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ReadyNAS Duo disappeared from network!
Hi, folks
Out of nothing (I was using it normally earlier), my ReadyNAS Duo (v1) stopped responding through SMB. The admin web interface was unaccessible as well. Upon checking the unit locally, it...
potew wrote:
So, if I get an empty drive and insert it in slot 1, the NAS will sync it automatically with the second?
Yes.
potew wrote:
the first drive is the originally shipped Seagate Barracuda. Is the Ironwolf more suitable for NASes?
Yes (as is the WDC Red). Many people continue to use desktop drives in NAS, but NAS-purposed drives are similar in price, and are better options. BTW, the HCL for old NAS like the duo is not up to date, and shouldn't be used anymore.
potew wrote:
I feel bad replacing working equipment for the sake of pure obsolescence!
My own Duo is still in service as a secondary backup, so I get what you are saying. At the moment I plan to use it until it fails. However I won't invest a lot of time or money to keep it running. Netgear stopped shipping this NAS in 2011, so it's at least 7 years old.
Some issues that you should keep in mind:
- There are security issues in it's software that won't be addressed (since Netgear stopped the firmware updates in 2017).
- Accessing the NAS from Windows PCs will become increasingly difficult as Microsoft removes the SMB 1.0 file sharing protocol from Windows.
- A new entry-level NAS is about 5x faster than the Duo. File transfer speeds around 100 Mbytes/second instead of less than 20.
Try reinserting the original disk 2 in slot 2, and leave slot empty. Then see if the NAS boots.
Also try testing both disks in a Windows PC using vendor tools (seatools for seagate, lifeguard for western digital). You can connect the disks with either SATA or a USB adaptor/dock.
Do you have data on the NAS that you need to offload?
As far as causes go, there are several possibilities. Some are disk-related (disk failure or something wrong with the disk contents). It's also possible that something is wrong with the chassis - perhaps related to the SATA controller or perhaps the memory. The power brick might also be failing - not delivering enough power to run the system with the disks inserted, but providing enough to run the system w/o disks.
The Duo v1 is quite old - slow and with limited capacity by today's standards, and it doesn't have good security anymore. There are also some issues using it from Windows PCs, and those are likely to get worse over time. So you might consider upgrading to a new NAS - the RN212 is the current equivalent to the Duo. Then if you can get the Duo running again, you could use it to back up the new one.
Hi, Stephen. Thanks for the response.
Tried your first solution (removed slot 1 disk and kept only the second drive) and it booted normally this time! It is checking the system files, as it always does on power outages; check screenshot. Since I had RAID 1 (mirrored HDDs).
>The power brick might also be failing - not delivering enough power to run the system with the disks inserted, but providing enough to run the system w/o disks.
This seems to be the most possible cause so far.
>Do you have data on the NAS that you need to offload?
Currently no, but I want to solve this issue asap, because I may eventually need!!
I've been using this NAS for almost 7 years and never had any issues through Windows and SMB. It looks like an outdated product, but I really like its exterior design. Will consider purchasing its successor.
Will update later after the checking procedure ends.
potew wrote:
Tried your first solution (removed slot 1 disk and kept only the second drive) and it booted normally this time! It is checking the system files, as it always does on power outages; check screenshot. Since I had RAID 1 (mirrored HDDs).
>The power brick might also be failing - not delivering enough power to run the system with the disks inserted, but providing enough to run the system w/o disks.
This seems to be the most possible cause so far.
Conceivable, but an issue with disk 1 seems more likely to me. I'd test it with vendor tools (seatools or lifeguard). You might also download the log zip file, as there might be some clues in there - for example, the SMART statistics for the disk.
Meanwhile, I'd back up the data on the NAS before doing anything else.
If the disk checks out ok, then after the backup is complete you can try hot-inserting that disk. It should resync. After that completes, check the SMART stats.
If it fails, then the next step would be to purchase a replacement disk. The Duo v1 is limited to disks of 2 TB or smaller. WDC Reds and Seagate Ironwolfs are NAS-purposed drives that will work well with your Duo.
Just updating...
The NAS booted fine and I was able to access all the data on the second disk. Didn't know I could do that, lol.
Powered the NAS off and tried with only the first disk. Didn't boot! So, looks like you were right. I will keep everything powered off until I get a desktop PC that can SMART diagnose the first drive.
So, if I get an empty drive and insert it in slot 1, the NAS will sync it automatically with the second?
I hope this Duo lasts for at least 3 more years... I feel bad replacing working equipment for the sake of pure obsolescence!
PS.: the first drive is the originally shipped Seagate Barracuda. The second I purchased 2 years later. Is the Ironwolf more suitable for NASes? Thanks again.
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