So I have inherited a couple of x86 ReadyNAS Pro units that don't successfully boot...
1) a Pro 4 that I can Factory Default, but this still doesn't boot aftar RAIDAR config. An OS reinstall fails with an error extracting the firmware image. (I can boot this into Tech Support mode also)
2) a Pro 2 that powers on, but doesn't boot, nor get into the Boot Menu (possible hardware failure? or just corrupt flash?)
My thinking is that a USB Recovery may be the fix for both units, however I've had no luck with multiple attempts to create a USB Recovery key using the RAIDiator 4.2 recovery tool. I've tried mulitple USB keys, booting into Windows on the Mac, using a VM of earlier Windows OSes with USB bound to the VM, all without success.
Short of the USB Recovery Fairy putting a known-good USB stick under my pillow (or in the post), I'm somewhat stuck:
A) Is there either a USB recovery image I can use DD in the MacOS Terminal to create a working USB recovery key?
B) Or is there a manual way of building a working key?
C) Or is there any other method to bring these units back from their zombie state?
I'd happily beg, borrow, or buy a known good USB recovery key if anyone has one (I'm in Sydney, Australia). If anyone can also recommend a USB Key brand that they have had success with, I'd like to know which.
I managed to get the Pro 4 functioning by factory defaulting a spare unit with a single spare hard disk, then installing 4.2.30 on that disk, then putting the disk in the Pro4 - it booted up fine, at that point a manual reinstall of 4.2.30 fixed the flash.
Still no joy with the 2 bay unit, this definitely needs a recovery (the above disk trick didn't work with this unit, sadly)
Anyone that has a known good USB recovery stick for x86 ReadyOS 4.2 or later, please pm me.
You could try Rufus in a Windows VM. USB Boot Recovery expects the USB key to have a MBR partition table with a single partition. A lot of USB keys have no partition table these days.
I have a USB key that can boot into a tech support mode like state that doesn't care how the USB key was partitioned so long as you can boot off it.
