Forum Discussion

Aspirant

Jan 27, 2020

Not sure what this RNDU4000 is

Hi Just bought a RNDU4000 off ebay for setting up a new nas at home. I've been working in IT for over 20 years and I'm a bit surprised about this unit. I was expecting it to be different. The web...

junpit2

Aspirant

Jan 27, 2020

Ok. I’m going to stop there I think. The seller clearly didn’t realise. It was a recovery company.

There were only 2 drive trays and they’re both missing the plastic inserts so I’m sending it back. I was looking for something to host 15TB of storage (3x5)on the cheap.

Apart from something new, what should I be on the lookout for. Should I get another RNDU4000 which I can take up to OS6? I nearly bought a RND4210 but didn’t like the spec.

Thanks

Darren

StephenB

Guru - Experienced User

Jan 27, 2020

junpit2 wrote:
Ok. I’m going to stop there I think. The seller clearly didn’t realise. It was a recovery company. ... There were only 2 drive trays and they’re both missing the plastic inserts so I’m sending it back.

Logical. The drive trays actually aren't that easy to track down.

FWIW, the old NAS models didn't have the plastic inserts. They were introduced with OS-6 NAS.

junpit2 wrote:

Apart from something new, what should I be on the lookout for. Should I get another RNDU4000 which I can take up to OS6? I nearly bought a RND4210 but didn’t like the spec.

The RND4210 can't be converted to OS-6. In addition to low performance by modern standards, it is limited to SMB 1. My own is still running, but only as a secondary backup. Though they were well built, I wouldn't purchase one now.

Desktop models that can be converted include the Pro, Ultra Plus, and Ultra. You can't convert the NVX - it has a 32 bit architecture and you need 64 bits. If you are planning to upgrade the memory or the CPU, the Pro/Ultra Plus are the best options.

The Pro and the Ultra Plus have the same hardware specs. There was an older Pro line (Pioneer and Business Edition) which had a somewhat less powerful CPU - you can tell them apart by the part number. The final Pro line ends in -200XXX, the older models end in -100XXX.

You might also find some used OS6 NAS - for instance the RN516 or the RN314. If you are interested in the ARM-based system, you could go with the RN214. I'd avoid the RN104.

Sandshark
Sensei
Jan 27, 2020
OS 4.2.x and OS6 on a legacy system get the model number and serial number from the vpd file in EEPROM. The ReadyData OS does not, so it won't have that file if you perform an OS6 restore from USB, even if you acomplish making one that will work on that configuration (which is Solaris based).

I successfully converted an RD516 to an RN516, but the newer units use a different method of identification. You certainly aren't going to accomplish the conversion without some help from Netgear. And given that the machine probably came with a "not for resale" clause, I rather suspect you won't get that.

I also converted an RD5200 to OS6, but it turns out Netgear had already accounted for that, though it's not advertised, and they also use the newer identification method. The flash memory on them is a removable USB device, simple to overwrite without having to go through an OS restore if you have a flash drive from a similar ReadyNAS you can clone..

The ReadyData OS isn't bad, but it's dead. And many of the things it had going for it over the ReadyNAS line have now been incorporated in ReadyNAS OS.

So, the current OS not being supported and chances of conversion being slim, I'd agree that returning it is probably your best move.

As for a replacement, a lot of people seem to think a legacy NAS is worth way more than it really is. I've seen some selling for what a used more current model sells for, when the older one is much less powerful. There is an NVX with 7.5TB of drives currently on eBay wioth actual bids up to $250.