ReadyNas Ultra 6 Stuck on Boot

If it's really an Ulta6 PLUS, then the 4-pin CPU connector is used.  The Ultra6 only uses the 24-pin and 4-pin MOLEX.  Only other thing would be to make sure it's set for the correct input voltage if it's one that has a switch for that.

Since the NAS does not boot without drives, the problem is not on the drives.  That leaves a hardware issue other than the PSU and a corrupt flash as the possibilities.

Can you boot to support mode using the reset button menu?  Can you even get to the reset button menu?

If you have suitable RAM, you could try that, but it's a long shot.

The recovery tool for your legacy NAS is located here: RAIDiator-4-2-USB-Recovery-Tool.  You can either recover to OZS4.2.x and then re-convert to OS6 or use an OS6 upadate file re-named to resemble an OS4.2.x one when you create the recovery.

Thanks Sandshark 

Couple of questions before I start:

- Is it as simple as downloading the OS6 firmware and renaming it to the same name as the OS4.2 firmware file?

- Is there any consequences of re-installing? Does it wipe the drives? Will I lose the data, etc.?

- If I want to stick with OS6, can I just use any version of OS6 in the recovery process? Will it do anything to the drives etc.?

- If I go with OS4, will it do anythign to the drive content? If I choose to then upgrade again, I preusme it will wipe drives and Ill have to go through that process again?

Sorry for all the questions, Im a little nervoius of making things worse or losing all the data....

Thanks

Sandshark 

So I completed the following steps:

1. Downloaded the 'RAIDiator 4.2: USB Recovery Tool' - https://kb.netgear.com/30267/RAIDiator-4-2-USB-Recovery-Tool
2. Downloaded the OS6.10.10 firmware - https://kb.netgear.com/000065999/ReadyNAS-OS-6-Software-Version-6-10-10
3. Extracted the USB Recovery Tool to the desktop (usbrecovery folder) and placed the extracted OS6.10.10 image into the same folder
4. Renamed the OS6.10.10 img to 'RAIDiator-x86-6.10.10' (ive also tried the OS6.10.8 img)
5. Found a USB drive (I tried 3 different ones to be sure - 1x8gb, 2x4gb) and formatted to FAT32
6. Ran usbrecovery and selected the img file (RAIDiator-x86-6.10.10) to create the USB Recovery
7. Went to the NAS, inserted the USB drive, held down the backup button and powered on the NAS
8. Lights on the USB drive flash 3 times as iff the NAS is reading it then they stop, the unit is still on the Readynas logo... Unit hasnt turned off yet and been on for about 30mins so far...

😭Not sure what to do next.... Should I try using a OS4.2 img and see if that works?

You can try a 4.2.31 image, but I doubt it will make much difference.  At this point, I think the thing to do is to install a VGA cable and see what messages are being displayed during boot.  I get mine here: https://www.pccables.com/VGA-Port-HD15F-Adapter-to-IDC16.html .  You can sometimes find them elsewhere, but they are getting harder to find as VGA has almost entirely been replaced by HDMI.

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SpikeyHedgehog wrote:
Sandshark
Is this one the same
https://www.ebay.ie/itm/285890927488?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=5282-175127-2357-0&ssspo=u47hb0aDS3i&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=jxRIq4I0RVK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
Thanks

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It is the right kind of cable, but appears too short to install in a ReadyNAS permanently.  So. good for troubleshooting but would likely need to be removed if troubleshooting is successful and the NAS put back in service.

The MBR error indicates you probably do have a corrupted flash, so a USB recovery is the correct path.  The boot error on USB recovery indicates that either you didn't create the flash correctly (and from your message, I think you did it right) or the flash drive isn't one the NAS "likes".  The legacy units can be picky about them.  You should try others -- the older the better.

Unfortunately, the next issue could be that your VPD was also affected when the flash was corrupted.

Sandshark 

I have to thank you for all your support over the last month in trying to diagnose my issue.

I went searching the house and remembered I had a USB drive from Pixieprint (500mb one) somewhere in the house. Grabbed that, formatted it, used the usbrecovery and re-flashed OS6 and hey presto we are now back up and running. Who needs those baby photos on the USB drive in anyway 🤣🤐

So NAS is back up and running, only thing ive noticed is that 'Model', 'Serial' and 'Antivirus' sections under system->device are blank. Do you think that will cause any issues?

Thanks again for all your help,

I'm glad we got to the bottom of it and you are back up and running.

The model and serial number come from the VPD.  So if those are wrong, it does sound like your VPD has an issue.  But that normally won't allow it to boot at all.  If the OS doesn't know the model, then it doesn't know it's not one of those low-powered ARM units that can't run antivirus, so that could also be related.  What does RAIDar report for the model and serial number?

Now you've got me wondering if there is yet another undocumented feature of OS6.10.10 -- that the VPD is no longer essential to booting because Netgear doesn't want to be in the business of replacing them any more.  But I would think that would cause other issues where the OS didn't know how to address the hardware properly.

Sandshark 

Hey,

Found the NAS using RAIDar and the following detail come up:

Model: □S1□a□□□S1□a□□□S1□a

Serial: □□S1□a□□□S1□a

Firmware: 6.10.10

Thanks

That is definitely a sign you have a corrupted VPD, which does make me surprised you can boot at all and that you don't have other hardware-related issues.

Does the display seem to work correctly?  The fans?  No warnings in the log about secondary voltage problems?

Sandshark 

Eek... That doesnt sound good.... Any idea how to fix the VPD....

In terms of functionality of the NAS:

• Display: Seems fine, a little pixelated, but it was doing that before I had the issues (I think)
• Fans: They all seem fine, havent noticed anything weird
• Log: Everything looks green

The VPD is an encrypted file specific to your NAS that can only be created by Netgear.  If you have access to another Ultra6, you could copy the file from it.  It will then show a duplicate serial number.  But with no Netgear support and ReadyCloud gone, that's not going to cause any issues.

The process to access the VPD is here: Backup-and-restore-of-VPD-file-for-legacy-ReadyNAS-running-OS6.