Ok, here's what I am faced with.I had a perfectly fine ReadyNAS Ultra 4 with 4 x 3 Tb drives running 4.17 with about 3-4 Tb of data on it. I moved it to a new lan with different IP arrangement and couldn't get communications going with the RAID. So i started a factory default reset, not realizing this would format my drives and start a new RAID system. Just as it started the firmware update process (i don't think anything else runs before that) i saw the manual said it would wipe my drives, so i quickly popped out all 4 drives and turned off the RAID. I put in a spare 80 Gb drive instead and it did boot up with factory defaults upon next power on with same firmware version as before. The factory defaults set it to get an IP address from the DHCP server, and now i can attach to and work with the Ultra 4 once again, albeit with the new 80 Gb drive.It would seem that I can just take out the 80 Gb drive and put my original drives at this point, and the whole array will come up. But i need to make sure I follow the EXACT CORRECT procedure to get my old RAID back online because i do not have a backup of this data. I tried the phone support and after $100, 3 hours and 12 transfers, I could not even get a person on the phone coherent enough to be able to even find a technician would could actually handle the issue, but instead got passed around from dept to dept, each saying a different group handled support for this product. My fully charged phone battery finally died and I gave up trying to speak to absolute idiots in 12 different countries who could not even tie their own shoes if their lives depended upon it. Can you imagine? And these Gear Head people are supposed to support a product such as a ReadyNAS RAID? What a joke. Where are the old-fashioned American Netgear techheads i used to be able to talk to who actually WORK on the product day in and day out? Not Chinamen who never even used one or saw one!Anyone able to help me here? Can I simply take out the 80 Gb spare and load in my 4 drives?

You removed the drives before turning the NAS off?That doesn't sound good.How long did you wait before you shutdown the unit after the factory reset. If it was more than about 10 minutes the NAS would've wiped the disks and the data would be gone.I'd suggest you post your tech support case number.

JessKaufman wrote:Can I simply take out the 80 Gb spare and load in my 4 drives?No.The os and config are stored on the drive(s), not in the firmware flash.in other words, the 80gig drive is completely irrelevant to the 4 drives with your data.Did you pop out the drives while the nas was running?If so, then mostly likely are out of sync with each other (meaning that the data striped across the drives is no longer consistent and possibly corrupted).If you are lucky and they are not out of sync, or you shut down the nas before removing the drives, it may be possible to boot up in tech support mode and let support remote in and disable the factory default commands/config and hopefully get the array back up and mounted.I would recommend posting your support ticket # to the post topic and let support get involved.Your data could already be gone, or it could be salvagable... so don't do anything that might make it go bye bye.Another possible way, if you are knowledgable with linux and linux software raids, is to attach the 4 drives to a linux box and try to get the /c volume mounted without being in the nas.That is a last resort tho.Hopefully you can avoid the painful lesson losing data, that raid is not a substitute for backups.

>You removed the drives before turning the NAS off?Yes>That doesn't sound good.There was no drive activity. The screen indicated that the unit was loading new firmware. There should not have been anything going on with the discs write-wise anyhow; at most, it was reading firmware off the drives, but it may have used firmware from internal flash or downloading it form internet.>How long did you wait before you shutdown the unit after the factory reset. If it was more than about 10 minutes the NAS would've wiped the disks and the data would be gone.It was less than 10 minutes .. maybe a minute or so? and it never completed the firmware update even, so it never got to the point where it would be setting up a new RAID, thereby wiping the discs.>I'd suggest you post your tech support case number.case #16372263 how will that help?

>The os and config are stored on the drive(s), not in the firmware flash.in other words, the 80gig drive is completely irrelevant to the 4 drives with your data.Did you pop out the drives while the nas was running?Yes. If i didn't, i was risking that it would start to format my discs. The screen indicated it was installing firmware, and i did the quickest thing possible to stop the process.>If so, then mostly likely are out of sync with each other (meaning that the data striped across the drives is no longer consistent and possibly corrupted).Wouldn't that be the case on if data was being written?>If you are lucky and they are not out of sync, or you shut down the nas before removing the drives, it may be possible to boot up in tech support mode and let support remote in and disable the factory default commands/config and hopefully get the array back up and mounted.That sounds like a plan.>I would recommend posting your support ticket # to the post topic and let support get involved.I did>Your data could already be gone, or it could be salvagable... so don't do anything that might make it go bye bye.I sure hope not. I am doing nothing, waiting for someone who knows exactly how to proceed before I do anything. Right now i have the spare 80 Gb in the RAID and it is up and running.>Another possible way, if you are knowledgable with linux and linux software raids, is to attach the 4 drives to a linux box and try to get the /c volume mounted without being in the nas.That is a last resort tho.Ok>Hopefully you can avoid the painful lesson losing data, that raid is not a substitute for backups.I know of course. But i have no easy way to back up 4 Tb of data without a 2nd RAID.

>> that isn't good>> during a factory default, the firmware is extracted from the on-board flash memory and installed to the disks. It does not download from the internet during the factory default, only from the firmware flash.>> if you were within the 10 minute configuration period, then your data has probably not been erased. The bigger problem is from removing the drives while it was running (see my post above).>> posting your support ticket # will help the jedi's on the board find your specific support details without having to guess.Regardless of your initial experience with support, your very likely to have to keep them involved and get it escalated to level 2 or 3 in order for them to remote and diagnose the damage or state of the volume.instead of pulling each of the drives, next time just pull the plug or flip the power switch on the back. That would have aborted the default, then you could have simply restarted the nas.It is possible that you could simply power down, put the drives back in and power back up and be back and running as if nothing happened... but how much of a risk are you willing to take to find out? Waiting for support to remote in is your safest bet.Btw I would forget about the 80 gig drive and don't even mention it to support. Shut down the nas, put the original drives back in the device in the same order they were in, and wait for them to tell you to boot up in support mode (via the boot menu).

Technical challenge for RNDU4000 Ultra 4 (#16372263)

18 Replies

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mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired
Aug 09, 2011
You removed the drives before turning the NAS off?

That doesn't sound good.

How long did you wait before you shutdown the unit after the factory reset. If it was more than about 10 minutes the NAS would've wiped the disks and the data would be gone.

I'd suggest you post your tech support case number.
TeknoJnky
Hero
Aug 09, 2011
JessKaufman wrote:
Can I simply take out the 80 Gb spare and load in my 4 drives?

No.

The os and config are stored on the drive(s), not in the firmware flash.

in other words, the 80gig drive is completely irrelevant to the 4 drives with your data.

Did you pop out the drives while the nas was running?

If so, then mostly likely are out of sync with each other (meaning that the data striped across the drives is no longer consistent and possibly corrupted).

If you are lucky and they are not out of sync, or you shut down the nas before removing the drives, it may be possible to boot up in tech support mode and let support remote in and disable the factory default commands/config and hopefully get the array back up and mounted.

I would recommend posting your support ticket # to the post topic and let support get involved.

Your data could already be gone, or it could be salvagable... so don't do anything that might make it go bye bye.

Another possible way, if you are knowledgable with linux and linux software raids, is to attach the 4 drives to a linux box and try to get the /c volume mounted without being in the nas.

That is a last resort tho.

Hopefully you can avoid the painful lesson losing data, that raid is not a substitute for backups.
JessKaufman
Aspirant
Aug 09, 2011
>You removed the drives before turning the NAS off?
Yes

>That doesn't sound good.
There was no drive activity. The screen indicated that the unit was loading new firmware. There should not have been anything going on with the discs write-wise anyhow; at most, it was reading firmware off the drives, but it may have used firmware from internal flash or downloading it form internet.

>How long did you wait before you shutdown the unit after the factory reset. If it was more than about 10 minutes the NAS would've wiped the disks and the data would be gone.
It was less than 10 minutes .. maybe a minute or so? and it never completed the firmware update even, so it never got to the point where it would be setting up a new RAID, thereby wiping the discs.

>I'd suggest you post your tech support case number.
case #16372263
how will that help?
JessKaufman
Aspirant
Aug 09, 2011
>The os and config are stored on the drive(s), not in the firmware flash.
in other words, the 80gig drive is completely irrelevant to the 4 drives with your data.
Did you pop out the drives while the nas was running?
Yes. If i didn't, i was risking that it would start to format my discs. The screen indicated it was installing firmware, and i did the quickest thing possible to stop the process.

>If so, then mostly likely are out of sync with each other (meaning that the data striped across the drives is no longer consistent and possibly corrupted).
Wouldn't that be the case on if data was being written?

>If you are lucky and they are not out of sync, or you shut down the nas before removing the drives, it may be possible to boot up in tech support mode and let support remote in and disable the factory default commands/config and hopefully get the array back up and mounted.
That sounds like a plan.

>I would recommend posting your support ticket # to the post topic and let support get involved.
I did

>Your data could already be gone, or it could be salvagable... so don't do anything that might make it go bye bye.
I sure hope not. I am doing nothing, waiting for someone who knows exactly how to proceed before I do anything. Right now i have the spare 80 Gb in the RAID and it is up and running.

>Another possible way, if you are knowledgable with linux and linux software raids, is to attach the 4 drives to a linux box and try to get the /c volume mounted without being in the nas.
That is a last resort tho.
Ok

>Hopefully you can avoid the painful lesson losing data, that raid is not a substitute for backups.
I know of course. But i have no easy way to back up 4 Tb of data without a 2nd RAID.
TeknoJnky
Hero
Aug 09, 2011
>> that isn't good

>> during a factory default, the firmware is extracted from the on-board flash memory and installed to the disks. It does not download from the internet during the factory default, only from the firmware flash.

>> if you were within the 10 minute configuration period, then your data has probably not been erased. The bigger problem is from removing the drives while it was running (see my post above).

>> posting your support ticket # will help the jedi's on the board find your specific support details without having to guess.

Regardless of your initial experience with support, your very likely to have to keep them involved and get it escalated to level 2 or 3 in order for them to remote and diagnose the damage or state of the volume.

instead of pulling each of the drives, next time just pull the plug or flip the power switch on the back. That would have aborted the default, then you could have simply restarted the nas.

It is possible that you could simply power down, put the drives back in and power back up and be back and running as if nothing happened... but how much of a risk are you willing to take to find out? Waiting for support to remote in is your safest bet.

Btw I would forget about the 80 gig drive and don't even mention it to support. Shut down the nas, put the original drives back in the device in the same order they were in, and wait for them to tell you to boot up in support mode (via the boot menu).
JessKaufman
Aspirant
Aug 10, 2011
>> that isn't good

>> during a factory default, the firmware is extracted from the on-board flash memory and installed to the disks. It does not download from the internet during the factory default, only from the firmware flash.

>> if you were within the 10 minute configuration period, then your data has probably not been erased. The bigger problem is from removing the drives while it was running (see my post above).
I SURE HOPE SO

>> posting your support ticket # will help the jedi's on the board find your specific support details without having to guess.
But there really isn't much info on the record since after 3 hours on the phone i never even got to speak to someone about my actual problem. Any special tech numbers for technical people who work for NETGEAR who actually know what they are doing?

>Regardless of your initial experience with support, your very likely to have to keep them involved and get it escalated to level 2 or 3 in order for them to remote and diagnose the damage or state of the volume.
Easy to say. I couldn't even get one person out of a dozen who even knew what product i was talking about.

>instead of pulling each of the drives, next time just pull the plug or flip the power switch on the back. That would have aborted the default, then you could have simply restarted the nas.
Of course. I panicked.

>It is possible that you could simply power down, put the drives back in and power back up and be back and running as if nothing happened... but how much of a risk are you willing to take to find out? Waiting for support to remote in is your safest bet.
I can wait.

>Btw I would forget about the 80 gig drive and don't even mention it to support. Shut down the nas, put the original drives back in the device in the same order they were in, and wait for them to tell you to boot up in support mode (via the boot menu).
Good point.

Thanks everyone
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired
Aug 15, 2011
Edit the title of the thread (i.e. the subject of the first post in the thread) to include your case number.

Try calling NetGear again and ask for your case to be escalated.
JessKaufman
Aspirant
Aug 15, 2011
Thanks for the suggestion. How do i avoid going to india if i call the main number? they keep trying to pass me around to different groups and sell me support. Note: not in warranty.
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired
Aug 15, 2011
So have you had the unit over 90 days? Basic phone support is free for the first 90 days since purchase.

You could perhaps try using an Online Case (refer to your phone case in this). See http://www.readynas.com/support
JessKaufman
Aspirant
Aug 18, 2011
Okay, here is the final result. I emailed back and forth with Netgear support and they gave me the BLAH BLAH BLAH your data could be lost and then they said just shove the drives in. Which I did and HOLY SMOKES everything came up just fine! Thanks to all those folks who pitched in to help me out.

I guess the factory reset did not get too far, at least not far enough to wipe my data. I am going to be more careful in the future, but I think any routine that takes an existing RAID filled with data and wipes it out is a STUPID one unless the user verifies time and time again that this is what he wants to do!