I upgraded the hard disk in my LS-CHL (LS-CH1.OTL-EU) Buffalo, from 1TB to 2TB Western Digial Caviar Green drive.
My Buffalo has the latest firmware on it (v1.37) and was previously working perfectly.
I followed the directions on how to go about using TFTP to upload the firmware onto a new drive
http://forums.buffalotech.com/t5/Storage/FAQ-3-of-5-TFTP-boot-procedure-please-read-this/m-p/11015
History Lesson:
We moved to Australia and there are no Buffalo Link Station agents in Australia, so I was forced to buy a 2TB Netgear Duo NAS when my Buffalo ran out of disk space.
However, as it turns out, the Netgear Duo NAS completely sucks, and hence I have stripped out the bigger 2TB drive and want to put it into my much loved Buffalo.
I used the 2TB drive and formatted it, in Ubuntu 10.10, into XFS format (as per http://forums.buffalotech.com/t5/Storage/LS-CHL-hard-disk-replace/td-p/18071/page/2 )
I used the Disk Utility tool to format and partition the drive, but am not 100% sure of which of the various settings to use (stuff like drive lable? Format the MBR?)
I have two NICs on my Windows Vista machine, 1x cable (192.168.11.1) and 1x Wifi (another IP). I removed the drive from my machine and plugged it into the Buffalo's cradle, and connected the LAN and power cables. I configured the NIC correctly to 192.168.11.1 (evidence of the network being fine, can be seen by the TFTP server working, so I am not worried about that).
I downloaded the "TFTP Boot Recovery LS-CHL 1.06" software, set the home directory in the TFTPServerMT.ini file and proceeded to attempt to get the box to boot using the steps provided in the TFTP Boot Procedure pages. Eventhough the guide's steps did not 100% match the behaviour of the system (flashing lights, green lights) etc, I was able to get the E06 error light. When pushing down the function button for a few seconds, I was able to see the requests for the 2x files via the TFTP server tool (TFTPServerMT) .
The blue light flashes continuously, but the drive is unable to be seen in the NasNavigator. Even after several hours.
I attempted to put the NasNavigator into the debug mode by changing the variables in the LSUpdater.ini file. This too did not help, since the NAS could not be seen.
Following this, I searched for help and found: http://buffalo.nas-central.org/index.php/Revive_your_arm9_box_from_scratch
I download version 1.37 of the latest software, renamed the initrd.img to initrd.zip, unzipped the file (using the correct password) and put the initrd.buffalo file into the same directory as the other files required for TFP operations. After the TFTP transferring process, the blue light just flashes continuously and NasNavigator is still not able to find the NAS.
It appears the:
- 2.0TB drive is working correctly,
- the network connections,
- the Buffalo circuitry are working correctly.
Can you please advise me how can I go about fixing my Buffalo please?
Regards
Buffalo-Lover!
Did you ever try pinging the 192.168.11.150 address or running the firmware update?
I also have the same issue however mine resulted after a power loss. Drive never went to EM mode after power loss. Firmware update and nas view could not see the drive. Attempted TFTP recovery with no success just showed fast blue led. Opened the LinkStation attached the drive to my Ubuntu 10.10 system. Drive is in good shape partitions are ok. Recovered my data. Reassembled the LinkStation and same issue.
I am not able to ping the NAS at 192.168.11.150 (never haven been able to since the power loss.) and the firmware updater does not see the Linkstation. Same with the nas viewer app. The Drive will download the files from the TFTP but never seems to go back to EM mode for update. I have tried using ping -t 192.168.11.150 and let it run the whole time even while downloading the files from the TFTP server and no luck never able to get a ping.
Overview of Device Function:
Drive switch set to on -> RED LED 06 (6 slow blinks)
Drive on hit FUNCTION BUTTON -> Fast BLUE LED
Drive on Fast BLUE LED -> hit FUNCTION -> TFTP fires and downloads both files
TFTP Success -> Fast BLUE LED -> not abile to ping or be seen by firmware update or nas view
I have the same problem. Pinging is possible but at 169.254.96.99 (I found it by wireshark). So the NAS seem to get an 169.254.x.x adress.
The firmware update is not possible.
So I am waiting for ideas too.
Additional testing.
I have used a cross over cable and a straight through ethernet cable, connecting my laptop to the Buffalo NAS.
Neither have fixed the problem, the NasNavi is still not able to find the Buffalo and I am not able to update the firmware. :(
There were several suggestions to test if pings work.
On my laptop directly connected to the NAS, with either cable, pinging the bootloader on the NAS resulted in:
Reply from 192.168.11.1: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.11.1: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.11.1: Destination host unreachable.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 192.168.11.1: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.11.1: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.11.1: Destination host unreachable.
The Request timed out section occurs when the TFTP session initiates and completes.
I suspect the network is working since the output of the TFTP session shows evidence thereof:
Starting TFTP...
alias / is mapped to C:\Software\buffalo\UpgradeHDD\TFTP Boot Recovery\
listening On: 192.168.0.2:69
listening On: 169.254.231.124:69
listening On: 192.168.11.1:69
listening On: 127.0.0.1:69
permitted clients: all
server port range: all
max blksize: 65464
defult blksize: 512
default interval: 3
overwrite existing files: No
thread pool size: 1
accepting requests..
Client 192.168.11.150:3690 C:\Software\buffalo\UpgradeHDD\TFTP Boot Recovery\uIm
age.buffalo, 4132 Blocks Served
Client 192.168.11.150:1663 C:\Software\buffalo\UpgradeHDD\TFTP Boot Recovery\ini
trd.buffalo, 13257 Blocks Served
Please note a connection was received from: 192.168.11.150
Summary:
Still not working! Any additional things to check? What firmware do you recommmend running? What software led to your problems?
Please see the ping results on the notice board.
How must I run the firmware update, if NasNavi doesn't find the drive?
TFTP seems to download the required files but doesn't do anything with them!
What did your TFTP session say, when the NAS tried to connect?
Did you get a similar output to mine?
Judging by the number of complaints and everyone experiencing the same problems, I suspect we have a dodgy boot loader from Buffalo, which is either an oversight or a use case to get more sales.
Reading this post I was able to recover my LS. http://forum.buffalo.nas-central.org/viewtopic.php?f=68&t=22405
They recomend using this TFTP version (which I did and it worked a treat) http://www.mediafire.com/?a2l0gsodbf43i5j after downloading the files it rebooted to solid blue light and i was able to force a firmware update.
I was slightly hesitant at first, an external firmware - probably lacked with rootkits and botnets.
I used the images and the latest version of recovery tools from Buffalo. The drive downloaded (see I told you my TFTP was working correctly!) the images and after about a minute I got a solid blue light and the drive was able to be seen by NasNavi. Busy uploading the latest and greatest firmware at the minute!
Thank you for your help.
Buffalo, I suggest you find your delta between 1.24 and 1.37 in terms of the bootloader and recovery mode. Your products are excellent but this software/firmware balls up was not pleasant.
I should learn not to be such an optimist! **bleep**.
When the blue light went solid I was so relieved.
However, NasNavi completely refuses to play along.
I am now able to see my NAS, however, when I attempt to upgrade the firmware I keep getting the "Could not confirm whether the partition exists. Cannot update the firmware. Firmware updating is aborted."
Any ideas?
edit your LSUpdater,ini file and add the flags
[Flags]
VersionCheck = 0
NoFormatting = 1
and then do the force update
Finally - what a PITA!
The only way I got this to work was by formatting the all the partitions off the drive.
Secondly, the fan has to be connected!
I downloaded the latest TFTP bootloader, but used the uImage.buffalo from version 1.24, and manually extracted and created the initrd.buffalo file.I made the LSUpdater.ini file contain:
[Flags]
VersionCheck = 0
NoFormatting = 0
[specialflags]
Debug = 1
Once the drive was booted in ER mode, I got the solid blue light and 1.34 NasNavi was able to find and re-format the drive :)
I needed to play with different version of the firmware loader and NasNavi's. Not exactly sure what firmware versions that eventually loaded were, but I know NasNavi was 1.34. Oh, when you see a flashing orange/amber 2-5 light, that is a good sign! Dont panic and interrupt it! It will complete (loading the firmware) and will flash in the E5 red signal when you must restart the drive.
Part 1 of the problem done.
Once the update had completed, I needed to turn the drive off and on. The web interface appeared in Japanese.
I used: http://www.buffalo-technology.com/knowledgebase/users/kb.php?id=10213&category_id=5&sid2=
to get it in English.
Anyways the drive is up and working - FINALLY!
A word of advice for Buffalo, $50K and I will rewrite your bootloaders! Currently you have a lot of users with the same bootloader issues, and a lot of them are getting pretty upset and losing respect for the brand. If you could address this it would be a good thing.
Lol, not out of the woods yet.
I turned on my NAS today and the bootloader just gave me E06.
After turning on the TFTP server, I downloaded the only bootloader which results in a solid blue light.
I re-upgraded the firmware to 1.37, all of the process is fine, copying the firmware over, writing it, etc, until the NAS needs to reset.
The NAS goes down, and on start up the bootloader gets stuck in fast flashing blue mode - permanently.
What am I supposed to do now to get the latest firmware to actually work?
I feel soooooo relieved that i changed my order last min about these devices!
I ordered in the region of x200 of the CH500L drives, but wasnt expecting delivery for a few weeks.. 1 turned up which i ordered prior and given it died on me after 13 days, and the lack of help from Buffalo saw my order scrapped....... Still havent got NAS boxes yet for home users, working my way through what is reliable, and have defo lost all confidence in Buffalo!
It's a great pity indeed. I love the Buffalo devices, the online support from Buffalo's side has been pretty shocking, not having bootloaders that actually work correctly is indeed not up to par, compared to the rest of their awesome products.
Hmmm... Another solution is to buy a new Buffalo NAS. Just visited the IT Show here in Singapore and bought a Linkstation Pro LS-VL for just S$149 or A$115. Its got the same familar interface as the older Buffalo NAS and a 1.6Ghz processor that transfers at up to 72MB/s or 576mbps. Why struggle with an obsolete NAS?
One other issue is that the newest WD Green drives have lots of problems with various NAS' from QNAP to Synology because their power saving features are incompatible. So beware. The older WD greens are OK.
I would love to have purchased another Buffalo LinkStation NAS. However, the Aus distributors don't import NAS models, only external HDD versions. So my only alternative wass to privately import a Buffalo NAS. Which means, if I have technical difficulties I have a lot of trouble to get a replacement. Plus all the knocks from having to travel from the UK/USA to Aus... probably ensures I will have to send it back sooner than later.
You have a web address for an online store in Singapore that supplies Buffalos?
The option I took was the Netgear, had nicer features SFTP, SSH, RAID and 2-bays and was locally available. Those features are all fine and well, but their driver support is PATHETIC! You cannot even copy large files over Wifi to the Netgear NAS. Netgear'sr QA obviously only tests their drivers with ethernet = BIG FAIL!