Category: exacqVision Server

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Removing an Unwanted “Orphaned” Drive From the Storage Page

Title

Removing an Unwanted “Orphaned” Drive From the Storage Page

Description 

ExacqVision retains any drive which has ever been added to the NVR.  This can result in unwanted or “Orphaned” drives showing up on the Storage Page.  Removing these drives requires manual intervention. 

Product 

ExacqVision Server

Solution

Windows 

  1. Log into the operating system of the server as an administrator, you cannot perform these steps from a client workstation.
  2. Click the Windows key + R to open the run box 
  3. Type services.msc and press enter 
  4. Locate and right-click on exacqVision Server, select stop 
  5. Open Notepad as an administrator 
  6. Browse to and open C:\Program Files\exacqVision\Server\psfpi.xml
  7. Locate and delete the line containing the orphaned drive.
  8. Save and close psfpi.xml 
  9. Back in Services, right-click on exacqVision Server, select start
  10. Verify the drive is no longer present in the ExacqVision Client

Linux 

  1. Log into the operating system as an administrator
  2. Open a Terminal Window and stop the ExacqVision Server Service 
        sudo service edvrserver stop

Note: If prompted enter the admin operating systems password then press enter.  Linux will not give any feedback while entering the password. 

  1. Edit psfpi.xml using the following command 
        sudo nano /usr/local/exacq/server/psfpi.xml
  1. Using the arrow keys, move to the beginning of the line containing the orphaned drive 
  2. Press control+k to delete the line 
  3. Press control+o to save the file
  4. Press control+x to exit 
  5. Start the exacqVision Server Service 
        sudo service edvrserver start
  1. Verify the drive is no longer present in the exacqVision Client

Example

In the example below the drive labeled /mnt/edvr/2 is unwanted and will need to be manually removed. 
ExacqVision Client before and after orphaned drive removed

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Creating a Shutdown Hot Key in Linux

To create a shutdown hot key on a Linux ExacqVision system, complete the following steps:

Ubuntu 20.04 & 18.04

These systems are already configured to use CTRL+ALT+DEL to pop up a dialogue with a shutdown option. Once the dialogue opens the system will shutdown if no further user interaction occurs.

Ubuntu 16.04 and earlier

This requires advanced customization using donf-editor which is beyond the support provided by Exacq Support. Users perform any such customization on their own.

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    Starting iSCSI on Startup with Linux Systems

    After you reach the point where everything is logged in (you are able to type iscsiadm –m session and get output), following is the generic syntax:

    iscsiadm -m node -T <targetname> -p <ip:port> –op update -n node.conn[0].startup -v automatic

    <br>

    The parameters between < and > are substitutions.

    The syntax for persistent binding devices discovered on an internal connection under Ubuntu would look like this:

    iscsiadm -m node -p 172.16.16.1 –op update -n node.conn[0].startup -v automatic

    <br>

    Here’s a more complete breakout, with examples from another system with two volumes (vol1-test and vol2-test), each with two connection paths, to log in to:

    root@xxx:/etc/iscsi# iscsiadm -m node -l

    Login session [iface: default, target: iqn.2003-01.com.pivot3:raige.vol:34xen.defaultpool.vol1-test.600176c30c272e438f96ea2d48669f4a, portal: 10.4.15.164,3260]

    Login session [iface: default, target: iqn.2003-01.com.pivot3:raige.vol:34xen.defaultpool.vol1-test.600176c30c272e438f96ea2d48669f4a, portal: 10.3.15.102,3260]

    Login session [iface: default, target: iqn.2003-01.com.pivot3:raige.vol:34xen.defaultpool.vol2-test.600176c34e91735e80bcbba748669f4a, portal: 10.4.15.164,3260]

    Login session [iface: default, target: iqn.2003-01.com.pivot3:raige.vol:34xen.defaultpool.vol2-test.600176c34e91735e80bcbba748669f4a, portal: 10.3.15.102,3260]

    <br>

    The following is used for persistent binding to just the first volume, by target name:

    # iscsiadm -m node -T iqn.2003-01.com.pivot3:raige.vol:34xen.defaultpool.vol1-test.600176c30c272e438f96ea2d48669f4a –op update -n node.conn[0].startup -v automatic

    root@xxx:/etc/iscsi# /etc/init.d/open-iscsi restart

     * Disconnecting iSCSI targets                                                  Logout session [sid: 1, target: iqn.2003-01.com.pivot3:raige.vol:34xen.defaultpool.vol1-test.600176c30c272e438f96ea2d48669f4a, portal: 10.4.15.164,3260]

    Logout session [sid: 2, target: iqn.2003-01.com.pivot3:raige.vol:34xen.defaultpool.vol1-test.600176c30c272e438f96ea2d48669f4a, portal: 10.3.15.102,3260]

    Logout session [sid: 3, target: iqn.2003-01.com.pivot3:raige.vol:34xen.defaultpool.vol2-test.600176c34e91735e80bcbba748669f4a, portal: 10.4.15.164,3260]

    Logout session [sid: 4, target: iqn.2003-01.com.pivot3:raige.vol:34xen.defaultpool.vol2-test.600176c34e91735e80bcbba748669f4a, portal: 10.3.15.102,3260]

                                                                             [ OK ]

     * Stopping iSCSI initiator service                                      [ OK ]

     * Starting iSCSI initiator service iscsid                               [ OK ]

     * Setting up iSCSI targets

    Login session [iface: default, target: iqn.2003-01.com.pivot3:raige.vol:34xen.defaultpool.vol1-test.600176c30c272e438f96ea2d48669f4a, portal: 10.4.15.164,3260]

    Login session [iface: default, target: iqn.2003-01.com.pivot3:raige.vol:34xen.defaultpool.vol1-test.600176c30c272e438f96ea2d48669f4a, portal: 10.3.15.102,3260]

                                                                             [ OK ]

    <br>

    NOTE: This just pulls in that target (vol1-test). Further, we could add by –p 10.3.15.164 in a second operation and pull in one other connection that the above did not add, for vol2-test on an IP basis (or, if this were the first operation, it would have added one connection to each volume). To turn off automatic binding for a given connection, you would use –v manual instead of -v automatic.

    <br>

    Also, none of this takes effect until the iSCSI daemon is restarted.

    <br>

    Starting-iSCSI-on-Startup-with-Linux-Systems.pdf
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    Locking Down Linux GRUB (Legacy)

    To lock down Linux GRUB, complete the following steps:

    <br>

    1. Download the attachment lock-grub.sh.
    2. Make it executable: chmod +x lock-grub.sh
    3. Execute the script with your desired password: sudo ./lock-grub.sh admin256

    <br>

    This puts a password entry in /boot/grub/menu.lst as an md5 hash. If you want to change it after running this script, replace the hash with one created with grub-md5-crypt.

    <br>

    To view code follow the link: http://exacq-staging.instil.co/#/file-manager/1b63f3e9-b6e5-48be-9cd2-14b4a1ad2fad/kb-00597-597-210212

    <br>

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    Manually Checking a Drive for Errors in Linux

    Run fsck

    On Linux systems, if a disk encounters a filesystem error, the physical drive may still be good but require a file system consistency check. Perform the following steps to attempt to correct this.

    If the affected volume is a video storage volume:

    1. Stop the ExacqVision server service. Open a Terminal window and enter:
      sudo service edvrserver stop<br><br>
    2. Unmount the volume:
      sudo umount /mnt/edvr/X

      Replace the ‘X’ with your volume number.
      Example: If you have a write error on /mnt/edvr/2, you would enter:
      sudo umount /mnt/edvr/2

      NOTE: If this command fails, see Appendix below.<br><br>
    3. Run fsck on this volume, again replacing ‘X’ with the volume number:
      sudo fsck -yv /mnt/edvr/X

      This command will tell the system to automatically attempt to fix any issues it encounters. This may take minutes or several hours depending on the number of filesystem errors and the size of the volume. When completed, the Terminal will return to a prompt awaiting a new command. <br><br>
    4. When you have run fsck on all the affected storage volumes, reboot the system by entering:
      reboot

      OR

      Return to the Desktop and use the power icon to restart the machine. The drives will remount upon boot up.<br>br>

    <br>

    Appendix

    If drive fails to unmount, you will need to open the fstab file and comment out the mount point of the drive in question.
    sudo gedit /etc/fstab

    1. You will need to place a ‘#‘ character to the left of ‘Label=/mnt/edvr/X’
    2. Save
    3. Reboot the machine.
    4. The drive that was commented out should not be mounted at this point.

    Continue with step 3 above.
    Reminder: Do not forget to re-edit the fstab after the fsck is finished and remove the # you added.

    <br>

    What does fsck do?

    The fsck command performs a consistency check and attempts to repair the filesystem from errors.

    What causes filesystem errors?

    When system processes or user activity require saving data or making changes to the filesystem, that data is first written to a buffer in memory (RAM). The system periodically moves the data waiting in the buffer to the hard disk. Therefore, at any moment, there is a difference between file changes waiting to be written to disk and what exists on the disks.

    Filesystem errors and inconsistencies can develop due to hardware degradation, system halts, or unclean shutdowns. Sudden power loss and forced shutdowns occurring before the changes in the buffer are moved to permanent disk storage.

    Components checked by fsck

    Inodes
    Inodes contain metadata about a file, which includes information like: whether the file is read/write or read-only, the type of file, the user ID of the file owner, file creation and modification date and time, and the number of bytes in the file.

    Data Blocks
    These contain the data that actually makes up the file.

    Superblocks
    The superblock contains details about the filesystem, such as the state of the filesystem, the filesystem size, the filesystem name and volume name(s), path name of the mount point, and number of inodes. Every change to the inodes also requires changes to the superblock.

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    Highpoint RAID Troubleshooting (Legacy)

    For troubleshooting information, see the attached PDF.
    The following exacqVision models were manufactured with Highpoint RAID controllers from 2007 to 2009:

    • 2310 (4 ports)
    • 2320 (8 ports)
    • 2300 (4 ports, PCIe 1x)

    <br>

    To determine whether your system contains a Highpoint RAID controller, look at the RAID BIOS screen that appears when the system is first started (before the operating system starts).

    <br>

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    Adding or Replacing Hard Drives with exacqVision EL Servers Running Ubuntu 10.04 or earlier (Legacy)

    Steps:

    1. Unplug the system to power it down. Install the new disks and start the system.
    2. After the system starts, log out of the Linux user account by selecting Start, Quit, and Logout. Log in as an Administrator.
    3. Close the exacqVision Client. Run the disk partition utility from Start, System, Administration, and Partition Editor. If prompted for a password, use the Administrator account password.
    4. At the top-right corner of the partition utility, open the Device drop-down menu.
      • Note the name of the device about 2GB or 4GB; this is the Linux flash drive that must NOT be altered for any reason.
      • Note the name of the other devices that are about the same size as the disk drives installed; if the system has a functional primary disk, skip to step 7 only on the new disk.
    5. Start Terminal Serivces from Start, Accessories, and Terminal.
      Note: The commands included in the following steps are applicable to Ubuntu 10.04. Changes for Ubuntu 8.04 are noted.
    6. For the first system disk only, perform the following steps:
      • Create a disk label by typing the following, where “X” is the device letter identified in step 4b:

        sudo parted -s /dev/sdX mklabel gpt

      • Create a 20GB swap partition by typing the following:

        sudo parted -s /dev/sdX mkpart primary linux-swap 0 20000 sudo mkswap -L swap /dev/sdX1

      • Create a 10GB export partition by typing the following:
        Note: Change ext4 to ext3 if on Ubuntu 8.04.

        sudo parted -s /dev/sdX mkpart primary 20000 30000 sudo mkfs.ext4 -L /mnt/export /dev/sdX2

      • Find the remaining free space by typing the following:

        sudo parted -s /dev/sdX unit MB print free

      • Create a data partition on the rest of the disk by typing the following, where “XXXX” is the free disk space identified in step 6d.
        Note: Change ext4 to ext3 if on Ubuntu 8.04.

        sudo parted -s /dev/sdX mkpart primary 30000 XXXX sudo mkfs.ext4 -L /mnt/edvr/1 /dev/sdX3

    7. For the second system disk only, complete the following steps:
      • Create a disk label by typing the following, where “X” is the device letter identified in step 4b:
        sudo parted -s /dev/sdX mklabel gpt
      • Find the remaining free space by typing the following:
        sudo parted -s /dev/sdX unit MB print free

      • Create a data partition on the rest of the disk by typing the following, where “XXXX” is the free disk space identified in step 7b:
        Note: Change ext4 to ext3 if on Ubuntu 8.04.

        sudo parted -s /dev/sdX mkpart primary 00000 XXXX
        sudo mkfs.ext4 -L /mnt/edvr/2 /dev/sdX1
        sudo mkdir /mnt/edvr/2

    8. If a new disk is being installed (instead of simply replacing a disk), label the directory in the file system:
      • Open the file system label file with a simple text editor:
        sudo nano /etc/fstab
      • Arrow down to the first blank line and add an entry for the new disk:
        Note: Change ext4 to ext3 if on Ubuntu 8.04. For the first disk only: LABEL=/mnt/edvr/1 /mnt/edvr/1 ext4 defaults 0 0 For the second disk only: LABEL=/mnt/edvr/2 /mnt/edvr/2 ext4 defaults 0 0
      • Press CTRL-X and then press Y to save the changes.
    9. Refresh the partiaion labels by typing the following: sudo udevadm trigger
    10. Remount all partitions by typing the following: sudo mount -a
    11. Create directories on the export paritition by typing the following:
      • sudo mkdir /mnt/export/admin
        sudo chown admin /mnt/export/admin
        sudo mkdir /mnt/export/user
        sudo chown user /mnt/export/user
    12. Restart the exacqVision service by typing the following:
      sudo/etc/init.d/edvrserver restart
    13. Restart the system and confirm the drive operation in the exacqVision Client as shown in the figure. All systems should have /mnt/edvr/0 (the flash operating system drive). Then /mnt/edvr/1 is the first disk drive, followed by any additional drive, all of which should be shown in green.

    <br>

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    Disabling Aero in Windows Vista (Aero causes OSD to have bars behind it in exacqVision software)

    To disable Aero, complete the following steps in Windows Vista:

    <br>

    1. Click Start, and then select Control Panel.
    2. Click Appearance and Personalization.
    3. Under Personalization, click Change the Color Scheme.
    4. In the Appearance Settings dialog, click Windows Vista Basic
    5. Click OK.

    <br>

    Disabling-Aero-in-Windows-Vista-Aero-causes-OSD-to-have-bars-behind-it-in-exacqVision-software.pdf
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    Get the Monitor Size (resolution) Back for Linux Sy stems

    The monitor can get stuck in 640*480 mode if the system is booted with no monitor connected.

    To get the monitor size back for Linux systems, complete the following steps after opening Terminal:

    1. Type cd /etc/X11
    2. Type sudo mv xorg.conf xorg.bak.conf
    3. Restart the system with a monitor attached.

    <br>

    Get-the-Monitor-Size-resolution-Back-for-Linux-Systems.pdf
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    Assigning the Device Number to an eDVR Board in Linux

    To assign the device number to an eDVR board in Linux, complete the following steps.
    <br>

    NOTE: This process is usually required when replacing or adding boards. This is the same as using Control Center in Windows.

    1. Exit the ExacqVision software.
    2. Open the Terminal from Start>Accessories>Terminal.
    3. Type the following to stop the Exacq Service: sudo /etc/init.d/edvrserver stop
    4. Type the following: sudo /usr/local/xdvapi/bin/startxdvmods
    5. Type the following to detect an initialize the boards in the system: sudo /usr/local/xdvapi/bin/startxdvccl. This will remove the old entries for the board and check for any existing boards.
    6. Type the following to stop the XDV: sudo /usr/local/xdvapi/bin/stopxdvmods
    7. Type the following to start the Exacq Service: sudo /etc/init.d/edvrserver start

    <br>
    You should now be able to launch the exacqVision software and see your boards.
    <br>