

The approaches may/may-not serve the needs of a home with cameras. IF cameras are to be included, @rockedge has been working with a simple database solution for years. That is probably the best that Puppyland has to offer, but it will have to be packaged for a simple 64bit installation and OOTB use.

That is about the extent of doing something simple, easy, and functional that any member can/would use.

Which forum distro do you want to use to make such a dedicated PC:

1. One of the DOGs

2. One of the KLs

3. One of the PUPs

Does it matter?

Later...

[Clarity]

@Grogster
For your continue with Ventoy, please check your BOOTISOS folder on the Ventoy partition for a file named "SAVESPEC". Is there one in your folder?

Thanks in advance

[Grogster]

Does not really matter what type - I assume they are all pretty much suitable for this kind of task.
NO, don't have the SAVESPEC iso.
If you can link me to it, that would be great.