RN516 stuck at WELCOME

[TOM2806]

After loading of the new firmware my system "rebooted" and stucked at once at the Welcome message. Ok I decided to accept to loose all my data and wanted to make a reboot via the RESET button on the backside. I tried it 50 to 100 times with pressed reset button and switching on power but the reset button seems to be ignored. After powering on the welcome appears and nothing else happens beside full throttle ventilation. Do I have to throw away my RN516? Thanks a lot for a good hint, Tom

[StephenB]

The process is described on pages 120-121 here:  http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/READYNAS-100/ReadyNAS_%20OS6_Desktop_HM_EN.pdf

If you do manage to trigger it, I suggest trying the OS reinstall first - it has worked for some folks, and it would preserve your data.

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@TOM2806 wrote:

Do I have to throw away my RN516? 

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Hopefully not.  One option is to connect one of the disksto a Windows PC and zero it (either using Seatools or WD's Lifeguard program).  Then power up the NAS with only the blank disk installed.  It should do a factory install automatically.  If that works, zero the remaining disks and add them to the array.  If your disks are different sizes, then start with the smallest one.

[TOM2806]

Dear Stephen,

thanks for your fast reply. Of course I did all this actions like discribed on page 120 and 121. I even pressed the reset button more than 30 min without any result. Now I will try your proposal with the "zero" disk. Hopefully this will work. I will keep you posted. 

[StephenB]

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@TOM2806 wrote:

Hopefully this will work. I will keep you posted. 

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Sometimes the reset button does break, so you should also check your warranty status (5 years for the original purchaser).

[TOM2806]

Hi Stephen,

I tried the solution wth the "Zero" Disk. Unfortunately system remains also at the welcome message.

Yes it migth be that the reset button is broken internally even I have the feeling hat i still can push him. And bad luck - my waranty is over since I bought the system in May 2014. Seems I am in deep **bleep** now. Any other idea? Thanks for your effort

[StephenB]

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@TOM2806 wrote:

I tried the solution wth the "Zero" Disk. Unfortunately system remains also at the welcome message.

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Perhaps try again, and see what status RAIDar gives you.https://kb.netgear.com/20684/ReadyNAS-Downloads#raidar

Note that a zeroed/blank disk is NOT the same as a reformatted disk.

[zero101a]

Hi there,

I have a RN516 exhibiting the same symptom’s as yours. Stuck on Welcome with Fans at full speed. Inaccessible from RAIDar, and cannot even see a boot screen by plugging in keyboard and monitor.

Mine is well out of warranty, so is a door stop at the moment.

As far as I can work out the problem is a corruption of the onboard BIOS chip.

Netgear cannot (will not) help with out of warranty hardware issues.

I did see a post on a Polish forum, where someone managed to copy the firmware from a working RN516 and copy it via a programmer over the faulty chip.

This took a great leap of faith that they wouldn’t kill the good unit in the process.

Good luck in your endeavours to fix yours.  

[TOM2806]

Dear community,

thanks for you try to help me with my ReadyNAS. Since it is out of warranty and I have no chance to use it anymore it is time to forget about Netgear. So I will waste my ReadyNAS Pro 6 and ReadyNAS 516 and will switch to QNAP. Thanks for your collaboration, maybe we will meet each other in the forum of the famous competitor. Wish you luck with your NAS and hopefully your box will not stop after 5 year and 1 month like mine. Thanks again