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Forum Discussion
Why does NAS firmware update if unit is booted diskless?
I have reported before that booting a ReadyNAS with no drives installed resulted in the firmware in flash being updated. The response fomr the Netgear mod was that that was not possible,
I beg to disagree!
I first had it happen on a legacy rack-mount unit (RN4200V2). So, I said to myself that maybe they are diffferent because the flash is a USB drive. And since that configuration is unsupported, just note that it happens and avoid it.
I just tried to re-create a condition a forum user was reporting by booting my Ultra4 diskless. And it, too, updated from 6.9.5 to to 6.10.2. OK, so maybe it's only legacy systems that do it.
Nope, just did the same thing with my RN312.
This should not be happening! One of the troubleshooting steps we often suggest to the users is to boot diskless. For the flash to update at that point at best just adds another wrinkle, but at worst could make a situation worse (like for a system with an overfull OS partition). In this particular case, it's an irreversable upgrade since downgrade from 6.10.x to 6.9.x is not recommended. I was on 6.9.5 for a reason, and now you have completely ignored the fact that my settings are to only notify me, and then only for long-term stable updates. I realize you have ignored the settings because they are on the (uninstalled) drives. But that's the point, an update should not be performed when the user's preferences are unavalable.
In the meantme: If you are booting a ReadyNAS diskless and you do not want the flash firmware updated to the latest, which will then update your disks when you boot with them re-installed, then boot with the Ethernet cable disconnected (or make the Internet not reachable by some other means) and plug the cable back in only after the boot is complete.
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Lets look at the x86\initrd.gz\initrd\init file from the firmware.
I have not looked at older versions of the readynas firmware or any varent other then the x86_64.
So subject to history/version and hardware.
v6.10.2 on a x86_64
#!/bin/sh #ReadyNASOS 6.x.x usb recovery script DBG="/dev/null" mount -t proc proc /proc mount -t sysfs sysfs /sys mount -t devpts devpts /dev/pts echo 3 > /proc/sys/kernel/printk mdev -s debug="no" lcd="/proc/LCD" SIZE=224 arch=`uname -m | cut -c 1-3` netup() { ifconfig lo up addr=168 connected="no" for eth in /sys/class/net/eth? ; do nic=$(basename $eth) ifconfig $nic up RETRY=0 while [ $RETRY -lt 8 ]; do if udhcpc -q -n -i $nic; then connected=$nic break 2 fi RETRY=$(($RETRY+1)) usleep 250000 done if [ $RETRY -eq 8 ]; then echo "#### DHCP fail for $nic, use static ip 192.168.168.$addr" ifconfig $nic 192.168.168.$addr fi addr=$(($addr+1)) done if [ $connected != "no" ]; then IP=`ifconfig $nic | grep "inet " | awk '{print $2}'|cut -f2 -d:` else IP=`ifconfig eth0 | grep "inet " | awk '{print $2}'|cut -f2 -d:` fi } sethotid() { mac3=`ifconfig eth0 | grep "HWaddr" | awk '{print $5}' | cut -f3 -d:` mac4=`ifconfig eth0 | grep "HWaddr" | awk '{print $5}' | cut -f4 -d:` mac5=`ifconfig eth0 | grep "HWaddr" | awk '{print $5}' | cut -f5 -d:` mac6=`ifconfig eth0 | grep "HWaddr" | awk '{print $5}' | cut -f6 -d:` mac3=$((0x${mac3} & 0x7f)) # ten to 0x mac3=`echo $mac3 | awk '{printf("%0x\n",$0)}'` echo "Hostid: ${mac3}${mac4}${mac5}${mac6}" echo -ne "\x${mac6}\x${mac5}\x${mac4}\x${mac3}" > /etc/hostid } #our lcd can display 16 characters per line clear_lcd() { if [ -e $lcd ]; then echo "1 \" \"" > $lcd echo "2 \" \"" > $lcd fi } lcd_line1() { [ -e $lcd ] && echo "1 \"$1\"" > $lcd } lcd_line2() { [ -e $lcd ] && echo "2 \"$1\"" > $lcd } rescue_shell() { echo "Booting into debug mode..." netup sethotid telnetd echo "TELNET Mode" > /.os_status PORT="TELNET" cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep -q -i Annapurna && cp -a -f /etc/fw_env.config.alpine /etc/fw_env.config if [ $debug = "yes" ]; then PORT=`rnutil remote_access -p` echo "Support: $PORT" > /.os_status rnutil remote_access -b echo "IP: $IP" echo "PORT: $PORT" fi clear_lcd lcd_line1 "DEBUG: $PORT" lcd_line2 $IP raidard exec /bin/ash } show_error() { echo "ERROR: ${1}!" rescue_shell } get_sys_type_x86() { PRODUCT_NAME=$( cat /sys/class/dmi/id/product_name | tr -d ' ') echo "Model name: $PRODUCT_NAME" if [ $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNAS312' -o $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNAS314' -o $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNAS316' ]; then SYSTYPE='RN312_RN314_RN316' elif [ $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNAS516' -o $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNAS716' ]; then SYSTYPE='RN516_RN716' elif [ $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNAS3220' -o $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNAS4220' ]; then SYSTYPE='3220_4220' elif [ $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNAS3130' -o $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNAS3138' ]; then SYSTYPE='3130' elif [ $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNAS526X' -o $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNAS626X' ]; then SYSTYPE='RN526' elif [ $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNAS3312' -o $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNAS4312' ]; then SYSTYPE='RR3312' #4360 product name , differnet ? elif [ $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNASRR4360X' -o $PRODUCT_NAME = 'ReadyNASRR4360S' ]; then SYSTYPE='RR3312' fi if [ -z $SYSTYPE ]; then sku=`cat /sys/class/dmi/id/product_sku` #4360 usb path is the same with 3312/4312 if [ $sku = "RR4360" ]; then SYSTYPE='RR3312' # 524/528/628 same with RN526/626 elif [ $sku = "RN524X" -o $sku = "RN528X" -o $sku = "RN628X" ]; then SYSTYPE='RN526' elif [ $sku = "RN422" -o $sku = "RN424" -o $sku = "RN426" -o $sku = "RN428" ]; then SYSTYPE='RN422' elif [ $sku = "RR2304" -o $sku = "RR2312" ]; then SYSTYPE='RR2304' # 3312V2/4312V2 should only have CPU upgrade on 3312/4312 elif [ $sku = "RR3312V2" -o $sku = "RR4312SV2" -o $sku = "RR4312XV2" ]; then SYSTYPE='RR3312' fi fi } find_boot_device_x86() { echo -n "Searching for internal boot flash device..." for i in `seq 1 60`; do # This should be the path for the internal USB port if [ $SYSTYPE = "RN516_RN716" ]; then DEV_PATH=/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.0/usb2/2-1/2-1.1/2-1.1:1.0/host*/target*/*/block/* elif [ $SYSTYPE = "RN312_RN314_RN316" ]; then DEV_PATH=/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1d.7/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host*/target*/*/block/* elif [ $SYSTYPE = "3220_4220" ]; then DEV_PATH=/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1f.2/ata3/host*/target*/*/block/* elif [ $SYSTYPE = '3130' ]; then DEV_PATH=/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:16.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.2/1-1.2:1.0/host*/target*/*/block/* elif [ $SYSTYPE = "RN526" ]; then DEV_PATH=/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb2/2-4/2-4:1.0/host*/target*/*:0:0:0/block/* elif [ $SYSTYPE = "RR3312" ]; then DEV_PATH=/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:14.0/usb1/1-4/1-4:1.0/host*/target*/*:0:0:0/block/* elif [ $SYSTYPE = "RN422" ]; then DEV_PATH=/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:15.0/usb1/1-2/1-2:1.0/host*/target*/*:0:0:0/block/* elif [ $SYSTYPE = "RR2304" ]; then DEV_PATH=/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:15.0/usb1/1-1/1-1:1.0/host*/target*/*:0:0:0/block/* else echo "I do not know the internal boot flash location!" DEV_PATH="*" break fi BOOT_FLASH=$(basename $DEV_PATH) grep -q ${BOOT_FLASH}$ /proc/partitions && break usleep 250000 done if [ "$BOOT_FLASH" = "*" ]; then echo "Did not find boot flash!" show_error "Could not find internal flash device!" fi mdev -s echo "$BOOT_FLASH" BOOT_FLASH="/dev/${BOOT_FLASH}" } update_flash_x86() { MD5SUM=$(dd if=$IMAGE bs=16384 count=1 2>/dev/null | grep -a info:: | sed -e 's/.*md5sum=//' -e 's/,.*//') if ! [ "$MD5SUM" = "`dd if=$IMAGE bs=16384 skip=1 2>/dev/null | md5sum | awk '{ print $1 }'`" ]; then show_error "flash image checksum does not match!" fi cd /tmp/flash dd if=$IMAGE bs=16384 skip=1 2>/dev/null | tar x || show_error "OS image extraction failed!" rm -rf bios loader mount -t msdos ${BOOT_FLASH}1 /boot_flash if ! [ -s "syslinux.cfg" ]; then cp /sysroot/syslinux.cfg . fi if [ $SYSTYPE = "NVX" ]; then rm -f kernel mv kernel.up kernel else rm -f kernel.up fi cp * /boot_flash || show_error "could not update flash device!" sync umount /boot_flash umount /sysroot cd / } verify_checksum() { if ! mount -t msdos ${BOOT_FLASH}1 /boot_flash; then echo "verify_checksum: Could not mount boot flash" return 1 fi cd /boot_flash if ! md5sum -cs csums.md5; then echo "verify_checksum failed" cd / umount /boot_flash return 2 fi cd / umount /boot_flash return 0 } update_flash_x86_raw() { if ! mount -t vfat ${EXTERNAL_FLASH} /sysroot; then echo "update_flash_x86_raw: could not mount external flash" return 1 fi RAW=`ls /sysroot/ReadyNASOS-*-x86_64*.raw | head -n1` if [ ! -s "$RAW" ]; then echo "No raw file exist, use img file to update" umount /sysroot return 2 fi #verify raw file -- TBD echo -n "Use raw file to update..." if ! dd if=$RAW bs=1M of=${BOOT_FLASH}; then echo "DD raw file fail" umount /sysroot return 3 fi echo "done" #verify checksum echo -n "Verify checksum..." blockdev --rereadpt $BOOT_FLASH mdev -s if verify_checksum; then echo "done" else umount /sysroot return 4 fi umount /sysroot return 0 } write_flash_x86() { find_external_boot_device find_boot_device_x86 mkdir /tmp/flash if mount -t msdos ${BOOT_FLASH}1 /boot_flash; then [ -f /boot_flash/vpd ] && cp /boot_flash/vpd /tmp/flash/ umount /boot_flash fi #Check if there is raw image which can be used for update if update_flash_x86_raw; then return 0 fi echo -n "Formatting boot flash device..." if [ $SYSTYPE = "RN516_RN716" ]; then mkdiskimage $BOOT_FLASH 1024 8 32 #elif [ $SYSTYPE = "RN526" -o $SYSTYPE = "RR3312" ]; then # mkdiskimage -M $BOOT_FLASH $SIZE 64 32 else mkdiskimage -M $BOOT_FLASH $SIZE 64 32 fi blockdev --rereadpt $BOOT_FLASH mdev -s mkdosfs ${BOOT_FLASH}1 > /dev/null syslinux -i ${BOOT_FLASH}1 # Copy back VPD as first order mount -t msdos ${BOOT_FLASH}1 /boot_flash [ -f /tmp/flash/vpd ] && cp /tmp/flash/vpd /boot_flash/ umount /boot_flash echo "done" mount -t vfat ${EXTERNAL_FLASH} /sysroot || show_error "could not mount external flash" IMAGE=`ls /sysroot/ReadyNASOS-*-x86_64.img | head -n1` [ -s "$IMAGE" ] || show_error "no source flash image found" echo -n "Writing internal USB boot flash device..." update_flash_x86 echo "done" } get_sys_type_arm() { SYSTYPE=$(cat /proc/cmdline | grep bdtype | sed -e 's/.*bdtype=//') [ $SYSTYPE = "rn2120-v2" ] && SYSTYPE="rn2120" } find_boot_device_arm() { echo -n "Searching for internal boot flash device..." for i in `seq 1 60`; do # This should be the path for the internal nand flash BOOT_FLASH=ubi0_0 [ -c "/dev/${BOOT_FLASH}" ] && break usleep 250000 done if [ $i -eq 60 ]; then echo "Did not find boot flash!" show_error "Could not find internal flash device!" fi mdev -s echo "mtd rootfs: $BOOT_FLASH" BOOT_FLASH="/dev/${BOOT_FLASH}" } find_RN25_external_boot_device() { echo -n "Searching for external boot flash device..." for j in `seq 1 60`; do # This should be the path for the front SDCARD port for mb in /sys/block/mmcblk?; do EXTERNAL_FLASH=$(basename $mb) if grep -q ${EXTERNAL_FLASH}p1 /proc/partitions; then mdev -s if ! mount -t vfat /dev/${EXTERNAL_FLASH}p1 /sysroot >/dev/null 2>/dev/null; then rm -f /dev/${EXTERNAL_FLASH}p1 continue fi IMAGE=`ls /sysroot/ReadyNASOS-*-arm.img 2>/dev/null | head -n1` if [ ! -s "$IMAGE" ]; then umount /sysroot continue fi break fi done [ -s "$IMAGE" ] && break usleep 250000 done if [ $j -eq 60 ]; then echo "Could not find RN25 external boot flash!" show_error "Could not find RN25 external flash device!" fi umount /sysroot echo "$EXTERNAL_FLASH" EXTERNAL_FLASH="/dev/${EXTERNAL_FLASH}" } find_external_boot_device() { echo -n "Searching for external boot flash device..." found="no" for i in `seq 1 60`; do mdev -s # This should be the path for the front USB port # try mount raw device first for sd in /sys/block/sd?; do EXTERNAL_FLASH=$(basename $sd) if ! mount -t vfat /dev/${EXTERNAL_FLASH} /sysroot >/dev/null 2>/dev/null; then continue fi IMAGE=`ls /sysroot/ReadyNASOS-*.img 2>/dev/null | head -n1` if [ ! -s "$IMAGE" ]; then umount /sysroot continue fi found="yes" break done # try mount partion 1 ~ 4 if [ $found = 'no' ];then for p in `seq 1 4`; do for sd in /sys/block/sd?; do dev=$(basename $sd) EXTERNAL_FLASH=$dev$p if ! mount -t vfat /dev/${EXTERNAL_FLASH} /sysroot >/dev/null 2>/dev/null; then continue fi IMAGE=`ls /sysroot/ReadyNASOS-*.img 2>/dev/null | head -n1` if [ ! -s "$IMAGE" ]; then umount /sysroot continue fi break 2 done done fi [ -s "$IMAGE" ] && break usleep 250000 done if [ $i -eq 60 ]; then echo "Could not find external boot flash!" show_error "Could not find external flash device!" fi umount /sysroot echo "$EXTERNAL_FLASH" EXTERNAL_FLASH="/dev/${EXTERNAL_FLASH}" } update_flash_arm() { MD5SUM=$(dd if=$IMAGE bs=16384 count=1 2>/dev/null | grep -a info:: | sed -e 's/.*md5sum=//' -e 's/,.*//') if ! [ "$MD5SUM" = "`dd if=$IMAGE bs=16384 skip=1 2>/dev/null | md5sum | awk '{ print $1 }'`" ]; then show_error "flash image checksum does not match!" fi [ ! -d /tmp/flash ] && mkdir /tmp/flash cd /tmp/flash dd if=$IMAGE bs=16384 skip=1 2>/dev/null | tar x || show_error "OS image extraction failed!" for fl in /sysroot/u-boot-${SYSTYPE}-*; do [ -f $fl ] || break cp -f $fl /tmp/flash echo "done" done for fl in /tmp/flash/u-boot-${SYSTYPE}-*; do [ -f $fl ] || break FLNAME=$(basename $fl) flash_erase /dev/mtd0 0 0 nandwrite -p /dev/mtd0 ./$FLNAME echo "done" done for fl in /tmp/flash/kernel.${SYSTYPE}; do [ -f $fl ] || break FLNAME=$(basename $fl) flash_erase /dev/mtd2 0 0 nandwrite -p /dev/mtd2 ./$FLNAME done # there is only kernel/kernel.arm/kernel.alpine from 6.4.0 if [ ! -f /tmp/flash/kernel.${SYSTYPE} ]; then if [ $SYSTYPE = "rn202" -o $SYSTYPE = "rn204" -o $SYSTYPE = "rn212" -o $SYSTYPE = "rn214" ]; then #Alpine series if [ -f /tmp/flash/kernel.alpine ]; then mv /tmp/flash/kernel.alpine /tmp/flash/kernel sed -i -e '/kernel$/d' -e 's/kernel.alpine/kernel/' /tmp/flash/csums.md5 fi fi if [ -f /tmp/flash/kernel ]; then flash_erase /dev/mtd2 0 0 nandwrite -p /dev/mtd2 ./kernel fi fi for fl in /tmp/flash/initrd*; do [ -f $fl ] || break FLNAME=$(basename $fl) flash_erase /dev/mtd3 0 0 nandwrite -p /dev/mtd3 ./$FLNAME done # copy files to ubifs, then dual boot supported by uboot works # Manufactures use new nand flash with low quatility which has more bad blocks then boot from /dev/mtd1 may fail # JustinM add feathers to let uboot fallback to boot kernel/initrd from ubifs cp /tmp/flash/* /boot_flash || show_error "could not update ubifs!" sync umount /boot_flash umount /sysroot cd / } format_mtd4() { echo -n "Internal flash crashed, format it..." ubidetach -m 4 flash_erase /dev/mtd4 0 0 sleep 1 ubiattach /dev/ubi_ctrl -m 4 sleep 1 ubimkvol /dev/ubi0 -N rootfs -m sleep 1 echo "done" } write_flash_arm() { mdev -s ## find external boot usb device if [ $SYSTYPE = "rn25" -o $SYSTYPE = "s2000" -o $SYSTYPE = "folio" ]; then find_RN25_external_boot_device mount -t vfat ${EXTERNAL_FLASH}p1 /sysroot || show_error "could not mount external flash" else find_external_boot_device mount -t vfat ${EXTERNAL_FLASH} /sysroot || show_error "could not mount external flash" fi if [ -f /sysroot/NTGR_DEBUG.* ]; then echo "Found debug flag file" debug="yes" umount /sysroot rescue_shell fi #internal mtd rootfs if ubiattach /dev/ubi_ctrl -m 4; then echo "Internal flash attached" else format_mtd4 fi mdev -s find_boot_device_arm [ ! -d /boot_flash ] && mkdir /boot_flash if mount -t ubifs ${BOOT_FLASH} /boot_flash; then rm -f /boot_flash/root.tlz fi mdev -s IMAGE=`ls /sysroot/ReadyNASOS-*-arm.img | head -n1` [ -s "$IMAGE" ] || show_error "no source flash image found" echo -n "Writing internal nand flash device..." update_flash_arm echo "done" } enter_debug_mode() { if [ $SYSTYPE = "rn25" -o $SYSTYPE = "s2000" -o $SYSTYPE = "folio" ]; then find_RN25_external_boot_device mount -t vfat ${EXTERNAL_FLASH}p1 /sysroot || show_error "could not mount external flash" else find_external_boot_device mount -t vfat ${EXTERNAL_FLASH} /sysroot || show_error "could not mount external flash" fi if [ -f /sysroot/NTGR_DEBUG.* ]; then echo "Found debug flag file" debug="yes" umount /sysroot rescue_shell else umount /sysroot fi } echo "Starting USB Recovery..." lcd_line1 " ReadyNAS " lcd_line2 " USB Recovery " echo "ARCH: $arch" if [ $arch = "x86" ]; then get_sys_type_x86 elif [ $arch = "arm" ]; then get_sys_type_arm fi if [ -z $SYSTYPE ]; then show_error "Get systype failed!" else echo "Got systype=$SYSTYPE" fi enter_debug_mode if [ $arch = "x86" ]; then write_flash_x86 else write_flash_arm fi clear_lcd echo "Recovery Done" lcd_line1 "Recovery Done" sleep 1 /sbin/poweroff -fHow does the unit boot up?
serial 0 115200 0 timeout 30 prompt 1 default Normal label Normal kernel kernel append initrd=initrd.gz reason=normal label FactoryDefault kernel kernel append initrd=initrd.gz reason=factory label OSReinstall kernel kernel append initrd=initrd.gz reason=os_reinstall label TechSupport kernel kernel append initrd=initrd.gz reason=diag label SkipVolCheck kernel kernel append initrd=initrd.gz reason=skip_fsck label MemoryTest kernel memtest label TestDisks kernel kernel append initrd=initrd.gz reason=test_disks
The x-flex raid by default is enabled and will assimilate any non usb hardware. So that
needs to be disabled after you flash/recover the device.
What device do you have?
Was there something specific you wanted to point out in that boot code? Note that I'm not interested in the method it uses, I want to know why someone has chosen that it does this automatic update at all. I did not intentionally update it and did not want an update to occur. I just booted it with no drives installed. It is, as best I can tell, contrary to all the Netgear documentation.
As I said in my original message, I have seen this occur on an RN4200V2 and Ultra4 converted to OS6, and also on an RN312. I can understand that the converted legacy devices could have an issue, since I'm sure there isn't a lot of testing going on with them. But the 312 is a native OS6 device.
Na, Just that support doesn't know what they are talking about for the most part.
So I posted the init to show you how they actual dev's did things, What you see is the actual
conditions scripted by the software team that causes the system to try to correct itself.
The readynas os itself has services in debian that auto run at boot that self update itself.
Overall they took the approach to code in micro automated management with the assumption
that we are inexperienced and has simple methods to self manage the unit.
However I have not seen them code in version control. Since we are all told that we need to update
to a speific version before applying the next. Whom do not listen end up in using the usbbootrecovery
or brinking the internal flash.
But you can turn services of that enable the self update.
Deleting the startup entries usualy casues them to return.
The interal flash has its own boot manager that boots to /dev/sda and does the automating of installing itself,
Thus enabling the system to update itself.
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