So here I am stuck again at the beginning. I've got the Ultra2 set up in RAID. But I realize that I don't need redundancy. I just need a large file server that can serve video files. Since RAID isn't backup, the backup will take place offline and I think I can set up the Ultra2 as two EXT4 volumes. This will give me optimally an 8TB media server, which is pretty nice. But how do we do this? I believe that the disk must be reformatted as EXT4 as there is no conversion that can be done as with RAID and FLEX. I am thinking of EXT4 because I think that if the ReadyNAS failes, a RAID or FLEX-RAID formatted disk cannot be read by anything other than the ReadyNAS.Now here comes the real problem.... this seems like a ridiculous question but my first run through setting up the Ultra2 was ghastly. I couldn't find any manual that provided me with the setup procedure that worked. I had to find some doc written by someone on a website on how to configure the Ultra2 using some specialized button settings to put the ReadyNAS into a reset mode, etc. Compared to my Synology, this was a real shocking nightmare. Is there anyone who can point me to the beginning to end processing of setting up the ReadyNAS that actually works? I realize that RaidAR and the software to login will not allow me to reformat directly, as appears the case with the Synology. It requires something be done on the Ultra2.Thank you all for your help and your patience for my question!

bolder wrote:I realize that RaidAR and the software to login will not allow me to reformat directlyIt's (perhaps deliberately) not easy to find, but it's in there. Login to Frontview and click System:Update, then select the Factory Default tab. Click "Perform Factory Default" to permanently erase all data and configuration from the NAS.Once you've done that, run Raidar. Wait for it to find the NAS, then click Setup. I'm going by memory now, but I think you'll be presented with a choice between XRAID2 and FlexRAID, with some suboptions for FlexRAID. Choose FlexRAID and then select the non-RAID option (it's labeled "none", or maybe "---"; I forget exactly what, but it's the one that ISN'T "RAID0" or "RAID1"). Follow the directions; I think it reboots.Next, log back in to Frontview (username and password will have been reset to the default admin/netgear1). Click Volumes:Volume Settings (click the "Switch to Advanced Control" button if you don't initially see the Volumes button). From there, it should be obvious how to format each of your drives. When you're done, you'll have one volume named "C" and one named "D".A Google search for the Ultra 2 user's manual might be helpful, as well.

The NAS will use ext4.It isn't clear from your post whether you're using xraid or flexraid at the moment.If your using xraid then you'll need to factory default ( can be done in Frontview), then you will have a 10 minute window during which you need to use Raidar ( the PC utility) to discover the NAS and select flexraid.Once you have done this you can manipulate your volumes as you wish and it should be easy to set up 2 volumes as you propose.I think the reset description you are referring to is the boot menu method for doing a factory default.

And a little more...If you create two non-redundant volumes, you won't exactly get an 8TB drive; you'll get two 4TB drives. If you want to store more than 4TB of data on the NAS, you'll have to manually choose how to split it between the two drives.A better solution, if you want a single 8TB drive, is to use FlexRAID and choose "RAID0" instead of "none". That will combine your two drives into one volume. The only issues are:1) In the unlikely event that the NAS fails, it won't be impossible to read the data from that volume using a PC, but it won't be trivial, either.2) If either drive fails the entire volume will be unusable.But you say that you'll have an offline backup, so those issues shouldn't be a large concern.

Wow - that was super quick!!! Thanks guys.At the moment I'm using X-RAID2 and I'm not sure if that's proprietary and guessing that it was. From your messages it would appear that I'll need to reset to factor and reformat the disks, which is fine. Thanks so much, truly.Regarding the one big drive -- thank you for that solution. It doesn't really matter if there are two drives seen on the network. It's a small inconvenience and either drive can be searched. However if the NAS does fail, there is the potential for files being cross written on both disks, etc. so better to be safe than sorry, at least so it would appear. I did find the instructions - there is something unclear in the manual that caused me to hunt the Internet to find this:Hold down the reset button when booting, until all the lights are lit up.Press usb backup button twice until Disk 1 LED is lit. Then press reset.ReadyNAS will start to format the HD and you will be able to choose Raidar and see the drive online and it will say "Installing" and the light will be blue.Boot Menu All lights litNormal Power Led litFactory Default Disk 1 Led LitOS Reinstall Disk 2 Led LitTech Support USB Led LitSkip Vol Check Power Led and Disk 1 Led LitMemory Test Power led and Disk 2 Led LitTest Disk Power Led and USB Led Lit

This is maddening. So everything went as planned - thanks. Logged into FrontView and you have to go to Volume Settings. There is no option to format the drives in anything other than RAID 0 or 1. There is no option to get two drives formatted as EXT3 or EXT4. I'm using RAIDiator 4.2.26 so I've got the latest update but it's just not there. I look in the manual and I don't see it either. Hmmmm.... I'd really like to avoid having to use RAID-0 as one big 7.38TB hard drive and would prefer to have the dual drives. It makes replacing the data so much easier than need to restore twice the data in case one fails!

How to Reformat Disks in ReadyNAS Ultra 2

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bolder1
Aspirant
Feb 20, 2014
Wow... thanks.... you are a total lifesaver!

Yes... it does work but the choice for "add volume" is inconspicuous and so easy to miss.

I think I'm incredibly frustrated because compared to the Synology NAS I just bought, using this Ultra 2 that I bought just 8 months ago is like using Windows 95 vs WIndows 7. After buying the ReadyNAS I was surprised to find the add-ons section neglected for years. Reading this forum it's as though help is provided through the goodwill of people like yourself, to whom I'm grateful. It looks like it is finally set up as C and D, non-proprietary format. Again.... many thanks. Sorry about the frustration! 8)
fastfwd
Virtuoso
Feb 20, 2014
Glad it's working.

A few things:

1. If you aren't already running RAIDiator 4.2.26, upgrade by clicking System:Update. This is particularly important if you're running firmware earlier than 4.2.24.

2. After upgrading the firmware, make sure you have the latest BIOS. Download this addon:
http://www.readynas.com/download/addons/x86/4.2/BIOS_Update_Package_0.5-x86.bin
and install it by clicking Add-ons:Add New. Click Browse and find the downloaded addon file, then click Upload And Verify Image. If your BIOS is already up-to-date, this will do no harm. Note that although the BIOS-upgrader installs like an addon, it isn't actually an interactive addon: It won't appear in the list of installed addons, and there's nothing to remove after you install it.

3. It might be a good idea to install the Enable Root SSH addon, just in case you need to get access to the NAS's Linux command line sometime. Download the addon from here: http://www.readynas.com/?p=4203 (choose "x86") and install it the same way you installed the BIOS addon. Like that one, this "addon" isn't really an add-on; it won't appear in the list of installed addons, and there's nothing to remove after it's installed. The warning on the download page about Netgear denying support probably isn't anything to worry about; all it really means is that since they can't possibly support all the crazy things people might do once they have complete access to the NAS's Linux internals, they won't necessarily help you fix anything that you break by using the command line. Simply installing the addon does not void your warranty.

4. It's true that many of the addons that have been created are no longer maintained, but many are still kept up to date, and even the old ones often work just fine. See https://rnxtras.com/addons/category/readynas-os4-x86 for the addons created and maintained by WhoCares. If you see other addons that interest you (even "official" addons from Netgear), ask here on the forum before installing them, just to make sure that you're not about to install one of the old addons that actually doesn't work very well. In particular, it's better to install the PHP addon from WhoCares than the much older, unmaintained PHP addon from Super-Poussin. Many of the other Super-Poussin addons work great -- I'm using a number of them -- but he's now concentrating on addons for OS6, so his OS4 addons are all unmaintained, as far as I can tell. Slobberbone also has a few useful addons, but his web page seems to be down at the moment. Maybe it'll be up again soon: http://www.slobberbone.net/dotclear/index.php?pages/ReadyNAS-Addon
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired
Feb 20, 2014
You can run ReadyNAS OS 6 on the Ultra 2 if you want a more modern web-admin interface, but upgrading to that requires a factory default (wipes all data, settings, everything).
bolder1
Aspirant
Feb 20, 2014
mdgm - I was under the impression that ReadyNAS OS 6 isn't supported on the Ultra 2.

http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/20684/~/readynas-downloads
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired
Feb 20, 2014
You can install it. See e.g. http://www.readynas.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=70133
bolder1
Aspirant
Feb 21, 2014
mdgm - Thanks for the reference. I'll take a look through the thread and see what the limitations are and the potential benefits. I truly appreciate you pointing me to this option which Netgear apparently isn't offering or supporting officially. Hard to believe but it is what it is and with many thanks to you guys.

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How to Reformat Disks in ReadyNAS Ultra 2

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