Metal Geek Blog

QNAP Crashplan Backup 3.0.3 quick step installation with QPKG

geek — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:44:56 +0000

After several problems with the manual installation of Java JRE for embedded and CrashPlan 3.0.3 for Linux I finally gathered all informations to apply QPKG packages for proper installation on various QNAP systems (tried it on my QNAP TS-410 Turbo NAS in first instance).

Here is a quick step installation:

QNAP ARM CPU (x10 / x12 / x19)

Java Runtime Environment installation
- Download Java JRE for ARMv5 Linux – Headless (Early Access) EABI, glibc 2.5, Soft Float, Little Endian – you need to enter some data there to receive the download link (sorry cannot provide a direct download link as this is considered to be illegal)
- Copy file (name should look like ejre-1_6_0_25-fcs-b06-linux-arm-sflt-eabi-headless-14_apr_2011.tar.gz) to the Public folder on your NAS
- Download QNAP ARM Java package
- Unzip and install QPKG
- Enable JRE in QPKG manager

CrashPlan installation
- Download QNAP ARM CrashPlan package
- Install QPKG
- Enable CrashPlan in QPKG manager

QNAP x86 CPU (x9 without x19)

Java Runtime Environment installation
- Download QNAP x86 Java package
- Install QPKG
- Enable JRE in QPKG manager

CrashPlan installation
- Download QNAP x86 CrashPlan package
- Install QPKG
- Enable CrashPlan in QPKG manager

GUI access from a diffrent machine (e.g. Windows 7 box)

Configuration on QNAP NAS
- Disable CrashPlan in QPKG manager
- Edit /share/MD0_DATA/.qpkg/CrashPlan/conf/my.service.xml and replace
127.0.0.1
with
0.0.0.0
- Enable CrashPlan in QPKG manager

GUI installation on Windows machine (same configuration as for Linux GUI)
- Download CrashPlan client
- Install CrashPlan on Windows machine
- Go to Control Panel -> Services -> Look for CrashPlan Service (German: Systemsteuerung -> Dienste -> CrashPlan)
- Stop CrashPlan service
- Edit properties of CrashPlan service and set to manual start up (German: manuelles Starten)
- Edit C:\Program Files\CrashPlan\conf\ui.properties (maybe locatd in different folder) and replace
#serviceHost=127.0.0.1
with
serviceHost=...
Best is to use your NAS IP address – but the hostname should work as well
- Start CrashPlan – it should connect to your NAS (you will see your NAS name appearing there as source for backup)
- You may also remove the CrashPlan Tray from your Autostart folder because it will not work for a remote machine (if someone got a solution for this issue, feel free to post it!)

NOTE – This way of setting up CrashPlan on an ARM QNAP system with very low memory (256MB) proved to be better than the manual setup I did before. There were lots of memory problems and instability.

SOURCES – The following QNAP forum sources are best if you want to check for updates of the QPKG packages:
Java JRE QPKG – http://www.turbonas.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=870
CrashPlan QPKG – http://forum.qnap.com/viewtopic.php?f=227&t=39078

If you have any questions concerning manual installations of Sun / Oracle JRE for embedded systems on ARM or similar, please post a comment. Same goes for Crashplan installation on various Linux systems.

WordPress NGG NextGen Gallery JW imagerotator slideshow problems

geek — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:25:16 +0000

I experienced some problems with the NextGen Gallery widget showing random images on http://www.metal-nights.de. There were simply no images showing up any more – the imagerotator flash keeps loading forever.

The reason for this were too many images when chosing “all images” as source for the rotator. The PHP callback providing the XML “image playlist” for the imagerotator.swf was empty because of out of memory-issues. This was the case if there were more than 1600 images in the database. The query delivered a fully parsed result set which was simply too large.

If you do not want to get rid of all your images, the only way to solve this issue is to limit the result set:

- open wp-content/plugins/nextgen-gallery/xml/imagerotator.php for editing

- look for
$thepictures = $wpdb->get_results("SELECT t.*, tt.* FROM $wpdb->nggallery AS t INNER JOIN $wpdb->nggpictures AS tt ON t.gid = tt.galleryid WHERE tt.exclude != 1 ORDER BY tt.{$ngg_options['galSort']} {$ngg_options['galSortDir']} ");

- change to
$thepictures = $wpdb->get_results("SELECT t.*, tt.* FROM $wpdb->nggallery AS t INNER JOIN $wpdb->nggpictures AS tt ON t.gid = tt.galleryid WHERE tt.exclude != 1 ORDER BY RAND() LIMIT 100;"); //tt.{$ngg_options['galSort']} {$ngg_options['galSortDir']} ");

This will return 100 random sorted images. This will be enough for about 10 minutes displaying the page without reload. You may even reduce the number to about 20.

The plus is that your page will speed up.

Enjoy.

English wikipedia anti black-out extension for Google Chrome

geek — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:09:31 +0000

Did you hear about the SOPA/PIPA blackout of the English Wikipedia?

Here is the solution for a workaround – I put a little extension for Google Chrome revealing the Wikipedia pages, the work of some minutes – actually my first chrome extension ever – but it was kind of interesting…

Install Extension – check it out at http://en.wikipedia.org!

Freaky, isn’t it?

Edit: Improved to version 1.1 – proper display of the wikipedia page now.

New DARK SUNS album “Orange” as full stream

geek — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:59:36 +0000

There was long time no signs that DARK SUNS are still active. This has changed immediatly with the announcement of the new album “Orange” which proves that the band has evolved even more into a progressive rock band with 70s psychedelic influences. Nevertheless, the band has its own unique sound with a very interesting mixture of different genres.
If you are into bands like Graveyard, Opeth and the sorts you should definitively check this band out.

Amazing THE INTERSPHERE video available

geek — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:09:31 +0000

THE INTERSPHERE have posted a video for their new song “Sleeping God” which is unsettling, interesting and amazing at the same time. Great alternative rock with a certain attitude.

Requests via HTTPS (speaking of .NET WebClient)

geek — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:35:45 +0000

Actually I had some troubles today with a simply request downloading a file with the .NET WebClient class via https. Instead of http most webservers seem to expect an User-Agent header for security reasons when accessing the webserver through https.

The solution is just plain simple – add any random User-Agent header to the request otherwise the returned content or file is empty (0 bytes).

Dim oDownload As New WebClient
oDownload.Headers.Add(“User-Agent”, “Your App 1.0.0.0″)
oDownload.DownloadFile(“https://any.com/file.zip, “file.zip”)

I will not talk about the CustomSoapHeaders I was using. For the moment… it is a bit too late for in-depth programming details.

Note: WebClient class is available in the System.Net Namespace from .NET Framwork 2.0 and following.

Viktoriya Yermolyeva plays classics in rock and metal

geek — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:48:09 +0000

This is the new sensation in the world wide web. After APOCALPYTICA which was quite interesting in the beginning but to me got totally out of focus because it was simply nothing new, VIKTORIYA YERMOLYEVA plays various rock and metal classics on piano including guitar and bass lines at the same time. Said this you might think that this is nothing new. But if you take a listen to her version of METALLICAs Master of Puppets you will know what I mean when I say that I got totally overwhelmed by the great sound of her piano and the immense dynamic range she covers with her playing. She includes all the amazing aspects you might be missing when listening to the S&M album where METALLICA simply do not care about any classical orchestra arrangement…

Check out her YouTube channel for more videos of brilliant cover versions like PINK FLOYDs Echoes:
http://www.youtube.com/user/vkgoeswild

11-11-11 Black Sabbath reunites

geek — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:53:08 +0000

What the hell is going on here? BLACK SABBATH finally announces the reunion – album and tour will be 2012. And everybody is waving hello – come, play here.
Right what we have got here is a really huge rock band which got nothing done in the last years. Plus there is a singer who always wanted to reunite. Everybody knew that this day would come.

Well – but there is only one 11-11-11, right? Next would be in 1000 years and I guess the old four piece will not live THAT long although everybody is still wondering HOW Ozzy could even see the light of the day 11-11-11…

So – please – cross your fingers hope that this no bogus reunion which results in a lame new record… the legend BLACK SABBATH is just too monumental, a myth which should not be demolished.

P.S.: At least this is not a news message reporting the death of just another music idol…

MACHINE HEAD – Unto The Locust preview

geek — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 13:41:11 +0000

MACHINE HEAD are ever since synonomical for agressive and modern thrash metal. The last album came along with a decent portion of speed. Will this change now? The new track “Locust” which is now available on youtube for free streaming shows a totally different side of MACHINE HEAD. Melodic vocals, underlaying groovy rythm and even a clean “accoustic” break accompanied by nice guitar leads in the middle of very modern sounding break downs.

MASTODONs new opus “The Hunter” available for streaming

geek — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 06:44:24 +0000

The new album from US progressive metal rockers MASTODON is where opinions differ. Some tend to say that MASTODON has now finished its conversion to a stadium rock band including the cheesiness of catchy melodic guitar riffs with a easy to sing along chorus. But after almost ten times of listening to the stream I have to state that this album offers a lot more. There is some more easy listening tunes but in a whole the album still reveals parts of the complexity of “Crack The Sky” and almost is coming out of the speakers as fluently as a silent, clear river. If you are not heading directly to the small river you might not notice it and never discover its beauty…

But judge for yourself: