ReadyNAS Pro 6 Corrupt Root - Need Help

[MemphisT]

I am new to ReadyNAS, I have never owned one and scouting through the Forums I've not found my problem in any detail to assist me start using the ReadyNAS.

I have just purchased off eBay a ReadyNAS Pro 6 with no disks or documentation.  I have worked out I need RAIDar, I have my 6 Disks (3TB) in the ReadyNAS (there on the HCL).

When I turn it on, in RAIDar it says Corrupt Root. It shows the model, IP address and all drives greyed out.

Looking through the forum I understand that I need to do something for the ReadyNAS to see the drives. I need to do something to be able to setup the disks in a RAID for RAIDar to see the ReadyNAS completely.  Also Admin page button on RAIDar says the page is not accessible.   The Browse Button opens my Documents...

Could someone tell me how I get the disks to be seen by the ReadyNAS and how to setup the RAID, RAID 6 is the advise I had to setup.   There has to a process to make the disks work with teh RaedyNAS

Can you keep it simple, I'm not that techno...?  Thank you

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

Begin by powering down and removing drive 6.  Then use the factory default boot option (instructions are on page 26 of the hardware manual here: http://www.readynas.com/download/documentation/HM/ReadyNAS_Ultra_UltraPlus_Pro_HW_13April11.pdf)

The reset will do a fresh out-of-the-box install onto the 5 disks (giving you xraid with single redundancy, which is the same as RAID-5).  All data on the disks will be removed.  When that completes, check the firmware version with Frontview, and updated it if it is old.

After that, add back the disk you removed, telling frontview that you are adding it for redundancy first.  Page 36 of the user manual provides instructions (http://documentation.netgear.com/ultra/enu/202-10654-01/usermanual_1.pdf).  That will give you RAID-6.

Even with RAID-6 it is important to have a separate backup.  After you get the NAS running, you should set up a backup plan (perhaps using external USB drives).

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

Begin by powering down and removing drive 6.  Then use the factory default boot option (instructions are on page 26 of the hardware manual here: http://www.readynas.com/download/documentation/HM/ReadyNAS_Ultra_UltraPlus_Pro_HW_13April11.pdf)

The reset will do a fresh out-of-the-box install onto the 5 disks (giving you xraid with single redundancy, which is the same as RAID-5).  All data on the disks will be removed.  When that completes, check the firmware version with Frontview, and updated it if it is old.

After that, add back the disk you removed, telling frontview that you are adding it for redundancy first.  Page 36 of the user manual provides instructions (http://documentation.netgear.com/ultra/enu/202-10654-01/usermanual_1.pdf).  That will give you RAID-6.

Even with RAID-6 it is important to have a separate backup.  After you get the NAS running, you should set up a backup plan (perhaps using external USB drives).

[MemphisT]

Thank you, disks are being tested and the ReadyNAS is seen in RAIDar and the corruption alert is gone. I have six disks, are you saying only insert five of them? It has six bays and purchased six HDDs / or was that a misprint?

check the firmware version with Frontview, and updated it if it is old.

How do I upgrade the firmware? Is that done on the on the Netgear Webpage interface under the System menu? The version currently according to to seller is 4.2.27, it's blank in RAIDar at the moment, I believe that is the latest. Thank you for your help

[MemphisT]

Name:

RAIDiator-x86

Version:	4.2.27
Date:	Thu Oct 2 08:03:42 2014
Size:	54 MB
Description:	Release notes

So I'm all setup thank you to your direction. It was a challenge as I had to work out how to get into the boot menu and how acknowledge by pressing the reset button. but for the most part i worked it out. It's at 6.7% and I have access to everything so this is on it's way. I'll insert Disk 6 tomorrow. Thank you again

[vandermerwe]

Edit: I see you figured it out before I posted.

You should see the firmware version in raidar.  If it needs updating you can do this through the Frontview (admin) GUI. 

It is usually best if you don't know the firmware to factory default with a single disk, check the firmware in Frontview and update it, then power down and insert 5 disks then repeat the factory default. It seems here that it is likely that 4.2.27 is already on, so StephenB's method is ok, let it complete the build then check the firmware.

The reason for removing the 6th disk is as follows:

The readynas will initially build an Xraid array with single redundancy (raid5) , this is the default for Xraid. Allow this to complete which may take 12-24 hours.

When you add the 6th disk, the GUI will ask you ( on the volumes tab) whether you want the new disk to be used to increase capacity or to provide dual redundancy ( raid6) The latter option is the one you should choose.  When you select this the volume will rebuild into a raid6 volume ( it will be called Xraid with dual redundancy). This rebuild will take longer than the first build.

[MemphisT]

Thanks vandermerwe and StephenB, I needed a kick start as I had no Idea, so thank you both.

I now understand why leaving out the drive is necessary if I want to do RAID 6. Just on that, I read that if you have 6x 2TB HDD in a RAID config and need to upgrade the capacity, need more capacity, you replace the drives one by one with a larger capacity, say a 3TB HDD and wait for then to resync. Surely is can’t be correct? Don’t RAID system Drives need to be all the same size, yes/no/maybe?

Also, a generic comment, as I’m sure you will understand that the hardest part is translating the user manual to physical actions. i.e. It's easy to say go to boot menu and do a Factory Restore, to work out how to do that is another story. After research someone mentioned that press the Reset Button on their Ultra 6 wasn’t working while powering up to access the Boot menu, which lead me to see if this worked on the Pro 6, then working out to press the backup button to scroll through the menu. Sometime we need to be dumbing it Down for new users, especially if someone is new to a device...

Great forum, excellent help, hoping to not have to use it to often  and looking forward to more reading on here and hopefully one day I can help someone. Thanks again

Spoiler

 Oops can't delete this TAG thingy  

[MemphisT]

UPDATE:

               Decided to go buy 6x4TB

So yesterday morning I initially built an Xraid array with single redundancy (raid5) by putting in 5 HDD 4TB each, (Western Digital RED WD40EFRX RED NAS- 4TB).  That took 22hrs and all good.  This morning I added drive # 6, got all the correct notifications from the GUI and away it's gone.   Under Volumes the config says: RAID Level X-RAID2, 6 disks (With dual redundancy. As you said below. Only bummer is the 20hrs and 44 minutes that is left 

Looks like I'll have some 16TB of space in the next 20hrs and 44 minutes -

Thank you all for your help as I would never had worked this out by myself...