NFS (Network File System) using Microsoft Windows Services for UNIX

[Pixel Magic Support]

This is a simple guide to use NFS (Network File System) on Windows PC using Microsoft Windows Services for UNIX (SFU).

Download Microsoft Windows Services for UNIX

The package is quite big at around 218MB. Only the NFS server needed to be installed which takes around 20MB disk space.

The SFU installs on most Windows version except Windows XP Home. It will install normally on Windows XP Home with the following small "hack" to it's setup program.

- use a hexeditor such as XVI32.
- Go to the directory where SFU has been extracted.
- Open the file "SfuSetup.msi" in a hexeditor.
- Search for string "MsiNTSuitePersonal"
- Change the number 501 before the above string to 510
- Save the modified file.
- run the Setup.exe for normal installation.

During installation,
- select "Custom installation"
- select only "Server for NFS" and "Server for NFS authentication"
- dis-select all other items
- select "default" answers for all questions to complete the installation.

Start "Services for Unix Administration"
- select "User Name Mapping"
- under "Configuration", select "Use Password and Group files"
- unzip the attached "passwd" and "group" files in this post to your PC such as under C:\
- click "Browse..." and select the "passwd" file for "Password file path and name:", and "group" file for "Group file path and name:"
- click the upper right "Apply" button

- under "Maps", select "Show User Maps"
- click "Lists Windows Users" and "List UNIX Users"
- select "Guest" under "Windows users:", and "root" under "UNIX users:"
- click "Add" button and the entry will appear at the bottom "Mapped users:" box

- select "Show Group Maps"
- click "Lists Windows Groups" and "List UNIX Groups"
- select "Guests" under "Windows groups:", and "root" under "UNIX groups:"
- click "Add" button and the entry will appear at the bottom "Mapped groups:" box

- finally click the upper right "Apply" button.

The NFS will auto start with Windows bootup. The "Services for Unix Administration" is only needed for the initial configuration.

Enable NFS sharing:
- open a Windows Explorer and browse to the folder to share
- right click on the folder and select "Properties"
- there will be a new "NFS Sharing" tab, select the tab
- select "Share this folder"
- the "Share name:" will be the one needed to input on the Mediabox, please use only alphanumeric characters and the name is case sensitive
- click the "Permissions" button and select "Allow root access" on the pop-up box
- left other setting at default and click "Apply"
- goto the usual "Sharing" tab, enable "Share this folder on the network", the "Share name:" on this page is not related to NFS share name so you can left it at default
- click "Apply" and "OK" to finish the NFS folder sharing config
- repeat the above process on other folder to share via NFS.

Remark:
You may need to disable Windows Firewall for NFS to work. Otherwise please add the following "exception rule" in Windows Firewall for NFS access:
- RPC portmap port: TCP 111
- RPC portmap port: UDP 111
- Sun Neo port: UDP 1048
- NFS port: UDP 2049

NFS config on the Mediabox (firmware 1.3.0 and up):
- make sure the Mediabox has a working IP config for network access, please refer to the user manual section 5.4.5 "IP Setting (Internet Protocol Setting)"
- goto Setup->System->IP Setting: and select NFS
- in the "Folder:", input the NFS Sharing Share name from the Windows PC
- in the "IP:", input the Windows PC IP address
- select "Add" button
- if all setup and config are correct, the Mediabox will show "The NFS server is found" message at the bottom, otherwise, please recheck the above setup.
- press "Setup" to exit the Setup page and browse to "Network(NFS)"
- there should be a new "sharename@IPaddress" item under "Network(NFS)"
- select the NFS entry and you should see the NFS shared folder from your Windows PC.

Remark:
NFS using Microsoft Windows Services for UNIX supports only "ASCII" format for filename and folder. Please use only alphanumeric characters for NFS shared filename and folder name, otherwise those filename and folder names will shown as broken character.

Pixel Magic Support.

[9210]

WOW! Now thats what I call a tutorial!!!!! I'm going to try it right away......

Keep it up, PMS!!!!

Edit:

Unfortunately, the box SAYS the share is found, but when I look, there is nothing there.....however, when I put in a non-existing share, it says 'Share not found', but shows it anyway?????

Using Win2003....any suggestions????

[mickwong]

It works with my Win XP Pro. Thanks!

[toslut95]

I also tried your good explanation if hiw to solve NFS setup. But the MB still shows the same networking-problems as it has from the beginning. Sometimes the shares are there and sometimes not. The problem also affects SMB sharing. Please fix the "shaky" network function PMS.

[mremulator]

How on earth do you delete an IP address so youi can enter 10.0.0.13 for example?

There are too many digits.

[Raphie]

just type over it. ie,: 192.168.1.2 becomes 192.168.001.002

[mremulator]

Got it working, however, I noticed that you have to allow root access in permissions for it to work... PMS this is not in your guide??

In addition, my machine (PC) is rock stable (Prime 95 for 24 hours etc) and NEVER crashes. However, when a file starts playing over the NFS network on my MB100 my PC reboots! No warnings or blue screens, it's just like someone hit the reset switch on my computer... WTF?

Could it be my dual core CPU, RAID0 setup or something?

Anyone else having this problem?

[Raphie]

in your next reboor, it will say "Windows recovered from a serious error" look into the error massega and tell me whch DLL is causing the error?

[mremulator]

Originally Posted by Raphie

in your next reboor, it will say "Windows recovered from a serious error" look into the error massega and tell me whch DLL is causing the error?

This is the problem according to M$:

SYMPTOMS

You may receive one of the following Stop error messages:

STOP 0x000000EA THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER

STOP: 0x100000EA THREAD_STUCK_IN_DEVICE_DRIVER_M

CAUSE
This issue might occur if the display driver is caught in an infinite loop while it waits for the video hardware to become idle. This issue typically indicates a problem with the video hardware or that the display driver cannot program the hardware correctly.


RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, obtain and install the most current driver for your video adapter, or replace your video card.

WORKAROUND
To work around this issue, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double-click Display.
2. On the Settings tab, click Advanced, and then click the Troubleshoot tab.
3. Move the Hardware Acceleration slider to None, and then click to clear the Enable Write Combining check box.
4. Click OK, and then click OK.

Note This procedure prevents the display driver from programming the hardware incorrectly, but you may lose some display functionality and performance. Although you can increase the hardware acceleration settings higher than None to regain functionality and performance, these settings increase the chance that the issue will occur again. For maximum stability, leave hardware acceleration off.

.................................................. .....

What my video card has anything to do with NFS I have no idea?

**EDIT** Well that did not work... surprise surprise :-( The thing is it nearly works, music, pictures & videos. It's just after a second or two my PC reboots. Sometimes my PC also crashes on the reboot, just as it goes to desktop. But after that it's fine again until I try and play a file over NFS using my MB100???

HELP!!! I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS WORKING ALL DAY!

[Raphie]

lower your OC, you can tell me that you pass Prime for 12+h but your system is instable. load your BIOS defaults and be surprised.............

[Pixel Magic Support]

Originally Posted by mremulator

In addition, my machine (PC) is rock stable (Prime 95 for 24 hours etc) and NEVER crashes. However, when a file starts playing over the NFS network on my MB100 my PC reboots! No warnings or blue screens, it's just like someone hit the reset switch on my computer... WTF?

Could it be my dual core CPU, RAID0 setup or something?

Anyone else having this problem?

The NFS setup works on a MCE which is a XP Pro basically. I tried on a XP Home and encountered the "reboot" problem. I did a fresh XP Home installation (with SP2 and all the drivers for the system etc). Then the NFS works without reboot. I guess there was something on the old system that conflict the NFS config. The PC is on Intel 965 chipset with a PD 915 dualcore so it's not a hardware issue.

Pixel Magic Support.

[Mark]

Just loaded NFS. Works perfectly, and I can now stream .ts files at 20Mbit/s smoothly over my network. It hasn't done anything for slow loading of jpegs though, so I'm looking forward to the next software update.

[Lawrence]

You have exactly my problem raised in my bug report list #6 - http://www.pixelmagicforum.com/forum...ead.php?t=1790

[mremulator]

Originally Posted by Raphie

lower your OC, you can tell me that you pass Prime for 12+h but your system is instable. load your BIOS defaults and be surprised.............

Erm, I'm running my PC @ stock timings? Anyway, the point of Prime95... is it tortures your machine, if the machine was unstable Prime95 would fail for sure.

PM... I too am running XP MCE... same problem perhaps??

**EDIT** A bit more info: Made sure CPU & RAM were all set to stock/SPD defaults (which they were), reloaded NForce drivers, display driver, ran DXDIAG etc. Still no joy, just crashes upon playing/viewing/listening too any file using NFS?

Specs:
MSI K8N Neo Plat 2, AMD X2 4400+, 2GB Corsair CMX1024-3500LLPRO, Nvidia 7800GS+ 512MB, Audigy 2 ZS, 2X WD 150GB Raptors, OCZ Powerstream 520W PSU & XP MCE (SP2).

[mremulator]

Originally Posted by Lawrence

You have exactly my problem raised in my bug report list #6 - http://www.pixelmagicforum.com/forum...ead.php?t=1790

Lawrence, are you talking to me?