Products > Storage
Reinstalling to an out-of warranty NAS with blank drives
Eastmarch:
Our super awesome user 1000001101000 put together some pages which help DIYers with TFTP reinstalls. Buffalo can't speak to the accuracy or safety of any of this stuff, and we can't support it, so don't take this as advice or an endorsement as the content. Mostly this is for people with an out-of-warranty chassis that they have the desire to reinstall and get back running. Which is super cool.
A few points: Some units have the ability to reinstall firmware built into the box. These are :
TS3000
TS5010, 3010
LS220DE (Not 220 or 210)
LS421D (Not 420 or 410)
LS441DE
LS-WVL/E
In addition, TS5000 has a documented, simple method to reinstall, as does TS-xVL as these are Intel processors capable of USB boot. Any Windows Storage Server unit is provided with reinstall media in the box.
All other NAS units use an ARM processor and the firmware is factory installed on the provided drives, and has no simple way of being reinstalled; as you will see in his links.
His Post:
This consists of first extracting the required firmware files:
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Extract_Boot_Files_from_Stock_Firmware
Then booting into EM mode either by TFTP booting with your favorite TFTP utility or by loading the files onto an EXT3 partition on a disk:
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Restoring_Stock_Firmware_without_TFTP
or
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Restoring_Stock_Firmware_via_TFTP
finally performing the install using the firmware updater in Debug mode with the "rebuild partition table" and "force update" options selected:
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Enable_Debug_mode
I've heard back from folks who done this successfully with just about every ARM based linkstation/terastation model over the past year.
Any oLet me know if you have any questions.
**Intel based devices use a similar process only get into EM mode via a usb recovery disk:
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Create_Recovery_Disk_for_Intel-based_Terastation
fizux:
I am grateful for all of the hard work and support provided on this issue, but one problem I have had is that many of the resources (TFTP Repair links, Debian images, etc.) miss the LS-QL series linkstation (e.g. LS-Q4.0TL/R5), which from experience appear not to be compatible with the LS-QVL series.
Any suggestions of an alternate series to try as a replacement, or would it be possible to publish resources for this series? For example, Debian supported models include:
kuroboxpro, ls-chl, ls-wsgl, ls-wtgl, lspro_ls-gl, ls-chlv2, ls-qvl, ls-vl, ls-wsxl, ls-wvl, ls-wxl, ls-xhl
but not ls-ql.
oxygen8:
in 2016 it was possible to use debian on LS-QL
https://miniconf.debian.or.jp/assets/files/Debian%20Installer%20for%20Buffalo%20Linkstation%20NAS.pdf
1000001101000:
I never noticed that about the LS-QL before. Despite being listed on that slide deck I don't see that a device tree ever ended up in the kernel nor was part of the original project as far as I can see.
Looking at the specs for the various devices I would suspect that the installer for the lspro_ls-gl or ls-chl might work with the LS-QL. There could be differences that prevent leds/buttons/usb ports from working but it's worth a try.
Oddly enough I'm currently working on adding Debian support for additional devices not covered by previous projects (I'll put up a separate post about that at some point). I should be able to add the LS-QL to that project.
Let me know if you have any success with the ls-gl/ls-chl files.
1000001101000:
I thought I had an LS-QL but it turned out to be a QVL.
I’m afraid I won’t be able to do any hands-on testing. If you’re able to get it running using the files for another device I can help modify the device tree for the LS-QL if you’re interested.
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