Author Topic: buffalo linkstation - raid0 isnīt working  (Read 4246 times)

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Re: buffalo linkstation - raid0 isnīt working
« Reply #15 on: April 16, 2020, 10:41:27 AM »
Quote
TFTP is a windows app you run to host the boot files.  When I do TFTP, I run it from from a second PC.  It just acts as a file server to pass the boot files to the linkstation.  That's all it does.

The other way is to not use TFTP, it requires linux drive formatting from a linux pc, and in my experience, it has never worked.

TFTP is a protocol, there are clients available for pretty much every OS, See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trivial_File_Transfer_Protocol

Loading the installer files directly to the disk can be simpler than TFTP in some scenarios where making the required network changes is difficult but it does involve working in linux which many people don't have experience with. Most who have tried that route have eventually succeeded.

In your case neither is necessary, these are just methods to get the device to boot... but your is already booting. If you desire you can completely wipe and restore the device using LSUpdater in Debug mode which provides options for reformating/repartitioning.

burt

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Re: buffalo linkstation - raid0 isnīt working
« Reply #16 on: April 17, 2020, 11:53:31 AM »
Hello,
I agree with Kane88 open a problem ticket with Buffalo support. I had to use the email option but it worked pretty well with responses within 1 or 2 days.

See this post: Reply#19   https://forums.buffalotech.com/index.php?topic=33230.15

It seems to me it puts all new system data on a HDD and updates firmware. Got from Buffalo Tech Support and it fixed a problem I had with the NTP server.

Good luck.
Herb

Kane88

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Re: buffalo linkstation - raid0 isnīt working
« Reply #17 on: April 18, 2020, 12:39:07 AM »
Quote
TFTP is a windows app you run to host the boot files.  When I do TFTP, I run it from from a second PC.  It just acts as a file server to pass the boot files to the linkstation.  That's all it does.

The other way is to not use TFTP, it requires linux drive formatting from a linux pc, and in my experience, it has never worked.

TFTP is a protocol, there are clients available for pretty much every OS, See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trivial_File_Transfer_Protocol

Loading the installer files directly to the disk can be simpler than TFTP in some scenarios where making the required network changes is difficult but it does involve working in linux which many people don't have experience with. Most who have tried that route have eventually succeeded.

In your case neither is necessary, these are just methods to get the device to boot... but your is already booting. If you desire you can completely wipe and restore the device using LSUpdater in Debug mode which provides options for reformating/repartitioning.


For the sake of the conversation, TFTPBoot.exe certainly IS an APPLICATION.  And I had no intention of confusing this user more than what he already is about what TFTP does in regards to the nas.  And so debate about what TFTP is as a protocol AND an application, and splitting hairs over it, is completely irrelevant.

True, I forgot that he can just run the firmware updater app and just try to update the firwmare that way.  Yet that way doesn't always work for everyone either.

I cannot count how many times myself and others have gotten 'format partition failed' errors when trying it that way, on drives that boot to the console, and have partitions on them from a previous install.  If you have a workaround or fix for that- I think it would be very helpful.  There's many who don't know what to do in that situation.

And so because of that error, I always blank the drives first- to save time and headaches.  Some of us are just too busy and don't have time.  Plus, we don't know how old his drives are or if they were mishandled.  It's possible (however unlikely) the data area where the firmware is stored could have bad sectors.  I always find it a good idea to blank drives and sector check them first before installing from sratch, because these devices don't have very good utilities for testing, managing, and maintaining drive health.

Anyway, hopefully he gets it going.

I'll bouw out of this and leave it to you- you're the expert...

1000001101000

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Re: buffalo linkstation - raid0 isnīt working
« Reply #18 on: April 18, 2020, 07:33:13 AM »
I think at this point you've got more experience doing restores over TFTP than me. This puts you in a good position to contribute something that would be really valuable to folks. As you've pointed out, not everyone is in a position to connect their drives to a linux system to restore their firmware.

I've got a page on the wiki for the TFTP process, but it's really just a link to an old forum post:
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Restoring_Stock_Firmware_via_TFTP

It would be really great to have a guide for this process using a freely available TFTP client rather than discontinued buffalo utilities downloaded from sketchy download sites or passed around in DMs.

From a quick google search this one looks promising:
https://tftpd32.jounin.net/

Would you be willing to give it a try and help me put together a guide if you can make it work?

Kane88

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Re: buffalo linkstation - raid0 isnīt working
« Reply #19 on: April 18, 2020, 01:59:32 PM »

I looked at your linked article from https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Restoring_Stock_Firmware_via_TFTP, and true- it's an old one and it is pretty messy.

Most of the info in it - is worthwhile.  It's just a mess to follow. 

I need more time to put together- a good doc.  The goal is to make it to where a user can just follow the process verbatim.

And really could use a place that could host the TFTP boot files. 

I'm posting a rough draft of what I've got so far, in a new post.  You can probably add it to the wiki in the condition it is in, it's definitely better than what is linked to at the present anyway.  But I would keep that link listed somewhere that people can get to- as a previous source.

I'll take a look at your other link when I have more time.