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ReadyNAS Ultra 6 (RNDP600U) stuck at ReadyNAS boot screen two days after OS6 (6.10) upgrade
Very similar to this thread, I upgraded my ReadyNAS Ultra 6 (RNDP600U) from OS4 (v4.2.31) to OS6 (v6.9.5) only because I lost access to the ReadyNAS Admin console from modern-day internet browsers.
I used "R4toR6_6.9.5.bin" and "R4toR6_Prep_Addon.bin". The upgrade started with no issues although displayed an "unable to extract image" error message on the ReadyNAS console during the upgrade. This error did not seem to affect the upgrade process. The upgrade finished, I was able to log in, created admin and user accounts, set up a single 6-disk X-RAID Volume, shares, assigned permissions, and played around with various settings and services. Rebooted ReadNAS several times just to be sure. No issues.
Once I got familiar with the new OS6 interface and services, I reset the ReadyNAS to factory (OS6) defaults, then set up ReadyNAS for production use. The Volume started re-syncing, and I started a lengthy (18TB) data copy process.
At about 2TB copy mark, ReadyNAS froze. I could not "find" it using RAIDar, could not ping it. The unit was unresponsive to the Power button push. The display was frozen showing the ReadyNAS IP address. Without much thought, I powered down the unit and restarted it in a few seconds.
The ReadyNAS unit turns on, runs all three fans at top rpms, the display shows ReadyNAS, and it does not boot further.
What I have tried so far:
- I read all comments and publications on similar problems and tried all recommended actions. I could not find the exact match to my problem, so that's why I am starting a new thread.
- I opened the unit, removed and reconnected everything that could be unplugged. No change.
- I tested the PSU with a power supply tester, and the power supply seems to be working fine.
- I could not confirm that my 1GB PC2-64000 CL6 RAM was OK.
- I did replace the dead CMOS CR2023 battery with a fresh one.
- I created two USB recovery drives. One for OS4 and one for OS6, but I can't get to the bootloader menu with the Reset button pressed.
The bottom line: the system is stuck at ReadyNAS screen, does not boot, runs all fans in high rmps, and does not allow for me to get to the bootloader menu. The indicator (front panel) light comes on after a few seconds when you turn on the unit and stays on solid green. The system is responsive to the front (soft) Power button: it turns off the unit.
What else can I try?
Thanks in advance.
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Most power supply testers do no test the supply under load and, therefore, do not provide a very comprehensive test. If you have a standard ATX12V supply, you can connect it externally as a better check of whether it's a power supply issue.
You can also run the RAM test from the reset menu.
Good point about power supply under load. Thank you.
As for the memory test, yes, I recall seeing this option under the Boot Menu, but I can't get to the Boot Menu. When I press and hold the reset button and either turn the power switch on or press the front panel power button, ReadyNAS does not pass by the ReadyNAS screen (see the picture I posted). I've tried this with and without all disks installed. Same thing: can't get to the Boot Menu.
Thoughts?
You guys are working on a similar issue here.
I am also stuck at the ReadyNAS screen (see the picture in the original post). Can't get to Boot Menu. Fans are running at 100%...
Anything else I should try?
If you can't get to the boot menu, Flash corruption is a possibility. USB recovery for a legacy unit converted to OS6 requires that you create an OS4.2.x style recovery media but with the OS6 image file or that you recover to OS4.2.x (using a spare drive) and then convert again to OS6. Unfortunately, with that level of flash corruption, your VPD file may also be corrupt, which only Netgear can repair.
Of course, there are also a lot of non-repairable things it can be. The display will say "ReadyNAS" with just 5V present -- the NAS doesn't even have to try to boot. Adding a VGA cable to the internal VGA header can help in further diagnosis.
This was an interesting idea on trying the VGA cable. I popped the case open but could not find any (obvious) VGA ports on the motherboard. (See the attached picture of the motherboard).
I procured the VGA cable and connected the motherboard to a monitor.
The ReadyNAS boots up and gets stuck at "MBR H error".
I created a bootable Linux USB stick to check volumes.
It took a while to find a Linux distro that would boot since most modern-day distros required 3GB of RAM from which I only had 1GB in ReadyNAS. Even PartedMagic did not boot asking for more RAM.
Boom line: the RAID was intact.
I created the ReadyNAS firmware "upgrade" USB. BTW, this post issued a strong warning about downgrading the firmware from v6 to v4.
I tried the firmware upgrade again by booting from the USB yet the boot process freezes on initrd.gz.
There are several threads in this community discussing the issue, but I could not find any definite answer/resolution.
Can this be not enough memory? (Currently at 1GB)
I am thinking of buying some RAM as step one.
Question 1: Does anyone know how much RAM this motherboard supports? I've seen posts for the max of 4GB. I wanted to confirm before ordering.
Question 2: There is an LED on the motherboard right next to the RAM sockets. It's lit RED. Does this mean anything?
Question 3: Now that you have seen what's going on, are there any suggestions for me for what to do/try next?
USB recovery is not a means to upgrade, it's a means to recover -- normally to the same version OS that you've been using. I don't know where you saw any caution about downgrading from OS6 back to OS4.2.x on a legacy machine, but there is no issue doing so. Of course, just as with the upgrade, you have to factory default to re-use the drives. So, maybe something you don't want to do using your actual volume.
You have to create an OS4.2.x style USB recovery, but use an OS6 file. The one you used to originally convert would work fine. But this is something else you might want to do with a scratch drive volume, not your main one. Then you can update back to the one you are currently running before you re-install your normal drives.
That error may be because you have a USB drive installed and the boot is seeing it.
Are you seeing it stop after loading initrd.gz in normal boot or support mode? Support mode on your NAS will have an OS4.2.x base, and OS4.2.x doesn't normally have any display on the console after that, so it may be normal for support mode. But another reason it can stop there is lack of proper identification that it's running on genuine Netgear hardware, which is via the VPD file on legacy machines. While that's in flash as well, USB recovery can't restore it. The mods here will usually help you, so long as you can get the unit into support mode so they can access it.
Sandshark: You practically lost me there. Let me start from the beginning.
I upgraded the firmware on my ReadyNAS Ultra 6 (RNDP600U) from v4.2.31 to v6.10.x.
The upgrade completed fine, I configured the RAID, and the unit worked for about 24 hours and froze after I copied ~5TB of data to the NAS.
I had to hard-reboot. At that point and upon a hard reboot, all I could see/hear was this: fans running at top speed, ReadyNAS message displayed and "frozen", and I could not boot into any modes.
I purchased the VGA cable, which revealed that the NAS was stuck at the "MBR H error" message.
I created a USB flash drive in an effort to (re)flash the firmware back to v4.2.31 to v6.10.x, but booting from this USB drive freezes at the "Loading inird.gz......ready" message.
I am trying to recover, not upgrade. I am stuck: I cannot recover using the USB recovery drive/utility which does not boot, nor I can get into the Support Mode because of the "MBR H error".
It's also with noting that I am not an experienced user. I am learning everything as I poke around following the community's suggestions.
- How can I get the firmware flash USB past the "Loading inird.gz......ready" message?
- What does the "MBR H error" message mean and how to recover from the error?
Thanks in advance!
HI,
I have an LCD problem on my NAS (same model)
The LCD display does not turn on. I should do factory settings but I can't.
Where can I buy another one for replacement? I've tried the cables and they seem to workThank you
OnlineUser , that is the symptom of a corrupt vpd file. Only Netgear can help you with that, and whether or not they will (since you've upgraded to OS6), I cannot say. When we had technically competent mods, they used to do it for those who needed it.
MoRaX , please don't "tack on" a completely unrelated issue to this one. It makes following the solution to either very difficult. Please start a new thread.
Sandshark wrote:
OnlineUser , that is the symptom of a corrupt vpd file. Only Netgear can help you with that, and whether or not they will (since you've upgraded to OS6), I cannot say. When we had technically competent mods, they used to do it for those who needed it.
FWIW, that post goes back to January 2023, so if Netgear was going to help it would have happened by now.
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