ReadyNAS and NetGear Suck!!

How to use online support is detailed here: http://www.readynas.com/support (you need to go to my.netgear.com)

If you open a case please edit the thread title (i.e. subject of first post int he thread) to include your case number.

When you say that the NAS reboots all the time can you be more specific about when it does this? Does it complete the boot process?

I know how to use support. They refused to provide support because the drives I have are not on the HCL. I have the current Caviar Green model WD20EARX.

I don't want a brand new product that requires me resorting to a forum for support. Support should at least look at the logs and confirm the drives are the problem. If there is no fix they should recommend a drive that is a current model.

Yes it reboots meaning turns itself off then back on again. Sometimes its up for an hours and other times only a few minutes.

Sounds like it's probably incompatible drives.

If you go to Status > Health in Frontview what are the SMART stats for each of the drives (omit the drive serial numbers)?

Do they actually test new drives? The Cavier Green drives on the HCL are 2 year old models. If they have actually tested a drive in the last 2 years why don't they just add the drives that they confirmed don't work. It seems less testing is required to determine a drive doesn't work. It appears the list hasn't been updated in some time. Tech support doesn't know when the list was last updated and has no information about when it will every be updated. What good is a redundant storage if you can't get another drive when one fails?

SMART Information for Disk 1

Model: WDC WD20EARX-00PASB0
Serial: **********
Firmware: 51.0AB51

SMART Attribute

Raw Read Error Rate 0
Spin Up Time 5041
Start Stop Count 35
Reallocated Sector Count 0
Seek Error Rate 0
Power On Hours 113
Spin Retry Count 0
Calibration Retry Count 0
Power Cycle Count 33
Power-Off Retract Count 32
Load Cycle Count 3939
Temperature Celsius 36
Reallocated Event Count 0
Current Pending Sector 0
Offline Uncorrectable 0
UDMA CRC Error Count 0
Multi Zone Error Rate 0

ATA Error Count 0


SMART Information for Disk 2

Model: WDC WD20EARX-00PASB0
Serial: ***********
Firmware: 51.0AB51

SMART Attribute

Raw Read Error Rate 0
Spin Up Time 4908
Start Stop Count 35
Reallocated Sector Count 0
Seek Error Rate 0
Power On Hours 113
Spin Retry Count 0
Calibration Retry Count 0
Power Cycle Count 33
Power-Off Retract Count 32
Load Cycle Count 3768
Temperature Celsius 38
Reallocated Event Count 0
Current Pending Sector 0
Offline Uncorrectable 0
UDMA CRC Error Count 0
Multi Zone Error Rate 0

ATA Error Count

Those look O.K. I think.

There are some newer drives on that list. The 3TB drives would've been added sometime within the last year as 3TB drive support was added a year ago.

Are you able to check the disks using WD LifeGuard Diagnostics?

If not perhaps run the "Disk Test" boot option: http://www.readynas.com/kb/faq/boot/how_do_i_use_the_boot_menu (this will run long SMART tests on the disks, a short online one is run daily during normal operation).

You do have a Load Cycle Count. Some suggest running WDIDLE3 (though using this isn't supported by WD) on the disks to stop the Load Cycle Count from increasing. You might want to consider using this.

There is a procedure to use WDIDLE3 on the ReadyNAS: http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=59700

If you choose to follow that procedure I suggest you:
1. Backup all data
2. Follow that procedure
3. After verifying it worked, do a factory default (see http://www.readynas.com/kb/faq/boot/how_do_i_use_the_boot_menu)

Current Models Sold at Bestbuy
--------------------------------------
2TB Western Digital Caviar Green WDBAAY0020HNC-NRSN Released January 2010 (2 Years ago)
2TB Seagate Barracuda ST320005N4A1AS-RK released on January 2011 (1 year ago)

1 year 2 years. How long does it take to test drives? Can someone please explain why this company doesn't update the HCL and the firmware to support current drive models? Clearly if those are the current models for 2 major hard drive manufacutres then the drives on the HCL have to be older.

Again same old dead horse question. When if every will new drives be added to an old outdated HCL list??? I think someone from Netgear really should HAVE to answer this question.


mdgm you are helpful and I appreciate that. I just don't see how I can keep this product as much as I want to if I will be denied support because my drives are not on the HCL. I am not partial to these drive and I can exchange them. However there are no current models on the HCL. Even if I did exchange them and found some that work locally they won't be on the HCL because there are no current models listed there. Then what do I do later when I need to add addtional drives or replace one that fails? It will be the same old story. No current models on the HCL so I will have to track down old possibly refurbished drives for a brand new piece of hard ware.

The ST320005N4A1AS-RK is actually a retail kit for a drive that is on the list: http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=83&t=38365

The feedback on Newegg for the WD indicates it contains a WD20EARS.

Now what's included in the retail kits may/may not have changed.

NetGear puts drives on the compatibility list with model number of the drive taken from the label on the drives not from external packaging. If you can ask the store what model the drive inside the retail kit is. Don't know if they'll be able to help, but you can ask.

It would be better if the drive vendors indicated on the external packaging the model that is included in a retail kit.

NetGear extensively tests drives for a range of different models. This can take some time. Having said that it would be nice to see some more drives qualified.

WD's Green drives can have some compatibility issues that are difficult to address. The power saving features of these drives aren't good for RAID use. The NAS needs to control things like disks going to sleep etc. not the drives themselves.

I didn't know about the retail kit or the Green not being good for RAID. This should be something support should know and inform people of.

Below are 2 other drives that are available at Best Buy. Are they also not the actual drive model number? I would prefer the first because it has a 5 year warranty and its cheaper.

STBD3000100
ST3000DM001

What I was trying to say is that the Green features of Green drives tend to cause compatibility issues and not be easy to address. That's one reason why it can take a while for WD Greens to get approved. Drives on the list should work fine.

Those SeaGates look like the actual drive model model number (well at least the second one).