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Forum Discussion
Factory reset ReadyNas RN 204 without loosing data on Disk 2
Hi all, I recently experienced a failed drive (disk 1) in my ReadyNas 204 (OS 6.10), which is fine as I have the data backed up. However, I have also been experiencing the "volume root is 100 full"...
Can I remove Drive 2, install a new drive in Bay 1, do the factory reset, and then re-insert Drive2 in Bay 2, without it loosing its data? Or is there an alternative way of achieving this. Many thanks in advance
BEFORE you do ANYTHING, poweroff ReadyNas, get a PC with an SysrtemRescue CD (Partitionmagic DVD(USB stick), do cloning the OS disk and the disk #2 to empty same sized disks (eg. Disk #2 has 2TB, so buy a 2TB disk) clone it to that (either by a USB 3 cloning disk station or by ddrescue in LInux) and do the same to the OS disk (to another empty disk"
Never ever change e.g. Disk #2 by a new one without backup OS disk and Disk#2. ESPECIALLLY YOU HAVE ENCRYPTED DISKS OR RAIDS....
8ohmh wrote:
Never ever change e.g. Disk #2 by a new one without backup OS disk and Disk#2.
sixx did say he has a full backup the files on the failed Disk #1.
Cloning disk #2 is an option I guess, but it won't solve the full root partition. If the volume is still mounted, backing up the data files on it is IMO a better option - since it would allow just doing a factory default to get a clean OS, followed by restoring the media from the backup.
Generally I don't recommend cloning unless it is part of a data recovery effort (e.g, eliminating risk of more damage to a failing disk). One reason is that any sectors that can't be copied can't be repaired by RAID - RAID recovery depends on knowing which sector is errored, and cloning loses that information.
8ohmh wrote:
ESPECIALLY YOU HAVE ENCRYPTED DISKS OR RAIDS....
You raise a good point here - I was assuming no volume encryption. I don't encrypt my own volumes, and I really don't know if you can export/import an encrypted ReadyNAS volume.
The solution StephenB gave assumes the two drives are separate volumes. It sounds like that's the case, but please confirm so the advice given is correct for your situation.
Did you start experiencing the error messages before or after Drive 1 failed? While the process of creating a new primary volume and importing the old media volume will temporarily solve the full OS partition issue, you also need to figure out why it happened to insure it doesn't again.
There is one potential reason for cloning drive 2 before you do the export and that's that an exported volume can't be put into a NAS by itself as a primary volume, where it can before it's exported. At least, it can't be done with any tools or process made public by Netgear. Since the import is automatic, I've been unable to figure out what is done in the export process that might be able to be undone.
One thing @StephenB didn't expressly warn about is that the volume name and no share names can be the same on the new volume as are on the volume to be imported. If you're just essentially re-creating the failed Volume, that would likely have been the case anyway, but I though I should mention it.
I have, by the way, done an export and import. I originally did several as tests with my "sandbox" NAS, but I ultimately did it for real. One of my tests was doing exactly what you are doing, except the primary volume didn't really die. I ran into no problems, so I don't feel that a clone of the volume to be exported is all that important so long as you have the backup and are willing to go through the restoration process if it comes down to that. But if you are on the verge of a full OS partition, there may be a risk I didn't run into.
You both (StephenB and Sandshark) have your statements maybe correctly given, but Sixx wrote:
Can I remove Drive 2, install a new drive in Bay 1, do the factory reset, and then re-insert Drive2 in Bay 2, without it loosing its data? Or is there an alternative way of achieving this. Many thanks in advance
My answer: No, a factory reset (as it named, does reset all structures etc.) SO before anything copy keys etc. by the ReadyNAS GUI
In a factory reset it and disk changing is always better to follow the primary guidance in data rescueing: Always make clone backups of data/OS disks. Copying OS files etc. (as far he can access by eg Linux the disk array ) takes a huge more time (and sometimes there are commands relying on correct date/time) than simply cloning.
As far Sixx hasn't stated his real competence in Linux/ReadyNas OS etc. (If he would be a expert he wouldn't ask you both StephenB and Sandshark, (Sorry Sixx)) it is the best way before changing disks etc. than losing complete OS with Data. That's my opinion (See my work in LinuxNTFS ntfesundelete and Linux myrescue tool etc....)
Anyway, I discontinue follwing the thread.
I agree that it is essential that sixx confirm that he does in fact have two volumes before proceeding with this idea.
8ohmh wrote:
Can I remove Drive 2, install a new drive in Bay 1, do the factory reset, and then re-insert Drive2 in Bay 2, without it loosing its data? Or is there an alternative way of achieving this. Many thanks in advance
My answer: No, a factory reset (as it named, does reset all structures etc.) SO before anything copy keys etc. by the ReadyNAS GUI
If there is a single volume, the answer clearly would be no - and I almost answered the original post that way.
But if there are two volumes, then you can avoid losing one of the volumes by exporting it. Then you'd recreate the primary volume - that process would give a clean OS partition. When the second volume is imported, then the OS partition on it would be re-synced.
It would be best to back up both volumes first.
8ohmh wrote:In a factory reset it and disk changing is always better to follow the primary guidance in data rescueing: Always make clone backups of data/OS disks.
Well, we just disagree here. He's not in a data recovery scenario with failing disks, and he does have access to the data. And he doesn't need to preserve the OS partition.
I do agree that he needs to back up the data, but a normal backup is what is needed in this case.
FWIW, I've never needed to clone a ReadyNAS disk. I've always relied on normal backups. When I've chosen to do a factory reset, I've just restored the data from those backups after reconfiguring the NAS. If I lost a volume when replacing a disk, I'd just do the same.
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