3TB support for Sparc-based ReadyNAS NV+ and Dou

GPT is not supported for sparc processors as Linux development for sparc stopped prior to the development of GPT support. As GPT is essential for >2TB support, Netgear would have to develop this - it is very unlikely to happen. This does not mean firmware development has stopped, just that the sparc based NAS will be limited to 2TB drives

sphardy wrote:
GPT is not supported for sparc processors as Linux development for sparc stopped prior to the development of GPT support. As GPT is essential for >2TB support, Netgear would have to develop this - it is very unlikely to happen. This does not mean firmware development has stopped, just that the sparc based NAS will be limited to 2TB drives

THANK YOU sphardy, this was the first real clear answer I gotten from anyone.
I've called Netgear support and sent several emails before but all the answers avoided the question entirely. It seems like I will need to start upgrading my ReadyNAS NV+ and DOU to Intel-based one or run with the QNAP NAS.

There is work going on in the Linux community around GPT support for SPARC. There is already GPT support for FreeBSD which is a distant cousin of Linux. Whether or not Netgear will pick up these up and port them is an open question. I would very much like to see the SPARC-based machines get a new lease of life with support for 3TB and beyond.

Will that run on 32-bit FreeBSD systems? Sparc ReadyNAS are 32-bit so any code that requires 64-bit would be useless. FreeBSD doesn't appear to use EXT3 or EXT4 as the filesystem (correct me if I'm wrong). Not sure if the filesystem is relevant.

If GPT support is developed for 32-bit Sparc and it can be backported then hopefully it will be done, but personally I wouldn't count on that anytime soon. NetGear wouldn't use GPT code for Sparc unless it's proven to be stable. If it is ever implemented, I wouldn't be surprised if another factory default will be needed for the same reasons as it was needed for 4k sector support.

dev - looking at the prices and ratings of some of the 4 bay Qnaps, especially the lower end, a constant complaint is that they are very slow and low powered. The customers who gave info had transfer speeds less than the NV+ yet, the unit was over $100 more. They also use a Marvell processor. I would be very inclined to go to the Ultra series for the relatively small price difference. There you know you get a 64bit processor, 1GB of memory and very good transfer speeds.

Hello.

This may be slightly off-topic but what about the older readynas 600 unit?
Is that also have the 2TB limit?

Thanks.

armornone wrote:
Hello. This may be slightly off-topic but what about the older readynas 600 unit? Is that also have the 2TB limit? Thanks.

Yes - The Pro, Ultra & NVX Desktops and 2xxx/3xxx/4xxx Rack Mount models feature x86 processors and therefore will support >2TB HDD

The Infrant ReadyNAS 600 was the first ReadyNAS model released. See http://www.facebook.com/NETGEAR.ReadyNAS/posts/10150107938982967

It's a Sparc ReadyNAS and has the 2TB limit, of course.

The 600 is not to be confused with the x86 models sphardy mentioned e.g. the Ultra 6 diskless (RNDU6000).

mdgm wrote:
The Infrant ReadyNAS 600 was the first ReadyNAS model released. See http://www.facebook.com/NETGEAR.ReadyNAS/posts/10150107938982967 It's a Sparc ReadyNAS and has the 2TB limit, of course. The 600 is not to be confused with the x86 models sphardy mentioned e.g. the Ultra 6 diskless (RNDU6000).

You are telling me that all the money I have spend on my 3 readynas devices, the 600, the NV and the NV+ have now become obsolete?

I really hope that this is not the case. I hope the Jedi or programers can fix this mess before Hitler finds out. Hitler is not going to like this one bit.

My Fuhrer will not be pleased. Just look at how he reacted when I had to tell him about the IPAD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_EcybyLJS8

I really don't want to be the one to tell Hitler about how all his readynas Equipment will be stuck on a 2TB drive just like the old 137GB limit that computers use to have.

Please give figure out how to make the readynas support larger than 2TB hard drive or else a video of Hitler's reaction might find its way on youtube!

I think that post is in extremely poor taste. There is no appropriate reason to discuss that man on this forum in my view.

It's not NetGear's fault that GPT wasn't developed for Sparc.