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I have a ReadyNAS Ultra 2 Plus [X-RAID2] Firmware: RAIDiator 4.2.31 Memory: 1024 MB [DDR3] Volume C: Online, X-RAID2, 2 disks, 58% of 1841 GB used
My friend has been running dutifily and without error or complaints since I bought her new about a decade ago. Still have two green lights and no problems. She is just a very light duty home NAS with personal files / media. I use maily CIFS, NFS and occasional FTP. As this device is LEGACY and hasn't had an update in years and my needs have changed. The first one is that newer Windows systems have moved onto a newer SMB version which this doesn't support (I can enable previous SMB per winbox but that's not nice). This device may run for another 10 years but I'm not going to depend on it.
I am moving to a new Raspberry Pi solution with SSDs. But I would like to continue using the ReadyNAS as a hot back up of sorts.
I have read here in the past that there is a memory upgrade and OS update I can apply to bring this into 2020's, but for the life of me cannot find the documentation.
If I upgrade the disks (I am more confident in the nas chugging > 10 years than any hard drives) I'm inclined to add them after the system is fully upgraded and allow the updated system to create partitions / filesystems / etc.
I have read here in the past that there is a[n] ... OS update I can apply to bring this into 2020's, but for the life of me cannot find the documentation.
You can convert the system to run OS-6 using the following procedure:
(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
BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP
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)
Upload R4toR6_6.9.5.bin using the ReadyNAS web gui firmware update
After you upload the addon+firmware and reboot, it will update the firmware and start a factory default.
Go through the setup process on the converted NAS
Update the NAS to the current OS 6 (check for updates will work).
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.
I have read here in the past that there is a memory upgrade ...
We do recommend doubling the RAM to 2 GB.
I've never owned an Ultra 2 Plus. Maybe first see that is installed.
My understanding is that it has only a single memory slot, and that 2 GB is the max it can handle. Look for PC3-8500 SODIMM (204 pin) memory. It needs to be single-rank.
Another question: I will of course back this up/off first. Can I just pull the disks before the upgrade? Does the device even need the disks to run? Does the OS reside on the disks? I've never tried to read these disks (Seagate I think) from anywhere else, but I am assuming/hoping they are readable/mountable on another machine. I also may want to upgrade to 2x2TB or greater disks if the machine can handle that. 1TB disks were kind of a big deal 10 years ago.
Model: RNDP200U (ReadyNAS Ultra 2 Plus)|READYNAS ULTRA 2 PLUS (DISKLESS)|EOL
Another question: I will of course back this up/off first. Can I just pull the disks before the upgrade? Does the device even need the disks to run? Does the OS reside on the disks?
The OS resides on the disks, and the system boots from the disks. An install file is also placed in the flash - but that is only used during a factory install (or an OS reinstall from the boot menu).
The upgrade process requires disks to be in place. Though you could back up the system, remove the disks, and then do a factory install of 4.2.31 with a scratch disk. Then upgrade using the scratch.
But you'd still need to do a factory install on the original disks when you put them back (and restore the data from a backup).
If I upgrade the disks (I am more confident in the nas chugging > 10 years than any hard drives) I'm inclined to add them after the system is fully upgraded and allow the updated system to create partitions / filesystems / etc. Plus I don't know if the OS v 4 will recognize newer hard disks.
But maybe I would be making things more difficult than they are worth..
Model: RNDP200U (ReadyNAS Ultra 2 Plus)|READYNAS ULTRA 2 PLUS (DISKLESS)|EOL
If I upgrade the disks (I am more confident in the nas chugging > 10 years than any hard drives) I'm inclined to add them after the system is fully upgraded and allow the updated system to create partitions / filesystems / etc.
