ReadyNAS OS Dead?

[Sandshark]

That command list is incomplete, it doesn't list toggle_flash, for example.  To get the whole list, execute just rnutil.  Then from it's prompt, type help.

Here is the list, BTW:

event_push                push a system event to the UI 
get_disk_info             print a list of all attached disks and disk information 
check_ups_drv             check and possibly start network ups drivers 
disk_chan                 disk event helper for udev 
set_mtu                   network interface mtu helper for udev 
create_bond               create bond 
rn_shutdown               shutdown readynasd and system gracefully 
rn_lcd                    LCD display 
remote_access             start a remote access session for tech support 
volume_util               perform volume operations 
mkhomedir_helper          home subvolume creator for PAM 
disk_event_handler        handler for disk events 
hotplug_event             notifier for hotplug events 
md_event                  notifier for MD RAID events 
start_raids               start all MD RAID arrays 
rn_dbgrw                  debug utils 
shutdown_eda              shutdown all attached EDA500 
search_for_key            search all devices for encryption key 
chroot                    special chroot for initramfs 
get_psu_info              print PSU info for 3220/4220 
volume_schedule           start volume schedule job
spindown_schedule         start spindown schedule job 
backup_md                 backup MD RAID superblocks
bit_rot_event             bit rot events 
firmware_update           check for firmware update 
toggle_flash              Toggle internal flash 
apt_wait                  Wait for an APT lock to release
create_system_log         Create system log archive 
diagnostics               Run system diagnostics 
update_support_fw_db      Update support serial/fw db 
blink                     Locate the NAS with LEDs 
create_vlans              VLAN interface helper for udev
bluetooth_event           Bluetooth events 
dump_sysflags             List systype flags or check if flag is set for system
clamav_event              ClamAV events 
reset_i2c                 Reset I2C
antivirus_scan_rootfs     scan antivirus in rootfs 
list                      list all personalities 
help                      print this help text  

And if you are wondering what the "personalities" are, they are the ones for which Netgear has written a separate program that calls rnutil, so you can execute that command with prefacing it with rnutil.

[pepsov]

The problem with `rnutil` is that it's only available inside ReadyNAS OS...

Once you install another (normal, Linux) OS, you cannot use it anymore. And most importantly, the internal USB DOM device becomes visible as a normal USB disk (noone is trying to hide it from you anymore), so you don't need `rnutil`. 

From the broader perspective of running a normal Linux (any flavor!) on your RN526X in the long run, it makes perfect sense to just wipe out that little (built-in) USB stick and use it as a boot device. I don't understand the 'holly-cow' attitude toward it expressed in previous posts. There's literally NOTHING special about it. A normal USB stick - that's all. And you can even replace it with a larger one if you want (aka "keep the original just in case you decide to go back to ReadyNAS"...
You will not - I can assure you. Debian8 is way too old for anything useful now. Security AND functionality wise). 

Oh, and BTW, be aware that Netgear did some nasty things with BTRFS back in the day, so be prepared for trouble when you try reading your array/shares in the new OS. It's best to have a backup stored on a non-BTRFS disk (array), just in case.
BTRFS did undergo some significant changes/improvements in kernel 5.15+ and the old version Netgear sticks to is not always fully readable.

I will repeat this once again: The RN526X/626X units are just regular x86 PCs, with a slightly crippled EFI/BIOS.
You can use them as such, and forget about the tyranny of Netgear.
 

[SignedAdam]

I don’t care to lose “rnutil“ never used it till NOW and I gotta say, lots of free command line tools out there for Linux. I’m not going to miss it!

The usb donor board can be removed! With the guide I’m trying to follow, which means you don’t have to see it!

The problem I’m finding is the usb donor board isn’t big enough to fit an os on it, or even the installer for it to be installed on the m2 drive, and apparently the NETGEAR readynas board only boots from that usb donor board. Unless you do the magic guide which some how gets around that (not that I’ve done it yet) because once I fill in anything I’ve got to make sure it’s 100% right because once I press reboot, after editing, that’s it, no chance to edit unless I take that usb donor board out and plug it in to something else

[pepsov]

Here's the link to my full, detailed OMV7 installation guide for RN626X/526X:
 
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SR14a0SKtHrpQTAg4EwanduA4x9SgDq7bFGqyVhjCGM/edit?usp=sharing

Feel free to share, comment and suggest improvements.

[SignedAdam]

Unfortunately I don’t have a micro usb connector on the back of my readynas 422 so can’t follow along

[StephenB]

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@SignedAdam wrote:
Unfortunately I don’t have a micro usb connector on the back of my readynas 422 so can’t follow along

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Actually you do.  See page 96 here:

• https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/READYNAS-100/ReadyNAS_%20OS6_Desktop_HM_EN.pdf

It might be covered with a label.

[SignedAdam]

Omg it was behind that gray thing! It was like a reinforced sticker

I thought I saw uart! I did I did I did

[Sandshark]

Yes, but most ReadyNAS do not have that nice, removable device as the flash memory.  So, if they want to save the contents for any potential reversion to ReadyNASOS (like prep for sale), they are going to need another method.  I'm sure it can be done from a recovery mode boot as well (it can on a legacy unit), but I don't have a native OS6 Intel based unit active.

[SignedAdam]

putty is showing me mess and minicom shows nothing... got to be away to get this to work on windows...

[SignedAdam]

wsl --list
#Then what ever you have installed, so ubuntu, you would do :
wsl --set-version Ubuntu 1

fixed mini com, you cant use v2 wsl only v1 however i still get a buggy mess

[schumaku]

Of course, with the default 9600 baud there is no communication possible.

===

Connect the cable to your PC via USB and make sure you have the driver. Then (for Windows,) find out which COM port the cable is using. You can do this by either:

Going to the Device Manager > Ports (COM & LPT) and finding your device in the list, or;
For the Prolific PL-2303, using the ‘checkChipVersion’ tool included in their driver package.

When the cable is properly connected to your PC and the NAS, open your terminal emulator, point it to the right serial device (for Windows: COM port) and have it use the following settings for the serial connection:

Speed: 115200 baud
Data bits: 8
Stop bits: 1
Parity: None
Flow control: None

It may or may not be necessary to configure the character set used. This is done in PuTTY under ‘Translation’. UTF-8 workes in general.

Start the connection, plug in your ReadyNAS and watch it boot!

===

Welcome to communication basics from the early 1970ties, and from decades before my time.

Because of the younger generation seeems to struggle with the very basics, here some entry point to what a VT102 is: https://vt100.net/docs/vt102-ug/chapter1.html#S1.3.1 

[SignedAdam]

I got it working, and with WSL2 no less, instead of blaming the younger generation for not knowing, maybe a complete guide would help! you need to list everything you do, this younger generation got minicom working in windows 11! and didn't boot from a live Linux disk or install linux! and as before mentioned! i would of edited the bios which is alot more advanced! sorry i don't know about out dated practices! yes shoots fired!

youre suggestion worked. thank you, next time, help users with out attacking their age! i've proven my skill by the above youtube video, helped many people, you should leave no stone unturned when making these guides, no shoots fired @pepsov just feedback!

i used v3.1.0 of usbipd-win as 4.0.0 didn't work, don't let it trip you up like it did me for an hour

im able to control the nas using my laptops keyboard, no extra usb keyboard needs to be plugged in to the nas

[SignedAdam]

it's ALIVE in truenas! yay! how do we turn down the fans? anyone? must be away to make it the default boot, im going to start looking in to all of this!

[SignedAdam]

if you set every other boot option to disabled but the uefi of the os you wish to boot from the sata m2... then it will boot from the sata m2 slot after a shutdown or a reboot, i've tested it and thats what is happening my end in truenas, might not work in other os, can someone else test this and confirm

[kamanwu]

Just want to be clear.  Here the hardware you talk about is:  ReadyNAS OS 6 Desktop Storage Systems, right?

eg:

ReadyNAS 422, 424, 426, 428
ReadyNAS 516, 524X, 526X, 528X
ReadyNAS 626X, 628X

I am currently still use ReadyNas Pro 4 (https://www.netgear.com/support/product/rndp4000_(readynas_pro_4))

I could not find the port you talk about.   Is there any way to install modern Linux OS on this hardware?  Thanks.  

[SignedAdam]

Can you not see what it says in one of my screen shots?

I’m literally in the bios and it says rn422 yes this is a readynas 422

Try disabling all other boot devices but leaving the .efi of you’re operating system boot selection on, so all disabled apart from the operating system! Press save and reset, that’s the one I picked, there’s like save and restart and save and something else but I picked save and reset and the boot stays after a power off or a restart!

[SignedAdam]

Ah yeah youres will be different, if you don’t have the serial port, thank netgear engineers I did! Then I think you have to solder wires or something

[schumaku]

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@SignedAdam wrote:

I got it working, and with WSL2 no less, instead of blaming the younger generation for not knowing, maybe a complete guide would help! you need to list everything you do, this younger generation got minicom working in windows 11! and didn't boot from a live Linux disk or install linux! and as before mentioned! i would of edited the bios which is alot more advanced! sorry i don't know about out dated practices! yes shoots fired!

I've posted the answer to your latent problem, so a "thank you" would be sufficient.

Sorry for not recording a YouTube tutorial. Priceless, a war one does not have to fight.

Difficult to understand for the generation never learnt that a lot is required for booting a computer. Once I was young, I was happy to key in a boostrap loader on a console, being on PDPs, later VAX and Cora (some fancy military computers). Fully workable PDP-8 Replica Kit and PDP-11 Replica Kits are readily available, and should be standard again on the year 2024 IT sylabus 8-)

Last, if you have a Linux system at hand, there is everything you ever need to access such a serial console. No Windows, no MiniCom software, .... back to the roots:

===

1st, the cu command

The cu command is used to call up another system and act as a dial in terminal. cu command is installed on many Unix like systems including OpenBSD/AIX/Solaris and so on.

2nd, the screen command

This is about where things have started, this developed further into minicom and putty

Still no Windows required. Not even an fancy coloured click UI.

[Sandshark]

Almost every ReadyNAS has a UART port.  It's just not that nice, common micro-USB one that's on the later 400 and 600 series.  On the others, it's 4 pins, with the pin-out, voltage level, and baud rate not standard between models.  AFAIK, the only exception is the SuperMicro-based rack-mount units, and they have a VGA port, so that's even better.

At one time there was a partial list of the specifics for some models either posted in the forum or pointed to, but I don't have that recorded anywhere I can find.

[StephenB]

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@kamanwu wrote:

I am currently still use ReadyNas Pro 4 (https://www.netgear.com/support/product/rndp4000_(readynas_pro_4))

I could not find the port you talk about.   Is there any way to install modern Linux OS on this hardware?  Thanks.  

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Very different hardware.  There is a very old web posting (2015) that might be useful to you.

• https://nerdyness2012.wordpress.com/2015/03/31/installing-ubuntu-14-10-server-on-a-netgear-readynas-...

The above post is for an Ultra 2-bay NAS, so not identical to your Pro 4.

[spiperov]

Hey, SignedAdam!
Your screenshot is from the BIOS 'Boot' menu, right? The place where you can change order of bootable devices.
What about the 'Save & Exit' menu?  Does your system have the option in there to directly boot from a SPECIFIC device (without saving it first)?

On the RN526X/626X there is such option, and so the easiest way there is to plug your 'Live/Install' USB stick, get to that menu and ask the machine to directly boot from that USB. That's all. That's the safest way to explore your system without doing any changes, before you decide to take the plunge and install something else on it.

A 'Debian Live 12 MATE' USB stick (https://cdimage.debian.org/mirror/cdimage/archive/12.2.0-live/amd64/iso-hybrid/debian-live-12.2.0-am...) is a great thing to have on you at all times.
(Better than this is only Rocky 9 Live MATE (https://dl.rockylinux.org/pub/rocky/9/live/x86_64/Rocky-9.3-MATE-x86_64-20231117.0.iso)

😄

[SignedAdam]

Yes yes I know

[Sandshark]

On all 4-bay legacy desktop Intel-based ReadyNAS, the UART port is at the top left of the rear panel, probably still covered with a sticker.

[spiperov]

Thank you, @pepsov - your instructions work GREAT!

[SignedAdam]

Anyone found away to get this fan under control?