I attempted to upgrade my Ultra6 to OS6 and bricked it in the process. After several hours of "updating FW" in the display, I power cycled it. Now when I power it up again it displays the ReadyNAS logo with a scrolling progress bar, but no other activity. I have decided that booting from a USB recovery medium is the most likely way to fix this. I downloaded the recovery tool and the firmware image, but when trying to prepare the USB stick, the tool only offers me the .html release notes to transfer, not the actual firmware image. I copied the image to the USB stick manually and tried to boot from it, but it does not work. I would appreciate any help! Thanks, Christian

Have you tried the default password of netgear1? It would be unusual for the reset button to fail. I've not looked at the Ultra6 specifically, but most ReadyNAS use a double-pole switch with the two poles in parallel for redundancy. But after that, there is no redundancy, so something else may have failed. But a corrupt flash can also cause issues with the boot menu. so a USB recovery may help.

Sandshark wrote:Have you tried the default password of netgear1? It would be unusual for the reset button to fail. I've not looked at the Ultra6 specifically, but most ReadyNAS use a double-pole switch with the two poles in parallel for redundancy. But after that, there is no redundancy, so something else may have failed. But a corrupt flash can also cause issues with the boot menu. so a USB recovery may help.Ok... so a bit of progress. I was about to take the NAS to have the reset button repaired, but I found an old USB and gave it one more try and it actually allowed me to get to the boot menu! I navigated to OS reinstall and hit the reset button... everything booted up. However, when I tried admin/netgear1 it still did not allow me to access the share I am trying to get into. I can still see it through windows explorer, but same issue... can't login. I feel like I am right there... what am I missing?

SOLUTION: Soooo... I am in! I just didn't wait long enough. The USB recover did the trick. I was able to use the default password and I am now in. Backing up my shares to the cloud now! The solution (as stated on this thread) was just finding a compatible USB recover stick. Mine was an old Kingston DataTraveler G4 8 GB stick... Thanks to all who responded! Crisis averted!

chris_bfd wrote:I attempted to upgrade my Ultra6 to OS6 and bricked it in the process. After several hours of "updating FW" in the display, I power cycled it. Now when I power it up again it displays the ReadyNAS logo with a scrolling progress bar, but no other activity.That's odd. Does it come up like that whehter disks are installed or not? Did you install the Prep add-on so that a factory reset would be triggered at the appropriate time? Have you tried doing a factory reset using the boot menu (https://kb.netgear.com/21107/How-do-I-access-the-boot-menu-on-my-ReadyNAS-Ultra-6-Ultra-6-Plus-Pro-6-Pro-Pioneer-or-Pro-Business-Edition)? Note this wipes all data, settings, everything (and disks need to be installed obviously so that the disks are wiped), but you would have backed up your data before attempting to update to OS6, as the instructions advise to do so. chris_bfd wrote:I have decided that booting from a USB recovery medium is the most likely way to fix this. I downloaded the recovery tool and the firmware image, but when trying to prepare the USB stick, the tool only offers me the .html release notes to transfer, not the actual firmware image.The instructions for USB Boot Recovery could be written a lot better. Delete the .html release notes (that .html is only useful for reading the release notes offline if you wish to do that - it serves no other purpose) and it should then present the firmware image when you next open usbrecovery.exe. Also make sure that you are running the tool as an Administrator. If you want to put OS6 on instead of RAIDiator-x86-4.2.31 you'll need to rename the OS6 x86_64 firmware image to something starting with RAIDiator-x86- chris_bfd wrote:I copied the image to the USB stick manually and tried to boot from it, but it does not work.That is not going to work. You need a syslinux bootable USB key. In addition to the bootloader you need the initrd.gz, kernel, syslinux.cfg and firmware image. Simply copying the firmware image onto the USB key won't achieve that. There are alternative ways to create syslinux bootable USB keys e.g. using Rufus.Also note that not all USB keys are compatible with USB Boot Recovery so more than one could need to be tried. USB Boot Recovery can also have the side effect of corrupting the EEPROM. If this happens RAIDar will not detect the NAS model name etc.I would try and access the boot menu with disks installed and do a factory reset and then only if that doesn't work consider other options.

mdgm wrote:chris_bfd wrote:I attempted to upgrade my Ultra6 to OS6 and bricked it in the process. After several hours of "updating FW" in the display, I power cycled it. Now when I power it up again it displays the ReadyNAS logo with a scrolling progress bar, but no other activity.That's odd. Does it come up like that whehter disks are installed or not? Did you install the Prep add-on so that a factory reset would be triggered at the appropriate time? Have you tried doing a factory reset using the boot menu (https://kb.netgear.com/21107/How-do-I-access-the-boot-menu-on-my-ReadyNAS-Ultra-6-Ultra-6-Plus-Pro-6-Pro-Pioneer-or-Pro-Business-Edition)? Note this wipes all data, settings, everything (and disks need to be installed obviously so that the disks are wiped), but you would have backed up your data before attempting to update to OS6, as the instructions advise to do so. I followed those instructions. Yes, I do have a backup.mdgm wrote:chris_bfd wrote:I have decided that booting from a USB recovery medium is the most likely way to fix this. I downloaded the recovery tool and the firmware image, but when trying to prepare the USB stick, the tool only offers me the .html release notes to transfer, not the actual firmware image.The instructions for USB Boot Recovery could be written a lot better. Delete the .html release notes (that .html is only useful for reading the release notes offline if you wish to do that - it serves no other purpose) and it should then present the firmware image when you next open usbrecovery.exe. Also make sure that you are running the tool as an Administrator. If you want to put OS6 on instead of RAIDiator-x86-4.2.31 you'll need to rename the OS6 x86_64 firmware image to something starting with RAIDiator-x86- Removing the html file does allow me to select the proper firmware file. However, I still cannot boot from the stick. When holding the backup key during power on, I see some activity on the USB stick briefly, and then the unit just sits there with "ReadyNAS" in the display and no other activity. It is also not attempting to boot from disk, there is no progress bar. mdgm wrote:chris_bfd wrote:I copied the image to the USB stick manually and tried to boot from it, but it does not work.That is not going to work. You need a syslinux bootable USB key. In addition to the bootloader you need the initrd.gz, kernel, syslinux.cfg and firmware image. Simply copying the firmware image onto the USB key won't achieve that. There are alternative ways to create syslinux bootable USB keys e.g. using Rufus.Also note that not all USB keys are compatible with USB Boot Recovery so more than one could need to be tried. USB Boot Recovery can also have the side effect of corrupting the EEPROM. If this happens RAIDar will not detect the NAS model name etc.I would try and access the boot menu with disks installed and do a factory reset and then only if that doesn't work consider other options.I did attempt a factory reset as well. When I enter the boot menu and select Factory default and push the reset button again, the display changes to "Factory default", but nothing happens. That is what got me thinking I need to boot from USB since the flash image is probably corrupt. As for other options: I do have a second unit, which has been upgraded to OS6 a long time ago. I tried removing all of the disks from it and moved one disk over. It booted up and completed a factory reset on the disk (so it seems the process was started, but never completed on the broken unit). I then moved the disk back, but the device did not boot from that disk either.

Need help recovering ReadyNAS Ultra6 (RNDU6000)

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mdgm
Virtuoso
Jun 10, 2021
chris_bfd wrote:
I attempted to upgrade my Ultra6 to OS6 and bricked it in the process. After several hours of "updating FW" in the display, I power cycled it. Now when I power it up again it displays the ReadyNAS logo with a scrolling progress bar, but no other activity.
That's odd. Does it come up like that whehter disks are installed or not? Did you install the Prep add-on so that a factory reset would be triggered at the appropriate time? Have you tried doing a factory reset using the boot menu (https://kb.netgear.com/21107/How-do-I-access-the-boot-menu-on-my-ReadyNAS-Ultra-6-Ultra-6-Plus-Pro-6-Pro-Pioneer-or-Pro-Business-Edition)? Note this wipes all data, settings, everything (and disks need to be installed obviously so that the disks are wiped), but you would have backed up your data before attempting to update to OS6, as the instructions advise to do so.

chris_bfd wrote:
I have decided that booting from a USB recovery medium is the most likely way to fix this. I downloaded the recovery tool and the firmware image, but when trying to prepare the USB stick, the tool only offers me the .html release notes to transfer, not the actual firmware image.
The instructions for USB Boot Recovery could be written a lot better. Delete the .html release notes (that .html is only useful for reading the release notes offline if you wish to do that - it serves no other purpose) and it should then present the firmware image when you next open usbrecovery.exe. Also make sure that you are running the tool as an Administrator. If you want to put OS6 on instead of RAIDiator-x86-4.2.31 you'll need to rename the OS6 x86_64 firmware image to something starting with RAIDiator-x86-

chris_bfd wrote:
I copied the image to the USB stick manually and tried to boot from it, but it does not work.
That is not going to work. You need a syslinux bootable USB key. In addition to the bootloader you need the initrd.gz, kernel, syslinux.cfg and firmware image. Simply copying the firmware image onto the USB key won't achieve that. There are alternative ways to create syslinux bootable USB keys e.g. using Rufus.

Also note that not all USB keys are compatible with USB Boot Recovery so more than one could need to be tried.

USB Boot Recovery can also have the side effect of corrupting the EEPROM. If this happens RAIDar will not detect the NAS model name etc.

I would try and access the boot menu with disks installed and do a factory reset and then only if that doesn't work consider other options.
- chris_bfd
  Aspirant
  Jun 10, 2021
  mdgm wrote:
  chris_bfd wrote:
  I attempted to upgrade my Ultra6 to OS6 and bricked it in the process. After several hours of "updating FW" in the display, I power cycled it. Now when I power it up again it displays the ReadyNAS logo with a scrolling progress bar, but no other activity.
  That's odd. Does it come up like that whehter disks are installed or not? Did you install the Prep add-on so that a factory reset would be triggered at the appropriate time? Have you tried doing a factory reset using the boot menu (https://kb.netgear.com/21107/How-do-I-access-the-boot-menu-on-my-ReadyNAS-Ultra-6-Ultra-6-Plus-Pro-6-Pro-Pioneer-or-Pro-Business-Edition)? Note this wipes all data, settings, everything (and disks need to be installed obviously so that the disks are wiped), but you would have backed up your data before attempting to update to OS6, as the instructions advise to do so.
  
  I followed those instructions. Yes, I do have a backup.
  mdgm wrote:
  chris_bfd wrote:
  I have decided that booting from a USB recovery medium is the most likely way to fix this. I downloaded the recovery tool and the firmware image, but when trying to prepare the USB stick, the tool only offers me the .html release notes to transfer, not the actual firmware image.
  The instructions for USB Boot Recovery could be written a lot better. Delete the .html release notes (that .html is only useful for reading the release notes offline if you wish to do that - it serves no other purpose) and it should then present the firmware image when you next open usbrecovery.exe. Also make sure that you are running the tool as an Administrator. If you want to put OS6 on instead of RAIDiator-x86-4.2.31 you'll need to rename the OS6 x86_64 firmware image to something starting with RAIDiator-x86-
  
  Removing the html file does allow me to select the proper firmware file. However, I still cannot boot from the stick. When holding the backup key during power on, I see some activity on the USB stick briefly, and then the unit just sits there with "ReadyNAS" in the display and no other activity. It is also not attempting to boot from disk, there is no progress bar.
  
  mdgm wrote:
  chris_bfd wrote:
  I copied the image to the USB stick manually and tried to boot from it, but it does not work.
  That is not going to work. You need a syslinux bootable USB key. In addition to the bootloader you need the initrd.gz, kernel, syslinux.cfg and firmware image. Simply copying the firmware image onto the USB key won't achieve that. There are alternative ways to create syslinux bootable USB keys e.g. using Rufus.
  
  Also note that not all USB keys are compatible with USB Boot Recovery so more than one could need to be tried.
  
  USB Boot Recovery can also have the side effect of corrupting the EEPROM. If this happens RAIDar will not detect the NAS model name etc.
  
  I would try and access the boot menu with disks installed and do a factory reset and then only if that doesn't work consider other options.
  I did attempt a factory reset as well. When I enter the boot menu and select Factory default and push the reset button again, the display changes to "Factory default", but nothing happens. That is what got me thinking I need to boot from USB since the flash image is probably corrupt.
  
  As for other options: I do have a second unit, which has been upgraded to OS6 a long time ago. I tried removing all of the disks from it and moved one disk over. It booted up and completed a factory reset on the disk (so it seems the process was started, but never completed on the broken unit). I then moved the disk back, but the device did not boot from that disk either.
  - Sandshark
    Sensei
    Jun 10, 2021
    Are you creating a USB boot for OS6 or OS4.2.x? For an updated legacy NAS, you still have to use an OS4.2.x style USB boot but with a OS6 image, renamed as mdgm mentioned.
    
    If you are making an OS4.2.x boot, then the USB drive you are using is probably just not compatible. The legacy units are especially finicky about the device. I've found that staying under 8GB is best and the older the better. USB3 is completely out of the question. I have some ancient 2GB Lexars that work wonderfully, but have also had success (though just as a test) with an 8GB cheap bulk Chinese one like you can buy on Amazon or eBay. Wile the Ultra6 does have a display to let you know it's booting from USB, it's still useful to use a drive with an acccess LED to see if it's doing anything.
tunesmithers
Guide
Mar 15, 2024
I am in a similar boat this original poster was in. I can create the USB boot disk, but the unit just sits with ReadyNas on screen and no restart. However, my unit will boot up and I can see all is good in Frontview. The issue is my admin password stopped working. I set up the password recovery (via email) but I never get the email. Assuming they stopped supporting that when they stopped making this product. I have followed this thread and tried most of it (I don't know what that Telnet idea is... I'm not super savvy.

I also tried holding the reset to get to the boot menu, but it never shows up. It just loads normally.

I, however, do NOT have a full backup of the data on the drives and just wondering if I can do anything to get to the data (i.e. pull the drives into another (supported, newer) device.

Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated.
- StephenB
  Guru - Experienced User
  Mar 15, 2024
  tunesmithers wrote:
  
  However, my unit will boot up and I can see all is good in Frontview. The issue is my admin password stopped working.
  
  I am confused on this, since logging to Frontview requires the NAS admin password. Can you clarify exactly what stopped working?
  - tunesmithers
    Guide
    Mar 15, 2024
    Sorry for the confusion. I said Frontview, when I meant the RAIDr status screen that shows the MAC address, Model, Host Name, IP address and the status of drives, etc. The information window shows 4.2.31 which I assume is the NAS firmware.
    
    The issue started when I tried to login in using my admin login and password. It just stopped working. I tried using the password_recovery (via email method) that I had set up. No email ever comes (however, I am curious if that resets the password on my machine). Bottom line is that I can't login.
    
    I was reading through how to change the password, and one of the suggestions was to do an OS reinstall (so I don't lose data). I followed the instructions from netgear (holding the reset button) and that literally does nothing. It just boots normally.
    
    So then I followed in this thread and tried to use the USB recovery tool for 4.2.31 but no dice. I've tried 4 or 5 USB sticks, looking for older ones (as suggested). It would just say "ReadyNAs" on the device LCD but it never reboots, and I never get to the option of a usb recovery or anything. I found in a different post that even if it just shows "ReadyNas on the screen, that it could work, but it doesn't seem to be.
    
    I can see the shares through Windows explorer but whenever I click on them it is asking me to log in. So I feel pretty good that all the data is there, I just can't get to it.
    
    Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Need help recovering ReadyNAS Ultra6 (RNDU6000)

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