Hardware/Firmware or RAID5 Configuration Problem

[itlity]

I have an N4100+ with 4 off 500MB HDDs configured in RAID5.

Over the 3-4 last months, I have had several rebuild operation due to a presumably faulty HDD.

This morning I decided to replace the suspected HDD and I did it using a brand new HDD of the same type as others already in use in my N4100+.

The NAS went immediately to a DEGRADED configuration and no automatic rebuild ever started -the green LED of the newly inserted HDD remained off.

I decided then to move back to the previous -suspected faulty- HDD and nothing happened. In parallel I received an email telling me that now the RAID5 configuration was DAMAGED.

I tried to come back to the factory settings and go for a file system check: I can ping the NAS from my PC at the 192.168.1.100 address but no way to get access to the login web page. My PC is configured at address 192.168.1.111 -I tried other addresses- and I used both HTTP and HTTPS with IE and FireFox -how desperate am I?

The NAS boots without an alarm, with an HDD or without. But now I have removed all the HDDs I had initially just in case something can be recovered: I do actually need these data as for a large part of them I have no backup.

Any idea about what I could try, at least to ensure the issue is with the hardware/firmware and my RAID5 configuration is still recoverable?

Patrice

[rayman]

From experience if you can't get the sfck or main GUI there is nothing you can do.

I had to return my original Thecus N4100+ for this very reason.

If you have the SSH modual installed and running, then maybe you can login and using 'putty' or a sftp program and replace the conf file:

/app/etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

with a previous backup (assuming you have one).

After receiving my replacement unit, I replaced the drives in the order I removed them. Though I could access the main GUI, I was unable to get to the sfck GUI. I wanted to run the sfck to ensure my data was ok.

After emailing with Thecus I found that by removing ALL moduals and doing a factory reset I was then able to get to the sfck GUI.

The sfck took 2hrs and 14mins.

Because there are only 3 official N4100+ moduals any extra moduals (most are based on the N2100's moduals, which uses a different kernal) can have boot issues.

So with hind sight, always backup any file you manually have to edit to get working, like rtorrent and USBcopy. And have SSH set up and running, as it may enable you to get up and running in the event of a crash.

But one thing that I can't thank enough is that my unit came with a 24 nmonth warrenty. For that the Thecus is a good unit.

Try their support forum:

forums.hexus.net/thecus-care-hexus/

Yvon will answere within 24/48hrs

or you can raise a support 'ticket' directly from their website, you need to register first.

esupport.thecus.com/support/index.php?_m=tickets&_a=submit


Good luck, I hope you get sorted.