How long will take to update my ReadyNAS Duo v2

Sent you a PM

Another option you would have would be to contact support however as your unit is out of software warranty they would need to charge to look into it and ultimately it is possible they may suggest backing up your data and doing a factory reset and restoring from backup.

 Hi mdgm

I'm starting to think along the same lines myself but my first action will be to obtain that all important backup, once that is in progress I will then plan on doing a factory reset.

However, I have one follow up question:

As my RN is essentially blank, apart from some minor configuration data, wiil a factory reset be absolutely necessary?   

The system looks as if it is ready to accept data and add-ons.

UK Bob

---

ukbobboy wrote:

 

 

As my RN is essentially blank, apart from some minor configuration data, wiil a factory reset be absolutely necessary?   

  

---

A factory reset might not be necessary, but it is reasonably likely to resolve the problem - avoidng the expense/delay of engaging support.

Since the NAS isn't loaded up with data, I'd give it a go after the backup completes.

Hi StephenB

I'm in the process of starting my backup, I'll get back to you and mdgm as soon as I can.

UK Bob

Hi StephenB

I'm having problems trying to create a backup, there does not seem to be any way to do a full backup.  The facilities available only seem to download 50mb of system information while I have 1TB of data to backup and recovery.

NB, I did tick the "Everything" box and only a 272kb zip file was downloaded.

Please tell me, what am I missing?

UK Bob

You are looking at the configuration backup, not the data backup.

The data backup is on the backup tab, not the system->settings tab.

Thanks StephenB

I am now on the Backup tab, and from what I can see I will need to create a new backup job/task.

Unfortunately, I am going to need step by step guidance to backup my 1TB of data, etc, to my secondary RN Duo V2 (I bought this second Duo last year).

As you can see from my screen print, I have tried to create a full backup job but the "Destination" field will only give me five limited options, I cannot browse to my second Duo V2.

Therefore, can you let me know where I can find the guidance I need to perform a full backup or point out how to do it.

Cheers in advance.

UK Bob

I'm not a v2 owner, and options do present themselves a bit differently.

I'd do share-by-share backup though (it can be difficult to restore the full volume backups).  You can use the USB ports.  

But another way is simply to copy the data over the network to a PC folder.  Teracopy is a good utility for that (since it can verify).  Copying over gigabit is actually faster than using the USB ports.

Hi StephenB

You know, this exercise of upgrading my HDs from 2 x 2TB to 2 x 4TB has been more difficult than I could have expected, I've had nothing but problem after problem and nothing is as expected, especially after reading the user manual which has proved to be littered with glaring omissions.

And although mdgm has pulled out all the stops to help me get my RN Duo V2 running properly, there still seems to be more blockages ahead. For example, both you and mdgm say that I should backup my RN but, when I try to, there is no way to do a full backup, the facility just does not exist.

I'm somewhat stumped now, I guess I'll try to do a share by share back up by using TeraCopy but, from what I can see, that will leave my add-ons, etc. still on my old 2TB disk and having to be re-installed.

I'm exhausted

Catch you guys later.

UK Bob

You'd have to reinstall the add-ons anyway after the reset.

The normal process is 

(a) back up the shares

(b) back up the config

(c) do the reset

(d) reinstall any add-ons

(e) restore the config

(f) restore the shares.

I agree that an easy full backup restore would be useful.

Hi StephenB and mdgm

At the moment, I am doing a share by share backup/copy to my second RN Duo v2 using Teracopy, and although Teracopy is fast it is still going to take me another few days to copy the important stuff across.

Well StephenB, you pointed out that the Duo V2 user manual did not reveal everything, I would go on to say that there is a substantial chunk of important information that has been left out, e.g. steps needed to perform a backup.  

However, what I find inexcusable is the lack of a facility, or even an add-on, to do a full backup, the current backup facilities within the Duo V2 is laughable.

You know, I've always said that the Duo V2 was excellently designed and produced, and I still stand by that statement, but it has been sadly let down by incomplete (unfinished) software.

Although highly unlikely, I would hope that someone at Netgear would ask your tech guys to write a few basic add-ons to complete the V2, turning it from incomplete NAS into an excellent one.

UK Bob 

As you know, I don't work for Netgear...

---

ukbobboy wrote:

 but it has been sadly let down by incomplete (unfinished) software.

  

---

I agree with that assessment.  The v2 platform was a transistion product between OS4 and OS 6, and went EOL before all the features were developed. 

Also, it would be useful to see backup improved to make it simpler to restore the entire data volume (with all ReadyNAS platforms).  While I understand that might not be quite as easy as it sounds, not being able to do that is a huge problem for users.

Hi StephenB

I'm guessing that if Netgear had made it known that the V2 was a "transition product" it would not have sold so well, so instead we have a product that betrays its' customers.

However, it may not be easy to write an add-on that will do a full back up but I would have thought recommending or even amending another companies software to fill the gap would be better than doing nothing.

UK Bob 

---

ukbobboy wrote:
 I'm guessing that if Netgear had made it known that the V2 was a "transition product" it would not have sold so well, so instead we have a product that betrays its' customers.

  

---

When the v2 products were launched they actually did say in their press briefings that they would be their entry level offering for "12-18 months" - which is exactly what happened.  I didn't expect them to drop OS 5 that quickly though.

Hi StephenB

I've done my backups, via Teracopy, and now I'm trying to rebuild my RN Duo V2, and this will takes a good few hours to do but even then nothing is certain.

Still, got to struggle on.

UK Bob

Hi StephenB

I have finally finish upgrading my HDs from 2 x 2TB to 2 x 4TB and it's been a long hard and painful road, thoroughly and totally unpleasant. And you know, it should not have been this hard and this unpleasant.

Again, I thank both you and mdgm for your sterling help and advice without which the upgrade process would have been a total failure.

Finally, the reason why upgrading has been such a pain is because, the Duo V2's governing software is incomplete, so much so that in some places it is just laughable.  The V2's software user manual has glaring informational holes that leave inexperience users, like myself who know nothing about Linux, lost and confused, the manual seems to pretend everything is step-by-step easy but it's not.

Although everything for me is now OK, truthfully this is an experience I never (ever) want to repeat.

UK Bob

I'm glad you did manage to complete it.  Normally that upgrade is straightforward, though in your case clearly it wasn't.