Downgrading from 6.4.0 to 6.2.4 with a Pro Pioneer?

[pleasantone]

I'm done banging my head with 6.4.0, even after a few lovely hacks (thank you Bill),

it's not reliable.

Since I'm running OS 6 on a Pro Pioneer, I'm assuming I'm not going to get any help from

NetGear officially.

I just want to check in with folks and see if what I'm proposing is even sane.  I've made

backups of the critical unit configuration and the /data partition.  I'd like to simply blow the

disks and factory reformat with 6.2.4.

Can I use the USB recovery tool to drop the unit to 6.2.4 (despite it saying in the notes that

it is not a downgrade tool) if I'm planning on factory resetting the disks and reformatting?

Any advice?

Thanks,

Paul

[ifixidevices · Accepted solution]

It's completely possible to go back to 6.2.4 but you will have to back up your data and factory reset the unit.

First you download the 6.4.0 beta 1 or 2 (can't remember which one it is)

http://www.readynas.com/download/beta/readynasos/6.4.0/ReadyNASOS-6.4.0-T112-arm.img - arm processors

http://www.readynas.com/download/beta/readynasos/6.4.0/ReadyNASOS-6.4.0-T112-x86_64.img - everything else

Then you download 6.2.4

http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/READYNAS-100/ReadyNASOS-6.2.4_arm.zip - unzip this one to get the img file - for arm

http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/READYNAS-300/ReadyNASOS-6.2.4_x86_64.zip - unzip this one to get the img file - for everything else

Manually install the first 6.4.0 image, then manually install the 6.2.4 image. Then factory reset. Boom, problem fixed.

[itsjasper]

...and potentially related to the above question, would it be possible to downgrade from 6.4.0 to an earlier version of OS6 via a v4.2.28 downgrade?

[mdgm-ntgr]

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@pleasantone wrote:

Can I use the USB recovery tool to drop the unit to 6.2.4 (despite it saying in the notes that

it is not a downgrade tool) if I'm planning on factory resetting the disks and reformatting?

---

Using that tool has its risks with 4.2.x systems (note you would need to use the tool for 4.2.x systems not the one for OS6 systems). You may wipe the EEPROM data which you can't fix yourself so using USB Boot Recovery is a last resort.

@itsjasper wrote:

...and potentially related to the above question, would it be possible to downgrade from 6.4.0 to an earlier version of OS6 via a v4.2.28 downgrade?

---

 That certainly is one way. The R4toR6 bin has been updated to update directly to 6.4.0, but you could make your own to go to an earlier version if you don't still have an old version of that.

We do have 6.4.1 beta firmware available. You may wish to try that before trying to downgrade your firmware.

[powellandy1]

I know its not official policy but i've done it on a Pro Pioneer and Ultra4.

Flash to 6.4.0T112 then to 6.2.4 then factory reset - all through GUI.

Works completely fine.

Andy

[Supertramp11]

I'm running 6.3.5 very successfully on a Pro 6 (incl. properly working fans), so I guess it's best to wait for a few more 6.4.x releases.

[ifixidevices · Accepted solution]

It's completely possible to go back to 6.2.4 but you will have to back up your data and factory reset the unit.

First you download the 6.4.0 beta 1 or 2 (can't remember which one it is)

http://www.readynas.com/download/beta/readynasos/6.4.0/ReadyNASOS-6.4.0-T112-arm.img - arm processors

http://www.readynas.com/download/beta/readynasos/6.4.0/ReadyNASOS-6.4.0-T112-x86_64.img - everything else

Then you download 6.2.4

http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/READYNAS-100/ReadyNASOS-6.2.4_arm.zip - unzip this one to get the img file - for arm

http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/READYNAS-300/ReadyNASOS-6.2.4_x86_64.zip - unzip this one to get the img file - for everything else

Manually install the first 6.4.0 image, then manually install the 6.2.4 image. Then factory reset. Boom, problem fixed.