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What does it mean if a drive has no light at all?  Not red, not blue, not blinking. Nothing.

I tried holding the function button to see if that would pick it up, try to rebuild the RAID... anything.
Nothing happened at all.

The other 3 drive lights are blinking green (as if they are active?)
Device loses Ethernet connectivity after roughly 30 min.
    Not powered off when this happens.
     Still looks up and running, but just cannot access via windows,
             see in NAS Navigator or from direct cable on backup NAS.
No errors in log that I can tell.
No errors on the front display.
RAID5 setup and it looks to be aware of 4 drives there.
Only way to access seems to be reboot by the power button on the front.

I can't tell if I need to continuously reboot and extract as much data as I can during these windows until it stops all together?
OR if even that would corrupt data so I should look into data recovery? (I have MOST of it backed up, except of course the major work (current and archive) directory which seems entirely missing from my backup NAS (which is running fine). 
OR if the Ethernet card could have failed and is something I might be able to replace?
OR if it's even possible to buy a new NAS shell (or anything like that) and move these drives to that without requiring reformatting the drives?

Please please please help.
I don't know what to do or where else to go for help on this!

Thank you!
Liz

STATE AND USAGE DETAILS
   Primary NAS = TS-XE8.0TL/R5   Firmware: 1.66   
   RAID 5, ~28% used    4 drives seem detected on front display.
   Switch on back IS (and has always been) set to Manual
   The Device is still ON. No Error lights on Drives or front display.
   BUT only 3 have green lights.  1 drive's light is just off.
   NO Error Messages or even informational messages on NAS front. 
   Network 1 light connected to router and flashing green.
        Still flashes like it's trying to do something even after drops off network.
   Network 2 light is on (connects directly to second NAS, used for backup jobs).
         Second NAS cannot "see" this one, but Router can (through its direct connection to router)

      Purely has shared drive space.  Multiple shared folders.  Not using for any live/media streaming.
      Backups run to a secondary NAS for different folder branches on different nights (or once a week). 
      Accessed really from my primary device (Laptop). No permanently mapped drive.

NETWORK CHECKS
    IP is fixed from within NAS.
    IP is also reserved for its MAC address in Router.   
    Nothing is on the network that also has this IP.
    I've rebooted the router a few times.
         I've also told the router to "forget" the NAS and set it back up. No change.
    I've switched out the Ethernet cable. No impact.
    I've switched around which ports the cables connect to the router with.
         Backup machine worked on any port. Main NAS doesn't work on any.

It's always possible the LED in question has failed. What is the status of the RAID in the user interface?

Thank you for replying!

When I can get into the system, there are no errors about the drive.  But at the moment, I cannot get to the NAS currently.
I can only reboot it via the front button and then it'll come up for about 30 minutes and then just disappear. (Not power down or turn off. Not throw any errors, just disappear. This is actually the primary issue, but I had a post up before that I guess was too long so no one was replying.) 
Since I'm not sure if the rebooting and failing could be damaging the hard drive/data integrity, I'm not rebooting it unless I am going to be pulling data off or have something specific to investigate or test out.

I had tried a lot of the basic troubleshooting (checking the cables, the router, IP settings, triple-checked the switch for Manual vs Auto (which I've never had on Auto and still isn't). 
But I thought (for way longer than I should have) that there were no problems with the lights probably because the front display was not reflecting any error messages.  I only opened it in the last 3 days to finally notice that the last drive light, while not red (or blue?), was just completely out.

I have no idea if this even means anything but it's all I could see.   I have some of the logs from the last start ups but nothing jumped out as a particular Error? But I don't know what necessarily a normal start up log should look like.

I could post one startup here if it would mean anything to you?

Thank you again!

Sounds like a networking problem. Do you have a static IP set or is it using DHCP? If you have a static IP set, try changing to DHCP and see what happens.

The IP has been fixed within the NAS since day 1. There are no conflicts with it.  I can still reboot it from the front and try to remove the IP reservation anyway though. 

• 
  Shouldn't an IP conflict fail fairly immediately though?
  
  
  
  • Not function normally for roughly 30 minutes for any normal activity and then disappear entirely? (file opening, folder navigation, web admin interface etc) 
  • (...I don't know the exact time, but it has been a pretty consistent ballpark...)
  • Even disappearing for the second NAS that's directly connected to it by the network 2 port? (Bypassing the router entirely) 
• OR Does it make sense that it would just stop working with nothing else on the local network having issues?
  
  • No new devices added in that time period.
  • And the last few devices allowed onto the network were all assigned by the Router only.

---

To be clear since tone doesn't come through writing:
I'm not asking to be petulant or combative.   I'm honestly asking out of my own curiosity and my own education.
I know just enough to be seen as "knowledgeable" to non-computer people and otherwise, enough to mostly be dangerous to myself. I know the terms and the basics, but not enough of the bigger pictures of connectivity or networking..
so I apologize if I phrase anything idiotically here)

---

NETWORK CHECKS I had already done:
    IP is fixed from within NAS.
    IP is also reserved for its MAC address in Router.   
    Nothing is on the network that also has this IP.
    I've rebooted the router a few times.  No change.
         I've also told the router to "forget" the NAS entirely and then set it back up. No change.
    I've switched out the Ethernet cable. No impact.
    I've switched around which ports the cables connect to the router by.
         Backup machine worked on any port. Main NAS doesn't work on any.

I've got log clips but they are too long for this entry, so I'll put them in a new reply in case something jumps out that I'm just completely overlooking.  (I'll also let you know what happens with the reboot and switching the IP to no longer be fixed)

Thank you!

Unless ... used or time passing is described, notations do not replace logs.
Log Clips Part One
    Overall, I see fails to connect to the NTP server going back into May,
      sometimes for a full day (it's checking every 3 hours) but then it'll be fine and maybe fail once
      in the next 2 days. It doesn't look consistent or unique enough to this time period to be a plausible cause.. 
      But could it?

Jul 12 15:05:04 GM linkstation: [Success] Sync to ntp server
Jul 12 15:30:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.02 0.11 0.08 : CPU Utilization= 26%
Jul 12 16:00:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.02 0.05 0.05 : CPU Utilization= 26%
Jul 12 16:30:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.00 0.00 0.00 : CPU Utilization= 26%

  ===  Reboot
      (at this point I honestly do not remember why. I don't know if there was a power outage?
               (although the NAS is hooked up to a very underutilized UPS so that seems unlikely?)
      I'm sorry I don't have more specifics here. 
No lines were removed. The log does jump from 7/12 16:30 to 7/14 11:28

Jul 14 11:28:14 GM linkstation: Started logchkd
Jul 14 11:28:14 GM errormon[1922]: errormon-ver.2.00 started
Jul 14 11:28:14 GM linkstation: Started errormon
Jul 14 11:28:14 GM linkstation: Started kernelmon
Jul 14 11:28:15 GM kernelmon: cmd=SATA 0 plugged
Jul 14 11:28:15 GM kernelmon: cmd=SATA 1 plugged
Jul 14 11:28:16 GM kernelmon: cmd=SATA 2 plugged
Jul 14 11:28:16 GM kernelmon: cmd=SATA 3 plugged
Jul 14 11:28:17 GM kernelmon: cmd=raidresync 1 1 1 0
Jul 14 11:28:21 GM kernelmon: cmd=raidresync 1 0 0 0
Jul 14 11:28:22 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh array0_raid_error off(old error code)
Jul 14 11:28:22 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh disk1_broken_error(disk1_fault_error) off
Jul 14 11:28:26 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh disk2_broken_error(disk2_fault_error) off
Jul 14 11:28:30 GM start_data_array.sh: IS_CHECK_ARRAY_STAUS 0
Jul 14 11:28:30 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh disk3_broken_error(disk3_fault_error) off
Jul 14 11:28:30 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md2 (raid5) sync speed max is setted to 3000
Jul 14 11:28:30 GM start_data_array.sh: *** diskinfo guess ***
Jul 14 11:28:33 GM start_data_array.sh:  >check array's mount point
Jul 14 11:28:33 GM start_data_array.sh:  >check normal state
Jul 14 11:28:33 GM start_data_array.sh:   * DISKINFO_GUESS status check and Restore *
Jul 14 11:28:34 GM start_data_array.sh:   * The status is normal? *
Jul 14 11:28:34 GM start_data_array.sh:    diskinfo guess is not exist normal state.
Jul 14 11:28:34 GM start_data_array.sh:    skip normal status checking.
Jul 14 11:28:34 GM start_data_array.sh: *** compaire ***
Jul 14 11:28:34 GM start_data_array.sh:  array1=raid5 ... [OK]
Jul 14 11:28:34 GM start_data_array.sh:  array2=off ... [skip]
Jul 14 11:28:34 GM start_data_array.sh:  disk1=array1 ... [OK]
Jul 14 11:28:34 GM start_data_array.sh:  disk2=array1 ... [OK]
Jul 14 11:28:34 GM start_data_array.sh:  disk3=array1 ... [OK]
Jul 14 11:28:34 GM start_data_array.sh:  disk4=array1 ... [OK]
Jul 14 11:28:34 GM start_data_array.sh: diskinfo ... [OK]
Jul 14 11:28:35 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh disk4_broken_error(disk4_fault_error) off
Jul 14 11:28:42 GM linkstation: Started inetd
Jul 14 11:28:44 GM kernelmon: cmd=micon_interrupts
Jul 14 11:28:45 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth1
Jul 14 11:28:46 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth1
Jul 14 11:28:47 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 14 11:28:47 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 14 11:29:14 GM linkstation: cron.sh : logrotate.status is fine.
Jul 14 11:29:20 GM S40B_update_notifications.sh: deleting old settings...
Jul 14 11:29:20 GM twonky: Media Server script is begun. type=start
Jul 14 11:29:20 GM S40B_update_notifications.sh: deleting old settings...
Jul 14 11:29:20 GM S40B_update_notifications.sh: deleting old settings...
Jul 14 11:29:20 GM S40B_update_notifications.sh: checking and registering to cron...
Jul 14 11:29:20 GM twonky: Media Server setting is off
Jul 14 11:29:23 GM root: linkstation
Jul 14 11:29:27 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md0 sync speed max is setted to 50000
Jul 14 11:29:27 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md1 sync speed max is setted to 50000
Jul 14 11:29:27 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md10 sync speed max is setted to 50000
Jul 14 11:29:27 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md2 (raid5) sync speed max is setted to 30000
Jul 14 11:29:32 GM linkstation: #[miconapl.mcon_get_version] mcon_version=TS-XEL    Ver1.1
Jul 14 11:29:42 GM libsys: USB chip is found! and looks like work well.
Jul 14 11:29:45 GM linkstation: 1.66-0.05 2015/03/30 14:52:23 started!
Jul 14 11:29:55 GM kernelmon: cmd=PSW_on
Jul 14 11:30:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 1.13 0.50 0.19 : CPU Utilization= 47%
Jul 14 11:35:55 GM update_notifications.sh: Not boot process now. cannot register to cron...
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM root[5738]: [Web] Timer status was changed
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: timer.type=backup
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM root[5738]: [Web] Backup5 status was changed
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.status=ready
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.name=CombineBACKUPS
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.type=day
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.start_time=18:30
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.week=
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.week_type=
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.month=
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.overwrite=on_del
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.mirror=on
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.crypt=off
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.compress=on
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.trashbox=on
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.logfile=off
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.force=off
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.hardlink=off
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.keep_generation=
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: backup5.folder=/mnt/array1/Combines/BACKUPS<>McKean@/mnt/array1/MK-GMNCMB-Backups
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM root[5738]: [Web] Timer status was changed
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: timer.backup5=on
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM root[5738]: [Web] Timer status was changed
Jul 14 11:43:58 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: timer.type=backup
Jul 14 11:43:59 GM linkstation: cron.sh : logrotate.status is fine.
Jul 14 11:43:59 GM root[5738]: [Web] Backup cron status was changed
Jul 14 11:43:59 GM [Web] Change value [5738]: crontab=
Jul 14 12:00:03 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.08 0.04 0.06 : CPU Utilization= 12%
Jul 14 12:05:07 GM linkstation: [Fail] Cannot sync to ntp server
Jul 14 12:30:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.00 0.03 0.03 : CPU Utilization= 8%
Jul 14 13:00:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.06 0.03 0.01 : CPU Utilization= 7%
Jul 14 13:30:02 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.00 0.02 0.00 : CPU Utilization= 6%
Jul 14 14:00:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.00 0.00 0.00 : CPU Utilization= 6%
Jul 14 14:30:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.03 0.03 0.00 : CPU Utilization= 6%
Jul 14 15:00:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.16 0.09 0.02 : CPU Utilization= 5%
Jul 14 15:05:03 GM linkstation: [Success] Sync to ntp server

Log LOOKS to continue normally, usual NTP & utilization messages over the next days... Until:
Jul 20 15:05:03 GM linkstation: [Success] Sync to ntp server
...
Jul 20 18:05:06 GM linkstation: [Fail] Cannot sync to ntp server
...
Jul 20 21:05:07 GM linkstation: [Fail] Cannot sync to ntp server
...
Jul 21 00:05:06 GM linkstation: [Fail] Cannot sync to ntp server
Jul 21 00:30:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 1.20 1.25 1.26 : CPU Utilization= 25%
Jul 21 01:00:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 1.54 1.47 1.45 : CPU Utilization= 25%
Jul 21 01:30:03 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.24 0.22 0.71 : CPU Utilization= 26%
Jul 21 02:00:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.00 0.00 0.08 : CPU Utilization= 25%
Jul 21 02:30:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.00 0.01 0.00 : CPU Utilization= 25%
Jul 21 02:44:58 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 02:45:09 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 02:45:18 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 02:45:20 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 02:45:46 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 02:48:21 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 02:48:29 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 02:48:30 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 02:49:54 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 02:50:05 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 02:50:14 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 02:50:15 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 02:54:07 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 02:54:18 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 02:54:26 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 02:54:28 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 02:59:26 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 02:59:30 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 02:59:38 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 02:59:40 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 03:00:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.75 0.33 0.18 : CPU Utilization= 25%
Jul 21 03:00:11 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 03:02:53 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 03:03:01 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 03:03:02 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 03:04:26 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 03:04:39 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 03:04:48 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 03:04:49 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 03:05:08 GM linkstation: [Fail] Cannot sync to ntp server
Jul 21 03:09:07 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 03:09:17 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 03:09:26 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 21 03:09:27 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 21 03:30:02 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 1.25 1.29 0.87 : CPU Utilization= 25%
Jul 21 04:00:02 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 1.26 1.12 0.89 : CPU Utilization= 26%
Jul 21 04:30:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 1.21 1.28 1.21 : CPU Utilization= 26%
Jul 21 05:00:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 1.45 1.37 1.36 : CPU Utilization= 26%
Jul 21 05:30:02 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 1.57 1.52 1.41 : CPU Utilization= 26%
Jul 21 06:00:02 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 1.69 1.64 1.51 : CPU Utilization= 26%
Jul 21 06:05:04 GM linkstation: [Success] Sync to ntp server

      NO idea what happened on 7/21... don't recall catching that before.  Is all that just too much data use? or a lost connection?
          (there would generally be backups running at those hours.)
      Afterwards, the NTP server & CPU utilization messages continue similar trends again.
Then:
Jul 26 03:05:03 GM linkstation: [Success] Sync to ntp server
Jul 26 03:30:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 2.44 2.46 1.97 : CPU Utilization= 27%
Jul 26 04:00:02 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 3.06 2.72 2.52 : CPU Utilization= 27%
Jul 26 04:30:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 1.95 1.57 1.65 : CPU Utilization= 27%
Jul 26 05:00:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 1.93 1.59 1.51 : CPU Utilization= 27%
Jul 26 05:25:25 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 26 05:25:32 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 26 05:25:40 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 26 05:25:41 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 26 05:26:12 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 26 05:28:51 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 26 05:28:59 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 26 05:29:01 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 26 05:30:02 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.61 0.86 1.16 : CPU Utilization= 27%
Jul 26 05:30:28 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 26 05:30:39 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 26 05:30:47 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 26 05:30:49 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 26 05:34:08 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 26 05:34:22 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 26 05:34:29 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Jul 26 05:34:31 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Jul 26 06:00:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.08 0.17 0.62 : CPU Utilization= 27%
Jul 26 06:05:05 GM linkstation: [Success] Sync to ntp server
Jul 26 06:30:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.00 0.02 0.09 : CPU Utilization= 27%

Log Files Part Two

And then I have this as notated as the next two reboot attempt logs.
The system had been inaccessible before this point, but not off.

Jul 29 06:05:05 GM linkstation: [Success] Sync to ntp server
Jul 29 06:30:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 2.56 2.51 2.47 : CPU Utilization= 26%
Jul 29 07:00:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 1.35 1.56 1.98 : CPU Utilization= 26%
Jul 29 07:30:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 1.33 1.47 1.57 : CPU Utilization= 26%
Jul 29 08:00:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 1.32 1.57 1.45 : CPU Utilization= 27%

  ===  PHYSICAL REBOOTED
    EMAIL CHECK: Target array:System field (md1) :: Started 08:58:34 :: Ended 08:58:36   EMAIL SENT: 08:58:37 "Reboot Finished"

Aug  1 08:57:20 GM linkstation: Started logchkd
Aug  1 08:57:20 GM errormon[1922]: errormon-ver.2.00 started
Aug  1 08:57:21 GM linkstation: Started errormon
Aug  1 08:57:21 GM linkstation: Started kernelmon
Aug  1 08:57:21 GM kernelmon: cmd=SATA 0 plugged
Aug  1 08:57:22 GM kernelmon: cmd=SATA 1 plugged
Aug  1 08:57:22 GM kernelmon: cmd=SATA 2 plugged
Aug  1 08:57:23 GM kernelmon: cmd=SATA 3 plugged
Aug  1 08:57:24 GM kernelmon: cmd=raidresync 1 1 1 0
Aug  1 08:57:27 GM kernelmon: cmd=raidresync 1 0 0 0
Aug  1 08:57:28 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh array0_raid_error off(old error code)
Aug  1 08:57:28 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh disk1_broken_error(disk1_fault_error) off
Aug  1 08:57:32 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh disk2_broken_error(disk2_fault_error) off
Aug  1 08:57:37 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh disk3_broken_error(disk3_fault_error) off
Aug  1 08:57:38 GM start_data_array.sh: IS_CHECK_ARRAY_STAUS 0
Aug  1 08:57:38 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md2 (raid5) sync speed max is setted to 3000
Aug  1 08:57:38 GM start_data_array.sh: *** diskinfo guess ***
Aug  1 08:57:41 GM start_data_array.sh:  >check array's mount point
Aug  1 08:57:41 GM start_data_array.sh:  >check normal state
Aug  1 08:57:41 GM start_data_array.sh:   * DISKINFO_GUESS status check and Restore *
Aug  1 08:57:41 GM start_data_array.sh:   * The status is normal? *
Aug  1 08:57:41 GM start_data_array.sh:    diskinfo guess is not exist normal state.
Aug  1 08:57:41 GM start_data_array.sh:    skip normal status checking.
Aug  1 08:57:41 GM start_data_array.sh: *** compaire ***
Aug  1 08:57:41 GM start_data_array.sh:  array1=raid5 ... [OK]
Aug  1 08:57:41 GM start_data_array.sh:  array2=off ... [skip]
Aug  1 08:57:41 GM start_data_array.sh:  disk1=array1 ... [OK]
Aug  1 08:57:42 GM start_data_array.sh:  disk2=array1 ... [OK]
Aug  1 08:57:42 GM start_data_array.sh:  disk3=array1 ... [OK]
Aug  1 08:57:42 GM start_data_array.sh:  disk4=array1 ... [OK]
Aug  1 08:57:42 GM start_data_array.sh: diskinfo ... [OK]
Aug  1 08:57:42 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh disk4_broken_error(disk4_fault_error) off
Aug  1 08:57:49 GM linkstation: Started inetd
Aug  1 08:57:51 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth1
Aug  1 08:57:52 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth1
Aug  1 08:57:52 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Aug  1 08:57:53 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Aug  1 08:58:21 GM linkstation: cron.sh : logrotate.status is fine.
Aug  1 08:58:26 GM S40B_update_notifications.sh: deleting old settings...
Aug  1 08:58:26 GM twonky: Media Server script is begun. type=start
Aug  1 08:58:26 GM S40B_update_notifications.sh: deleting old settings...
Aug  1 08:58:26 GM S40B_update_notifications.sh: deleting old settings...
Aug  1 08:58:26 GM S40B_update_notifications.sh: checking and registering to cron...
Aug  1 08:58:26 GM twonky: Media Server setting is off
Aug  1 08:58:29 GM root: linkstation
Aug  1 08:58:33 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md0 sync speed max is setted to 50000
Aug  1 08:58:33 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md1 sync speed max is setted to 50000
Aug  1 08:58:33 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md10 sync speed max is setted to 50000
Aug  1 08:58:33 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md2 (raid5) sync speed max is setted to 30000
Aug  1 08:58:39 GM linkstation: #[miconapl.mcon_get_version] mcon_version=TS-XEL    Ver1.1
Aug  1 08:58:48 GM libsys: USB chip is found! and looks like work well.
Aug  1 08:58:51 GM linkstation: 1.66-0.05 2015/03/30 14:52:23 started!
Aug  1 08:59:02 GM kernelmon: cmd=PSW_on
Aug  1 09:00:01 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.57 0.42 0.17 : CPU Utilization= 39%
Aug  1 09:05:03 GM linkstation: [Success] Sync to ntp server
  = GONE BY ?

  ===  REBOOTED again
Aug  1 10:22:43 GM linkstation: Started logchkd
Aug  1 10:22:43 GM errormon[1922]: errormon-ver.2.00 started
Aug  1 10:22:43 GM linkstation: Started errormon
Aug  1 10:22:43 GM linkstation: Started kernelmon
Aug  1 10:22:44 GM kernelmon: cmd=SATA 0 plugged
Aug  1 10:22:44 GM kernelmon: cmd=SATA 1 plugged
Aug  1 10:22:45 GM kernelmon: cmd=SATA 2 plugged
Aug  1 10:22:46 GM kernelmon: cmd=SATA 3 plugged
Aug  1 10:22:46 GM kernelmon: cmd=raidresync 1 1 1 0
Aug  1 10:22:50 GM kernelmon: cmd=raidresync 1 0 0 0
Aug  1 10:22:51 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh array0_raid_error off(old error code)
Aug  1 10:22:51 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh disk1_broken_error(disk1_fault_error) off
Aug  1 10:22:55 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh disk2_broken_error(disk2_fault_error) off
Aug  1 10:22:59 GM start_data_array.sh: IS_CHECK_ARRAY_STAUS 0
Aug  1 10:22:59 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md2 (raid5) sync speed max is setted to 3000
Aug  1 10:22:59 GM start_data_array.sh: *** diskinfo guess ***
Aug  1 10:22:59 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh disk3_broken_error(disk3_fault_error) off
Aug  1 10:23:02 GM start_data_array.sh:  >check array's mount point
Aug  1 10:23:02 GM start_data_array.sh:  >check normal state
Aug  1 10:23:02 GM start_data_array.sh:   * DISKINFO_GUESS status check and Restore *
Aug  1 10:23:03 GM start_data_array.sh:   * The status is normal? *
Aug  1 10:23:03 GM start_data_array.sh:    diskinfo guess is not exist normal state.
Aug  1 10:23:03 GM start_data_array.sh:    skip normal status checking.
Aug  1 10:23:03 GM start_data_array.sh: *** compaire ***
Aug  1 10:23:03 GM start_data_array.sh:  array1=raid5 ... [OK]
Aug  1 10:23:03 GM start_data_array.sh:  array2=off ... [skip]
Aug  1 10:23:03 GM start_data_array.sh:  disk1=array1 ... [OK]
Aug  1 10:23:03 GM start_data_array.sh:  disk2=array1 ... [OK]
Aug  1 10:23:03 GM start_data_array.sh:  disk3=array1 ... [OK]
Aug  1 10:23:03 GM start_data_array.sh:  disk4=array1 ... [OK]
Aug  1 10:23:03 GM start_data_array.sh: diskinfo ... [OK]
Aug  1 10:23:06 GM kernelmon: lcd_error_man.sh disk4_broken_error(disk4_fault_error) off
Aug  1 10:23:11 GM linkstation: Started inetd
Aug  1 10:23:15 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth1
Aug  1 10:23:15 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth1
Aug  1 10:23:16 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 0 full eth0
Aug  1 10:23:17 GM kernelmon: cmd=lanact 1000 full eth0
Aug  1 10:23:40 GM linkstation: cron.sh : logrotate.status is fine.
Aug  1 10:23:45 GM S40B_update_notifications.sh: deleting old settings...
Aug  1 10:23:45 GM S40B_update_notifications.sh: deleting old settings...
Aug  1 10:23:45 GM twonky: Media Server script is begun. type=start
Aug  1 10:23:46 GM S40B_update_notifications.sh: deleting old settings...
Aug  1 10:23:46 GM S40B_update_notifications.sh: checking and registering to cron...
Aug  1 10:23:46 GM twonky: Media Server setting is off
Aug  1 10:23:48 GM root: linkstation
Aug  1 10:23:52 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md0 sync speed max is setted to 50000
Aug  1 10:23:52 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md1 sync speed max is setted to 50000
Aug  1 10:23:52 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md10 sync speed max is setted to 50000
Aug  1 10:23:52 GM hdd_raid_syncspeed.sh: /dev/md2 (raid5) sync speed max is setted to 30000
  = EMAIL CHECK: Target array:System field (md1) :: Started 10:23:53 :: Ended 10:23:55   10:23:56 "Reboot Finished"

Aug  1 10:23:58 GM linkstation: #[miconapl.mcon_get_version] mcon_version=TS-XEL    Ver1.1
Aug  1 10:24:07 GM libsys: USB chip is found! and looks like work well.
Aug  1 10:24:11 GM linkstation: 1.66-0.05 2015/03/30 14:52:23 started!
Aug  1 10:24:21 GM kernelmon: cmd=PSW_on
  = Have Screen Clip of still up at 10:31:01 AM  = GONE BY 11:15AM

  The last attempt notes I have in this log save was

Aug  1 18:56:10 GM linkstation: Started logchkd
[i]....same as everything above[/i]
Aug  1 19:00:02 GM nas_status.sh: loadavg= 0.21 0.44 0.21 : CPU Utilization= 36%

  = GONE by 19:23:26 (Have clip of grayed out/frozen admin interface, timestamp from my PC)


Ok, no more logs now I promise!    :)
(also ignore that the name is GM here when I think that's too short for a real device name.  That was just an attempt to reduce character counts for posting)

Thank you!

I wasn't thinking it was an IP conflict, I just wonder if the software is having problems. What firmware version is the device on?

My apologies for assuming then! I'd seen that suggestion repeatedly in other posts and the purpose had been for testing IP conflicts.

The firmware is 1.66.   Repasting below what I put in the original post regarding setup, common checks like the AUTO/MANUAL switch and network testing so far.

Thank you!

---

STATE AND USAGE DETAILS    Primary NAS = TS-XE8.0TL/R5   Firmware: 1.66       RAID 5, ~28% used    4 drives seem detected on front display.    Switch on back IS set to Manual (and has always been)    The Device is still ON. No Error lights on Drives or front display.    BUT only 3 have green lights.  1 drive's light is just off.    NO Error Messages or even informational messages on NAS front.     Network 1 light connected to router and flashing green.         Still flashes like it's trying to do something even after drops off network.    Network 2 light is on (connects directly to second NAS, used for backup jobs).          Second NAS cannot "see" this one, but Router can (through its direct connection to router)

NETWORK CHECKS     IP is fixed from within NAS.     IP is also reserved for its MAC address in Router.        Nothing is on the network that also has this IP.     I've rebooted the router a few times.          I've also told the router to "forget" the NAS and set it back up. No change.     I've switched out the Ethernet cable. No impact.     I've switched around which ports the cables connect to the router with.          Backup machine worked on any port. Main NAS doesn't work on any.

---

You might try updating the firmware. It sounds like something in the networking stack is not loading/running correctly and an update may correct this. The update is available here: http://www.buffalotech.com/support/downloads/terastation-es (http://www.buffalotech.com/support/downloads/terastation-es).

The unit will need to be visible in NAS Navigator in order for the update to see it so you may have to reboot it prior to the update.

OK, well this is interesting.   (I had rebooted the system once this morning but got distracted before I could update the firmware in time and it dropped off the network.)

I was looking at my router for a separate reason this evening and something I noticed (and do not believe I ever touched before ever)
was an area about uPnP network settings and Advertisement getting cut off at 30 minutes.   Seemed like a strong coincidence. 
Figured it couldn't hurt anything, so I increased the advertising time there to 120 minutes instead of 30. 
I honestly have no idea if that means anything here at all.  But...

---

only a short time after, I rebooted the NAS again.

This time it managed to actually return a disk error.  (Drive 3, not Drive 4 which had the light off before)         Error Seemed quick. Maybe 5 minutes after?

Running in degraded_mode. Still up though and past the 30 min mark... (knocks on wood)

I don't have a spare disk on hand to swap, but I can order one to arrive tomorrow or Friday at the latest.

Under DISK SECTION:
   Disk 3 has an error. Remove Disk is the only option when I select it specifically.
   The rest of the disks have Status = Array 1 (?)

Selecting the Array offers Check Disk
     (and Format Disk-but I do NOT want to erase this entire thing yet because I still need a full branch of folders or I'll have lost years of work)

Under the RAID SECTION:

  Array 1  Status= Error and Rebuild Array is an option.
  Array 2 is not configured. Don't think it ever was.

What can or should I do here and now?

• I'm guessing I should NOT try to update the firmware while this is happening.
• Should I run Check Disk on the Array from the DISK SECTION?
• Should I use the "Remove Disk" Option, whatever that is, from the DISK SECTION?
• Should I try to just Rebuild the Array from the ARRAY SECTION?
• Can I/Should I still try to run a backup of the specific folder branch I am missing entirely on the BACKUP NAS?
•       Or should I just try manually grabbing folders off of it?   
• Or should I try not to do anything with the data to spare the disks?

Thank you!!

UPDATE: Well, I got a bit anxious about losing my "chance" to get to data last night, so I started downloading the missing data last night.  Using FTP to pull to my PC, not by running the Buffalo backup job that would run it to the other NAS. I have no why I think this, but it seemed like that might be more demanding on the system and more problematic... just crazy? or right? 

It seemed to be working though and the system is still up this morning!  (So continuing the process)

I have no idea what was happening. I'm guessing that the repeated forced reboots from the power button probably damaged the drive (somehow)
and that "allowed" a disk error to occur that interrupted whatever else was happening before.  ??

I will order a drive to swap for now.   I don't know if I'll be able to figure out the original problem though.

Three questions remaining though:

1) Should I still run the firmware update at this point?  (before/after the drive is replaced?)

2) Do NAS devices generally need to be replaced every few years?  I got this back in July 2013, and mostly it's been fine, but this will be the third drive I've had to replace, (no idea if that means anything).  Plus there's no direct support options from Buffalo at this point. (Just begging on this forum :) )   So should I be looking to replace this system?

3) If I do upgrade the NAS and it's not due to all the drives being dead for some reason, can hard drives be swapped or added into new NAS devices in some way that retains the data?  Or does the process always mean getting all the data to something else, then moving it all back onto the new NAS?   
(I use RAID5 here and from my limited understanding of how that works, I'm mostly assuming that it's the latter, but just wanted to check.)

Thank you!

As far as when to replace a NAS there's no general rule. Hard drives do inevitably fail and have to be replaced. How often they fail is a function of the drive itself and how it's used. Some individual models of drives fail more frequently than others but it's difficult to predict when a drive will fail.

I would recommend backing up the unit first. We recommend that everyone have at least 1 backup of all their data, never rely on a single copy of anything you want to keep.

Once the data is backed up, replace the failed drive and rebuild the array. Once everything is back to normal then apply the firmware update.

I'm not really as concerned about the drive failing. (I'd actually never been so happy to have a loud disk error happening!)

I thinking about the NAS itself.  It's the first one I ever had.  I bought another about 2 years later to act purely as a backup for this NAS and device backups, etc.  But that's about the extent of my experience. 

I don't have a feel for what the accepted lifespan is for NAS devices.   This mysterious failure happened out of the blue. I don't even know what it was, and it's been down for a little over a month.   And since I don't know what the original issue even was....Maybe I'll replace the drive, upgrade the firmware and whatever was happening before the disk error will still come back. And then what?

I don't know whether this is just the general end of a lifespan or if it's just too low-level of a device and there would be others that are still for the smaller user, but just have better diagnostics/tools/monitoring/whatever...  I don't know. 
Or if this type of thing is just "normal" for owning a NAS.

The replacement disk will be here tomorrow and I'll keep copying off data until then.   (Would it be "safe" to run the backup jobs on it? Or should that not be done when it's running in degraded mode?  could it damage anything(at least more than manually extracting data) ?

Any perspectives for NAS lifespan, etc. would be greatly appreciated!  (Along with the question about running the actual backup jobs (partial or running them as complete)? )
Thank you!!

Any NAS is essentially just a very specialized computer with a greater than average number of hard drives. As such they fail as often as other computers. In most cases they get outgrown before they fail. The parts that typically fail are hard drives and power supplies. I've seen some last years. Most of the problems they encounter are software related rather than hardware.

I'm certainly not running out of space. And I'm not really trying to do anything overly demanding on it. (No gaming, music streaming (although it does have my music library on there.) )

Is this one of those "when it's not broke, don't fix it" situations? Where you just ride it into the ground? 
I tend to not do that with computers, but I work remotely so having crippled PCs would be a far riskier situation, than if it were just a casual browsing and low-level gaming device.


Also, is it safe to run backup jobs from the degraded device to another connected NAS? Or could that cause corruption and should just be avoided until the drive swap and RAID rebuild actually completes. (always seems to be a couple days. No progress indicator anywhere has been one of the few pet peeves of this system.)

Thank you very much!

I would highly recommend running a backup regardless, and once you get the drive replaced and the array rebuilt I'd advise updating the firmware on the NAS.