Re-installing your Bubba Server / Bubba2 / B3

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 This information is also available in the users manual for these products. The below information is a bit more extensive and also contains some extra tips. It is valid for Bubba Server, B2 and Excito B3 (aka B1, B2, B3). 

Please let me know of any remarks or clarifications I have left out, thanks! //Johannes


Why?

A complete re-install can be needed for several reasons - you messed something up while playing around; you have upgraded your hard drive etc. The solution is easy - restore your B3 to factory state by following these instructions. 


WARNING!

Note that a factory re-install wipes ALL YOUR DATA. Make backups and then backups of the backups if you have important data. If you would like to preserv your data it is possible, read the section about that further down. But note, even then make sure to make backups. We cannot make any guarantees. 


How?

B1

You need an USB stick, standard formatted (FAT), with minimum 256 MB free. Do like this:

  1. Download the install image from here.
  2. Copy the .img file to the root of your memory stick
  3. Shut down your B1 and remove power (unplug the power cable from B1).
  4. Insert the USB stick in any of the USB ports.
  5. Press the rear button whlie applying power.
  6. When you see the front lamp blinking - release the button.
  7. Wait while B1 is formatting the disk and installing the system. Note that this takes some time - actual time depends on disk size. You can see the activty by watching the USB stick lamp and the hard drive light (visible through the top vents). 
  8. When done, B1 automatically boots. When booted, the front LED becomes solid lit.
  9. All done! 
  10. Just to go http://bubba or http://bubba.local and continue from there. You can also read the quick-start-guide here

B2

You need an USB stick, standard formatted (FAT), with minimum 512 MB free. Do like this:

  1. Download the install image from here.
  2. Unzip the file to the USB-stick root. Now, the USB stick should have a folder named 'install' in the root.
  3. Shut down your B2 and remove power (unplug the power cable from B2).
  4. Unplug any external disks you may have connected, as well as other USB sticks or gadgets.
  5. Insert the USB stick in any of the USB ports.
  6. Press the rear button whlie applying power.
  7. When you see the front lamp beginning to blink release the button.
  8. First, the front lamp blinks at two blinks per second (2 Hz). After some time (within 30 seconds), the blink should increase to 4 Hz. If it doesn't - remove power and try again - sometimes a few tries are required. 
  9. Wait while B2 is formatting the disk and installing the system. Note that this takes some time - approximately 15-20 minutes with 1 TB disk. You can see the activty by watching the USB stick lamp.
  10. When done, B2 automatically boots (front LED blinking at 1 Hz during boot). When booted, the front LED becomes solid lit.
  11. All done!
  12. Just to go http://b2 or http://b2.local and continue from there. You can also check the quick-start-guide here

B3

You need an USB stick, standard formatted (FAT), with minimum 512 MB free. Do like this: 

  1. Download the install image from here
  2. Unzip the file to the USB-stick root. Now, the USB stick should have a folder named 'install' in the root. 
  3. Shut down your B3 and remove power (unplug the power cable from B3).
  4. Unplug any external disks you may have connected, as well as other USB sticks or gadgets.
  5. Insert the USB stick in any of the USB ports.
  6. Press the rear button whlie applying power.
  7. When you see the front lamp turning green - release the button. 
  8. Wait while B3 is formatting the disk and installing the system. Note that this takes some time - approximately 10-15 minutes with 1 TB disk. You can see the activty by watching the USB stick lamp and the hard drive light (visible through the Kensington lock hole).
  9. When done, B3 automatically boots (front LED turning purple). When booted, the front LED turns blue. 
  10. All done!
  11. Just to go http://b3 or http://b3.local and continue from there. You can check the quick-start-guide as well here


What if I don't want to delete all my user data? 

Relax. There is an option that can be set of - not formatting the hard drive and keeping your user data while still re-installing your system

Follow steps 1 and 2 above. Then edit the file bubba.cfg with a text editor. (Note: Do NOT use windows notepad, it messes up the file, if on windows use for example ConText). 

Change the lines

"FORMAT = 1"

and

"PARTITION = 1"

to

"FORMAT = 0"

and

"PARTITION = 0"


..and save the file. Then continue at step 3 above. The system will now re-install the system partition (hence all your settings etc. will be removed, but all user data (everything under /home) is not touched. 

Note: ALL data on the system partition (including databases etc) will still be erased. Only /home will be kept untouched. 

Using the install stick as a manual rescue system

Read the excellent guide here. Thanks Andreas Gohr