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Re: ReadyNAS Pro2 (RNDP2000) Failing to writeOS to new disk

suthers
Aspirant

ReadyNAS Pro2 (RNDP2000) Failing to writeOS to new disk

Hi All,
I'll try to keep this brief. ReadyNAS Pro 2 running 2 x 3TB disks as XRaid mirror. This is the sequence:
* Disk 2 starts to fail (SMART errors)
* Hot remove Disk 2, insert replacement disk from supplier
* Replacement disk is Dead On Arrival - return to supplier, leave Disk 2 out to preserve remaining life.
* Disk 1 starts to fail (SMART errors)
* Another replacement disk arrives - insert in bay 2, starts to sync & rebuild volume
* Partway through sync Disk 1 fails completely, causing sync to replacement disk to also fail.
* Remove all disks, reinsert Original Disk 2 in Bay 2 & boot up
* Insert replacement disk into Bay1, & sync from Disk 2. Rebuilding volume successful overnight.
* Power down & remove Disk 2 (which is throwing more SMART errors all the time)
* ReadyNAS will not boot from newly synced replacement disk. Reports 'Corrupt Boot' in RAIDar.
* Booting into OS Reinstall mode does not help - still cannot boot from newly synced replacement disk.
* Perform full factory reset with new disk in place - wipes all data just synced, but now the NAS can boot from the new disk.
* Restore NAS configuration/settings from backup
* Remove new disk, re-insert original Disk 2 into Bay 2, boot up successfully
* Insert new disk 1 & sync/volume rebuilding commences.

This is where I am right now. I am HOPING that after the volume sync overnight I will finally be able to boot the NAS from the newly synced disk!

My problem is I then have to replace the rapidly failing Disk 2, and I REALLY don't want to have to repeat the process of doing a factory reset with another new drive in place to get the OS onto it!

How do I go about adding a new disk and having the OS loaded correctly onto it so the device can boot from that new disk if/when required in future?

Shalom

Bill
Message 1 of 11
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: ReadyNAS Pro2 (RNDP2000) Failing to writeOS to new disk

With the disk rapidly failing it's possible there may be issues syncing the OS partition onto the new disk.

The sync puts heavy stress on all disks so the failing disk will continue to get worse each time you do a resync with it in place?

Do you have a backup of your data?
Message 2 of 11
suthers
Aspirant

Re: ReadyNAS Pro2 (RNDP2000) Failing to writeOS to new disk

Yes I do.
Message 3 of 11
suthers
Aspirant

Re: ReadyNAS Pro2 (RNDP2000) Failing to writeOS to new disk

The overnight sync completed, but with increasing SMART errors from failing disk 2.
As I feared, I am now again unable to boot from the new replacement disk I just sync'd onto. Looks like you are correct and a corrupt OS partition is being mirrored onto it every time it sync's from the failing disk 2.
I have just tried again to boot into OS Reinstall mode and it again seems to have no effect. Why?
Is my best solution to install 2 new disks, boot into factory reset, then restore configuration, then restore data from external backup?
Message 4 of 11
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: ReadyNAS Pro2 (RNDP2000) Failing to writeOS to new disk

Yes, the factory reset etc. would be the best solution in this situation considering you have a backup of your data.
Message 5 of 11
suthers
Aspirant

Re: ReadyNAS Pro2 (RNDP2000) Failing to writeOS to new disk

OK, but can you give me some insight into why the OS Reinstall option cannot recover the ability to boot?
I'm looking to future possibilities, and don't want to have to go to a factory reset option every time I need to replace a disk 🙂
Message 6 of 11
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: ReadyNAS Pro2 (RNDP2000) Failing to writeOS to new disk

An OS Re-install installs the OS over the top of itself. It resets some settings e.g. the admin password and some network settings, but most settings, and the data remain intact.

If the OS is corrupted due to a disk happening to have issues in the area used by the 4GB partition then an OS Re-install may not fix it.

There is something that could be tried perhaps, but it would have to be done remotely manually and really is a last resort.
Message 7 of 11
suthers
Aspirant

Re: ReadyNAS Pro2 (RNDP2000) Failing to writeOS to new disk

Thanks for such quick & knowledgeable advice 🙂

So for future circumstances, provided I have one sound disk to sync from, the new disk should pick up the OS OK and be able to boot?
Message 8 of 11
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: ReadyNAS Pro2 (RNDP2000) Failing to writeOS to new disk

Yes.

But as always it is a good idea to have a backup just in case. No important data should be stored on just the one device. Things like an unexpected disk failure can cause issues like it has in this case.
Message 9 of 11
suthers
Aspirant

Re: ReadyNAS Pro2 (RNDP2000) Failing to writeOS to new disk

Oh yes, I wasn't even hinting at not maintaining backups 🙂
Message 10 of 11
mdgm-ntgr
NETGEAR Employee Retired

Re: ReadyNAS Pro2 (RNDP2000) Failing to writeOS to new disk

Was just adding that extra detail to the thread in case someone else comes across this.

An advantage of a factory reset is that it does a clean setup using the firmware on the flash (usually the same as what is on the disks).
Message 11 of 11
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