Hello, I had a previous topic on a server that had an unreliable Ethernet connection. Could reboot and it would work for awhile, then die. Seemed like hardware but it was suggested it might need a rebuild. https://community.netgear.com/t5/ReadyNAS-Storage-Apps-Old-Legacy/ReadyNAS-Connectivity-issues/m-p/1599927 OK...so after a long wait, I have decided to go forward. I am going to put in two new drives as I wanted to upgrade anyway and then do a new build. Question is, should I use whatever old firmware it has, then upgrade, or leave it old, or. do I start the build with a new firmware, and how do I do that? Thumbdrive? I was just able to fire it up and it connected. Says it is running 6.5.0 and wants me to upgrade to 6.9.5. Is that suggested? Better and no issues? Thanks!

linkup1 wrote: I was just able to fire it up and it connected. Says it is running 6.5.0 and wants me to upgrade to 6.9.5. Is that suggested? Better and no issues? Yes, you should upgrade. You'll need disks installed to upgrade. Perhaps start with one, do the upgrade, and then do a factory reset with the new drives in place. I'm running 6.9.5 with no problems.

linkup1 wrote: If I take the system down, put in a new drive, and boot it back up, won't it be forced to do a new install? Yes. linkup1 wrote: And then could put in the other drives. Does it matter that 4 of the six will be from the prevous build? If the drives are formatted, then you will need to format them to add them to the array. Also, you can only put in the other drives if they are the same size or larger than the initial drive. One additional consideration is that you will be rebuilding the RAID array 5 times if you insert one drive first and then add the others. With all this in mind, I suggest hot inserting all the remaining drives after the initial factory install, and then doing a "Perform Factory Default" via the web ui (system->settings). That will avoid the concerns above (and build the RAID array only once).

You could do that, but it's not what he is suggesting. The NAS will add the additional drives to the volume one at a time, going through multiple re-syncs. It will be long and a lot of work for the drives. You best bet is to put any of the drives in and let it create a new volume. Then update the OS. Then power off, install the remaining drives, and do a "Factory Default". That will build the 6-drive volume in one sync. Way faster. Of course, you lose all data on the drives doing that, but I think you already know that.

linkup1 wrote: I pulled all of the drives and left in a 3TB to do a "new" build on. Although I did a factory reset, it retained my old volume information. I thought a factory default would erase my configuration and start me fresh? It sounds like you didn't do a factory reset. Is is possible you did an OS reinstall? Is the system running the correct firmware?

if you pulled the old drives, then updated with a separate new drives, then put the old drives back in, then the old drives would boot up with the same old system. so unless you want to keep using that old system and data, then you need to do a factory default. - the OS is stored ON the array, so the os goes wherever the disks go - if you are starting fresh even with old disks, they will still need wiped or factory defaulted to clear and reinitialize - the fastest way is to start with ALL the disks you plan to use so the raid is built and synced ONE time - if you have mixed size disks, then your volume size will be dependent on the smaller disk sizes and quantity in relation to the other disks. - it is NOT recommended to have 3 different size disks, otherwise there will likely be space that is unavailable until the smaller disks are upgraded.

Need help with ReadyNAS Pro rebuild

17 Replies

Replies have been turned off for this discussion

StephenB
Guru - Experienced User
Mar 08, 2019
linkup1 wrote:

I was just able to fire it up and it connected. Says it is running 6.5.0 and wants me to upgrade to 6.9.5. Is that suggested? Better and no issues?

Yes, you should upgrade.

You'll need disks installed to upgrade. Perhaps start with one, do the upgrade, and then do a factory reset with the new drives in place.

I'm running 6.9.5 with no problems.
- linkup1
  Aspirant
  Mar 08, 2019
  If I take the system down, put in a new drive, and boot it back up, won't it be forced to do a new install? And then could put in the other drives. Does it matter that 4 of the six will be from the prevous build?
  
  Thanks
  - StephenB
    Guru - Experienced User
    Mar 08, 2019
    linkup1 wrote:
    
    If I take the system down, put in a new drive, and boot it back up, won't it be forced to do a new install?
    
    Yes.
    
    linkup1 wrote:
    
    And then could put in the other drives. Does it matter that 4 of the six will be from the prevous build?
    
    If the drives are formatted, then you will need to format them to add them to the array. Also, you can only put in the other drives if they are the same size or larger than the initial drive.
    
    One additional consideration is that you will be rebuilding the RAID array 5 times if you insert one drive first and then add the others.
    
    With all this in mind, I suggest hot inserting all the remaining drives after the initial factory install, and then doing a "Perform Factory Default" via the web ui (system->settings). That will avoid the concerns above (and build the RAID array only once).

Forum Discussion

Need help with ReadyNAS Pro rebuild

17 Replies

Related Content

How to Rebuild raid?

ReadyNAS Shares not showing 'Available' and 'Consumed' space after rebuild

Disk 1 of 4 failed on RN424, degraded - Rebuild Steps?

Rebuild Time - 800+ Hours?

Rebuild at disk swap

NETGEAR Academy

ProSupport for Business