Re: NAS Plex server

CABird_UK · ‎2021-07-18

Ready NAS 214 running Plex server. Windows 10.

Recently my NAS firmware update failed. The result a factory reset proved to be the only solution.

My quesion is there a tutorial blog and or video illustrating how to backup and restore the Plex database so the user doesn't have to laboriously add the graphic for each media file one by one?

Thank you.

StephenB · ‎2021-07-18

@CABird_UK wrote:

My quesion is there a tutorial blog and or video illustrating how to backup and restore the Plex database so the user doesn't have to laboriously add the graphic for each media file one by one?

I assume this is for future reference? I don't know of a tutorial that is targeted for ReadyNAS.

You can use ssh and make a zip of the database folder. That is outlined here: https://community.netgear.com/t5/ReadyNAS-Storage-Apps-Current/Unable-to-access-PLEX-media-files-Per...

You'd unzip the file when restoring.

CABird_UK · ‎2021-07-18

Hello @StephenB

Yes for furture insurance.

The link provides a number of confusing options. Working through these may lead to errors that I really do not wish to make. I just do not want to repeat what has happened,

I was rather hopeing for a illustrative definitive blog post and or video tutorial.

Thank you for taking the time to respond I really appreciate you doing so.

Have a fabulous weekend.

StephenB · ‎2021-07-18

@CABird_UK wrote:

Yes for future insurance.

The link provides a number of confusing options.

You'd start by enabling ssh on the system->settings->services page.

Then enter "ssh root@nas-ip-address" in your windows search bar (using the real NAS IP address).

Use root for the user name, and the NAS admin password.

That will give you the command line interface to the NAS (similar to the CMD interface in windows).

cd /data/.apps
zip -r plexmediaserver.zip plexmediaserver
chmod 666 plexmediaserver.zip

This leaves plexmediaserver.zip in the /data/.apps folder. You can copy it from there either with ssh, or from a PC (accessing the full data volume with NAS admin credentials).

You'd use unzip to restore. While I haven't tested it, I think you'd just replace the zip command above with unzip plexmediaserver.zip -d plexmediaserver

CABird_UK · ‎2021-07-18

Hello @StephenB .

Successfully activated SSH

Tried the ssh root@/192.168.1.131 in browser URL - this is clearly wrong.

ssh username@/192.168.1.131/password - this is clearly wrong.

Use root for the user name, and the NAS admin password. I'm confused.

PC (accessing the full data volume with NAS admin credentials). How do I do this. I can access the folders for example doucments folder but not the /data/.apps

Readyclould doesn't provide access to /data/.apps.

Apologise I'm clearly missing something.

StephenB · ‎2021-07-18

@CABird_UK wrote:

Tried the ssh root@/192.168.1.131 in browser URL - this is clearly wrong.

No slash. And you don't do this in the browser. You enter this command via the windows search icon in the windows 10 task bar.

@CABird_UK wrote:

Use root for the user name, and the NAS admin password. I'm confused.

You are overthinking it. Just follow the instructions - use the NAS admin password with you log in with ssh. Root is already taken care of, since you used it in the ssh command (root@)

@CABird_UK wrote:

PC (accessing the full data volume with NAS admin credentials). How do I do this. I can access the folders for example documents folder but not the /data/.apps

Try opening CMD on the PC (again using the windows search bar) and then enter

net use * /delete /y
net use t: \\192.168.1.131\Data /user:admin nas-admin-password

using the real NAS admin password of course. Be very careful on the typing - both the spaces and the two different slash directions matter.

This should mount the full data volume as drive letter T. Note the first command will terminate any open SMB sessions you have, so if you have file explorer opened to a NAS shares, that window will close. Note you won't be able to copy all the files in the database this way (there are some file permissions that get in the way). But you can move the zip file created via the ssh command (thx to the chmod command above).

In general, be careful when entering commands in the ssh window too - mistyping them can do damage, and AFAICT you don't have any linux experience.

CABird_UK · ‎2021-07-18

Hello @StephenB

Success up to the point of typing in the code.

From the point of typing in the cmd no luck.

T drive I changed to X. I have a T drive.

I did type the NAS password I didn't type password. I also have four Netgear NAS drive. The NAS I would like to copy the Plex data is called NAS2.

net use * /delete /y
net use t: \\192.168.1.132\Data /user:admin nas-admin-password


net use x: \\192.168.1.132\Data /user:admin nas2-password

root@NAS2:~# /data/.apps
-bash: /data/.apps: Is a directory
root@NAS2:~# net use * /delete /y
Invalid command: net use

root@NAS2:~# net use x: \\192.168.1.132\Data /user:admin nas-admin-password
Invalid command: net use

CABird_UK · ‎2021-07-18

Hello @StephenB

Big problem now.

My folders share disappeared.

Example of what should be there.

Now folders are not listed including ReadyCloud but data is still there.

Please tell me I don't have to run factory reset again.

Thank you.

Sandshark · ‎2021-07-18

The net use commands are done in a command prompt in Windows, not on the NAS via SSH. @StephenB expressly said to open CMD on the PC and enter them.

And get out of ReadyCloud. The net use commands will set the NAS up as a mapped drive in Windows via SMB, which is the best way to do local access.

StephenB · ‎2021-07-18

@CABird_UK wrote:
Big problem now.

My folders share disappeared.

Please tell me I don't have to run factory reset again.

You aren't following the directions very carefully, so I think it would be best if you stop trying to use ssh. Is there anything else you remember typing when you did have ssh access (apart from the two net use commands)?

From what you are saying I am thinking that

you can access the folders from Windows using file explorer
you aren't seeing the shares in the NAS web ui (which is not the same as ReadyCloud).

Is that the case?

CABird_UK · ‎2021-07-19

Hello @StephenB

Today I cannot even access my NAS2 either using the browser or Readycloud.

Before beginning SSH I ensured I had no browser windows connected to the NAS2. No windows explore windows open. Readycloud sign out. Then I implemented SSH.

One drive images grabbed the day before.

Firmware

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ak789NvNyMQ3orwx_hQWc4rVA77FFA?e=geCu0x

Example list of the folders missing

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ak789NvNyMQ3orwzg5-oTdm4MMnLHA

Example of what folders are listed

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ak789NvNyMQ3orwyOe_TST5A6b_bkw

The data was there yesterday despite folders not being listed. I suspect the data is present.

Attempts to connect using browser.

Hmmm… can't reach this page

192.168.1.132 took too long to respond

Try:

Checking the connection
Checking the proxy and the firewall
Running Windows Network Diagnostics

Readycloud image of available NAS's

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ak789NvNyMQ3orw0CjHN_VLxM8S6xQ?e=EkAnVN

I have to say this is exactly what happend before when I updated the fireware. Ever since I updated the firmware to the latest version my NAS hasn't worked correctly. Even a factory reset appears to have not solved the problem. Although NAS3 is exactly the same model the latest firmware appears to work without issue.

Yesterday after SSH I did reboot the NAS2 device a couple of times and the NAS did boot. Now the NAS cannot be turned off. I have got the NAS to boot but message flashing data degraded.

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ak789NvNyMQ3orw11Il_kqR-KnJ5Fg?e=1d9979

CABird_UK · ‎2021-07-19

Hello @StephenB

NAS2 recovery data 0.55% - stuck for more than 4 hours.

I'm wondering if disk 4 is an issue. Disk 4 light not lit. Yesterday I checked NAS System/Volume and all appeared well (all disks blue).

Clearly something is very wrong.

StephenB · ‎2021-07-19

@CABird_UK wrote:

NAS2 recovery data 0.55% - stuck for more than 4 hours.

I'm wondering if disk 4 is an issue. Disk 4 light not lit. Yesterday I checked NAS System/Volume and all appeared well (all disks blue).

It could be a disk problem (and potentially more than one disk). Though data recovery can't happen if one disk is completely failed (and not replaced), so this is a bit confusing.

Can you connect the disks in a Windows PC (either connecting with SATA or a USB adapter/dock)? Then you could check them with vendor tools - Seatools for Seagate, and Lifeguard for WDC. WDC has a newer "Digital Dashboard" software package which looks nicer, but I've found that Lifeguard gives more information.

A mismatch between the actual shares and the share list in the Web UI generally means something has corrupted the NAS configuration files. You can damage the configuration files accidentally using ssh - but if you somehow did that, the screenshot you posted didn't show it. There are other ways this could happen though, and I don't see how the data recovery issue could have been triggered by your use of ssh. So I think something else is wrong, and the checking the disks is the right place to start.

CABird_UK · ‎2021-07-19

Hello @StephenB

I have implemented your recommedation.

Disk check suggests all OK with disk.

I reinserted the disk. Recovery now 96% past the 55% and still flashing away hopefully completes.

Even if the NAS does complete do you think the disk might be the issue? The NAS has never made any indication the disk is or is about to fail. When the problem first occurred a month ago I did check all the disks. All OK at that time.

I clearly misunderstood the xRAID. I thought the NAS would continue to work with three disks. My Netgear Ready NAS NV+ certainly works that way.

StephenB · ‎2021-07-19

@CABird_UK wrote:

Disk check suggests all OK with disk.

What test did you run? The "short" test is really just a confidence test. You really need to run the full test.

@CABird_UK wrote:

Even if the NAS does complete do you think the disk might be the issue? The NAS has never made any indication the disk is or is about to fail.

Disks are always on my list of things to check.

Frontview actually provided more information on disk health than OS-6. Something I wish they'd kept from the old system.

There are several options for maintenance in the volume settings tab - disk test, scrub, balance, and defrag. I have a schedule set up to run one each month, and I periodically download the log zip file and look at the SMART stats. The disk test and scrub do a good job of exercising the disks, so part of the idea in running them regularly is to get an early warning on disk problems.

@CABird_UK wrote:

I clearly misunderstood the xRAID. I thought the NAS would continue to work with three disks. My Netgear Ready NAS NV+ certainly works that way.

It will run on three disks. At the moment, it appears to be resyncing - likely the OS partition, but it's hard to say without wading through the logs. But I believe that reconstructing the OS partition happens (if needed) as part of the boot process. It's hard to say why that was needed (or why it is taking so long).

Sandshark · ‎2021-07-19

Some drives start out working and then slowly die due to heat or some other factor. In that case, the NAS will see the drive at boot and start a re-sync, but it will become labored or fail as the drive has more and more problems, which likely occur faster due to the extra stress of the sync.

StephenB · ‎2021-07-19

@Sandshark wrote:

Some drives start out working and then slowly die due to heat or some other factor. In that case, the NAS will see the drive at boot and start a re-sync, but it will become labored or fail as the drive has more and more problems, which likely occur faster due to the extra stress of the sync.

That's certainly possible.

CABird_UK · ‎2021-07-19

Hello @StephenB @Sandshark

Disk might have suffered from heat given the hot weather we are experiencing.

I'll wait for the disk to complete or appear to complete.

I will purchase another and replace it.

Hopefully that will resolve my issues. It must be the disk as my other NAS's work perfectly.

Thank you.

StephenB · ‎2021-07-19

@CABird_UK wrote:

I will purchase another and replace it.

I wouldn't assume that it is disk 4. I'd look at the log zip, and then also run the disk test from the volume settings menu.

CABird_UK · ‎2021-07-19

Hello @StephenB

Disk still resyncing mode 40%.

On the positive side I can access admin webpage. However I do get a 'Netgear NAS Error code 1001000022' One Drive log file link <redacted>

Checking settings FTP and Anitvirus services were off. I have reactivated these services. Share folders still missing but disks suggest the data is present.

Despite full HDD tests pass I have purchased a replacement disk and will replace when the disk arrives.

Best wishes

Christopher

StephenB · ‎2021-07-20

@CABird_UK wrote:

Hello @StephenB

On the positive side I can access admin webpage. However I do get a 'Netgear NAS Error code 1001000022' One Drive log file link <redacted>

It's best not to post the log zip publicly, as there is some privacy loss when you do that. I've redacted the link.

Disk 4 did have one command timeout - not clear why, but that is what triggered the resync. Since it is new, you could probably exchange it with the seller (instead of simply buying another).

The data does appear to be there, but the share configuration files are definitely damaged. Systemd-journal.log is flooded with these errors:

Jul 20 04:04:58 NAS2 readydropd[6219]: DEBUG:readydropd.c:650 Reload Share configs
Jul 20 04:05:00 NAS2 readydropd[6219]: DEBUG:readydropd.c:650 Reload Share configs
Jul 20 04:05:02 NAS2 readydropd[6219]: DEBUG:readydropd.c:650 Reload Share configs
Jul 20 04:05:04 NAS2 readydropd[6219]: DEBUG:readydropd.c:650 Reload Share configs
Jul 20 04:05:06 NAS2 readydropd[6219]: DEBUG:readydropd.c:650 Reload Share configs
Jul 20 04:05:08 NAS2 readydropd[6219]: DEBUG:readydropd.c:650 Reload Share configs
Jul 20 04:05:10 NAS2 readydropd[6219]: DEBUG:readydropd.c:650 Reload Share configs
...

Email alerts are not properly set up - the NAS is trying to send you emails, but those are failing.

Also, I can see what you entered in ssh - those commands would not have damaged the share configuration files (or done other damage). The OS partition isn't full, so that didn't cause the damaged configuration either.

@CABird_UK wrote:

Checking settings FTP and Anitvirus services were off. I have reactivated these services.

In general you seem to have quite a few services enabled that I don't think you are using. I suggest disabling services you don't use - that reduces the memory needed by the NAS, and also is best practice for security.

If you don't use a Mac, then disable AFP.
I doubt you are using NFS (it is only used by other linux systems), so I'd disable that also. Similarly you should disable rsync.
If you don't actually use FTP, you should disable it too.
Since you are using plex, there is no need to enable DLNA (Plex has it's own DLNA server built in).
You likely aren't using iTunes, so that is another one to disable.
File search also takes a lot of resources to build and maintain the file index, and it only allows you to search for files in the admin web ui. If you don't actually do that (or do it rarely), I'd also disable that one.

Antivirus is a bit of a toss-up. If you have Antivirus protection running on your PCs, then you probably don't need it on the NAS. Though if you allow others to write to the NAS with ReadyCloud, then you probably should leave that enabled.

However, I would have left it off until the resync completed - the scans can slow down the resync.

@CABird_UK wrote:

Share folders still missing but disks suggest the data is present.

So the puzzle here is what to do about the missing share folders. I don't think using ssh yourself is a good idea - I don't think you have enough technical knowledge and experience with command line interfaces to attempt it.

That leaves two other options:

You could do yet another factory default. That is free, but will take quite a bit of time and labor.
You could engage paid netgear support via my.netgear.com. They can repair the share configuration remotely. Ideally you'd get per-incident support (which is cheaper than a full support contract). @JohnCM_S or @Marc_V (Netgear mods here) might be able to facilitate this for you.

CABird_UK · ‎2021-07-20

Hello @StephenB

Thank you for your feedback.

I will implement your recommendations.

Paid incident support is the option I shall go for. I'd like to know how to use SSH. Ideally I'd like to use NAS1 to back-up Plex to backup to NAS2. Ideally backup includes the Plex database as well. Not sure that is possible but if it was that would be a great time saver.

Recover data 41.36% (appears stuck).

Will replace the disk when it arrives and return the questionable disk.

Thank you. I really appreciate your efforts to resolve this.

CABird_UK · ‎2021-07-28

Hello @JohnCM_S or @Marc_V

@StephenB suggested I reach out to my.netgear.com. I did this but I cannot find an option to purchase per-incident support as he suggests. I can only purchase a yearly contract.

I own Netgear 1x ReadyNAS/ NV+ & 1xNAS104 & 2xNAS 214. A total of four. I do have eSATA expansion HDD connected to the NAS104 and the NAS 214's.

One of my NAS 214's I have lost all the share folders. The data is there. I keep getting an error, see image. Also Readycloud won't connect to the NAS (online VPN disconnected).

I replaced the drive that I believed caused the issue and I have resynced the drives. I do not run my NAS 24/7.

I require help to re-build the following shares. I can provide the logs if you require them.

WKS02-Art

WKS02-Classic_Drama

WKS02-Comdey

WKS02-Crime

WKS02-Drama

WKS02-Factual

WKS02-Films

WKS02-History

WKS02-Light_Entertainment

WKS02-Nature

WKS02-Science

The NAS 104 is my original Plex server. My second NAS 214 is the Plex backup for NAS 104 Plex.

I have a second NAS 214 mainly SCSI .

I'm wondering if I should use the second NAS 214 as a Plex backup. I will have to change the drives to match the size of my backup NAS 214 and then use the NAS 104 for SCSI etc. I have purchased the drives to do this. I'm awaiting delivery.

Ideally I'd like to be able to automate back up of the Plex data base to my backup NAS. Currently, I have to laburiously manually add video graphics etc. Extremely time consuming.

How can I purchase per-incident support help?

Thank you.

StephenB · ‎2021-07-28

@CABird_UK wrote:
How can I purchase per-incident support help?

@DaneA : Is this something can you help with?

DaneA · ‎2021-07-28

@CABird_UK,

I inquired your concern about purchasing a per-incident support contract to the NETGEAR Support Team and found out that this is not available anymore. The 1-year support contract is the least that can be purchased.

Regards,

DaneA

NETGEAR Community Team