ReadyNV: Can´t get out the Tray...

Not knocking anyone on this thread but these sticky push button catches are painfully easy to rectify. Granted I will totally and wholeheartedly agree with all of you that they should not lock up “in use” in the first place! Without a complete redesign from Netgear, which would not be necessary, there would be a very simple fix at the factory during assembly, silicon grease the pusher slide button! The entire front button pusher unit is completely lubricant free??. We all know that virtually all moving parts benefit from lubrication where two or more parts are rubbing or sliding against each other, unfortunately Netgear’s design department thought their choice of materials would alleviate the need for lubricant. Love the product guys but come on, this is basic stuff here, yes? All this aggravation could be solved without a complete reworking of the plastics moulding line, tooling or materials – just a spot of silicon grease on the button slide assembly.

I have been using these units for a few years now, never had to replace a tray but every one of them has suffered from this push button issue. It is an inconvenience for the end use to resolve, but not a mass technical exercise. Before I deploy these units on-site I will disassemble the drawer faceplate unit and silicon grease the button slide assembly.

A personal guide to a minor spot of ReadyNAS tray maintenance -

[Apologies if this is a bit long winded, it literally is a step by step guide]

[Please read “Usual disclaimer proviso” at the foot of my post first before conducting any work] for those who wish to try it:

To do this should take no more than 10minutes per tray, we are only removing the shroud around the push button, no spring removal, and no special tools, just a Flat head screwdriver, a Philips screwdriver, a pair of tweezers [due to small parts] and a small amount of silicon grease, oh and a toothpick or other small item to place the silicon grease exactly on the right spot. To do this minor maintenance tweak obviously Power the ReadyNAS Unit Down in the usual way.

If the drawers currently have a jammed button unit, there is NO NEED to force the button with ANYTHING. Simply follow the suggestion of “r2-d2” & “yoh-dah” second and third post down on page one of this post. Insert a strong paperclip or jeweller’s screwdriver through the front vent [above the jammed button push] into the third hole up on the RHS or LHS then push down. This method will open the tray catch whether the button assembly is locked or jammed. Remove the hard drive tray with hard drive attached and place on work bench or other safe flat antistatic surface, remove the hard drive from the tray, and carefully remove the two Philips head screws from the inside of the hard drive tray [holding front button assembly onto metal tray]. The ONLY thing that needs to be removed here is the small shroud or cover around the front button. The small shroud around the button is held in by two small catches, to remove this, take your flathead screwdriver and CAREFULLY prise the two catches from the back [second hole up on the outer edges] of the unit. The front button cover should now pop off [be careful of small parts bouncing onto the floor and getting lost]. Place the button unit, pusher slide piece [looks like a miniature bookend!], two springs and button faceplate cover on your work bench. [Five small parts in total plus one complete faceplate assembly].

The only parts I ever need to place a SMALL amount of silicon grease onto are the guide assembly and pusher slide piece. [There is NO NEED to drown this entire slider unit in silicon spray or oil] If you want to grease the four small guide sliders on the rear [viewed via third holes up on the out edges of the main unit] then so be. Return to the front of the main unit and open the front plate assembly [front vent – third hole up RHS etc] just to gain access and to ease grease up operation. The main part that causes all our jammed button issues is the small unit that would be under where the button would be [has a Y or a T shape as you look at it – depending on your point of view], this is where we need to grease, place a SMALL amount of silicon grease into the lower part of this channel and onto the pusher slide piece [looks like a miniature bookend!] part on your workbench.

That’s it – Time for reassembly:

Note: Simple realignment of parts is crucial or the unit will fail to mate back together again properly. On the under side of the button will be found two spring guide posts and one lock unit post/pin. The lock post pin position must be facing the upper part of main faceplate assembly or the button cover will not snap back on correctly.

Place your two springs back into the main unit, take the small pusher slide piece [looks like a miniature bookend!] and with your tweezers place miniature bookend into the small square on the underside of the button. Make sure that the taller end of the bookend is touching the lock unit post/pin. Now carefully mount the button back into the faceplate assembly [be careful of alignment – see note above] where you have previously placed the two small springs. Test the button push action works to your satisfaction, then carefully click the button cover shroud back onto the main unit. Note that there is a straight edge and a slight curved edge to the button cover plate. The curved edge goes to the lower most part of the main front assembly.

Remount the locking unit back onto the metal back plate, remount your hard drive into tray – return tray to your ReadyNAS, test open tray units to your satisfaction. Power ReadyNAS unit back on and forget about button jam issues for a time. Check again in 3 month/6 month time just because – you should find they open with no problems.

This tweak to the button slider catch is something that Netgear could do at the factory in a matter of seconds; I am disappointed that something so simple is causing such frustration to so many ReadyNAS users.

Usual disclaimer proviso: I am not responsible for your ability to damage your own hardware; my written word is intended as a Guide Only and taken from my personal experience with these units. If you find it useful then we are all happy ReadyNAS users, if you break it, I will not be held responsible for your technical inabilities – you have been warned!

If you feel you have not got the ability to perform this simple tweak DO NOT start the job, take it to your local computer repair shop along with this guide if you wish.

Good Luck