Niazi.net by Imran Niazi

D-Link DGS-3324SRi Firmware Upgrade

These instructions are fairly straightforward. This allows you to update the run configuration to the latest version. My switch already had the latest version of the PROM, so I only upgraded the RUN firmware image.

Have a copy of the run image
Connect Serial to the switch (D-Link DGS-3324SRi) and use a terminal software that supports Z-Modem upload
Turn on the switch
Before the POST reaches 100% press Shift-3
Power On Self Test …................................... 60 %

That should bring up the BOOT CONFIGURATION MENU:

BOOT CONFIGURATION MENU -------------------------------------------------------------- Management Module MAC Address: 00-11-95-A4-F3-00 Image Option: <Create > Download Protocol: <Z Modem> Baud Rate <115200 > Runtime Image Information: (1) 4.10-B15 (2) 4.40-B04(Boot) Free Flash Space: 1048576 bytes APPLY REBOOT

**************************************************** Message Area: Set the Boot Image or create, delete a image. CTRL+T=Root screen Esc=Prev. screen CTRL+R = Refresh

From my screen above, I already have two images uploaded, and have limited space. If you are in the same situation, you will need to delete one of the images:
1. Go to Image Option
2. Press until you get to Delete
3. Go down to Select Image:
4. until you select the Runtime Image you would like to delete
5. Go down to APPLY, and press
If you are ready to upload, go to Image Option:, press until you get to Create. In my case Download Protoccol was already Z Modem, and Baud Rate was already 115200
Now go to APPLY which will start the Z Modem receiver on Switch; Depending on terminal software, that may bring up a Z Modem upload option automatically. Otherwise select it yourself, select the run image and upload.
A progress meter will start, and after upload, it will process the image and bring you back to that same menu
Change Image Option: to Set Boot
Change Select Image: to Image number you uploaded
APPLY and then REBOOT
If there is an issue with the new run image you can repeat these instructions to go into the BOOT CONFIGURATION MENU and change the setting back to old image, delete the errant image, etc.

D-Link DGS-3324SRi Password Reset

Resetting your DGS-3324SRi Password and Settings are easy by following these instructions

Yum error when updating

This happened to me when trying to run yum update (its happened a few times on several different machines; see fix below):

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/bin/yum", line 29, in ?
    yummain.user_main(sys.argv[1:], exit_code=True)
  File "/usr/share/yum-cli/yummain.py", line 229, in user_main
    errcode = main(args)
  File "/usr/share/yum-cli/yummain.py", line 145, in main
    (result, resultmsgs) = base.buildTransaction() 
...
  File "/usr/lib/python2.4/site-packages/yum/sqlitesack.py", line 94, in 
_read_db_obj
    setattr(self, item, _share_data(db_obj[item]))
TypeError: unsubscriptable object

To fix this:

> yum clean metadata

Or if that doesn’t work, you can also try:

> yum clean all

Preserving Date time stamps on Directories When Copying in XP

I recently upgraded my computer and I had to transfer data from my old harddrives. The problem was, as you can guess from the title, is that XP would not preserve the modified date on directories (although I believe the Create time is preserved).

I was hoping for a program that would integrate into my explorer context menu, etc. I tried some other ones that had their own gui (and the ones that did integrate), and none of them would preserve the modified timestamps.

I tried xcopy but couldn’t figure out how to preserve the modified date.

Anyway, I’m back to using rsync in my cygwin shell:

cd c:newdir
rsync -a -v --progress /cygdrive/e/Data .

or a simple ‘cp’:

cd c:newdir
cp -a /cygdrive/e/Data .

I like rsync since I can run it over and over again and it will only copy changes (although it will still traverse the directory tree to compare files). Especially handy when you get errors that it can’t read certain directory etc. In my case, I had issues with it reading a directory that had url link with foreign characters in the filename.

And this method is probably little too high level for most home users. Cygwin can be problematic and seems complex to install. Also I think you may have to manually select rsync during install.

I’ll keep a look out for other programs, and will update this post if I do find it.

FiOS in Perris

This past Friday, I saw several Verizon trucks on my street, parked every few hundred feet. Went to talk to them and they informed me that they were installing fiber for FiOS service. The technician said that FiOS should be available in a month or so.

Well I’m fairly excited. I have Time Warner with 10mb down and 1mb up. About a year ago, though, I would have been even more excited. My speeds then were half of what they are now. I believe the speeds (although they probably vary by area) are at 20mb down and 20mb up for the same price I pay now. Whats really useful for me is the upload speed, as it helps with working from home.

Also, I heard that Time Warner is going to start testing usage caps on their internet access. I dont know if they are going to implement that or not. But it definitely helps to have a choice.