ReadyNAS 104 Inaccessible - ReadyNAS Admin Page is Offline

[haigha]

ReadyNAS 104, running System 6.10.7, with 4 x 2TB drives.

Rebooted after NAS became unresponsive, but NAS is still inaccessible on local network via browser or via ReadyCloud.

Network Activity light is blinking, four drive LEDs are constantly on, and the NAS fan comes on intermittently for cooling.

The driver has been running without problem for several years and no changes have been made to the network.

Any assistance/suggestions very welcome. 

[haigha · Accepted solution]

Managed to back up my essential files, removed the failing drive and replaced with another, let the RAID rebuild then installed the most recent firmware update. Everything is now much more responsive.

Thanks for all your assistance.

[Marc_V]

@haigha

Have you used RAIDar to detect the NAS? If not, RAIDar can be acquired here. If there is network connection the NAS should be detected by RAIDar and provide status information and download logs if possible.

You may have a full OS partition or full data volume making the NAS inaccessible.

[haigha]

I use a Mac, running Monterey 12.3.1, so I had to install java before installing RAIDar.

RAIDar finds my NAS on my local network but when I try to download logs, it prompts for a password. I enter my admin password and it just hangs. I've forced RAIDar to quit and restarted, only to get hung again on entering password. I even tried the NetGear default password with the same effect. RAIDar does show all four drives in good order.

[Marc_V]

@haigha

Have you tried using a different computer or browser when trying to access the admin page? even when using the IP address? 

[haigha]

Yes, tried an older Mac using Sierra, and my iPhone.

Now and again, the web page in a browser window will ask for my admin password, and it will try to load the admin page, but it always ends up displaying the same error: ReadyNAS Admin Page is offline.

[Marc_V]

If you still can't get the logs. It will be best to contact ReadyNAS Support via E-mail readynassupport@netgear.com.

HTH

[haigha]

I tried several reboots, and eventually the NAS showed up in RAIDar after leaving overnight. 

I was able to enter my password, but it hung again when I tried to access logs.

I tried a reboot and it hung at 99% after leaving overnight.

When I press the power button, I get what looks to be an error message <fvapp-transmissio>.

I'm guessing the transmission application may be causing some kind of problem, but I have no idea how I might remove the app if I can't mount the NAS.

[haigha]

Apologies, but I had to put this issue to one side for a while.

I just rebooted the NAS using the reset procedure and chose OS reinstall from the menu.

The NAS booted slowly, sitting at 92% for a while, but even after fully booting the NAS still does not show up on my network, even using RAIDar.

[StephenB]

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@haigha wrote:

Apologies, but I had to put this issue to one side for a while.

I just rebooted the NAS using the reset procedure and chose OS reinstall from the menu.

The NAS booted slowly, sitting at 92% for a while, but even after fully booting the NAS still does not show up on my network, even using RAIDar.

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What IP address are you seeing on the front panel?

Is this IP address in your home network's subnet?

[haigha]

https://10.0.0.7/admin/

Yes, home network.

Strangely, I have Transmission and qBitorrent installed on the NAS and web interfaces for both are viewable in my browser.

[StephenB]

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@haigha wrote:

https://10.0.0.7/admin/

Yes, home network.

Strangely, I have Transmission and qBitorrent installed on the NAS and web interfaces for both are viewable in my browser.

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So to clarify - the web ui is offline, but app web interfaces work.

I am thinking that SMB access also works - is that the case?

[haigha]

Yes, app web interface works, but web ui is offline.

I attempted a direct ethernet connection using 192.192.168.100 with subnet 255.255.255.0 on my Mac and

the NAS indicated it was connected to169.254.34.224 after a reboot.

My browser indicated it couldn't find the NAS Z@ 169.254.34.224

[StephenB]

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@haigha wrote:

Yes, app web interface works, but web ui is offline.

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Is finder able to access the shares?

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@haigha wrote:

Yes, app web interface works, but web ui is offline.

I attempted a direct ethernet connection

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A waste of energy, as the IP configuration is clearly ok.  If it were wrong, the app web interfaces would also fail.

An OS reinstall might help.

[haigha]

An OS re-install might help

I did do a re-install, and it reset to the NAS to the default password.

I can do another if you think it might help.

Is finder able to access the shares?

Unfortunately, not.

I did manage to get a listing of the shares using ReadyCLOUD browser interface, but couldn't access anything beyond the listings--the request times out.

ReadyCLOUD shows a firmware update is available.

[StephenB]

Are you seeing any issues on the NAS front panel?

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@haigha wrote:

Is finder able to access the shares?

Unfortunately, not.

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Unfortunately, not a good sign.

Does it look like the apps can access the data volume?

Do you have access to a Windows PC?  Or just a Mac? (There are a couple things I could suggest trying with Windows, but I am not a Mac user, so I don't know the steps there).

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@haigha wrote:

An OS re-install might help

I did do a re-install, and it reset to the NAS to the default password.

I can do another if you think it might help.

---

It's a long shot if you've already done one, but it is easy to do, so worth a try.

It does reset the NAS admin password (and a couple of other settings), as well as doing a partial installation.

[haigha]

It's a long shot if you've already done one, but it is easy to do, so worth a try.

I'll give this another shot.

How about a firmware upgrade if the OS re-install doesn't help?

As a last resort, I'd like to transfer the disks, which seem to be okay, to another NAS and spin them up there.

Is this possible?

[StephenB]

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@haigha wrote:

As a last resort, I'd like to transfer the disks, which seem to be okay, to another NAS and spin them up there.

Is this possible?

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Actually I think the issue is the OS/ReadyNAS application - which is on the disks.

If you have a spare disk, you can test this by 

• powering down
• remove current disks (labeling by slot)
• power up, and install to the spare disk

If that works, then the problem isn't the NAS chassis.

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@haigha wrote:

How about a firmware upgrade if the OS re-install doesn't help?

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A USB recovery is another possbility you could try.

[haigha]

A USB recovery is another possbility you could try.

Are there instructions for a USB recovery?

I may have a spare disk, and if I can find one, I'll try installing the OS to that disk.

[StephenB]

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@haigha wrote:

Are there instructions for a USB recovery?

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https://kb.netgear.com/29952/How-do-I-use-the-USB-Recovery-Tool-on-my-ReadyNAS-OS-6-storage-system

Be careful to follow the instructions for ARM.  If you have a flash or USB drive that has an activity light, it is good to use it.

Note this updates the flash memory, not the OS running on the drives.  But since you are running 6.10.7, then if you install 6.10.8 on the recovery disk, and that will end up updating the flash memory first, and then the OS on the disks will be updated when you reboot the system.

[haigha]

Okay, I prepared a USB drive and downloaded <ReadyNASOS-6.10.8-arm.dmg> but I can't get the image to mount--seems others are having dmg-mount issues. Trying to resolve this to get access to latest firmware.

Is there any other way to access the firmware other than .dmg?

[haigha]

I've tried to mount the ReadyNASOS-6.10.8-arm.img file on three different Macs--all of them fail to mount the .img file.

Any chance the original .img file is corrupt?

I've also downloaded the original file 3 times to ensure it wasn't a corrupt download.

[StephenB]

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@haigha wrote:

Okay, I prepared a USB drive and downloaded <ReadyNASOS-6.10.8-arm.dmg>

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dmg????  The extension is img.

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@haigha wrote:

I've tried to mount the ReadyNASOS-6.10.8-arm.img file on three different Macs--all of them fail to mount the .img file.

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Why are you trying to mount it?  There's nothing in the instructions that say to do that.  You just move the .img file into the appropriate folder.

[haigha]

You just move the .img file into the appropriate folder.

Ah! - gotcha

[haigha]

Using the rear reset button, I started NAS into Boot Menu, but there's no option for USB recovery.

I read somewhere (can't remember now) that to boot some rack NASs into USB recovery, the reset button is the front backup button.

I'm guessing I should use the front reset button to access the USB recovery mode in the menu?

[haigha]

Apologies if this is a double post--I posted earlier but I'm not seeing it...

These are the files I've copied to the USB drive; is this correct?