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Bubbagen live-USB for B3 updated (version 1.14)

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Gordon
Posts: 1461
Joined: 10 Aug 2011, 03:18

Bubbagen live-USB for B3 updated (version 1.14)

Post by Gordon »

Hi,

I've just released version 1.14 of the Bubbagen live-USB image for B3 on GitHub.

Image

This is mostly a service release as it will prove difficult to get your system up to par when starting from the previous release. Some significant changes have been made since though.

As predicted I've had to drop torrent support in filetransferdaemon. There just didn't seem to be enough demand for it as better options exist. Of course the main interest for this package is the upload function and according to my tests that still runs fine

The (final) kernel is now a binary package which should help to keep your system up to par with bubbagen development. The current provided kernel is 5.10.27 LTS and I've added WireGuard VPN support to it which I have tested with an off the shelf travel router/repeater and it ran without any tweaks first time.

Please note the following message from Sakaki:
31 Oct 2020: sadly, due to legal obligations arising from a recent change in my 'real world' job, I must announce I am standing down as maintainer of this project with immediate effect. For the meantime, I will leave the repo up (for historical interest, and since the ebuilds etc. may be of use to others); however, I plan no further updates, nor will I be accepting / actioning further pull requests or bug reports from this point. Email requests for support will also have to be politely declined, so, please treat this as an effective EOL notice.

With sincere apologies, sakaki ><
I've shortened the above as it contained a link to the Gentoo forum and was specific to another GitHub project, however it turns out to be effective to two repositories that are part of the bubbagen project as well: gentoo-b3 and sakaki-tools. As some of the ebuilds in these repositories started throwing errors in emerge evaluation I've disconnected them and removed all but the packages that are actually installed as part of bubbagen. If you are on an older version of bubbagen and run `world` updates the bubbagen-1.14 install will take care of this cleanup.

Known issues:
  • When changing the time zone the web interface may show you an incorrect time on some pages (the extensible clock on the right is actually javascript and thus should show your client's time rather than the B3's). To align them all you should restart the B3 (or at least apache2 and bubba-adminphp services).
  • Changing the network profile may completely destroy networking on the B3 if you have wifi enabled or added custom interfaces and/or bridges. If you need to change the profile please do so before making any changes to the default network setup and then never touch it again.
The supplied kernel is Gentoo LTS version 5.10.27. All packages have been brought up to date as of Jul 1, 2021 ¹)

Details here

Enjoy,
Gordon


¹) Some packages withheld due to patent restrictions or because the newer versions are incompatible with core Bubba functionality.
beatgr
Posts: 48
Joined: 01 Feb 2009, 15:25

Re: Bubbagen live-USB for B3 updated (version 1.14)

Post by beatgr »

Gordon -
I received a 404 error, with your web link.

https://github.com/gordonb3/bubbagen/re ... -1.14.5.xz

greg
Gordon
Posts: 1461
Joined: 10 Aug 2011, 03:18

Re: Bubbagen live-USB for B3 updated (version 1.14)

Post by Gordon »

Apologies... The uploaded file turned out to have a double extension. I've renamed them according to the links in the readme, so it should work now. Let me know if you experience further issues.

Gordon
beatgr
Posts: 48
Joined: 01 Feb 2009, 15:25

Re: Bubbagen live-USB for B3 updated (version 1.14)

Post by beatgr »

Once booted, you can use your browser to connect to the B3 through http://b3,
where you should see the familiar Excito B3 admin.
The default username and password for the administrator account is:
Username: admin Password: admin
==
Gordon,
The B3 web server page worked fine, with default password.
However, with SSH server access default password does NOT work with the “admin” username.
** I assume that is “by design” (configuration) **

greg
Last edited by beatgr on 29 Jul 2021, 16:21, edited 1 time in total.
Gordon
Posts: 1461
Joined: 10 Aug 2011, 03:18

Re: Bubbagen live-USB for B3 updated (version 1.14)

Post by Gordon »

beatgr wrote: 29 Jul 2021, 15:10 Gordon,
The B3 web server page worked fine, with default password.
However, with SSH server access default password does NOT work with the “admin” username.
That is correct. The `admin` account is for web GUI access only (and for gaining access to root emails). The account is not allowed SSH access to the box. Normal users may use SSH, if you ticked the `allow SSH access` box in the user administration. By default the SSH server is configured to allow root login using password `gentoob3` as described in the readme.

Gordon
beatgr
Posts: 48
Joined: 01 Feb 2009, 15:25

Re: Bubbagen live-USB for B3 updated (version 1.14)

Post by beatgr »

The SSH server is configured to allow root login using password `gentoob3`
Thank you.
I think I will install Gentoo (Bubbagen Live) on this “new” B3 server.
I like your addition of the historic B3 web page functionality on Gentoo.
I have found that this SMB function on Gentoo to be superior to other Linux distributions.

Took me a day to find the latest supported uboot.kwb file (selected MouettE version of Rodeus work).
http://install.excito.org/b3/uboot/beta ... rodeus.zip

Then I had to remember the MS Windows tools I originally used to copy your Bubbagen Image to a USB drive.
It took about 20-25 minutes for the Gentoo B3 Image to be created on the USB.

Now to select a hard drive.

greg
Gordon
Posts: 1461
Joined: 10 Aug 2011, 03:18

Re: Bubbagen live-USB for B3 updated (version 1.14)

Post by Gordon »

Yes, writing 8GB to a USB thumb drive tends to be pretty time consuming and if you pull it out too soon after it declares being done you need to start the whole thing over again.

I actually never flashed any of my B3s. I didn't even consider it being worth trying if Charles' newer version would support the SSD that I use in one of my live boxes. Instead I tweaked the uboot environment to attempt a normal boot from USB first. With Bubbagen this in fact only loads the uImage pre-boot kernel from USB, which does recognize the SSD and loads the final running kernel as normal from the internal drive so I don't even have to do anything special when upgrading this box.

As for SMB, yes between Debian Squeeze and today various (security) protocols and configuration defaults have changed. In the case of SMB this causes connection issues with Windows XP and older, but also affects popular media players like Dune, Popcorn and Mede8er. Bubbagen is preconfigured to be backwards compatible with such devices, as the original Bubba OS was.
beatgr
Posts: 48
Joined: 01 Feb 2009, 15:25

Re: Bubbagen live-USB for B3 updated (version 1.14)

Post by beatgr »

Gordon -
Thank you for your work on Bubbagenb3 version 1.14
I appreciate your work on support for Bubba overlay (simple, lightweight).

Both of my B3 mini servers (one with WiFi) are now running Bubbagenb3 version 1.14.5 (systemd).
You noted that with the Gentoo 5.10.27 LTS base OS, you added WireGuard VPN support.
I will have to research this new feature, since I have not previously used Wireguard.

I retired my Excito B2 (again), largely due to Sakaki’s departure in October 2020.
Having only one Gentoo image (B3), on my LAN, simplifies my support.

IF anyone picks up the last Excito B3 mini servers, being sold on eBay by the USA seller (New Jersey),
these mini servers can be activated (with a USB stick, 8 TB or greater) and simple Windows based tools.
The B3 works well as a small and inexpensive server (file, mail, etc.) on your LAN.

greg
Chicago
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