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Forum Discussion
Just Want to Make Sure I'm Going to Do this Right!
Hello All,
I just purchased a ReadyNas Ultra 6+. It's sitting on my desk next to me. I haven't powered it on. About a year ago I purchased a Ultra 4 but had a lot of problems getting it to work so I eventually sent it back. Every time I installed a drive (which was a known good drive, they had all been removed from another server) the ReadyNAS started to format and then decided the drive was corrupt.
Reading through this documentation last night I found the following information:
This explains this exact problem I had last time. I want to avoid any problems this time - so, here's my current scenario:
* I have eight Samsung Spinpoint F4 HD204UI disks that have all been previously used.
* Four of them are in a Linux box right now.
* Four of them have been installed in the ReadyNAS
* The ReadyNAS has not yet been powered on.
* Once the NAS is operational, two will be removed from the linux box and installed in the ReadyNAS.
* I have not yet installed Radiator on my workstation (windows 7).
Since all the drives are preformatted, it sounds like I'll need to perform a "factory default" installation to prepare the drives. Here's the process I found in the manual:
So, from how I understand it, I should do the following:
1. Connect the ReadyNAS to the network and power. Leave it off.
2. Press and hold the reset button.
3. Press the power button while still holding the reset button.
4. Wait for all the LEDS to illuminate. Stop holding in the reset button.
5. Press the backup button until only the Disk 1 LED is illuminated.
6. Press the reset button once. The system should reboot itself at this point, set itself to factory defaults and prepare format all the installed disks as XRaid-2.
7. Once this is finished I should install Radiator on my workstation and begin configuration using that tool.
So here are some questions:
* Should I start with all four drives installed? Or one? Or two? My thought is that perhaps I should start with only one installed - if something goes wrong, then it won't corrupt all four drives at once.
* What if I muck up the procedure? For example if I think I'm holding down the reset and I'm not - should I immediately try to power it off before it corrupts the drives?
* if I get everything right and it starts doing the factory default reset, is there any feedback to let me know things are going well? How long should this take? Will I know when its done? Should I wait until it's done to install/begin configuration with Radiator?
* Anything I missed?
Sorry, I know this sounds like a bunch of crazy - but my last experience was atrocious and i really want to avoid any complications this time. THANKS!
I just purchased a ReadyNas Ultra 6+. It's sitting on my desk next to me. I haven't powered it on. About a year ago I purchased a Ultra 4 but had a lot of problems getting it to work so I eventually sent it back. Every time I installed a drive (which was a known good drive, they had all been removed from another server) the ReadyNAS started to format and then decided the drive was corrupt.
Reading through this documentation last night I found the following information:
You must take care when using previously formatted disks in your ReadyNAS unit, as described in the following table.
Turn the unit off and insert the disk as described in Diskless Units on page 7. Then, perform a factory default reboot as described in the boot menu section for your ReadyNAS unit:
• Ultra 2, Ultra 2 Plus, and Pro 2 Boot Menu on page 14
• Ultra 4, Ultra 4 Plus, Pro 4, NVX Pioneer, and NVX (Business Edition) Boot Menu on page 21
• Ultra 6, Ultra 6 Plus, Pro 6, Pro Pioneer, and Pro (Business Edition) Boot Menu on page 28
Note: This process erases all data and reformats the previously formatted disk to X-RAID2. If you want to preserve the data on the disk, you must move the data to an external drive before using the previously formatted disk in your ReadyNAS unit.
If you try to use a previously formatted disk in your unit without following this process, the unit will indicate that the disk is corrupt.
This explains this exact problem I had last time. I want to avoid any problems this time - so, here's my current scenario:
* I have eight Samsung Spinpoint F4 HD204UI disks that have all been previously used.
* Four of them are in a Linux box right now.
* Four of them have been installed in the ReadyNAS
* The ReadyNAS has not yet been powered on.
* Once the NAS is operational, two will be removed from the linux box and installed in the ReadyNAS.
* I have not yet installed Radiator on my workstation (windows 7).
Since all the drives are preformatted, it sounds like I'll need to perform a "factory default" installation to prepare the drives. Here's the process I found in the manual:
Factory default. Initiates a short disk test that takes approximately 5 minutes, then begins a 10-minute time-out period waiting for RAIDar. During the 10-minute time-out period, the system can be powered off safely without causing any data loss. After 10 minutes, or if you select the factory default option with RAIDar during the time-out period, the factory default process begins.
To access the boot menu:
1. Power off your unit.
2. Using a straightened paper clip, press and hold the Reset button.
3. Press the Power button to power on the unit.
4. Continue to press the Reset button until the Power button LED, USB and backup status LED, disk 1 LED, and disk 2 LED illuminate.
5. Press the Backup button to scroll through boot mode options.
The unit shows the boot mode options using the LEDs, as described in the following table:
Factory default: Disk 1 LED illuminates.
Press and release the Reset button to confirm your boot menu selection.
The system boots in the selected boot mode.
So, from how I understand it, I should do the following:
1. Connect the ReadyNAS to the network and power. Leave it off.
2. Press and hold the reset button.
3. Press the power button while still holding the reset button.
4. Wait for all the LEDS to illuminate. Stop holding in the reset button.
5. Press the backup button until only the Disk 1 LED is illuminated.
6. Press the reset button once. The system should reboot itself at this point, set itself to factory defaults and prepare format all the installed disks as XRaid-2.
7. Once this is finished I should install Radiator on my workstation and begin configuration using that tool.
So here are some questions:
* Should I start with all four drives installed? Or one? Or two? My thought is that perhaps I should start with only one installed - if something goes wrong, then it won't corrupt all four drives at once.
* What if I muck up the procedure? For example if I think I'm holding down the reset and I'm not - should I immediately try to power it off before it corrupts the drives?
* if I get everything right and it starts doing the factory default reset, is there any feedback to let me know things are going well? How long should this take? Will I know when its done? Should I wait until it's done to install/begin configuration with Radiator?
* Anything I missed?
Sorry, I know this sounds like a bunch of crazy - but my last experience was atrocious and i really want to avoid any complications this time. THANKS!
1 Reply
Replies have been turned off for this discussion
- You grabbed the ultra-2 boot menu instructions. An ultra-6 has a front panel status display, so the instructions are simpler.
1. Power off your unit.
2. Using a straightened paper clip, press and hold the Reset button.
3. Press the Power button to power on the unit.
4. Continue to press the Reset button until the status display screen shows an boot menu message.
5. Press the Backup button to scroll through the boot mode options.
6. Press and release Reset button to confirm your boot menu selection.
The system boots in the selected boot mode.
So you will know with certainty what boot menu choice you are executing, since you will read it on the display.
The alternative method is to use your PC to delete the partitions from all the drives. Then the Ultra will automatically do a factory default reset. This has the advantage that you can also look at the SMART statistics, and weed out any disks with reallocated sectors or similar issues.Should I start with all four drives installed? Or one? Or two? My thought is that perhaps I should start with only one installed - if something goes wrong, then it won't corrupt all four drives at once.
You will put less stress on the drives if you put them all in at once. If you add them sequentially, you will re-write all sectors on the already-done drives every time you put in a new disk.
BTW, there is no need to wait to install RAIDar, you might as well put that on your PC first. RAIDar will show you the current status, and after the OS is installed you will be able to log into FrontView. That will show you the progress. Though the estimated completion times are frequently too long.
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