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ReadyNAS Issues with startup
Hi, my Ready NAS Duo with 2x2TB disks is gettign a bit old. Yesterday, after a power outage the unit rebooted and went into RAID Sync. When it finished I could not see the NAS on my network, nor could RAIDar see it. I shut it down and restarted it. It again went into sync. During this process, RAIDar could see it and determine that it was sync'ing. Once the sync was complete I could not see it again, mor could RAIDar. I assume that it is broken beyond repair
If I buy a new ReadyNAS 212, can I simply use my existing disks without losing any data?
TIA
The next step is to back up the data - especially if disk 2 is also fairly old.
Once that is taken care of, you can hot-insert a new disk 1. After that resyncs, everything will be back to normal.
RossB1 wrote:
I have an unused HCL approved spare HDD ST2000DM001 sitting around. This is the same as the disk in the ReadyNAS.
They are on the HCL, but the Barracuda drives don't have a good reputation reliability in RAID arrays. The 3 TB drive seems particularly trouble-prone, so it's possible that the other drives in the family don't deserve that reputation. Once you have a backup, there's no reason not to use the Barracuda you already have.
Though generally I recommend NAS-purposed drives (WDC Red or Seagate Ironwolf) or (if more performance is needed) enterprise class. I use mostly WDC Reds myself. I have a duo v1, it has a WD20EFZX ( 2 TB Red) and an older Seagte (I don't recall the model off-hand).
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RossB1 wrote:
If I buy a new ReadyNAS 212, can I simply use my existing disks without losing any data?
No. You'd have to offload the files from your current disks. Netgear support can mount them temporarily in the RN212 (though that wouldn't be free), or you could download them yourself if you can connect a drive to the PC (either with SATA or a USB adapter/dock).
If the filesystem is intact, you can connect drive 1 of the NAS to the PC, and use the free r-linux for windows utility to access the files ( https://www.r-studio.com/free-linux-recovery/ ).
However, I think there could be some file system damage as a result of the power issue. If that's the case, the free utility won't be enough, you will need data recovery. You could try the r-studio recovery software, or perhaps the more expensive Reclaime. Either way, you can see what the software can recover before you purchase.
Netgear's services here are described here:
https://kb.netgear.com/69/ReadyNAS-Data-Recovery-Diagnostics-Scope-of-Service
RossB1 wrote:
I assume that it is broken beyond repair
I don't think so. I think something has been corrupted on the disks as a result of the power failure. Note the operating system itself is also installed on the disks. There's nothing in your description that suggests that the NAS itself has failed.
So I think that after you get the files off the NAS, you can do a factory default procedure, which will format the disks and do a clean install. Then you can reconfigure the NAS and reload the files.
Though the duo is an end-of-life product that was discontinued several years ago - so you should be considering replacing it. The RN212 or the RN422 would be both be good candidates. Both are faster than your duo, and have more features. You could repurpose the duo as a backup NAS.
Another suggestion is that you should consider getting a UPS for the NAS. Many UPS support Network UPS Tools (NUT), which allows the NAS to monitor the UPS status, and shut down cleanly when the power fails.
Is it worth trying an OS reinstall form the Boot Menu? Is there a risk that I might lose data doing this? I guess I coould remove 1 disk and keep it aside.
An OS-reinstall is generally safe, but I don't think it will help. There are some situations (particularly a full OS partition) where it can make things worse.
I suggest powering down the NAS and removing disk 1. Power up, and see if it boots normally (with file access). If that fails, then power down again, and try this test with only disk 2 in place (in slot 2, don't move it to slot 1).
If either of these works, then the next step is to offload the data. Don't try reinserting the missing disk. The fastest way to offload is to copy the data to a PC that is connected with ethernet.
Then I'd recommend testing both disks in a Windows PC, using vendor tools (Seatools for Seagate, Lifeguard for Western Digital).
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