ReadyNAS 2304 in status TFTP_REQ after Firmware Upgrade to 6.9.4
After Upgrading my ReadyNAS 2304 to Firmware 6.9.4 the device does not re-boot into normal operation: Neither the Admin page nor the shares are accessible.
An access attempt with RAIDar is showing that the device is in TFTP_REQ status and software version is 6.9.4. As expectable, a telnet login is presented by the device (access with default credentials can be confirmed).
My questions are:
1) Is such symptom (i.e. failure to perform normal boot after firmware update) known to the NETGEAR community?
2) Is there a simple and reliable way to fall back to 6.9.3, e.g. by using the control offered via telnet?
3) Would I be able to mount the raid-volumes (i.e. what would be /data in normal operation) and in addition a USB-connected drive (i.e. an external hard disk connected to the USB3.0 connector on the front panel) from the telnet command line in order to perform a data snapshot (i.e. cp -ar /data /path_to_my_monuted_external_USB_drive) before continuing to try any further steps? Which mount-commands would be necessary?
3) Would I be able to mount the raid-volumes (i.e. what would be /data in normal operation) and in addition a USB-connected drive (i.e. an external hard disk connected to the USB3.0 connector on the front panel) from the telnet command line in order to perform a data snapshot (i.e. cp -ar /data /path_to_my_monuted_external_USB_drive) before continuing to try any further steps? Which
You can mount a (healthy) data volume with
# btrfs device scan
# btrfs fi show
# mount /dev/md127 /data
Though perhaps use -o ro on the mount command (which mounts it read-only)
You might need to use the -t option when mounting the USB drive (depending on how it is formatted)
Re: ReadyNAS 2304 in status TFTP_REQ after Firmware Upgrade to 6.9.4
1) Yes, this can happen sometimes. Could be a problem with the filesystem on the internal flash, a failing internal flash, corrupt files on the internal flash or some other issue.
2) Yes, but how to proceed does depend on different factors such as what happens when you try to mount the internal flash, what errors relating to the internal flash you see in dmesg etc.
Normally with this error USB Boot Recovery would be attempted (may need to try multiple different USB keys).
Support knows how to manually update the files on the internal flash and even write a flash image to the flash.
If you can’t boot to tech support mode getting to the TFTP_REQ state would mean that TeamViewer would be an option to look at it using local telnet.
The .os_update procedure involves the system mounting the flash and extracting the OS files over the top of the OS partition. That’s highly unlikely to fix TFTP_REQ imo.
Re: ReadyNAS 2304 in status TFTP_REQ after Firmware Upgrade to 6.9.4
First Step: Backing Up Data
Thanks a lot to StephenB for guiding me to a successful data backup. Indeed it was possible to mount the RAID successfully via telnet using his suggested sequence (from within chroot):
# btrfs device scan
# btrfs fi show
# mount -ro /dev/md127 /data
After seeing my data again, I then connected an external USB hard disk (formatted with ext4) and copied all my data to it. Despite I experienced a little "unreliability" during recursively copying the /home folders, I'm now on the safe side and have all my data on a separate hardware. Maybe I should note that backing up data via scp did work as well from within the telnet access.
Yet Open: Firmware Update
Unfortunately the suggestion to use touch /.os_update to re-trigger firmware update did not prove to be successful. As a consequence, the device is still in state TFTP_REQ and I was trying to follow the advice of user "mdgm" for a USB Boot Recovery.
To my disappointment, the device does not recognise the Recovery-USB-sticks (tried two different makes yet). Some questions as to this suggested USB-Boot procedure:
The advice is to "power on" the device whilst keeping the reset-microswitch pressed and wait for "fast flashing LED". It seems to me that the device is quite hard to convince to get into such boot mode, because I had to disconnect ethernet and to use the "hard" power switch on the rear panel to switch from off to on (and of course, the USB-stick needs to be plugged in). Can this "USB Boot mode entering sequence" be confirmed? In my case, only the green LED is flashing (decently) fast, but there is only little activity on the USB stick. Update attempts yet have all failed
Similarly, getting into the "boot menu" (well, I don't have a display connected. I have to rely on LED patterns) seems only possible with disconnected ethernet and using the "hard" power switch on rear panel and of course without any USB stick - or did I miss something here? However, an "OS reinstall" did again not lead to any success - and I'm yet hesitating to perform the "Factory default" procedure.
Re: ReadyNAS 2304 in status TFTP_REQ after Firmware Upgrade to 6.9.4
Status: Worse than before...
Well, as reported in my last posting, at least I was able to retrieve and backup all the data from my ReadyNAS2304.
Today, I have set aside my hesitance and tried to overcome the situation by triggering a "Factory Default" procedure in the boot menu. Unfortunately, the resulting state seems worse than before:
RAIDar is still showing firmware 6.9.4 and state "TFTP_REQ"
Access via telnet is basically still possible. From the fact that the device is now reporting with its initial name (i.e. nas-MA-Ct-ail) I get that the "Factory Defaulting" process has been completed
It is now not possible anymore to get into the chroot environment. When entering rnutil chroot the device is now responding "chroot: can't execute 'bash': No such file or directory"
Re: ReadyNAS 2304 in status TFTP_REQ after Firmware Upgrade to 6.9.4
USB Boot Recovery executes a list of commands to fix a small range of problems such as TFTP_REQ. If running those commands doesn’t fix the problem then further investigation would be required e.g. via telnet.
It could be that the internal flash has too many bad sectors or that there’s some other problem.
TFTP_REQ does indicate that USB Boot Recovery is needed but there are multiple possible causes.
Re: ReadyNAS 2304 in status TFTP_REQ after Firmware Upgrade to 6.9.4
Well, I guess I should share how the story evolved in my case.
Short version:
I finally sent the hardware back to the NetGear RMA center and received a replacement.
Extended version:
To my surprise, the "covered" USB connection on the rear side can be used (after removing the cover and with appropriate USB2serial driver) to connect a terminal, see/watch the boot sequence and access the device. Very helpful especially when stepping through the boot options, but of course requires some "physical" space to set up the whole equipment.
I got in contact to NetGear support, they are quite professional and friendly. After some initial tries, I was asked to establish a TeamViewer session to allow for remote analysis by a technical expert. Finally we came to the conclusion that it was impossible to "re-load" the firmware into the device (afaik: Onto the internal Flash memory) and therefore I got the "Return Merchandise Allowance (RMA)" together with a destination postal address and a Case ID. Roughly 10 days after sending my defunctional ReadyNas, I received a new one (different serial-number and MAC-addresses) free of charge.
Well, maybe not the best outlook for those which have a similar issue/problem - but at least my (new) ReadyNas is now up and working again and all data has been (as reported above) recoverable.
Kind regards, a big "thank you" to the NetGear Hardware-support and good luck to those which experience similar issues,
seeing my data again, I then connected an external USB hard disk (formatted with ext4) and copied all my data to it. Despite I experienced a little "unreliability" during recursively copying the /home folders, I'm now on the safe side and have all my data on a separate hardware. Maybe I should note that backing up data via scp did work as well from within the telnet access.
