Raspberry PI 4 with Channels DVR server installed to the onboard microSD card. I have a USB external drive with dos partition table and a single ext4 partition. I can ssh in and see that the drive is detected. However, it is not mounted or being used by the Channels DVR server. I tried to manually mount the partition under /media or media/DVR but it's not working. How can I use this drive for DVR recordings?
Thanks!
Are you talking about the official Pi image, or your own linux installation?
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Official image
ext4 is currently not supported, because I wasn't sure how to do it. The other types like exfat and ntfs are mounted with uid=501,gid=501 so that the channels process and user can access the files. But ext4 has its own permissions and no such mount option.
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So all I need to do is format as ntfs and it will be auto detected?
If you're not worried about others using the drive, once you have it mounted, try:
chown -R 501:501 /mount/point/of/drive
The issue is that Channels isn't letting me mount the drive at all. Obviously, it doesn't auto mount it either. I've formatted it as exFat and rebooted. If it isn't auto mounting and the Channels RPi image doesn't support fstab, how do you mount anything?
I must have missed that part.
I just don't understand how the RPi image/system is usable if you can't even mount a USB drive to use for DVR storage.
If you use exfat or ntfs it will be auto detected and auto mounted, yes.
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Well, I just mentioned above that I formatted the drive as exfat and it was not auto detected or mounted by Channels. I rebooted just to double check. Nothing.
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Can you submit diagnostics via Support > Troubleshooting
2021/02/02 15:29:52.772444 [SYS] Starting Channels DVR v2021.10.11.2008 (linux-arm64 pid:362) in /mnt/data/channels-dvr/data
2021/02/02 15:29:54.302753 [SYS] Started HTTP Server
2021/02/02 15:29:54.336918 [SYS] Waiting on dependencies network-online.target time-sync.target
2021/02/02 15:30:00.932422 [SYS] Waiting on dependencies time-sync.target
2021/11/30 21:44:57.760833 [SYS] Done waiting on dependencies
2021/11/30 21:44:58.182094 [HDR] Found 0 devices
2021/11/30 21:44:58.194596 [ERR] Failed to refresh auth: missing oauth client
2021/11/30 21:44:58.197724 [SYS] Bonjour service running for dvr-server.local. [192.168.0.129]
2021/11/30 21:44:58.399748 [SYS] Downloading new version v2021.10.25.1801
2021/11/30 21:44:58.401851 [SYS] Downloading new OS v2021.1101.2046
2021/11/30 21:45:14.254902 [SYS] Update downloaded and verified successfully.
2021/11/30 21:45:14.254969 [SYS] Shutting down for upgrade from v2021.10.11.2008 to v2021.10.25.1801
2021/11/30 21:45:14.256012 [SYS] Bonjour service stopped.
2021/11/30 21:45:15.539487 [SYS] Starting Channels DVR v2021.10.25.1801 (linux-arm64 pid:362) in /mnt/data/channels-dvr/data
2021/11/30 21:45:15.551023 [SYS] Started HTTP Server
2021/11/30 21:45:15.999466 [HDR] Found 0 devices
2021/11/30 21:45:16.009314 [ERR] Failed to refresh auth: missing oauth client
2021/11/30 21:45:16.012031 [SYS] Bonjour service running for dvr-server.local. [192.168.0.129]
2021/11/30 21:45:16.221471 [SYS] Downloading new OS v2021.1101.2046
2021/11/30 21:45:16.721252 [AUTH] Error during oauth: oauth2: cannot fetch token: 401 Unauthorized
Response: {"error":"invalid_request","error_description":"The request is missing a required parameter, includes an unsupported parameter value, or is otherwise malformed."}
2021/11/30 21:45:36.732617 [SYS] Installing new OS v2021.1101.2046
2021/11/30 21:53:07.633293 [SYS] Shutting down...
2021/11/30 21:53:07.634936 [SYS] Bonjour service stopped.
2021/11/30 21:53:08.636021 [SYS] Goodbye.
2021/11/30 21:53:10.079203 [SYS] Starting Channels DVR v2021.10.25.1801 (linux-arm64 pid:344) in /mnt/data/channels-dvr/data
2021/11/30 21:53:10.119090 [SYS] Started HTTP Server
2021/11/30 21:53:10.150950 [SYS] Waiting on dependencies network-online.target time-sync.target
2021/11/30 21:53:15.275809 [SYS] Waiting on dependencies time-sync.target
2021/11/30 21:54:11.374060 [SYS] Done waiting on dependencies
2021/11/30 21:54:11.795998 [HDR] Found 0 devices
2021/11/30 21:54:12.742593 [SYS] Bonjour service running for dvr-server.local. [192.168.0.129]
2021/11/30 22:00:19.926987 [SYS] Shutting down...
2021/11/30 22:00:19.928927 [SYS] Bonjour service stopped.
2021/11/30 22:00:20.929472 [SYS] Goodbye.
2021/11/30 22:00:23.132343 [SYS] Starting Channels DVR v2021.10.25.1801 (linux-arm64 pid:351) in /mnt/data/channels-dvr/data
2021/11/30 22:00:23.174963 [SYS] Started HTTP Server
2021/11/30 22:00:23.207284 [SYS] Waiting on dependencies network-online.target time-sync.target
2021/11/30 22:00:28.240974 [SYS] Waiting on dependencies time-sync.target
2021/11/30 22:01:12.083443 [SYS] Done waiting on dependencies
2021/11/30 22:01:12.504166 [HDR] Found 0 devices
2021/11/30 22:01:13.112546 [SYS] Bonjour service running for dvr-server.local. [192.168.0.129]
2021/11/30 22:07:10.195987 [SYS] Shutting down...
2021/11/30 22:07:10.197231 [SYS] Bonjour service stopped.
2021/11/30 22:07:11.198448 [SYS] Goodbye.
2021/11/30 22:07:13.042753 [SYS] Starting Channels DVR v2021.10.25.1801 (linux-arm64 pid:347) in /mnt/data/channels-dvr/data
2021/11/30 22:07:13.069518 [SYS] Started HTTP Server
2021/11/30 22:07:13.101457 [SYS] Waiting on dependencies network-online.target time-sync.target
2021/11/30 22:07:18.307300 [SYS] Waiting on dependencies time-sync.target
2021/11/30 22:08:02.958006 [SYS] Done waiting on dependencies
2021/11/30 22:08:03.378899 [HDR] Found 0 devices
2021/11/30 22:08:03.612729 [SYS] Bonjour service running for dvr-server.local. [192.168.0.129]
2021/11/30 22:17:24.550349 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:17:25.860354 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:17:25.864181 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:17:25.877346 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:17:45.972487 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:18:09.110306 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:18:13.952822 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:18:13.956297 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:18:13.983735 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:18:41.230158 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:23:25.520384 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:23:25.529288 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:23:25.537234 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:26:08.022008 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:26:08.034311 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:26:08.042632 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:30:29.870168 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:30:29.884707 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:30:29.895521 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:38:33.851257 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:38:33.865761 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:38:33.873883 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:38:49.529181 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:38:49.541946 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:38:49.550476 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:41:08.703184 [SYS] Shutting down...
2021/11/30 22:41:08.704728 [SYS] Bonjour service stopped.
2021/11/30 22:41:09.705756 [SYS] Goodbye.
2021/11/30 22:27:50.090724 [SYS] Starting Channels DVR v2021.10.25.1801 (linux-arm64 pid:352) in /mnt/data/channels-dvr/data
2021/11/30 22:27:50.118522 [SYS] Started HTTP Server
2021/11/30 22:27:50.163625 [SYS] Waiting on dependencies network-online.target time-sync.target
2021/11/30 22:27:55.241198 [SYS] Waiting on dependencies time-sync.target
2021/11/30 22:27:57.923453 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:27:57.942692 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:27:58.025383 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:43:01.428078 [SYS] Done waiting on dependencies
2021/11/30 22:43:01.849224 [HDR] Found 0 devices
2021/11/30 22:43:02.179785 [SYS] Bonjour service running for kingtut-dvr.local. [192.168.0.129]
2021/11/30 22:43:02.437227 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:43:02.447809 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:43:02.460360 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:43:10.155243 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:43:10.160051 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:43:10.179376 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:43:38.119856 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:43:38.132362 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:43:38.144365 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:51:08.994763 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:51:09.012963 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/11/30 22:51:09.026383 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/12/01 02:46:45.236980 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/12/01 02:47:04.439170 [SYS] Shutting down...
2021/12/01 02:47:04.440521 [SYS] Bonjour service stopped.
2021/12/01 02:47:04.555026 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/12/01 02:47:04.569241 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/12/01 02:47:04.578213 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/12/01 02:47:05.441429 [SYS] Goodbye.
2021/12/01 02:47:07.057576 [SYS] Starting Channels DVR v2021.10.25.1801 (linux-arm64 pid:351) in /mnt/data/channels-dvr/data
2021/12/01 02:47:07.094612 [SYS] Started HTTP Server
2021/12/01 02:47:07.171751 [SYS] Waiting on dependencies network-online.target time-sync.target
2021/12/01 02:47:12.612068 [SYS] Waiting on dependencies time-sync.target
2021/12/01 02:47:56.712710 [SYS] Done waiting on dependencies
2021/12/01 02:47:57.133943 [HDR] Found 0 devices
2021/12/01 02:47:57.413377 [SYS] Bonjour service running for kingtut-dvr.local. [192.168.0.129]
2021/12/01 02:47:57.522061 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/12/01 02:47:57.528606 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
2021/12/01 02:47:57.536516 [ERR] Failed to read directory /media/DVR: open /media/DVR: no such file or directory
you might want to consider booting from your drive vs the SD card. I assume channels supports this. An SD card is going to take only so much.
Do you think that's true even if it's read only?
Not sure but also SD is so slow. And if you can boot from a HDD/SSD why not? I would think you get a performance boost.
1 Like
I think it's not working because the image is not tested on SD. It is designed for a USB HDD (not flash drive)
wait, channels DVR stores files on the media the DVR is running off of. You wouldn't be able to run the DVR from a SD card that is read only. you cant have the DVR running on one media and store the files on another media. You can move the files and have them read from different media but the DVR and the shows/movies are stored on the same media. So, even if it was a SD card I would think it would be filled up very quickly. Unless they are doing something differnt for the pi deployment.
Actually, that's kind of backwards. It's the Pi image that does things differently. DVR storage works perfectly fine off of any drive that is connected to a normal Linux installation. The RPi image that doesn't use fstab to mount partitions, which is very strange in the Linux world. I think it's trying to be too smart/easy and ends up not being smart enough/cumbersome...for someone used to the way Linux works at least.