How to setup shares for Windows network.

[trebznas]

Hi all

I just built my new Freenas server:

OS Version: FreeBSD 8.2-RELEASE-p1
Platform: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3800+
System Time: Sat Jun 4 09:49:12 BST 2011
Uptime: 9:49AM up 23 mins, 0 users
Load Average: 0.00, 0.00, 0.03
FreeNAS Build: FreeNAS-8.0-RELEASE-amd64
2GB RAM
1 X OCZ Sata II 30GB SSD HDD (O/S)
2 X Samsung 2TB SATA II HDD's (Storage)

I want to set up a very simple server with the 2TB HDD's mirrored and using the ZFS file system. The server is to be browseble by Windows 7, Windows XP and XBMC.

I have created the ZFS volume 'Media01', mirrored, then created a Windows Share named 'Media'.

I am unable to browse the 'Media' share from my Windows 7 PC, this clearly means that i have missed something when setting the new server up.

Is there a simple guide to setting up a Freenas 8 server.

I need a guide which will tell me how to add drives, create shares and set it up for browsing. I do not understand in which order i need to do things, i also do not know what to do etc.

This process was easy in version 7 but version 8 is clearly different.

Also, i have backed up my old server data onto an external 2TB HDD, how to i copy this data into the new 'Media' share, Freenas 8 does not have a file management system like Freenas 7.

Thanks

Trebz

 

[joeschmuck]

Sharing files on Windows

Here are the steps I take to share on Windows...

1. Go to Storage Tab, open your Permissions, check ALL boxes (normally adding write permission on Group & Other). And click Change.

2. Now on the left side of the screen open up Sharing, select Windows Share and then Add Windows Share. Fill in the Name, Comment if you like, the path (/mnt/?????), and check box Allow Guest Access. And click OK.

3. Now lets place the share on the network by selecting Services, Control Services, and on the CIFS right hand side, click the Tool (wrench). Click Allow Guests and Enable AIO, select OK.

4. Last thing is to is where is says CIFS is OFF, click it once and it should turn on CIFS.

You are now sharing for Windows. Go to you Windows machine, open up your Network and refresh it. If you followed my instructions you will see a new share pop up and you will have read/write access to it. If you cannot write to it, you missed step 1.

-Mark

 

[trebznas]

Ok, i did as Mark explained and i can now see my Windows 'Media' share on my Freenas 8 server, many thanks Mark.

The last part of my query was:

How do i copy my backed updata from an external hard drive to the 2TB mirrored drive on the Freenas Server? There is no file management tool in version 8.

I have imported the 'Volume' for the backup drive but i can't see a way of copying the backed up data back onto my server......

 

[trebznas]

Hi......

I have done some thinking...until i get an answer to my 'Why is there no file manager in version 8' question i can surely copy the contents of my backup drive to the new Freenas 8 mirrored volume and share.

I did some reading on doing this by command line via Putty.

I have two shares now.

/Media01
/MediaBackup

I need to copy the contents of /MediaBackup into the /Media01 share.

I ran this command via Putty: cp -r /MediaBackup/* /Media01/

I recieved the following error message: cp: No match.

Help..................

 

[HolyK]

I think, you need to use whole path. So it should be like:

cp -r /mnt/<something>/<somethingelse>/MediaBackup/* /mnt/<storagename>/<datasetname>/Media01/

BTW: When you are inside directory, you can use "pwd" command to show your actual path

 

[trebznas]

YAY !!!

That worked perfectly. Many thanks for the prompt reply my friend.

All files and folders are now copying to my new Freenas Server

 

[trebznas]

My question about the Freenas 8 File Manager lies unanswered however.

Q: Does Freenas 8 have a File Manager interface or do we have to manually copy files and folders via script every time wee add new files?

 

[HolyK]

2 trebznas: No, there is no file manager in actual version of FreeNAS8

Anyway, you can enable SSH and use WinSCP :)

 

[trebznas]

I just had a look at WinSCP, it's an FTP client.

This means that i will have to FTP via my Windows PC, which will take forever. I tested it and got tired of waiting for a file to transfer after half an hour. With the old File Manager this would have completed within 5 minutes at the most.

I can't believe that the dev guys removed the file manager, this along with the removal of Rsynch and Transmission has killed Freenas in my opinion.

I will now have to go and learn Linux script, which i really don't want to do, they should have left the point and click file manager in place in my opinion.

I now have to have a second PC running to utilise the Transmission application, this means more power consumption etc. I will then have to FTP the file accross from my laptop to the server which will take ages.

I may roll back to Version 7. At least then i will have the functionality i need. This functionality was what drew me to Freenas in the first place.

Such a shame.

 

[HolyK]

So, what you tried? Usual FTP or SFTP (over SSH)? It's not the same!

Anyway, you can use simple CLI commands to copy/move whatever you want. Check my prev post in this thread :)

 

[trebznas]

Hello

I have always used Filezilla. Just a simple drag and drop system is best for me. I'm not particularly 'Techie' but have a basic understanding of IT etc.

I like to use simple setup's at home, i don't like to overcomplicate things just for the sake of it, hence my comments about the lack of File Manager in Freenas 8.

My home setup is based around the Freenas server and my Acer Revo running XBMC. All of our DVD's and music etc are stored on the server, streamed through to the XBMC unit in the living room.

I have a PC upstairs which i use for gaming and general internet tomfoolery.

Tell me your opinion, what would be the best way around this issue ?

 

[joeschmuck]

YAY !!!

That worked perfectly. Many thanks for the prompt reply my friend.

All files and folders are now copying to my new Freenas Server

Just wanted to make sure you are not using FreeNAS 8.x as your server for anything important. It's still in Beta testing, even the "Release" version has issues. It's great if you're doing this to test it out otherwise you will be in for some heartache.

Please don't let me discourage you, that is not my intent. I just don't want you to put all your eggs in one basket as they say.

-Mark

 

[trebznas]

I am using:

FreeBSD 8.2-RELEASE-p1

I'm thinking of going back to version 7 however, i can't even get my XBMC units to see the shares now, worked perfectly in version 7.

V7 had more functionality and seems easier to use.

Scratching my head at the moment as i have setup the shares and permissions ok, i can view / browse the server from my Windows 7 PC buy not from any of my XBMC media centres.

Stuck again...............pppffftttt

 

[limerick]

Hi all

I just built my new Freenas server:

<much text snipped for brevity>

Trebz

it would be good for a manual to be written such as exists for .6, maybe even .7
that would be sweet ! i even have the book from packet publishing called 'learning freenas'

 

[trebznas]

All

I have stopped trying to use Freenas 8.0 due to the lack of functionality and user guides.

I have moved back to the last release of version 7 and will stick with it.

 

[jenksdrummer]

Doing as above is for anonymous access.

To do it with user-level access...

Create ZFS Array, otherwise leave it alone.
Create ZFS Pool - this is what you'll share. Unckeck everything under "others". Assign the group you want to have access, check boxes appropriate to level of access. Owner can be checked or unchecked - depending on if you want a group to have read access and a user to have full access, for example.
Create users, assign them to group(s) appropriate.
Create share, name it and assign it to ZFS Pool. No need to change anything else here.
Configure CIFS as appropriate, leave set to local users, enable AIO.
Turn on CIFS

As long as your username and password match between systems, everything should work.

 

[jenksdrummer]

Just wanted to make sure you are not using FreeNAS 8.x as your server for anything important. It's still in Beta testing, even the "Release" version has issues. It's great if you're doing this to test it out otherwise you will be in for some heartache.

Please don't let me discourage you, that is not my intent. I just don't want you to put all your eggs in one basket as they say.

-Mark

This is incorrect.

FreeNAS 8-RELEASE is not beta, there were versions of 8 prior to RELEASE that were/are beta. There are bug-fix versions being released now - think of those as service packs, for the 8.0 series. 8.0.1, 8.0.2...and so on.

 

[joeschmuck]

This is incorrect.

FreeNAS 8-RELEASE is not beta, there were versions of 8 prior to RELEASE that were/are beta. There are bug-fix versions being released now - think of those as service packs, for the 8.0 series. 8.0.1, 8.0.2...and so on.

Hum... Well you have your opinion.

 

[cbray]

Beta vs. release

I'm gonna have to go with Joe on this one.
The 8.0 release was put out with some bugs(unknown/undocumented) and had limited functionality. The releases that Joe, Myself and others are running are BETA and say so right in the system. They are beta because various functions and abilities are being added daily. Our betas can do much more than your release is capable of. These BETAs are being released as part of the Road-map to v8.1
If there are features you'd like to see added, there is a separate forum for feature requests.
It seems to be your complaint that the 8.0 Release your running doesn't have features you want. You are correct, it doesn't have a file manager....YET.
Release v8.1 may have what you want, it may not. But this is definitely a 'Work In Progress' and being built professionally, based on FreeBSD 8.2-RELEASE-p2 and via a planned road-map to end up being much more than version .7
Also it, along with aforementioned FreeBSD are both still being developed and supported. FN.7 may never see a cloud or rain for that matter, just puddles.

You may want to read the introduction in the online manual here:
http://doc.freenas.org/index.php/Introduction

You might have a better understanding of where you would be using FN.7 and where you could go if you use FN8.

FN8.x is definitely a choice to consider carefully before jumping in to either FreeNAS version .7 or 8.x

Peace,
CB