SB1 + SlimServer 6.0.1 problems using Martian Netdrive

[gordonavon]

Hi,
I have been using an always on hard disk called the Martian Netdrive for a year now. It runs on some form of Linux (Linux Martian 2.3.20). It's always worked fine, but having just upgraded to v 6.0.1 of slimserver (but still using SB1) I am having several problems.

1. It no longer boots automatically when I reset the Martian Netdrive. I have to run /usr/local/slimp3/slimp3.pl manually. Note I have renamed slimserver.pl to slimp3.pl with each new installation, because I was told that this is what the boot up sequence is looking for. I have absolutely no idea where the boot sequence is held so cannot change it.

2. Anyway eventually I get the thing running, but it keeps losing connection to the SB1 and the SB1 is often flashing when connection is lost. I can access the Fishbone UI from my laptop and that seems to work although not always.

3. Rescan is very erratic and sometimes does not work at all. I have tried wiping the cache which seems to work for a while and then rescan starts to jam again

4. There is a constant delay when pressing the remote before anything happens on the SB1.

Luckily I still have v 5.4.1 and I think I might just reinstall this.

Would be interested in any views
Thanks
Gordon

[gocam]

Hi! I have the same netdrive and decided with 6.x to try and move the server to my mac mini (see other thread in this forum) - one reason was that the stability on the netdrive has really dropped with 6.x

5.4.1 works just fine, but 6.x exhibits the problems you mention - the server dies really often and I can never reliably connect to radio stations (often result of attempting is a server crash) - btw, I fixed the slimp3 name thing by updating the startup script to look for slimserver.pl instead, so _that_ works. I assume also each time you patch in the Prefs.pm change to look in /tmp or wherever for the preferences path ?

Sure would be nice to connect with others in the martian (debian linux I think?) world, and also have some sort of mechanism for having the server automatically track for file updates which I never found out a way to do (is there a way?).

Then I'd have my itunes library point to my martian drive, and then have the slimserver there periodically check it's file tables for updates.

One other downside I've noticed with the martian (other than having to file transfer all my stuff via ethernet rather than access as firewire/usb which would be way more convenient) is that the SMB implementation on the Mac still sucks enormously in terms of reliabilty....Oh yes, and the fact the company shut up shop so there is no way to get support :-)

[gordonavon]

Hi there
It is so nice to find someone out there who has also got the Martian Netdrive:-) I think its a great way of having a permanantly on music server (without my laptop having to be on all the time), apart from the fact I know virtually nothing about Linux and as you say they have discontinued the thing and hence no support!!

I think I will go back to 5.4.1, although I would be very grateful if you could walk me through step by step how to change the startup script to recognise slimserver.pl rather than slimp3.pl. I have never made any changes to prefs path, what impact does this have?

I wonder whether there are other similar products out there that you could use as a permanantly on music server. From my perspective running under Windows would be better but I know they are more likely to be Linux based.

Best regards
Gordon