NEXSTAR FX - Combatting FAT32

Photorer

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May 21, 2012
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I have recently bought what I thought was the perfect answer for my purposes: The Nexstar FX – it is a small home NAS solution that is tiny and has two USB ports – one for a USB HDD storage and one for a USB Printer. The idea behind this is that I can run a LAN and Power cable to this little box (half the size of a pack of cigarettes) and have a USB hard drive which can be hidden easily behind a cupboard to avoid midnight shoppers from taking my data from home.

This is exactly what it will do for me (and a couple of additional functions I did not count on), BUT there is a limitation that makes it useless:
• You can only have up to 16 users (no problem)
• There can only be 16 Folders (user folders) to access
• The filename / path length is limited because the NAS formats the drive on initialisation to FAT32.

My documents folder has many layers of folders, especially when it comes to web development for a particular client on a particular job….. (get the picture?)

I have looked for firmware updates – they don’t exist!
I have looked for support from Nexstar – none forthcoming!
I have asked every geek I know – no luck!

Perhaps you can assist? I guess that the little box operates an embedded Linux system, with only the required file management components, etc. Is there any way that I can make use of this for backup? The only other use for it would be a very expensive music repository for the household – it will save and serve MP3s to iTunes!

Thanks for the help!
Alain@jacquet.co.za
 
Instead of backing up by copying your directory tree, get a backup program. The most-mentioned on these forums seems to be Acronis True Image; I use EASEUS To-Do Backup because it's free.

Then you run a backup to a single archive file on the NAS. That one large file will have all of your data and enough descriptive information (catalog) to find any particular file that you need.

 
I have Acronis True Image, but never had any luck with the backup side. I will have to try it again.

With 500Gb of data, I don't think a 100Mbs network will do the job - unless ATI can simply update the files within that backed up file....!

I will also try AESEUS....
Thanks!