Re: ReadyNas Pro 6 not found on new computer

CustomVideoLLC · ‎2024-06-17

Ok. So, I logged out and logged back in. Now when I double clicked the icon I got this folder and I am able to look in ALL the folders now. However, there is nothing in any of them. Just some other empty folders or a README.txt message.

I've since moved this message to another computer. As I was typing this message, my workstation computer crashed. It went to a reboot mode, came up with a black screen that said "Start PXE over IPv4", then changed to "Start PXE over IPv6" then went into a boot screen that said "HTTP(s) Boot". Then went to Dell Support Assist where it is now scanning the system. What happened?

It had to Download SupportAssist OS Recovery.

Hope this isn't because of anything we did?

StephenB · ‎2024-06-17

@CustomVideoLLC wrote:

Here's the results of the cmd window. What was supposed to happen?

The data volume should now show up in file explorer as the "Z" drive. So look on Z for your files.

CustomVideoLLC · ‎2024-06-17

There was no Z drive before the crash.

Since it's crashed, I've disconnected the NAS. My workstation is now constantly trying to reboot. It has gone through those same screens a few times. Now it keeps saying "No bootable devices found."

Gotta contact Dell.

CustomVideoLLC · ‎2024-06-17

Got the computer back up and running. There is NO "Z" drive listed.

Can still see the "NAS-0E-D3-CF" icon in Network window.

Can still see the (now 5) shared folders. Nothing in any of them except other empty folders. The admin folder has a README.txt file in it that says...

"Only the admin user can access the home share (and home-snap if snapshot is active) containing all the private user shares. This allows the admin user the ability to easily backup user shares."

What to do next?

Thanks!

StephenB · ‎2024-06-18

@CustomVideoLLC wrote:

What to do next?

The Z drive mounting wasn't persistant, so the two "net use" commands above would need to be re-entered in order to see that again. BUT, the credential manager did work, as you are now able to browse all the folders.

Unfortunately there appears to be no data on the NAS.

Can you double check the "C" folder in particular, making sure all the folders are empty (other than the the text file in the admin folder)? The "C" folder is the entire data volume.

Also, since you still have the old workstation, I suggest connecting ethernet from LAN port 1 of the NAS to that workstation, and take another look at the G drive.

CustomVideoLLC · ‎2024-06-18

Stephen wrote:

The Z drive mounting wasn't persistant, so the two "net use" commands above would need to be re-entered in order to see that again. BUT, the credential manager did work, as you are now able to browse all the folders.

I reentered the commands... still no Z drive.

Stephen wrote:

Unfortunately there appears to be no data on the NAS.

These are screenshots from the G Drive listed on the old workstation...

As you can see... there is LOTS of data on the NAS.

Stephen wrote:

Can you double check the "C" folder in particular, making sure all the folders are empty (other than the the text file in the admin folder)? The "C" folder is the entire data volume.

There is NOTHING in the "C" folder except other empty folders

Stephen wrote:

Also, since you still have the old workstation, I suggest connecting ethernet from LAN port 1 of the NAS to that workstation, and take another look at the G drive.

Here are some other sharing properties for the NAS2 (G:) on the old system...

And here is how it is connected...

I now have the NAS hooked up to both machines via ethernet cables. Let me know if you need to look at something else on the old machine.

Thanks!

StephenB · ‎2024-06-18

Run cmd on the old workstation and then enter net use

Then post the output in a reply. That should show the network path that was used to mount it. Which is where your data is.

CustomVideoLLC · ‎2024-06-19

Hey Stephen,

No dice there...

Doesn't the fact that it is listed under "Devices and drives" and not " Network locations" mean anything? It says it is a Local Disk. And the connection is named iSCSI?

Thanks!

StephenB · ‎2024-06-19

@CustomVideoLLC wrote:

And the connection is named iSCSI?

The iSCSI bit matters for sure. Honestly I haven't done much with iSCSI, and I don't have any systems running 4.2.x firmware.

It is a bit odd that the network path starts with \\Up-premiere, since that is not the name of the NAS. It could be a manually entered hostname. I am guessing that the iscsi target is g based on the Window property screen, but I am not 100% sure.

Not sure if this will show you anything, but are you seeing any iSCSI targets when you go to Volumes->Volume Settings and then select the iSCSI tab?

CustomVideoLLC · ‎2024-06-19

Hi Stephen,

Here is the Disk Management screen from the old workstation...

I couldn't find "Volume Settings", but I did find the iSCSI Initiator Properties. These are the windows....

Does any of this help?

As far as the \\UpPremiere, when this was all first put together, we had a server and a few workstations, plus two NAS boxes at the time. One was attached to each workstation though, same as now, with a yellow ethernet cable. I don't have the server anymore, not for more than six years. Like I said, the NAS just kept on working as an external drive, so I just kept using it that way.

Thanks!

StephenB · ‎2024-06-19

FYI, I was asking you to look on the NAS (in frontview - the NAS web ui), not in Windows.

There are two paths to proceed.

stay with iSCSI and attempt to create an iSCSI Initiator on the new PC that points to the NAS.
switch to using normal shared folders.

So far it's been tough sledding. (1) likely would continue to be challenging. (2) is simpler, but would require copying all the data off the NAS, destroying the iSCSI LUN on the NAS to free up space and then copying tthe data back.

So I am not sure which way is best.

Sandshark · ‎2024-06-19

Is UpPremiere defined in the Windows hosts file (c:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts)? If it's not, then it may be the name given to the iSCSI pool.

Sandshark · ‎2024-06-20

@StephenB's idea of using the old PC to offload the data to a backup and then re-configuring the NAS (and switching to OS6) may be your best plan of attack rather than continuing to struggle to configure the new PC to access it. As you have found out, the method used to store the data makes it difficult to recover from, and we don't even know yet if there is encryption associated with the iSCSI volume. What would you have done if the old PC had failed, rather than just been replaced? Or if the NAS had died? Plus, you clearly don't have a backup, so the drive you offload to can become that backup that you maintain.

I guess one of the main issues here is what the security risk is if somebody were to break in and steal the NAS. How valuable is the data on it? What's the risk of it being compromised? Was this all set up to prevent that thief from accessing the data?

CustomVideoLLC · ‎2024-06-20

Good Morning!

I could not open frontview on the old system. This is the screen I got from RAIDar...

When I clicked on browse, I got this...

I tried to connect to the NAS via Firefox, which I already had on that system and I couldn't connect. I kept getting the "This site is asking you to sign it" window, but admin and netgear1 would not work. Just kept coming back to this same screen.

When I cancelled the window, I got an "Authorization Required: This server could not verify that you are authorized to access the document requested. Either you supplied the wrong credentials (e.g., bad password), or your browser doesn't understand how to supply the credentials required."

In response to Sandshark... This is what I got when I opened the "hosts" file...

Also, I ALWAYS backup the client data on other external drives. I have all the data currently on the NAS on other drives.

What I was attempting to do was to continue to use this old NAS as an 11TB external drive as I have been for lo' these many years.

But... I have now come to the conclusion that this effort has come to an end. Thanks for trying! Thought it would be an easy fix to move this thing from one Dell computer to another, but apparently ReadyNAS made it way too difficult for that to happen!

Again, thanks for the herculean effort!

Mike

StephenB · ‎2024-06-20

@CustomVideoLLC wrote:

But... I have now come to the conclusion that this effort has come to an end. Thanks for trying! Thought it would be an easy fix to move this thing from one Dell computer to another, but apparently ReadyNAS made it way too difficult for that to happen!

Your IT tech didn't do you any favors when he set up the system for you. It sounds like he didn't give you any documentation on what he did - and his decision to use iSCSI was questionable. You are also using an old ReadyNAS, which doesn't help.

It is possible to continue to use it, if you are willing to put in the time.The process is to

copy off the data to a USB drive using the old workstation
do a factory reset on the Pro 6, and set it up again.
copy the data back to a share on the Pro 6.

Step 2 could include converting the system to run 6.x firmware, which would eliminate the need for FireFox.

Or just copy the data to a USB drive, and use that with the new workstation. Then you could remove the disks, and sell the NAS diskless.

schumaku · ‎2024-06-20

@Sandshark wrote:

Is UpPremiere defined in the Windows hosts file (c:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts)? If it's not, then it may be the name given to the iSCSI pool.

No, it's the name of the iSCSI initiator, so the iSCSI "client" in SMB or SAMBA or Windows File Share terms.

The name of the target is certainly in the same config ... NEO ... in the Target tab. 8-)

Back then, using iSCSI wasn't bad decision when it came to video online editing.

complete different concept than SMB shred folders.

PS. NEO: Nomen est omen 8-)

StephenB · ‎2024-06-20

@schumaku wrote:

Back then, using iSCSI wasn't bad decision when it came to video online editing.

What was bad is that the tech didn't leave any documentation/records on how he set the system up. We still don't know whether authentication is used or whether the LUN is encrypted.

Sandshark · ‎2024-06-20

@StephenB wrote:
@CustomVideoLLC wrote:

But... I have now come to the conclusion that this effort has come to an end. Thanks for trying! Thought it would be an easy fix to move this thing from one Dell computer to another, but apparently ReadyNAS made it way too difficult for that to happen!

Your IT tech didn't do you any favors when he set up the system for you. It sounds like he didn't give you any documentation on what he did - and his decision to use iSCSI was questionable. You are also using an old ReadyNAS, which doesn't help.

I agree 100%. Don't blame Netgear for this mess. Your IT Tech set things up in a very specific way, one I consider unusual. Had he set it up using normal share access, it would have been quite easy to migrate the NAS to your new PC. But with iSCSI, the NAS simply provides the PC with a big chunk of unformatted space, and all the "work" is done on the PC. So on a new PC, you have to set everything back up exactly the same way. I can only guess that he was mimicking the way things were on your old server, thinking that would be easier for you to migrate to. But having left you no documentation of what he did, he wasn't thinking forward to the next migration.

It's good you do have a backup. If you want to set the NAS up in a more typical manner and copy the files from the backups, we can help you with that.