Author Topic: Broken USB interface in LS-WX2.0TL/R1 2TB - LinkStation Duo - LS-WXL/R1 units?  (Read 6464 times)

kitonne

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I have LS-WX2.0TL/R1 2TB - LinkStation™ Duo v 1.24 set in RAID 0 and tried to back up to an external Calvary 2TB USB drive the content of the share.  I have about 500GB of data in the main array.  Format completes OK, but the backup dies with this in the log (one example):

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rsync: writefd_unbuffered failed to write 4092 bytes [sender]: Broken pipe (32)
rsync: write failed on "/mnt/usbdisk1/_backups/share/aaaaaaa.xyz": Read-only file system (30)
rsync error: error in file IO (code 11) at receiver.c(298) [receiver=3.0.3]
rsync: connection unexpectedly closed (265 bytes received so far) [sender]
rsync error: error in rsync protocol data stream (code 12) at io.c(635) [sender=3.0.3]
------------------------

USB drive seems to be locked in WRITE, and is no longer visible in NAS Navigator.  Power cycled the USB drive, and all is good.  Reproduced the lockup a couple of times, at 187GB, 20GB and 141GB mark (no clear limit, lockup seems to be random).  Once the NAS unit itself seemed to be gone out to lunch as well - one blue LED was flashing, and it did not show up in NAVIGATOR (fixed w power cycle).  Tried both with XFS and EXT3 on the external disk - same issue, no clear difference between XFS and EXT3.  Connected the USB drive to a XP machine, and did a NTFS format with surface check - no issues, drive works fine.  The disk in the Calvary USB enclosure is a Hitachi 7200RPM w 32MB of cache, and a SATA to USB bridge.

 

Upgraded the firmware to 1.26, and web interface is even slower then before.  I have a clock on scree and I've waited 20 seconds for the login dialogue box to display.  Took 10 minutes from accessing the NAT via SeaMonkey 2.04 / IE 8 until the backup was started again.  Masquarading as IE6 in SeaMonkey seems to speed up the interface but rendering covers essential buttons.  This 2TB NAT has by far the slowest web interface I have ever seen (8 bit micros in embedded apps have web interfaces which are speed demons by comparison).  I have restarted a backup, to see if the new firmware does anything, and will post the results.

 

Anybody else seen similar issues?  Any known fixes?  Thanks in advance!


kitonne

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Works a little better with 1.26 - got all the way to 514.7GB backed up to the USB drive before the pipe broke again :(

 

USB drive had to be power cycled, then it worked again.  Has anybody else seen this kind of problems?

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rsync: writefd_unbuffered failed to write 4092 bytes [sender]: Broken pipe (32)
rsync: write failed on "/mnt/usbdisk1/_backups/share/series/my_file.ext": Read-only file system (30)
rsync error: error in file IO (code 11) at receiver.c(298) [receiver=3.0.3]
rsync: connection unexpectedly closed (1050932 bytes received so far) [sender]
rsync error: error in rsync protocol data stream (code 12) at io.c(635) [sender=3.0.3]
-------- END BACKUP 2010/05/17 15:35:56 array1/share -> LS-4@usbdisk1 --------

 

Backup speed is very slow - 514.7GB stransferred in a little less then 96 hours -> 5.36GB/hour or 1.5MB/sec which way below the capabilities of the USB disk or the NAS box itself, even with a lot of small files mixed in.


kitonne

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Teracopy running on a nettop Atom 330 Win 7 in verify mode transfers files around 100Mbps from the USB drive and 250-300Mbps from the main array, RAID 0.  Write speeds to the main array are in the 120-150Mbps range (bits, not bytes) over gigabit LAN with normal Ethernet frames.  Writing to the external USB drive over LAN is about 50% or read speed.  In other words, using an external computer and teracopy (admitedly one of the fastest copier programs out there) is about 10x faster then the built-in backup function. 

 

And so far I have not seen lockups when writing to the USB drive over the network, at much higher data rates then the built-in backup program :)  Would not call it a solution, but for for now using an external copy program seems to be much faster and more reliable then the built-in full backup function to an attached USB drive.  Since Teracopy only copies and updates (diff-add mode only), still need to run the built-in backup in diff mode to remove the extra files. 

 

Data points to a problem with Buffalo's firmware when doing backups to local USB drive, not to an issue with my external Calvary USB drive, since the same drive can be written to faster over the LAN, with the same dat set, with no issues.  Any idea on when a fixed firmware will be released which fixes this backup issue?


kitonne

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Failed again - it just took longer.....

 

At this point I am beginning to suspect broken firmware in LS-WX2.0TL/R1 2TB - LinkStation Duo in the USB interface area.  To confirm (or disprove) this, I reformatted my Cavlary drive to NTFS, and am copying over about 600GB worth of files, from the NAS to the USB drive attached a PC, using TeraCopy 2.12 (very fast copy program, optimized for huge data sets, with CRC verify after copy).  Data is moving at about 200Mbps, which is pretty good, with standard Ethernet frames over gigabit LAN and two hops between the PC and NAS.  Will post the results.....

 

Also changed the subject of the thread, as this no longer looks like a compatibility issue due to my USB drive, but a firmware bug in the LS-WXL/R1 NAS unit which breaks USB functionality during large data set writes.  Also see:

 

http://forums.buffalotech.com/t5/Storage/Backup-failure-please-translate-log-error-message/td-p/30480

 

looks like the same issue.....


roblicsw

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Thank you for your message regarding the similar problem. You're far more advanced than I am in overall computing knowledge, but what you and I are experiencing is clearly similar. I note also the incredibly slow web interface. I think the only thing I can do at this point is to contact tech support by phone and try to get them to pay attention to these problems.

 

 


kitonne

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I would like to clear Cavalry external USB 2.0 HD, 2TB , 32MB cache of any shadows I may have casted upon it in my prior posts.  Just completed the third copy to the USB drive, attached to my PC running Win 7 HP x64, of my data set stored on the Buffalo NAS.  Operation was completed, with full verify, three times in a row, with no issues, in separate top level directories.   TeraCopy 2.12, NAS in RAID 0, Gigabit LAN, normal frames, total of 55,301 files, 565.03GB, 14 hours 10 minutes, 22-23MB/s average speed.  USB drive is currently formatted NTFS. 

 

Compare 14 hours to about 110 hours to do the same copy operation using the built-in backup function (see prior messages), which does not work reliably, and somehow I do not think that the difference between NTFS and XFS can explain it.   I also know that the NAS is fast enough in RAID 0 to sustain a transfer speed between 200-300Mbps (pretty close to the max I expect from a gigabit LAN with normal frames and SMB protocol).

 

Question for Tech Support:  is there an ETA for updated firmware for LS-WXL units you can share with us, which fixes (1) the broken pipe error#32 when writing to external USB drives, and (2) which does something to speed up both the backup and web interface speeds?


kitonne

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It has been a while....  Any ETA for fixed firmware?


kitonne

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And yes, I did upgrade to v 1.31 of the firmware, and the issues are NOT fixed....   See:

http://forums.buffalotech.com/t5/Storage/v1-31-firmware-for-LS-WXL-R1-and-LS-CHL-broken/td-p/31364



kitonne

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Looks like 1.31 is better for backup to external USB then prior versions.  Completed a backup with no lockups, for the first time.

 

-------- BEGIN BACKUP 2010/06/15 20:34:01 array1/share -> LS-4@usbdisk1 --------
sending incremental file list
created directory /mnt/usbdisk1/_backups
share/
...................................

sent 610058464904 bytes  received 1055163 bytes  2451135.83 bytes/sec
total size is 609980651625  speedup is 1.00
-------- END BACKUP 2010/06/18 17:42:09 array1/share -> LS-4@usbdisk1 --------

 

USB HD is a 2TB Hitachi SimpleTech HSD2000, formatted XFS.

 

Note:  to format the USB drive, you need to delete the default NTFS partition on another machine FIRST - if the USB drive is connected to the NAS while formatted NTFS, the web interface for the NAS locks up (waited one hour, do not know if it recovers by itself after a day or more).

 

Hitachi USB drive is supposed to upwer up and down with the computer it is attached to (it has its own power brick but no power switch) - it does NOT work with Buffalo LS-WX2.0TL/R1 unit - you need to disconnect and re-insert the power plug on the Hitachi USB unit after you have the NAS powered up, else the USB disk is shown up as "disconnected" under STORAGE, and you have no way to "reconnect" it.

 


withnall

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Have you got any further with this. I am having the same issue with a TS-XEL backing up to Freecom 640GB Toughdrives. Exactly the same setup as I have used previously with TS-XLs is crashing at random points in the backup. Different source files and different target drives, reporting different sectors as not writable. Both Toughdrives have been externally formatted and fully verified, reformated both XFS and EXT3 on the TS immediately prior to backup but always the same result. The TS-XEL arrived with 1.2 firmware and had the problem so I upgraded to the latest 1.32 version a couple of days ago but still all the same. A typical backup log entry ends:

 

rsync: writefd_unbuffered failed to write 4092 bytes [sender]: Broken pipe (32)
rsync: write failed on "/mnt/usbdisk1/201006241340/backupsrv01/Small Business Server Backup (05).bkf": Input/output error (5)
rsync error: error in file IO (code 11) at receiver.c(298) [receiver=3.0.3]
rsync: connection unexpectedly closed (31 bytes received so far) [sender]
rsync error: error in rsync protocol data stream (code 12) at io.c(635) [sender=3.0.3]
-------- END BACKUP 2010/06/24 18:59:00 array1/backupsrv01 -> XXXXXXXX@usbdisk1 --------

 

Accompanied by a plethora of email notifications of the form:

DISK Error Notification

HDD error occurred

Disk(s) the error occurred:UnknownDisk(sde)

(sde) WRITE sector:1032561727 count:14

Disk writing error

Some data may not be recoverable.

Immediate change of disk is recommended.

?

[TeraStationInformation]

TeraStationName: XXXXXXXX (TS-XEL)

Time: 2010/06/24 18:59:35

 

After which the TS needs rebooting or the USB drive removing in order to get it to reconnect. I can't use Kitonne's external copy program work around as this hardware is being put in to take the backup load off the server and network...

 

This is a new client and it isn't doing my credibility much good that a backup and storage solution that I assured them was simple and proven is still not fit to commission after a week.

 

I would reject the hardware and order a TS-XL as used previously but I see that they are using the same firmware version so I am a bit worried about shelling out another £650 and still having problems. I'm also concerned about the length of time and apparent lack of response from Buffalo about these issues that you have already raised.

 

I thought you might like to know that the 1.32 firmware appears to have the same problems before you get your hopes up too much.


kitonne

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In process of completing a backup with 1.31 firmware, then will try again with 1.33 (latest one posted) to see if there are any differences.  I did get one lockup with the Calvary 2TB drive and one with Hitachi SimpleShare, on a 607GB data set.  Power cycling the USB drive and restarting the backup in differential mode seems to allow me to complete the backup, but it is highly frustrating since the same drives work just fine when attached to a PC and formatted with NTFS (same data set copied three times in backup1, backup2 and backup3 subdirectories on the PC with no issues, but lock up when attached to Buffalo devices and formatted EXT3 or XFS).

 

I've also seen http://forums.buffalotech.com/t5/Storage/CHL-v2-XHL-1-24-1-26-1-31-Big-USB-Firmware-Bug/td-p/27435 which seems to be a related issue - for whatever reason, external USB drives no longer work reliably with Buffalo NAS devices if you have large data sets, and the issue is not limitted to a single device.

 

I have also come across a possibly related issue - if you have a directory with a large number of files (try 50-60K files in the same directory), writing one mnore 200KByte file in the same directory is extremely slow - worst then a Windows 3.1 386-25 PC using a slooow hard drive for virtual memory, if you can recall the experience.....


kitonne

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1.33 does not fix the USB lockup issue during large data transfers.  Version 1.34 is out, will be tried out later this week.....

 

HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO TRY OUT A COUPLE OF 2GB USB DRIVES AND MAKE SURE THE BUILT IN BACKUP FUNCTION WORKS ON A LARGE (700+GB) DATA SET BEFORE RELEASING NEW FIRMWARE?! 

 

IF ANYBODY FROM BUFFALO READS THIS FORUM, ****P L E A S E*** AT LEAST PUBLISH A LIST OF 'KNOWN TO WORK' USB DRIVES (MFG, MODEL AND VERSION) FOR LS-WXL NAS UNITS........


Dustrega

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We can't test every USB backup that comes out.   If you combine all of the manufacturers along with all of the models of USB backup types released do you have any idea how long that would take with each unit?  Along with the fact if we put out a compatibility list it would most likely be misconstrued as a list for all Buffalo devices (including other regions) and we'd still have the same problem on our hands.  I'm sorry it's just not feasible.


walkedl

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Hi All,

 

Ok - I've been a Linkstation owner for years (now on my 3rd one due to growth).  I just purchased Linkstation  LS-WX2.0TL/R1.  Upgraded to latest firmware (1.34).  Am having the same problems as this thread describes with filaed backups.  

 

Differences for me are:

 

- USB Drive is Simpletech 1tb (HDT7210SLA360)

- USB drive doesn't seem to be the issue as it works fine backing up the same data set on the previous Linkstation (HS-DH500GL)

- Otherwise, same thing.  Formatted with the linkstation EXT3 format or EXT (same results)

- RAID 0

 

Any update/advice or help?  I'm ready to send this one back!