Installing Minimserver on a Synology nas
Posted by: Bart on 23 April 2014
For those of you who've done this . . . I hit a roadblock. I put what seems to be the right file into my "public" shared folder, but the install app keeps saying it can't find the right file. The file that I downloaded from Oracle is named exactly what the app is calling for . . . but it just keeps saying it can't find the file. Any tips??
Hope you can get help from forum members.
But, if you don't - and I hope without breaking the rules of a product listing here - the guys at Sonore might be able to install it for you for a reasonable fee. I've own one of their streaming devices, but they also do all kinds of services for Linux based computer audio.
I can't help with Minim I'm afraid (hard to install and manage, don't see the point in it), but if you don't get on with the default Synology UPNP server then an easier option to Minim may be to install Plex and then enable its DLNA/UPNP server?
For those of you who've done this . . . I hit a roadblock. I put what seems to be the right file into my "public" shared folder, but the install app keeps saying it can't find the right file. The file that I downloaded from Oracle is named exactly what the app is calling for . . . but it just keeps saying it can't find the file. Any tips??
Bart
Did you create the share folder yourself, this is just a guess as i didn't have this issue, but could it be a permissions issue on the shared folder.
Gareme
I found the instructions on the Minimserver site really useful - and the install is certainly easier now via package centre (assuming you have DSM 5 installed).
As for folders and permissions, I have the following in place:
/volume1/homes/minimserver
/volume1/public/minimserver
Both of which have read/write permissions for admin and my other main account
Minimserver is also added as a user with read/write permissions on my music folder
I don't think I created any of these manually, but I doubt it will hurt to try it.
In older versions I do remember having to install Java manually via package centre. This involved going into the settings and adding a new package source (http://packages.pcloadletter.co.uk). I then installed Patters version of Java from there.
Hope this helps
Nick
PS. Stick with it and you will be rewarded with one of the most flexible UPNP servers out there
Go onto Minimservers forum. Simon, the programs author, is extremely helpful and answers very quickly.
For those of you who've done this . . . I hit a roadblock. I put what seems to be the right file into my "public" shared folder, but the install app keeps saying it can't find the right file. The file that I downloaded from Oracle is named exactly what the app is calling for . . . but it just keeps saying it can't find the file. Any tips??
Bart
Did you create the share folder yourself, this is just a guess as i didn't have this issue, but could it be a permissions issue on the shared folder.
Gareme
G, I did create the public (shared) folder myself, and gave full permissions to all of the users (I have an admin and a guest account).
Is 'public' all lower case?
Is 'public' all lower case?
Yup. And to be more precise, it's Java I'm trying to install at this point.
On the minim server forum, there's a tutorial with a link to a step-by-step guide to installing java. Note that after adding the repository (from patters, but maybe not needed in DSM 5) you download the java package version to your computer (ensuring you get the packed .tar.gz file, not letting your browser unpack to a .tar archive).
At this point, in the DSM package center, under manual install, you upload the java package.
What I found confusing is that now, when all seems good to go, you will get a failure error message. At that moment, the instructions tell you to manually sign in on the Oracle page, agree to the license, and actually xfer the java embedded runtime to the public directory.
You then have to repeat the entire install package process and it works the second time through.
I did this twice: once to get started (with Java 7) and again when Oracle released an update (Java 8). It is truly bizarre, but the instructions are correct upon re-reading. It looks like a fail, but it is installing.
I suppose it's worth ensuring that your public dir is at the top level on your main volume (ie beside home, music, and so on)...but I doubt that's your issue.
I also note that you seem to have to start with java 6 or 7 (whichever file is specified in the original fail message) and upgrade to 8 from there, but I can't verify that as 8 was not avail when I first installed.
Upon success you will see the usual java logo and Java SE a Embedded X in your "Instslled" page within Package Manager.
Again, this may be 'better' in DSM 5 wight the new package loader, can't help with that.
Argh. Typed that and it may not help but leaving it in case it does...
I just browsed to the new patters install script page and it has been updated since 5 and 8 came out... If you expand the script code you may be able to foot the file not found error message you are getting and deduce why it thinks it failed...
Hope this was encouraging (first install was weird for me too) even if it wasn't useful !!
Regards alan
You then have to repeat the entire install package process and it works the second time through.
Alan, this is precisely where I get stuck. But I'm not sure what you mean by "actually xfer the java embedded runtime . . . " I did put the .tar.gz into my public shared folder as instructed (it did not unpack at all) . . . just not sure what I'm supposed to do after that failure message. Thanks a ton; I am getting closer!
You need Java SE Embedded installed first before installing one of the other Java's.
My memory is hazy, apologies!
First time thru you got an error with the name of the missing file. You then went to Oracle, logged in and downloaded the .tar.gz archive (it's important you got it this way and not thru another download archive...). You then uploaded this to the DS public directory.
Now go pack to package installer and re-launch the same process. I got another message box that looked like an error and thought it was dead... But the message is slightly different and when I accepted that, the install completed properly.
If you post the message text I or someone with a better memory can maybe explain a bit better!!
You are definitely close. You might even be done; did you look in the package manager to see what is installed? It won't appear in the action box, just the packages app.
Best wishes. alan
Thanks guys. I'm at work now, so can't really report where I"m hung up. I installed the thing from pcloadletter, which resulted in Java SE install apps (?) appearing in the Community section of Package Center.
I logged into the Oracle site...got the right Jave SE for Embedded file into the public folder (downloaded it to my Mac desktop and used File Station to upload it to the nas) . . . went back to the Java SE install app in Package Center, clicked install, and got the same error message that the .tar.gz file could not be found.
This is where I'm stuck. I did not go to check the logs to see if it actually DID install, as it didn't look like it!
Hi Bart -
Any luck?
As it happens, I installed the latest DSM 5 update last night. No idea if it was a coincidence, but on re-starting MinimServer after the NAS reboot, I received an error that Java 8 install was corrupt. i used only the DSM web interface, selected "uninstall" for java 8 via the "action" menu, then went back to the packages page and selected "install". There was a pause with a status message about downloading, but no requirement to go to Oracle page etc (the appropriate .tar.gz is still in my public directory), then everything finished normally and MinimServer launched fine and is running fine.
This is may not help you, but it's more info. If you have Java in your packages view, perhaps just launching the install again will work?
regards alan
Hi Alan,
I've tried a different path. DSM 5's package center includes "Java Manager," so I've used that to install Java 7. DSM now says that Java has been successfully installed. I am hoping that this is sufficient to allow me to install and run Minimserver. I'm off to try that next! Thanks a ton!
Well everything seemed to work . . . I downloaded the Minimserver .spk, and manually installed it. The Synology DSM says it's ready to run, BUT I CANT FIND IT! It's not in Package Center (even after a refresh . . . ) and searching the package center, or the entire nas, doesn't reveal where it went. So close 
I found it . . . only in the "Installed" menu. Doh. Thanks for the moral support
There is a URL for web configuration of your source directory (and to rescan) when you click on the MinimServer icon in the "main menu" listing. If you have a mac, installing MinimWatch is easy and lets you start and stop the server, rescan, update, etc. in the MinimWatch "properties" you can adjust quite a few server properties. It is here (on the "system" tab) where you can enable transcoding by typing "FLAC : WAV24" (including the spaces) on the final line labelled, funnily enough, "stream.transcode"
Enjoy and best wishes Bart.
Regards alan
Thanks Alan, those are great tips. I had no idea what MinimWatch does.
I found MinimWatch also important, because it checks MinimServer for the latest updates.
It did several rounds of download, update and restart until the Server had all actual patches.