NETGEAR is aware of a growing number of phone and online scams. To learn how to stay safe click here.
Forum Discussion
Step-by-step: 2.0TB Western Digital disks, WD20EARS-00MVWB0
As the 2.0TB Western Digital disks, WD20EARS-00MVWB0, which are now available via Amazon and other retailers are not yet on ReadyNAS' hardware compatibility list, I wanted to post this step by step showing how I got them setup to work on my ReadyNAS NV+:
RESOURCES:
- TechZ's Sat Apr 09, 2011 2:58 am post with step-by-step process for using WD Greens for ReadyNAS NV+: http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=52211
- Western Digital RE2GP Idle Mode Update Utility from http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=609&sid=113&lang=en
Following are the steps I used in my particular environment:
PC: Win7
ReadyNAS: NV+
Disks: 2.0TB Western Digital WD20EARS-00MVWB0
Step 1: From PC, download ISO: http://www.readynas.com/contributed/CommanderQ/FreeDOS%20WDIDLE3.iso
Step 2: From PC, create a bootable image with the WDIDLE3 tool. For bootable CD see A. For bootalbe USB, see B:
A: CD
Step 3: Place blank CD in your burner
Step 4: Right-click the ISO image downloaded in step 1 above and select "Burn disk image"
(Proceed to step 5)
B: USB
Step 3: Use the tool at the following URL to 'burn' the ISO from step 1 above to create a bootable USB drive from which to run the WDIDLE3 tool: http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/
(Proceed to step 5)
Step 5: Make sure you have all the HDDs installed in the computer from which you'll be booting from the USB you prepared in steps 1 and 2. If you don't have enough bays for all your disks, you can do steps 5-9 for each WD hard drive you want to config for the ReadyNAS
Step 6: Reboot the system and verify the BIOS is set to boot off the CD or USB
Step 7: Boot from CD or USB
Step 8: Type WDIDLE3 /R
Typically it will tell you that the IDLE is set to 8seconds (the default for WD "Green" drives)
Step 9: Type WDIDLE3 /S300
This sets the idle to 5mins (300seconds) which will "fix" the problem of using these drives in a ReadyNAS unit.
Step 10: Type WDIDLE3 /R (again, to make sure its changed to 300 seconds from 8 seconds)
Done!
Upgrade firmware to latest version
- Connect to your ReadyNAS via a browser (can be achieved by clicking "Setup" button through the ReadyNAS "RAIDar" utility)
- From left nav bar: System -> Update
o I updated to RAIDiator 4.1.8 (sparc)
Reset ReadyNas to factory default: (THIS WILL DELETE ALL DATA YOU MAY HAVE ON THE DISKS IN THE ReadyNAS!!! - I was using new disks, so this wasn't a worry for me)
- For my ReadyNAS NV+, I used a paperclip to push the reset switch in the back next to the USB port while the power was off. Keeping the reset switch pressed with the paperclip, I powered on the ReadyNAS NV+ and held the reset switch in place for 30 seconds (display will switch to "Factory reset"). I then released the paperclip and let the ReadyNAS NV+ reset and boot
- For other ReadyNAS units, look for instrcutions listed on this page: http://www.readynas.com/kb/faq/boot/how_do_i_use_the_boot_menu
- Once I saw "Booting... Awaiting RAIDar," I started RAIDar on my PC and followed the instructions to set the raid config I wanted.
- The ReadyNAS NV+ LCD display showed several messages while going through the config process ("Installing FW," "Create C: 1.0%," "Create C: 10.0%," "Disk 4 sync 1%," etc...). This last step might take a long time (hours) before the new volume is initiated and ready for use.
RESOURCES:
- TechZ's Sat Apr 09, 2011 2:58 am post with step-by-step process for using WD Greens for ReadyNAS NV+: http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=52211
- Western Digital RE2GP Idle Mode Update Utility from http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=609&sid=113&lang=en
Following are the steps I used in my particular environment:
PC: Win7
ReadyNAS: NV+
Disks: 2.0TB Western Digital WD20EARS-00MVWB0
Step 1: From PC, download ISO: http://www.readynas.com/contributed/CommanderQ/FreeDOS%20WDIDLE3.iso
Step 2: From PC, create a bootable image with the WDIDLE3 tool. For bootable CD see A. For bootalbe USB, see B:
A: CD
Step 3: Place blank CD in your burner
Step 4: Right-click the ISO image downloaded in step 1 above and select "Burn disk image"
(Proceed to step 5)
B: USB
Step 3: Use the tool at the following URL to 'burn' the ISO from step 1 above to create a bootable USB drive from which to run the WDIDLE3 tool: http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/
(Proceed to step 5)
Step 5: Make sure you have all the HDDs installed in the computer from which you'll be booting from the USB you prepared in steps 1 and 2. If you don't have enough bays for all your disks, you can do steps 5-9 for each WD hard drive you want to config for the ReadyNAS
Step 6: Reboot the system and verify the BIOS is set to boot off the CD or USB
Step 7: Boot from CD or USB
Step 8: Type WDIDLE3 /R
Typically it will tell you that the IDLE is set to 8seconds (the default for WD "Green" drives)
Step 9: Type WDIDLE3 /S300
This sets the idle to 5mins (300seconds) which will "fix" the problem of using these drives in a ReadyNAS unit.
Step 10: Type WDIDLE3 /R (again, to make sure its changed to 300 seconds from 8 seconds)
Done!
Upgrade firmware to latest version
- Connect to your ReadyNAS via a browser (can be achieved by clicking "Setup" button through the ReadyNAS "RAIDar" utility)
- From left nav bar: System -> Update
o I updated to RAIDiator 4.1.8 (sparc)
Reset ReadyNas to factory default: (THIS WILL DELETE ALL DATA YOU MAY HAVE ON THE DISKS IN THE ReadyNAS!!! - I was using new disks, so this wasn't a worry for me)
- For my ReadyNAS NV+, I used a paperclip to push the reset switch in the back next to the USB port while the power was off. Keeping the reset switch pressed with the paperclip, I powered on the ReadyNAS NV+ and held the reset switch in place for 30 seconds (display will switch to "Factory reset"). I then released the paperclip and let the ReadyNAS NV+ reset and boot
- For other ReadyNAS units, look for instrcutions listed on this page: http://www.readynas.com/kb/faq/boot/how_do_i_use_the_boot_menu
- Once I saw "Booting... Awaiting RAIDar," I started RAIDar on my PC and followed the instructions to set the raid config I wanted.
- The ReadyNAS NV+ LCD display showed several messages while going through the config process ("Installing FW," "Create C: 1.0%," "Create C: 10.0%," "Disk 4 sync 1%," etc...). This last step might take a long time (hours) before the new volume is initiated and ready for use.
5 Replies
- Hello,
Just because the drives are not on the compatibility list does not mean they will not work. However, using incompatible drives causes file system instabilities, and all around unpredictable behavior. Netgear can and will deny support based on using incompatible drives. willbldrco wrote: As the 2.0TB Western Digital disks, WD20EARS-00MVWB0, which are now available via Amazon and other retailers are not yet on ReadyNAS' hardware compatibility list, I wanted to post this step by step showing how I got them setup to work on my ReadyNAS NV+:
RESOURCES:
- TechZ's Sat Apr 09, 2011 2:58 am post with step-by-step process for using WD Greens for ReadyNAS NV+: viewtopic.php?f=24&t=52211
- Western Digital RE2GP Idle Mode Update Utility from http://support.wdc.com/product/download ... 13&lang=en
Following are the steps I used in my particular environment:
PC: Win7
ReadyNAS: NV+
Disks: 2.0TB Western Digital WD20EARS-00MVWB0
Step 1: From PC, download ISO: http://www.readynas.com/contributed/Com ... DIDLE3.iso
Step 2: From PC, create a bootable image with the WDIDLE3 tool. For bootable CD see A. For bootalbe USB, see B:
A: CD
Step 3: Place blank CD in your burner
Step 4: Right-click the ISO image downloaded in step 1 above and select "Burn disk image"
(Proceed to step 5)
B: USB
Step 3: Use the tool at the following URL to 'burn' the ISO from step 1 above to create a bootable USB drive from which to run the WDIDLE3 tool: http://unetbootin.sourceforge.net/
(Proceed to step 5)
Step 5: Make sure you have all the HDDs installed in the computer from which you'll be booting from the USB you prepared in steps 1 and 2. If you don't have enough bays for all your disks, you can do steps 5-9 for each WD hard drive you want to config for the ReadyNAS
Step 6: Reboot the system and verify the BIOS is set to boot off the CD or USB
Step 7: Boot from CD or USB
Step 8: Type WDIDLE3 /R
Typically it will tell you that the IDLE is set to 8seconds (the default for WD "Green" drives)
Step 9: Type WDIDLE3 /S300
This sets the idle to 5mins (300seconds) which will "fix" the problem of using these drives in a ReadyNAS unit.
Step 10: Type WDIDLE3 /R (again, to make sure its changed to 300 seconds from 8 seconds)
Done!
Upgrade firmware to latest version
- Connect to your ReadyNAS via a browser (can be achieved by clicking "Setup" button through the ReadyNAS "RAIDar" utility)
- From left nav bar: System -> Update
o I updated to RAIDiator 4.1.8 (sparc)
Reset ReadyNas to factory default: (THIS WILL DELETE ALL DATA YOU MAY HAVE ON THE DISKS IN THE ReadyNAS!!! - I was using new disks, so this wasn't a worry for me)
- For my ReadyNAS NV+, I used a paperclip to push the reset switch in the back next to the USB port while the power was off. Keeping the reset switch pressed with the paperclip, I powered on the ReadyNAS NV+ and held the reset switch in place for 30 seconds (display will switch to "Factory reset"). I then released the paperclip and let the ReadyNAS NV+ reset and boot
- For other ReadyNAS units, look for instrcutions listed on this page: http://www.readynas.com/kb/faq/boot/how ... _boot_menu
- Once I saw "Booting... Awaiting RAIDar," I started RAIDar on my PC and followed the instructions to set the raid config I wanted.
- The ReadyNAS NV+ LCD display showed several messages while going through the config process ("Installing FW," "Create C: 1.0%," "Create C: 10.0%," "Disk 4 sync 1%," etc...). This last step might take a long time (hours) before the new volume is initiated and ready for use.
Excellent post and thanks for taking out the time to give a step-by-step on how to complete it. I actually picked up the two WD20EARX which are the replacement for the WD20EARS model and was able to successfully set the Intelli-Park from the 8 second default to 300 seconds. Unfortunately, I already installed one drive in my NAS before setting this variable and inside of 6 days already have 1,540 Load_Cycle_Count. I intend to remove that drive and set it's LCC value and hopefully won't have any issues in changing it, but super happy I at least got one done before installation. There seems to be mixed responses on whether or not this makes any difference but I didn't want to take a chance given the difficulty in obtaining drives at a reasonable price right now. I presume setting the value to 300 seconds is the only option? I thought I saw a few posts where the Intelli-Park could be disabled all together? Thanks again!- here was my steps for using the EARS drives in my nv+ with no issues since drives were released...
step 1: remove EARS drives from shipping packaging
step 2: attach drives to device removable drive cases
step 3: insert drives into nas
step 4: turn on nas, configure to liking
step 5: profit! - One of my WD20EARS drives are failing (reallocated sector count went from 0-->5-->44 in the span of 3 days) and I only have WD20EARX drives as replacements. Going to attempt to run the WDIDLE3 setting on it today.
- As of April 6, 2013, WDIDLE3 v1.05 is also available on the Ultimate Boot CD v5.2.1 iso image at http://www.ultimatebootcd.com/index.html.
The "Customizing UBCD" section of the website also gives instructions on how to make a bootable USB thumb drive. I believe, however, that "making" the thumb drive requires one to extract the files from the iso or burn the image to a CD and then access the files normally through a file explorer. I just used UNetBootin as described in the original instruction of this thread. When UNetBootin got to the very end of the process, it tried to overwrite some of the UBCD files with its own files. I simply said "No". The thumb drive booted fine and I was able to use WDIDLE3.
Note: At first I could not *see* my Western Digital drive with the command WDIDLE /R. Then I realized that I had the drive connected to a different SATA port that requires the installation of an aftermarket driver. After switching to an SATA port that was accessible through DOS, I had no troubles.
NETGEAR Academy
Boost your skills with the Netgear Academy - Get trained, certified and stay ahead with the latest Netgear technology!
Join Us!
