ReadyNAS RN628X stuck booting after confirming reboot to install firmware 6.10.0

This is what I get when the system tries to boot. This is actually after the fact, because the putty session crashes when I power the device off because it can't read from the serial device. :

SYSLINUX 4.06 EDD Load error - Boot error

Reboot and Select proper Boot device
or Insert Boot Media in selected Boot device and press a key

I can't really try to see what's going on while I try a USB recovery, because of what I noted above. But after the fact I get the same error as above.

I received my replacement NAS today and before I am going to put my old disks in (in the same sequence) I want to understand a bit how configs and OS is stored on the ReadyNAS devices. I came across a thread linked to this threat where the following steps were advised:

1. Start by doing a clean install in the replacement NAS using a scratch disk (not in the array, as it will be reformatted).  Then install 6.10.0 on the NAS.
2. After that, power down and insert your original disks.
3. Power up, the system should either
 a. immediately come up or
 b. install 6.10.0 on the disks, and then come up.

This seems as a good start which I for sure will try. Before I take an action I later regret I want to make sure that the above is not influenced by:

1. The OS on the hard disks of my old NAS is probably 6.10.0 and the latest version now is 6.10.1. So if I do step one now firmware 6.10.1 will be on the NAS;

2. I have encrypted my hard disks and use an USB stick from which the key is loaded when I start-up the NAS. Could this influence the above steps.

Thinking about the steps are my assumptions correct that:

1. The configuration is only stored on the hard disks (as a clean install with a new hard disk and then replace the hard disk with the old ones should restore my old data and functionality and that makes me think that the confguration is on the harddisks and not on the read only memory of the NAS itself. Is this assumption correct?;

2. The OS itself is installed on both the read only memory and the hard disks and in normal situations when the OS is corrupted on the NAS it will be loaded from the hard disks again.Again is this assumption correct?

Again I want to understand what is stored where (on the read only memory of the NAS itself or the harddisks or on both) to have a bit of extra comfort level that after updating the firmware on the replacement NAS (from the supplied 6.6 to 6.10.1) and then powering it down, putting my old hard disks in and restarting it will result in my old functionlity and data restored. I don't have any apps installed and only use of what is native included in the OS of the RN628X.

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ronaldvr2132 wrote:

 

1. The configuration is only stored on the hard disks (as a clean install with a new hard disk and then replace the hard disk with the old ones should restore my old data and functionality and that makes me think that the confguration is on the harddisks and not on the read only memory of the NAS itself. Is this assumption correct?;

Yes

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ronaldvr2132 wrote:

 

2. The OS itself is installed on both the read only memory and the hard disks and in normal situations when the OS is corrupted on the NAS it will be loaded from the hard disks again.Again is this assumption correct?

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As far as it goes yes.  Another aspect is what happens if the version of the OS on the disks differs from what it is in the flash memory.

If that is the case, then in an OS-6 NAS the newest version wins.  That is, if the flash memory holds 6.10.1 and the disks hold 6.10.0, then the disks will be updated to 6.10.1.  If the flash memory holds 6.10.0 and the disks hold 6.10.1 then the flash is updated.

The idea of updating the flash with the scratch disk first is to minimize the mismatch - preferrably not updating either the the disks or the flash memory until you are ready/willing to do that.

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ronaldvr2132 wrote:

So if I do step one now firmware 6.10.1 will be on the NAS;

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I'm not sure how you are reaching that conclusion.  You can install 6.10.0 manually on the scratch disk - either upgrading (or downgrading) the flash memory.  Either way, you can ensure that 6.10.0 is in the flash before you migrate the disks.

Hi StephenB  thank you very much for the clarrification. I will manually update the new NAS to 6.10.0 and then migrate the harddisks over. Fingers crossed all data and configs is still there. Thanks again.

After receiving my replacement RN628X I updated the firmware to V6.10.0 with a new initial install using a new hard disk. After this firmware update I have shut down the NAS and replaced the new hard disks by my old hard disks and started the NAS up again and now it is up and running again. Although I hope Netgear can find a solution that prevents that a ReadyNAS get's bricked with a firmware update, I am happy with the provided solution and support!