X-RAID2 "Dead", even though still fully-accessible

[NTake]

I have a ReadyNAS Ultra 4 Plus that I use primarily for storing music.  It has four Seagate IronWolf drives (3x3TB + 1x4TB) that show green buttons.  The volume is also completely accessible, readable by my Sonos system as well as desktop Windows computer.  However, when checking the Volume Settings-->RAID Configuration, the Status shows "Dead.  This volume is no longer available.".  Disk space also shows "0 MB (0%) of 0 MB used". 

Under Status-->Health, all buttons are green and drives are all "OK". 

Is this just a glitch or something I need to be concerned about?  If a glitch, any way to rectify it?

Thanks.

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

The steps are

(Optionally) make sure the latest BIOS is installed before you do the conversion.  To do this you install  http://www.readynas.com/download/addons/x86/4.2/BIOS_Update_Package_0.5-x86.bin as an add-on and reboot the NAS.  Do this after you backup the NAS.  This isn't necessary, but if you so want to update the bios it is easiest to do it prior to conversion

Basic instructions for the conversion itself are

1. BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP
2. Upload PREPR4TOR6_0.1-x86.bin as an add-on using the ReadyNAS web gui, but do not reboot afterwards (avoids the need to do manual factory resets)
3. Upload R4toR6_6.9.5.bin using the ReadyNAS web gui firmware update
4. After you upload the addon+firmware and reboot, it will update the firmware and start a factory default.
5. Go through the setup process on the converted NAS 
6. Update the NAS to the current OS 6 (check for updates will work).
7. Restore files from the backup.

Netgear won't provide paid support on a converted NAS, so that is one consideration.  There is a small risk that the process could fail, and if that were to happen it might not be possible to get the NAS running again.

[StephenB]

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@NTake wrote:

I have a ReadyNAS Ultra 4 Plus that I use primarily for storing music.  It has four Seagate IronWolf drives (3x3TB + 1x4TB) that show green buttons.  The volume is also completely accessible, readable by my Sonos system as well as desktop Windows computer.  However, when checking the Volume Settings-->RAID Configuration, the Status shows "Dead.  This volume is no longer available.".  Disk space also shows "0 MB (0%) of 0 MB used". 

Is this just a glitch or something I need to be concerned about?  If a glitch, any way to rectify it?

---

I don't know what is going on, but I do recommend that you make sure you have an up-to-date backup.

After that is taken care of, I suggest downloading the log zip file, and looking for RAID (mdadm) and file system, and disk errors.

[Sandshark]

I had a NAS that did that, and I found it was because some of the drives were slower to spin up than others.  But I had a 3 + 3 of two drive types, and you have but one that's differtent.  And it also typically "kicked out" one of the drives from the volume.  I think there is some kind of bug that causes a volume to be marked dead, even for a temporary condition, the NAS still reports it is, though it isn't any longer.

BTW, I upgraded that NAS top OS6 abnd the problem went away.  Given other issues are begining to arise due to the age of OS4.x and specific protocols being removed from PC's, you may want to consider upgrading to OS6 before the next shoe falls.

[NTake]

Thanks.  I looked through the System Log and cannot see any errors of the type you list.  See anything to be concerned about?

[NTake]

I also have a ReadyNAS 314 (with attached EDA1 expansion chassis) plus a ReadyNAS 428, to which I run nightly back-ups of critical folders.  One day I'll probably replace this older model with an OS6 version but, if possible, would prefer to get my money's worth first.  If it kicks the bucket, my data should still be secure (knock on wood). 

Thanks everyone.

[StephenB]

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@NTake wrote:

I looked through the System Log and cannot see any errors of the type you list. 

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I'd also look in kernel.log.  There should be some error reported saying that the volume is dead - anything leading up to that is likely relevant.

If you have an up-to-date backup, you could also try rebooting the NAS to see if the problem recurs.

FWIW, I agree with @Sandshark that you should consider converting your NAS to run OS-6. 

[NTake]

I took a look and couldn't see any verbiage containing "Dead".  I did see the following:

"md/raid1:md0: active with 4 out of 4 mirrors" (plus several more along those lines).

I've attached the kernal.log as a PDF file.  If you've got a moment, please have a look and see if you see anything.

I've started to read up on upgrading to OS6.  Looks like something that even an idiot (me) might be able to do. 

Thanks.

[StephenB]

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@NTake wrote:

If you've got a moment, please have a look and see if you see anything.

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I'm not seeing anything either.

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@NTake wrote:

I've started to read up on upgrading to OS6.  Looks like something that even an idiot (me) might be able to do. 

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I can repost instructions with working links if you need that.

I strongly recommend upgrading the memory to 2 GB before you begin - that is not difficult, and inexpensive.

[NTake]

That would be much appreciated - thanks.  I will look into memory upgrade as well.

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

The steps are

(Optionally) make sure the latest BIOS is installed before you do the conversion.  To do this you install  http://www.readynas.com/download/addons/x86/4.2/BIOS_Update_Package_0.5-x86.bin as an add-on and reboot the NAS.  Do this after you backup the NAS.  This isn't necessary, but if you so want to update the bios it is easiest to do it prior to conversion

Basic instructions for the conversion itself are

1. BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP
2. Upload PREPR4TOR6_0.1-x86.bin as an add-on using the ReadyNAS web gui, but do not reboot afterwards (avoids the need to do manual factory resets)
3. Upload R4toR6_6.9.5.bin using the ReadyNAS web gui firmware update
4. After you upload the addon+firmware and reboot, it will update the firmware and start a factory default.
5. Go through the setup process on the converted NAS 
6. Update the NAS to the current OS 6 (check for updates will work).
7. Restore files from the backup.

Netgear won't provide paid support on a converted NAS, so that is one consideration.  There is a small risk that the process could fail, and if that were to happen it might not be possible to get the NAS running again.

[NTake]

Great recipe for me to follow - thanks again.  I found some memory online (DDR2 is pretty much extinct at local stores) and it should be here in early-ish March.  Is it okay to do the OS6 upgrade first and do the memory swap afterwards or should I wait?

System still shows 'Dead' while working perfectly otherwise, btw.

[StephenB]

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@NTake wrote:

Is it okay to do the OS6 upgrade first and do the memory swap afterwards or should I wait?

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Not sure, as I upgraded my own memory first.  Some years you could safely run OS-6 with 1 GB, but more recently some folks have had their NAS crash with out-of-memory errors after conversion. 

[NTake]

StephenB, my memory upgrade finally got here and I successfully installed it this morning (it being a grey, snowy Saturday).  I followed your directions and it's not going so well.  First off, I couldn't connect through the Admin log-in, as recent browser updates are causing an SSL issue (or something like that).  After a lot of fooling around, including trying a direct connection, I was able to use a legacy install of Internet Explorer to successfully connect.

I installed PREP4TOR6_0.1-x86.bin as an Add-on and then R4toR6_6.9.5.bin as a firmware upgrade.  When I went to reboot, nothing happened (just went back to the home screen).  I tried forcing a reboot, to no avail.  The front panel reads "Installing addon" but it doesn't progress at all.  I did get a few e-mail notifications of "New disk detected" and the NAS in no longer available (either through the admin log-in or folders).

Any ideas of how to proceed?  Thanks. 

[StephenB]

Not something I've seen before.

I'd try powering down the system, and then starting it up again.

[NTake]

Yeah, I tried that, to no effect.  I then tried doing a firmware reload and that didn't help either.  I finally took the nuclear option and performed a factory reset.  Once that was finished, everything seemed to be operating as it should (the volume no longer showed as "dead" anymore).  I was then able to do things as you outlined it, starting with the firmware upgrade.  I'm now currently successfully running OS6 and have upgraded to 6.10.7.  Going through the sync process again but I think I'm well on my way now.  Just have to recreate my shares and restore my data.

Thanks again to you and everyone who helped.  Very much appreciated.

[Sandshark]

In the end, I think you'll find that this little push to get you to OS6 was a good, though probably stressful, thing.  Glad it's all worked out.