RNDU4000: Booting failure after disks replacing

[Albatros]

Hi folks,
I have a ReadyNas RNDU4000 who initially perfectly worked with 4 HD WD20EARX.
Subsequently I removed these disks and replaced them with 3 new 3TB HD WD30EZRX tested by many people on this community (these 3 new disk have been NTFS formatted before)
After power on the RNDU4000, it displayed an error and so i tried to do a factory reset.
But every time I make a factory reset the display is showing:

1) TESTING DISKS (succesfully completed)
2) AWAITING RAIDAR TIMEOUT 10 MINUTES
(So from RAIDar I created a volume by selecting Expandible Volume X-Raid2)
3) INSTALLING FW X-RAID2 MODE

But at this point the display show the error:
ERR: COULD NOT PROPERLY EXTRACT,
and immediately start to create the Volume C:

After the volume C: is completed, the RNDU4000 reboots, but it stucks definitively and display remains freezed showing "BOOTING"
Consequentely from RAIDar I can't find my NAS anymore.

I tried even to remove initially only one disk and then another disk but also leaving only one disk inside the RNDU4000 the factory reset failed.

I contacted the support but they told me that can't give me any support because these hard disks are not in the compatibility list.
They only suggested me to try to reinstall the firmware from the internal flash to the disks by choosing OS RE-INSTALL option from the boot menu (but even this tentative failed)
My Readynas is no longer usable and I'm desperate . I dont know what else to do 😞 😞 .
I hope you can give me an idea to solve this big issue.

Regards, Andrew

[StephenB]

I've used an WD30EZRX in my Pro-6, though I replaced it with a WD30EFZX a couple months ago. I wasn't having any problem with it, but decided I'd prefer to move it to a PC and go with the Red line in the NAS.

Two things to try:
(a) try putting the new drives into your PC, and testing them with WD Lifeguard
(b) while there, use lifeguard to write zeros to the first and last million sectors. The NAS will then treat the drives as unformatted.

Assuming the drives pass, insert them back into the NAS (while powered down) and start it up. That should do a clean install.

[Albatros]

Thanks for reply.
I tried to test one WD30EARX using WD Lifeguard and it succesfully passed. Then I wrote zeros to the first and last million sectors. After I've inserted the disk in the RNDU4000 and it treated the drive as unformatted and automaticaly started a factory reset.
However unfortunately during factory reset happens the same that I explained before 😞
Someone has others suggestions?

[StephenB]

What firmware version is running on the ultra? 3 TB disk support was added in 4.2.16.

[Albatros]

I believe that I updated the firmware much time ago but don't remember the version.
Now, since it doesn't boot, and so I can't use RAIDar, is there a way to known the actual version?

[StephenB]

If you power down, and reinstall your original disks it will boot.

You could also try using a smaller scratch disk, and see if the install.

4.2.16 was released April 2011 if that helps.

[Albatros]

Hi, I haven't a smaller scratch disk, and actually my previous four wd20earx are not available because have been ntfs formatted e fully filled.
So, as you suggest, I will try to empty at least an old disk and if my nas finally reboot I'll say you the firmware version.
Thanks, I will let you know.

[Albatros]

Hi StephenB,
yesterday I inserted again one of my old 2TB original disk (regularly used since few days ago) but unfortunatelly my RNDU4000 is not able to execute a factory reset anymore. So, in my opinion the OS is definitively corrupted.
Because my readynas is under warranty, I called support again and they told me that, only if I insert at least one disk included in the official compatibility list, they will make a remote connection by telnet to solve my issue.
So next week I will have a disk to borrow and I will call the support to escalate my case.

I will let you know. Thanks again, Andrew.

[mdgm-ntgr]

You could try a USB Boot Recovery: http://home.bott.ca/webserver/?p=166

You could put 4.2.22 on the USB key created following those instructions and remove 4.2.15 off the key and it would load the 4.2.22 firmware onto your NAS.

This procedure might repair the flash. Worst case it might corrupt the VPD (an L3 tech can fix this if this happens) but if you're going to need a L3 tech to look into this issue anyway it is worth a shot.

[Albatros]

Hi all,
sorry for delay in my response but I was on vacation for a few days.
With great pleasure I announce that I have successfully solved the problem 😄 .
Basically I followed the guide suggested above by mdgm related to usb boot recovery guide.
I used four different usb flash drive without success cause none of them appeared to be bootable.
So to solve the problem I created a bootable USB flash drive using the tool Bootsect as suggested in response number 7 of the guide on the blog. (I mean I Followed step 2 of the guides at http://kmwoley.com/blog/?p=345)
Finally I turned on my ReadyNAS performing a firmware re-installation while booting.
So currently I have the 4.2.22 firmware inside and my RNDU4000 recognize perfectly the new disks WD30EZRX.
A big thanks to StephenB and MDGM for their valuable support. :worship: :worship:

Thanks again, Andrew.

[mdgm-ntgr]

Albatros wrote:
A big thanks to StephenB and MDGM for their valuable support. :worship: :worship:

You're welcome. I don't like that smiley though (I'm just a man).

[matelec]

I also am having exactly the same issue and have read this page and would like to try the fix as outlined, but the link for the USB boot recovery info http://home.bott.ca/webserver/?p=166 does not seem to work.
Any other link or info for this?
Thanks in advance
Graeme

[mdgm-ntgr]

You've got a PM

[mdgm-ntgr]

Fixed.

[bart_bcit_be]

I have the same issue - what was the fix?

Thank you.

[mdgm-ntgr]

Bart I just sent you a PM too.

Locking this thread as it is old and the previous user's issue was resolved.