Author Topic: replace all 4 drives on LS-QVL  (Read 7050 times)

awozniak

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replace all 4 drives on LS-QVL
« on: March 26, 2018, 01:25:21 AM »
I have a quad LS-QVL.  I want to replace all 4 drives and start fresh.  I've been at this over a day and a half now with no joy.  I've searched all over this site and read half a dozen FAQ.  I've downloaded "Kirkwood" stuff.

Before I started all this, I made sure I had current firmware installed (1.74).

At first I tried removing all 4 drives, setting up the TFTP server, and booting in "EM" mode.  I verified my laptop was 192.168.11.1, and all other network adapters were disabled.  I tried holding down "function" for 6 seconds before pressing power.  I could not get this to work.  I've seen various LEDs flash blue (what does that mean?!?!?), but eventually got back to E06 every time.  At no point ever did the TFTP server say anything tried to connect to it.  I have no idea whether or not I was ever actually in EM mode.

Somewhere I found a FAQ that said to put an ext3 partition with uImage.buffalo and initrd.buffalo on them on a new drive, but that didn't work.  E06 again.

Frustrated with this, I put the OLD drive #1 in.  This booted fine.  I then went to "erase", hoping to erase all the old data, and watched it go through 4 stages of writes (all zeros, all ones, all zeros, all ones).  This took about 2.5 hours per stage, 10 hours total.  When it was done, I power cycled... and it did not boot.  I got back to the E06.  I guess "erase" really means what is says on the tin.  Still no joy.

I then removed that drive, put the old #2 drive in the #2 spot, and a new (larger) drive in the #1 spot.  It booted fine, but I cannot figure out how to set up or reformat the new #1 drive so I can boot from it.  All the buttons to do this sort of thing are greyed out.

In desperation, I tried putting the old #2 drive in a external USB chassis and looking at what data was there, hoping maybe I could figure out how to copy it to the newer drive(s).  This was fruitless (6 partitions with type "Microsoft basic data" that I can't mount (bad superblock), and when I try to use mdadm to do stuff I frankly don't understand, I get variously /dev/sdaN is busy, has no superblock, or no recognisable superblock).

So... what exactly is the correct / blessed / tested / working procedure to start fresh with 4 brand new drives?  I'm getting the feeling this is WAY more complicated than it needs to be.



awozniak

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Re: replace all 4 drives on LS-QVL
« Reply #2 on: March 26, 2018, 02:21:18 AM »
It looks like your web page is saying the TFTP server doesn't work with Win7-32.
I'm using Win8.1-64, does this matter?
If it's just the TFTP server that's broken, I should be able to use the TFTP server on a Linux machine, yes?

Also, I'm not clear on how to start in EM mode.  Everything I find says "hold the function button for 6 seconds before power, and keep it pressed"
Keep it pressed for how long?  When is it safe to release the function button?  How can I confirm that I am actually in EM mode?

When I do this, the function LED blinks blue for a while, then both blink blue for a while, then I get to the red E06.
What does all this blue blinking mean?  What is going on at each of these stages?

oxygen8

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Re: replace all 4 drives on LS-QVL
« Reply #3 on: March 26, 2018, 04:07:46 AM »
Not testet
yes
Em in the Name
EM is not able with red led, only with blue

blue = try to start

awozniak

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Re: replace all 4 drives on LS-QVL
« Reply #4 on: March 26, 2018, 06:52:34 PM »
Ok, I set up my linux box to serve the *.buffalo files over tftp on 192.168.11.1, but still no joy.

I also think we're fighting a language barrier here.
I still don't know if I'm properly getting into EM mode.
I still don't know what the blinking blue lights mean.

awozniak

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Re: replace all 4 drives on LS-QVL
« Reply #5 on: March 26, 2018, 07:03:52 PM »
Ok, set up wireshark to look for 192.168.11.150, booted up the NAS while holding down the function button, and saw flashing blue lights, but absolutely tftp no traffic.

To verify my setup, I tested tftp with another linux box to my tftp linux box, saw the tftp traffic in wireshark.

What am i doing wrong?  why is this so hard?  Does anyone know how to do this?

oxygen8

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Re: replace all 4 drives on LS-QVL
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2018, 12:44:47 PM »
blue light = startup

tftp is only available on red led E06
now you can press the function button and tftp will start


awozniak

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Re: replace all 4 drives on LS-QVL
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2018, 09:57:28 PM »
Which is faster, this E06 tftp method, or an I17 resync?

davo

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Re: replace all 4 drives on LS-QVL
« Reply #8 on: March 29, 2018, 03:36:57 AM »
E06 will only create a RAID0 on the disks, you will then need to delete/recreate the RAID which will then put you back into I17.
PM me for TFTP / Boot Images / Recovery files  LSRecovery.exe file.
Having network issues? Drop me an email: info@interwebnetworks.com and we will get it fixed!

pellajl

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Re: replace all 4 drives on LS-QVL
« Reply #9 on: April 26, 2019, 02:30:37 AM »
Recovery information specific to LS-QVL/E unit is fragmented and sometimes difficult to find. For the benefit of other users, I have documented my experience and method of replacing all four HDs and recovering the Linux operating system. I have made reference to other threads and outlined methodology changes specific to the LS-QVL/E unit below.

I hope the information below helps clarify the process for recovering LS-QVL/E units.

I have LS-QVL/E unit fitted with 1 x 1TB HDs in RAID 5 configuration. One of the HDs was marked as failed so I replaced it with another 1TB drive and kicked off the RAID rebuild process.

After more than four days of RAID rebuilding, a second HD was marked as failed which meant the whole rebuild process failed.

I decided to replace the existing HDs with 4 x 4TB WD Red NAS had and rebuild the unit from scratch. This where the fun started!

Reference threads are: (Thank you to the thread publishers).

https://forums.buffalotech.com/index.php?topic=25378.msg90547#msg90547
http://forums.buffalotech.com/index.php?topic=10185.0
http://forums.buffalotech.com/index.php?topic=10185.msg73607#msg73607


First Recovery Attempt

I referred to the Quick Setup Guide for LS-QVL/E document which can be found here:

http://buffalo.jp/support_ap/support/products/ls_qvl.html

If you are lucky, the process outlined in document will work as documented.

Note: If the LS-QVL/E unit was in RAID 5 configuration previously, the firmware install process will not start unless 4 HDs are installed. The firmware install process will not start because disks 2, 3 & 4 positions show as RED (Error).

Conclusion: Despite undertaking a factory reset of the LS-QVL/E unit, somehow it retains information the information on how many HDs were installed previously OR, the LS-QVL/E will not operate with less than 4 HDs installed. Could find any information to verify this.

Results: I know this process works as I have done a completed HD replacement on another LS-QVL/E unit with success. However, on the second LS-QVL/E unit, only the Red E06 was displayed. What this means is somehow the firmware has become inoperable and firmware recovery was required.


Second Recovery Attempt

I began doing a Google search on how to recover a LS-QVL/E unit but could not find much specific information about the LS-QVL/E unit but this thread which shows how to perform a Performing a TFTP boot: http://forums.buffalotech.com/index.php?topic=10185.0

Step 1 of the process says to “Download the TFTP Boot Image for your model”. You will not find the LS-QVL/E TFTP Boot Image here.

You must download and use the “TFTP_KirkwoodVariants” boot image found in this thread:

http://forums.buffalotech.com/index.php?topic=10185.msg73607#msg73607

Once the TFTP Boot process has Served the two block, the LS-QVL/E unit will reboot at least once (maybe twice).

Note: Do not disconnect the Cat 5/6 direct connection cable between you PC and LS-QVL/E unit yet.

Once the TFTP Boot process has completed, the Power LED is a solid Blue and all four HDs status are Green.

Start the NAS Navigator and it should find the LS-QVL/E in EM mode.

At this point, I tried to load the firmware using the latest firmware. The process failed because the LSupdater kept losing connectivity with the LS-QVL/E unit. Repeated the process and it kept failing. NAS Navigator reported the LS-QVL/E had a random IP address which I concluded was a default IP address allocated when the LS-QVL/E unit could not find a DHCP server.

Solution to Firmware Update Issue – There are Important Step: Once the TFTP Boot process has completed and you have confirmed the LS-QVL/E is in EM mode perform the following step:

   1.   Power down the LS-QVL/E unit.
   2.   Disconnect the Cat 5/6 direct connection cable between your PC and the LS-QVL/E unit.
   3.   Connect the LS-QVL/E unit to a LAN that has access to a DHCP server.
   4.   Power up the LS-QVL/E unit.
   5.   Once the LS-QVL/E unit has booted, use NAS Navigator to find LS-QVL/E unit. It should still be in EM mode.
   6.   Use LSupdater utility to install the firmware.

After the firmware update is complete, the default language is Japanese, you will need to change the language to suit your needs. You can the proceed to configure the LS-QVL/E unit.

Enjoy!
« Last Edit: April 26, 2019, 09:39:37 PM by pellajl »

Tshugars

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Re: replace all 4 drives on LS-QVL
« Reply #10 on: July 16, 2019, 09:50:55 PM »
I currently have a LS-QLV with four 2tb drives, and I want to upgrade to four 4tb drives.  Would this upgrade be possible by cloning each 2tb drive to the new 4tb drives?  I have cloned many PC drives to larger capacity drives, and it has always worked perfectly. 

1000001101000

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Re: replace all 4 drives on LS-QVL
« Reply #11 on: July 16, 2019, 10:37:44 PM »
Assuming your using some sort of raid array... not really.

If done right it would allow the device to boot and the array(s) would probably work but they would still be treated as 2tb drives. Unfortunately there isn't a way to expand an existing array in the way you're thinking.

You can load the firmware using this procedure:
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Restoring_Stock_Firmware_without_TFTP

If it's a qvl/e there's an easier method using the quick setup guide found here:
http://buffalo.jp/support_ap/support/products/ls_qvl.html

Tshugars

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Re: replace all 4 drives on LS-QVL
« Reply #12 on: July 17, 2019, 07:12:13 PM »
Thanks for the feedback.  My NAS is a Pro Quad LS-QV8.0TL/R5.  The cloning software I have is EaseUS Disk Copy Pro, which claims to clone raid configured drives.  I don’t know how it deals with cloning a raid drive to a higher capacity drive.  I’ve emailed EaseUS to inquire.

Any additional feedback would be greatly appreciated.