Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[JavaLawyer]

If you search for the string "splitdns323fw" and "download" in Google, you should come across alternative links rather quickly. I won't comment on what workable links I've come across as I cannot comment on the safety of the download or validity of the application/package.

[XwpisONOMA]

JavaLawyer, thanks for the reply -

You are correct the safety/validity of any downloaded file can be problematic. Plus the file originally posted in the wiki was [by the tutorial's author] "run through a utility called dos2unix which properly formats the file to run in Cygwin".

So, I solved the problem by contacting the tutorial's author and asking him to update the broken links. Guess, what? In a few hours he had it fixed, I downloaded the proper file and in minutes I was able to split the f/w file (both versions 1.10 and the 1.09) to its uKernel and uRamdisk components. I even took it a step further to compare checksum between "my" files and the ones the tutorial provided (ver. 1.10) and it was 100% a match!

So, I am confident, I do have the right files, Cygwin is working fine, I installed the suggested terminal emulator (Tera Term) and all I am waiting on is the logic adapter. Hopefully, tomorrow will be the day I'll bring the poor-old DNS-323 back to life. And BTW, I do intent to -then- load the Alt-F f/w, I've heard it's more versatile than the DLink one.

Wish me luck!  

[ivan]

To answer your question, we use a Linux box for doing things like this [in fact the only time when we see windows is when we need to test something for a client and then it is in a VM].

Anyway, my service manager and I have just read through the information you posted and it appears to be the windows equivalent of what we do [in fact it is a well written description of what to do and how to do it].

Provided you understand what you are doing, and why, you should not have any problems with the actual flashing.  Just make sure your cabling is correct and double check everything before you actually do it.

Since you have every thing in hand at the moment and must wait until you get the RS232 to TTL adapter I can better use my time setting up several DOS computers to replace the windows ones that were being used to run DOS based POS terminals because the original supplier didn't know how to set up a printer in DOS.

Good luck and if you have any more questions, just ask.
 

[XwpisONOMA]

Ivan -

Yes, I am a reluctant windows user, especially as far as this recovery project goes, but I have no choice really. Yet, lately I have been investing in learning more about Linux just for the heck of it and because sometimes I get so irritated by microsoft products. If I am not successful using windows, I have a good friend who is a Linux guru and he is willing to help me as long as we have a proven procedure down. If that moment comes, you guys will definitely hear from me for the Linux recovery method which I am assuming you have somewhere documented.

Thank you all again for your feedback, I should be posting in the next few days how it went!

PS: At some point (and if you want of course) I'd be interested to find out more about the DOS vs. Windows computers running POS terminals. It's a long story but I was once involved with a local company (Chicago area) working in the Super Market POS terminals business and they too had some serious issues (i.e. lack of knowledge) how to set things up. Interestingly enough I though in this business they use a central server per store connected with windows computers at the registers, all running proprietary software and all peripherals, i.e. printers, scanners, scales, displays, etc. relied on windows to operate. It was a working system but required elaborate setup and frequent/tedious maintenance, so I always wondered if there's another (better) way to do this. I am sure your answer is probably, yes there is!    

[XwpisONOMA]

All -

I would like to report that the answer to my initial question (i.e. "Is it bricked?") is definitely NO !!!

I have just succeeded bringing the DNS-323 back from it's untimely ...grave, and I am hoping it will give me a few more years of faithful service as it did so far.

This tutorial --> http://dns323.kood.org/howto:reflash_from_windows  was perfect, (Fordem, THANK YOU!!!) once you have the physical connection properly made, the rest is smooth sailing, so simple even for a novice like me. Actually, now I can say yes it was well worth it! Not only I have my NAS back, I learned a lot in the process. I would also like to say a big "THANK YOU!" to Ivan for the feedback and the willingness to answer more of my questions if needed.

I chose to use this Logic Adapter --> http://www.benjammin.net/www/pages/gizmos/rs232-logic.html ,  it is manufactured by Ben Kamen, (btw, great IT background and a very interesting guy, you gotta spend some time browsing his website)  which does help a lot because it has the extra LEDs, you really know what's going on during flashing. I highly recommend it, it costs $25 shipped and it's worth having a gizmo like that around for -who knows?- what else!

Before I forget, one thing that needs to be better explained in that tutorial is this: It states that only 3 wires need to be used (Tx, Rx and GND) because (with power off) if there is any voltage in pin#1 of CON4, the unit it will start on its own, which is not desirable since the point is to intercept the booting process. This may be true for those who use (just like the tutorial's author did) a USB to TTL cable (by DigiKey). However, for those who opt for what I did you DO need to have that 4th wire (pin#1 on the NAS mobo) connected, because the MAX3221 chip on the converter expects 3.3 volts from the user, (i.e. NAS) to operate. Other than that, everything else in the tutorial is spot-on!

I am currently restoring my files back to the RAID-1 and at some point I will have to search this forum for assistance regarding the Alt-F firmware and how's the best way to go about it. I gotta do my homework -of course- first, but if you want to save me the time and you know a good tutorial about how to install Alt-F,  [...well...] please send it my way!

--

Time to go, it has been a pleasure, thank you ALL, I owe you a big one!

(and until next time)

Cheers!

[ivan]

Congratulations.

I did wonder why they said that they only needed three wires to the converter - our home built converters require the 3.3v power to run just as you found the one you used did.

[FurryNutz]

Awesome and thank you all for helping out and sharing.

I think this should be make a sticky and archived for future use. 

[XwpisONOMA]

Congratulations.

I did wonder why they said that they only needed three wires to the converter - our home built converters require the 3.3v power to run just as you found the one you used did.

I do not have the technical background to know for sure, but just by observation, it appears the tutorial's author has made an assumption that IF the USB to TTL cable that he used does carry voltage on that 4th wire (which we do not want) then with any method used one should do the same and NOT connect that wire.

However, this is not true with the logic converter that I used which does not have power on the Vcc lead, on the contrary it expects and requires 3.3V from the user, to work. So once you power the DNS-323 (provided the Term. Emulator is properly connected to the COM port) immediately you see all the information of the booting proccess. You actually have a few sec to hit the special keystroke (space then 1) to intercept and stop the booting of the corrupt f/w.

After successfully uploading and flashing, I rebooted and was then able to see the entire booting process (without errors this time) in the term. emulator. It was indeed very interesting I learned a lot by doing this. I was a little afraid that I'd fry something BUT it works so well, a complete noob like me is able to do that by sticking to the script (except for that 4th wire of course) the rest of the turorial (like I said) is spot on!

Thanks again everybody!!!

[XwpisONOMA]

Awesome and thank you all for helping out and sharing.

I think this should be make a sticky and archived for future use.  

Indeed, it's a pretty straight forward procedure that works very well!

--
Thank you !

[chechill]

Hello friends,
I'm trying to recover my DNS-323 via USB-TTL
I follow the instructions (http://dns323.kood.org/howto:reflash_from_windows)
I get the Marvell promt and I managed to copy the file "uKernel" success.
With the file "uRamdisk" the transfer hangs randomly. I have not gotten more than 20%
What can be wrong?
Can upload the files separately (with 2 steps) or must be upload continued

King regards