Re: ReadyNAS 2100 FrontView blank page - Firmware 4.2.31

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-11-03

Hi,

Not sure If I am in the right place but here goes as I need some help.

I have three readyNAS 2100's. I have had no issue installing OS6 on the first two. This third one did not like it and I did factory resets and OS re-installs from boot menu several times. I then tried to recover by USB. I cannot get FrontView to display anything other than blank screen in any browser. RAIDar identifies the NAS as running and healthy but with no model number and no drives visible.

All lights are on for all drives, IP Address is assigned and I can browse and see a Backup directory and a Media directory with Videos, Pictures and Music sub-folders? Some other posts say files may be corrupt and can only be fixed by Netgear personnel. Can anybody please help?

Many thanks in advance

FrontView Screen

RAIDAR Screen

Sandshark · ‎2022-11-04

Unless you blanked out the model number in the RAIDar screen, I suspect your problem is a corrupted VPD (vendor product data) file. Only Netgear can repair that. The mods (@Marc_V and @JeraldM ) sometimes repair the VPDs remotely, so that is perhaps an option. Once you get back up and running, I suggest you check out this post: Backup-and-restore-of-VPD-file-for-legacy-ReadyNAS-running-OS6.

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-11-04

Thanks Sandshark,

Looks like it is done for then. Thanks for taking time to reply. I'll start looking for a replacement chassis and keep this one for spares. I'll check the post out you provided.

Cheers

Carlos

Sandshark · ‎2022-11-04

No, it's not done. Wait for one of the mods to reply and assist you with repairing your VPD file.

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-11-05

OK, thanks Sandshark. Will see if they can help with it. Glad it might be recoverable, otherwise would have been 170 quid down the drain. I took a look at the post you added in your last message. I have Putty so will attempt telnet connections to my existing two ReadyNAS racks and back that file up.

Cheers for your help with this, much appreciated.

Carlos

Sandshark · ‎2022-11-05

You can copy the VPD from one NAS to another of the same model number just to prove that's the problem. You'll end up with two units that have the same serial number, but the only thing I believe that causes an issue with is ReadyCloud.

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-11-17

Hi,

I tried this, following the instructions in the guide, and could not get Putty to telnet to the box. RAIDar said it was connected in technical support mode and that the IP address had changed to 192.168.168.168 from the two it usually had. I tried connecting via Putty using all 3 IP addresses, and it timed out each time. I had my VPN off at the time so it wasn't that. It's looking like this one cannot be recovered, so my only option is to use it as storage (think it is in JBOD mode at the moment). Trouble is it is setup as DLNA by previous owner and has the media directories. I can use this directory but obviously would prefer to add my own share with credentials ,and change the admin password for the box. If you can offer any further advice to get FrontView working again it would be greatly appreciate. Many thanks.

StephenB · ‎2022-11-17

@Fandango2022 wrote:

the IP address had changed to 192.168.168.168 from the two it usually had. I tried connecting via Putty using all 3 IP addresses, and it timed out each time.

This means that the system couldn't get a DHCP address from your router.

You can directly connect the ethernet to a PC, and set up the PC to use a compatible address (for example, 192.168.168.100, with a gateway of 192.168.168.100).

But if you are using both NICs without using link aggregation/bonding, then you might also try disconnecting one of the two cables and trying again.

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-11-18

Hi, Thanks for the pointers... I will try again but a little of what is being explained is over my head. Wish me luck!

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-11-25

Well, I have finally managed to telnet to the broken NAS and can list some directories (bin, data, etc, init, mnt, root, sys, tmp, var, boot_flash, dev, frontview, lib, proc, sbin, sysroot, and usr) but the commands in the VPD copying document are not working for me . I am concerned that the instructions say not to copy the VPD from another machine under any circumstances, as it could cause issues and I have three other machines running on my network. Are there any MOD's available who could help to repair the VPD file on the broken NAS? Happy to be told it's not possible ,and I will just use the machine for temporary storage. Many thanks.

Sandshark · ‎2022-11-26

What specific commands are not working, and what error message do you get?

You cannot copy the VPD from a different base model NAS, but you can copy one from the same type. For example, minor differences in what drives it shipped with will make no difference. But copying a Pro4 VPD to a 2100 will cause problems, for example, even though both are 4-bay units.

If you do copy from one machine to another, they will show the same serial number, which will make it impossible to use ReadyCloud, if you were to convert to OS6 (assuming your 2100 is a V2 and can even be converted).. But that's the only issue I know of.

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-11-27

Thanks for getting back to me @Sandshark . Much appreciate.

I have gone right back to the beginning and started a telnet session to the working box to copy the VPD file to USB, which is on OS 6.10.8.

1. USB has been formatted as detailed in the document with a single text file to allow easy identification

2. NAS has been booted in tech support mode and appears in RAIDar as such.

3. TELNET session established without issues using the credentials supplied in the document.

4. Ran command CD / as this is a OS 6 NAS - Ok

5. Ran command mount /dev/sde1 mnt - Ok (this is the only drive name I could get accepted as SDC1 and SDD1 did not work)

6. Ran command ls mnt and got a list of files including the VPD - Ok

7. Ran command mkdir usb - Ok (ls confirms the folder is created and present)

8. Ran command mount /dev/sde1 usb - fail with message -

mount: mounting /dev/sde1 on usb failed: Device or resource busy

I have waited and re-tried but no change to the message. RAIDar shows the following -

Thanks for your continued efforts to help me with this.

StephenB · ‎2022-11-27

@Fandango2022 wrote:

5. Ran command mount /dev/sde1 mnt - Ok (this is the only drive name I could get accepted as SDC1 and SDD1 did not work)

8. Ran command mount /dev/sde1 usb - fail with message -

mount: mounting /dev/sde1 on usb failed: Device or resource busy

Why are you trying to mount /dev/sde1 a second time?

Step 8 is to mount the USB device you want to copy the VPD to (e.g, the destination), not remounting the source

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-11-27

Apologies... a misunderstanding of the document on my part.

At this point I am supposed to be mounting the USB , so how do I easily identify the drive name for the USB on my machine to use here? Is there a command? I have had difficulty finding commands for disk info.

Thanks for your patience.

StephenB · ‎2022-11-27

@Fandango2022 wrote:

At this point I am supposed to be mounting the USB , so how do I easily identify the drive name for the USB on my machine to use here? Is there a command? I have had difficulty finding commands for disk info.

lsblk should list all the disks (and their partitions).

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-11-27

I get the following when I try this... I have entered the lsblk command after I have created the USB directory.

# lsblk
-sh: lsblk: not found

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-11-27

Ok, thanks @StephenB @Sandshark - making some progress...

lsblk did not work for me but I tried ls dev, which gave me a list of device ID's I think. I tried the one at the end that looked like ti was in isolation i.e. sdf1 and command mount sdf1 usb worked. I could then list the contents of the usb and see my text file. Copy operation of cp /mnt/vpd /usb worked fine and I now have a copy of the file.

Next step to put it on the broken 2100 and see If it gets FrontView working again. Thanks for both your help so far.

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-11-27

Ok, thought all was going well. Managed to copy the VPD file to the broken NAS with no issues. Once started-up, it displays 'Corrupt Root' in RAIDar, and I cannot connect to Frontview in an old version of Firefox that used to allow it previously. Is this because the VPD file was from one of my OS 6 machines? I do not have this broken one upgraded yet from 4.2.31 and do not have any other older OS machines.

Many thanks.

StephenB · ‎2022-11-27

@Fandango2022 wrote:

lsblk did not work for me but I tried

Ok. Some of the tools require you to mount the OS partition and chroot when in tech support mode.

@Fandango2022 wrote:

Once started-up, it displays 'Corrupt Root' in RAIDar

That is a different problem. Try doing an OS reinstall from the boot menu. Note that will reset the admin password to netgear1.

Sandshark · ‎2022-11-27

The VPD isn't changed between OS4.2.x and OS6. In fact, native OS6 units don't use it at all. But writing to the flash and then getting the "corrupt root" message could be an indication that the flash is actually faulty, since it wasn't before. But do try an OS re-install as @StephenB suggested before you reach that conclusion.

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-11-27

Further update...

I took out the single 250gb disk that was in the unit and deleted the volumes in windows leaving an empty partition. When I rebooted with the disk in, the NAS started to check the disk in RAIDar. It then finished and let me choose 'Setup' to configure a raid type, showing formware version as 4.2.31. The 'Corrupt Root' message had dissapeared. I chose the default ,and it completed and told me about the lack of redundancy, which was expected. Frontview was loadable using the default credentials, but once again still shows blank screen, with just a few buttons...

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-11-27

Just tried an OS re-install to see if that rectified things, but sadly not. Still a blank FrontView screen. Do you think it is worth trying a RADiator 4.2 USB fash recovery?

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-12-01

Anybody got anything else I can try before this NAS has to be retired?

mdgm · ‎2022-12-01

You could try an older web browser version.

If this is a v2 and you want to put OS6 on and try that you could rename the OS6 firmware .img file to RAIDiator-x86-something and use that instead when doing USB Boot Recovery.

Note that the VPD may be corrupt after doing a USB Boot Recovery.

Fandango2022 · ‎2022-12-02

Already trying an old Firefox browser, that originally allowed me to view FrontView before I attempted the upgrade to OS6. This browser version has allowed me to upgrade other 2100's also. Not sure why the VPD file copy has not sorted my issue out. I will try a USB restore and see If that sorts things out. Other than that I am out of ideas on this one. Thanks @mdgm .