Re: ReadyNAS RN202 fan at top speed (even when NAS is turned off)
Yes, I think the PWM controller is a likely candidate. Even if the chip is available as a single part (likely not), I don't recommend solderng on the NAS board. Shoehorning in a separate controller board in is an option. Small temperature-controlled PWM boards are available, or one could go with a simpler 3-pin with an analog controller with the speed set to the highest speed necessary for the useage conditions, so long as the necessary constant speed isn't too loud. The fan's tachometer output should be able to be jumpered to the NAS fan connector so the OS and user can monitor the speed, thus eliminating the fan speed =0 warnings.
Re: ReadyNAS RN202 fan at top speed (even when NAS is turned off)
Following this thread news... it seems the NAS finally did bite the dust. Tried to turn it ON today to test another PWM fan, it started, worked for a couple of minutes, and turned itself off. No ammount of pressing the power button makes it come back 😛
Kinda upset about Netgear. I know - I might just be a point outside the curve, yes, but I also have a very slow and old QNAP system, bought 3 2 years before I bought the ReadyNAS that still works to this day. Yep, it's an old (and slow, single drive QNAP), but I really, really thougth that the sheer bulkiness, and sturdiness of the Netgear would make it much, much stronger than the plastic built lil' qnap.
If I buy another NAS (from another vender, say QNAP, or Synology) would the drives work just by installing them? My guess (as already said by @StephenB ) is no, right? So what would be the workflow? Can I access my files using an external HDD case? If yes, then I'd need to put all of them on a PC or another drive, then format the original drives to a format required by that other 3rd party, and then transfer the files all over again?
If I buy another NAS (from another vender, say QNAP, or Synology) would the drives work just by installing them? My guess (as already said by @StephenB ) is no, right?
Can I access my files using an external HDD case? If yes, then I'd need to put all of them on a PC or another drive, then format the original drives to a format required by that other 3rd party, and then transfer the files all over again?
If your volume is RAID-1, then you can extract the files from a single healthy disk, using a USB adapter/dock. If you connect them to a linux PC, then if mdadm and btrfs are installed you should be able to easily mount the disk.
If you are using Windows, then you'd need to use a third party tool. Unfortunately the only third party tool that I know works is about the same price as a new RN212. And if you are careful in shopping, you could get a used OS-6 NAS for less.
I do get this, and it is annoying to have this happen so soon after the warranty expired. FWIW, I have a functional NV+ that goes back to ~2010, and several other ReadyNAS between then and now - and all are still working. That includes a beta RN202. You did have a power surge, correct? So it might not very fair to blame the NAS.
Re: ReadyNAS RN202 fan at top speed (even when NAS is turned off)
Yup! You're correct @StephenB . I did have a power surge, but that did not affect the QNAP 112p that is on the same power outlet as the ReadyNAS was.
At any rate, I did bite the bullet and bought a ReadyNAS 422 (hopefully that is compatible with my drives as well?). If not I'll have to cancel the order and get another model.
At any rate, I did bite the bullet and bought a ReadyNAS 422 (hopefully that is compatible with my drives as well?).
The RN422 is compatible. If you have a scratch drive handy, you might start with that and update the firmware to the current version. Then power down and migrate your drives.
The RN422 is an Intel x86 model, the RN202 was arm. The RN422 will update the OS partition on the drives to x86 the first time you start up with the migrated drives in place. Apps can't be updated automatically to x86, so if you are running those you try to uninstall them after the NAS starts up (and reinstall any you still need).
Re: ReadyNAS RN202 fan at top speed (even when NAS is turned off)
Ok, I have some extra HDDs here (but they were used on Windows PCs, and some are likely to have some files in). Hope I can use them to upgrade the NAS firmware?
Ok, I have some extra HDDs here (but they were used on Windows PCs, and some are likely to have some files in). Hope I can use them to upgrade the NAS firmware?
You just need one, and it doesn't need to be large. It will be reformated, so any files on it will be lost.
To explain the motivation here:
If you were shifting to another arm chassis (or going x86->x86), then the boot process would compare the flash install with what's on the old NAS's disks. If the disks are newer, then the flash is updated. If the flash is newer, then the OS disks are updated. The OS on the disks is never downgraded, it can only be upgraded.
But when you go arm->x86 that comparison can't be done. Whatever is in the flash is installed onto the NAS OS partition. If that is older, then that amounts to a firmware downgrade. Since Netgear warns not to downgrade too far (for instance from 6.10.x to 6.9.x), it's safest to make sure the RN422 is current first.
Re: ReadyNAS RN202 fan at top speed (even when NAS is turned off)
Oh ok! So I'm putting one HDD (can it be an SSD?) on the NAS first to ENSURE it's on the latest firmware, so when the backup disks (which are on special Netgear Raid setup, don't remember the name) will be upgraded as well.
Is there any cautions I should take since one system was ARM (202) and the other is X86 (422)? Things like system file format (you know, NTFS, FAT, etc... don't even know if that applies or not) that I should be aware of as well?
And, on another development, it seems that the board responsible for the SATA connections on the NAS has some problems too..
There are two smaller boards that connect to the main board of the NAS. One board handles connections (LAN, USB, Reset Button) and the other handles the SATA connecttions to the HDDs.
So, today, I disconnected everything, and left only the main board. I did connect the power to the main board and the lights turned on! It seems that there is hope for the Main board, LOL!
Then I connected just the fan to the main board. The board lightens up, but again, the fan spins at 100% speed.
Next, I connected the connections board (USB, LAN, etc) and it booted again! With the FAN at 100% still.
Finally, I connected the SATA board. And what a surprise! The NAS does NOT boot (no lights, no fan spin) and sparkles started popping out of the Sata board! Right from this cap on the image attached.
So, the plot thickens! Should I try to replace tha Cap? Is that CAP problematic enough to keep all the NAS from booting up?
This disk won't be in the NAS that long - there isn't any RAID sync with only one disk, and you just go through the setup quickly. Then update the firmware, power down the NAS, and remove the drive.
Is there any cautions I should take since one system was ARM (202) and the other is X86 (422)? Things like system file format (you know, NTFS, FAT, etc... don't even know if that applies or not) that I should be aware of as well?
If the RN202 was working, I'd have suggested uninstalling all apps, and making sure you had a full backup of the files. But it isn't working, so it's too late to do that.
The migration process should work well though, as long as the RN422 is running firmware that matches (or is newer) than what was running on the RN202. You shouldn't need to format anything.
Re: ReadyNAS RN202 fan at top speed (even when NAS is turned off)
Ok, gonna follow the instructions to the letter!
No need to be worried about apps - we had none installed on the R202, just used what was already in place on the NAS (the google drive link).
I was asking for using an SSD because I happen to have one laying around with an old windows install. The other HDDs have some files on them I'd not want deleted - I didn't know that the drive to be used to update the NAS would be wiped out. Losing a windows install is no issue for me.
Re: ReadyNAS RN202 fan at top speed (even when NAS is turned off)
All right, all right!
Just passing by to say that the disks transfer went smoothly as instructed - first, I popped in an old SSD, formated it, updated the NAS, turned it off, popped the proper drives, and now it "just works" 🙂
Thanks for everyone on this community! Really happy to get my hands on our data again! Now onto making a full backup of everything on GoogleCloud (or you guys use another solution?)
Other question is - should I defrag, scrub, balance or test the disks? And wha't the difference between them? Defrag I know what it is, test I can suppose, but scrub and balance?
Other question is - should I defrag, scrub, balance or test the disks?
I run each of these on my own NAS every three months.
"test" runs a long smart test on every drive in the volume - likely what you thought.
"balance" is a BTRFS file system operation. It's a bit complicated to explain, but it is a good thing to run every now and then. Loosely speaking, it acts to defrag free space.
"scrub" is both a RAID and BTRFS concept (and both are run when you run select it in the UI). The RAID portion is similar to a resync. The BTRFS portion verifies all the BTRFS checksums.
