Hey everyone, I received a TS-QVH8.0TL/R6 from my work and the default admin password has been changed. I would like to completely start over with the unit and wipe everything if possible. I've checked forum post and different site and tried resetting the admin password, but no dice. Any help would be great. Thanks for your time!
RLG
There's a forum post which describes how to reset the password for this model:
https://forums.buffalotech.com/index.php?topic=27646.0
This process can be used to re-install the firmware from scratch:
https://forums.buffalotech.com/index.php?topic=30419.0
and I guide to making a recovery disk for the above process:
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Create_Recovery_Disk_for_Intel-based_Terastation
Thanks 1000001101000, I attempted to reset the password through Linux, but could never get the Terration to boot into the live USB. I've sifted through the other options / Links given, but have hit a dead end. I'm going to go over everything again tonight when I have some more time. It's great that the protection on these are good, but a little annoying that you can no factory reset..lol. Thanks again for all your help!
RLG
Did you flip the switch on the back to tell it to boot from USB?
I did, sorry meant to add that to the above message.
RLG
I walked through it with that same model when I wrote that post. What error are you getting?
It's Odd, I never really get an error, it seems to start normally like it's launching the OS/software like normal even if it has USB selected.
I believe the switch just tells the bios to check USB first for boot devices, if it can't see a boot sector on the USB it will just move on. It sounds like something is wrong with the usb drive. How did you create it?
I found an old ubuntu ISO (14.04.1) and burned it to a USB drive using ImageUSB, maybe that did not make it a "bootable" drive.
the most common issue making these usb boot disks is removing the usb before it's done. Unfortunately, many systems will report the write is actually finished.
usually the best first step is to try again and walk away for 10 minutes or so before pulling it out and trying it.
Back at it... I was able to get in Ubuntu to boot and got to this step and hit another wall.
9. determine which array is associated with the second partition of each disk (sda2 etc), mide was /dev/md125
lsblk or mdadm -E /dev/sda2 (It looks like mine is /dev/sda2, sdb2, sdc2 etc. Not sure what is needed on this step
10. mount that array to /mnt
mount /dev/md125 /mnt
I found that the array is in a degraded state, is there any way to reset the password in terminal or do you have to mount the array to make those changes, sorry not the greatest in terminal or linux. Overall I would like to wipe the array and start fresh. Thanks again for all your help!
Quote from: Garlick1 on January 28, 2020, 11:04:06 PM
I found that the array is in a degraded state, is there any way to reset the password in terminal or do you have to mount the array to make those changes, sorry not the greatest in terminal or linux. Overall I would like to wipe the array and start fresh. Thanks again for all your help!
I'll let our binary friend answer that, as I have no clue.
As to making the boot iso itself and just wiping the array to start fresh, if that is what you're asking:
I don't know how that ubuntu ISO works.
If you're wanting to wipe the unit, you'll have to make actual boot ISO listed above.
I don't know how to wipe the drives in linux, I'd use a DBAN boot usb in that device, or pull the drives and wipe with windows. Even just a Western Digital WinDLG quick erase will do the trick.
I did this recently for a TS-WVHL unit conversion. It used different boot files, but the steps were almost the same.
I wound up using systemrescuecd to boot, and just went into the graphic enviornment:
http://www.system-rescue-cd.org/
Right clicking should allow you to bring up the menu, and bring up the terminal so you can run the commands. I think I used 2 or 3 terminals, so as not to get confused.
Start here
you have to extract the firmware first. That article has a link that points to here:
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Extract_Boot_Files_from_Stock_Firmware
Eventually, I did follow the posted steps from here:
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Create_Recovery_Disk_for_Intel-based_Terastation
For me, it was confusing as the main article assumes the user knows how to mount drives, and that the mounts are already made.
The instructions could use a little tweaking about the mounting stuff. I definitely got lost with that part, as my linux level is novice.
If you don't have your drives mounted, then you need to take parts of this article to get it done.
(I was getting confused between that and the Create Recovery Disk article, open them in two separate tabs and try not to confuse- which tab is which)
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Restoring_Stock_Firmware_without_TFTP
I forget how many mounts I used, I think it was two:
one for where your your buffalo extracted boot files are at, and one for where you are going to make the iso files.
You'll want to see what devices you have, using gparted from the systemrescuecd worked for me.
or run df or lsblk to see what devices are visible to the system.
I went through 3 attempts before it would work,
first, the files would not copy in.
secondly, the system didn't write the entire thing- to where it not boot. Our binary 4200 friend is right about removing usb drives too early. The dd command gives you a prompt before the write is finished. I waited a good couple of mintues. I also used a usb drive that has an LED on it, to also confirm it was no longer being accessed.
Third time was the charm.
I don't know what else to suggest. It would be nice if we could get a google drive or some other online share going again, that had all the boot isos and TFTPs like there used to be. I don't know who maintained that- if it was a buffalo support agent, or if it was some 3rd party user like us.
Quote9. determine which array is associated with the second partition of each disk (sda2 etc), mide was /dev/md125
lsblk or mdadm -E /dev/sda2 (It looks like mine is /dev/sda2, sdb2, sdc2 etc. Not sure what is needed on this step
The goal of that step is to determine which array contains the devices rootfs since it won't always be md125. It should always be a raid1 array which spans sda2,sdb2,etc which is why we look at what array those partitions are part of to find the rootfs.
QuoteI found that the array is in a degraded state, is there any way to reset the password in terminal or do you have to mount the array to make those changes, sorry not the greatest in terminal or linux. Overall I would like to wipe the array and start fresh. Thanks again for all your help!
take a look at the array with mdadm --detail and see why it is degraded. presumable there is a disk missing or something similar that has caused one of the partitions to be missing from the array.
considering your long term goal sounds like wiping the device anyway there is probably not much risk in just force starting the array and continuing with the password reset if you still want to do that. Otherwise you could just wipe the drives and move forward with re-installing the firmware.
Thanks everyone for the help and support!
Tonight I went ahead a removed the drives and wiped them to start from scratch. Not sure if that was a good idea ... I guess now it's figuring out how to move forward with installing the firmware.
Did I shoot myself in the foot, formatting the array? I guess I need to find out where (if I can) find the original firmware to get that installed. Once again, thanks for all the help and time!
Sincerely,
RLG
You can create a usb boot disk for the stock firmware with this method:
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Create_Recovery_Disk_for_Intel-based_Terastation
You can then re-install the firmware by enabling some debug options on the firmware updater:
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Enable_Debug_mode
@Kane88 just went though this process and should be able to provide tips if needed.
Found a thread where Davo had some software for for the firmware and ISO. Was able to download that and install on a USB
Terrastation powers on with Boot Failed Error code. I have not been able to move past that, except from one time
Some how, I was able to get the NAS to boot into emergency mode and see it in Navigator.
TSUpdater also picked it up, but would not let me update the software or debug
I attempted most of the provided steps and have hit dead ends. (Mostly because of my linux knowledge)
I think erasing the array really caused issues on getting it up and running.
I'm pretty much ready to throw in the towel on this. I've invested a lot of spare time and some money trouble shooting something that you would think should be easy..lol
If anyone has a way to get the system to boot, let me know.. Seems like I'm getting sucked down rabbit holes when trying to figured out whats going on.
Thanks again!
If you've managed to get into EM mode you're 90% of the way there.
Did you edit the config file to enable the debug options?
Quote from: 1000001101000 on January 31, 2020, 06:13:02 AM
If you've managed to get into EM mode you're 90% of the way there.
Did you edit the config file to enable the debug options?
I only got to EM mode 1 time and that was on accident, not sure why that one time it booted up.
The rest of the time it has started up with the boot fail code.
The one time is was in EMM I attempted to run the debugging option, but it did not do anything.
Thanks again!
RLG
Kane88 may be able to help you with building a recovery disk, they were able to do it recently.
Otherwise I believe Buffalo support can provide you with one for a fee.
Quote from: 1000001101000 on January 31, 2020, 09:19:32 AM
Kane88 may be able to help you with building a recovery disk, they were able to do it recently.
Otherwise I believe Buffalo support can provide you with one for a fee.
Does it use the same boot files as the one we built for the WVHL recently? I have no idea what boot files he needs for the QVHL.
And a ?
Have you ever used E2B before? It is a linux multi boot for USB.
Is it possible to get these ISOs to work with that? I'm having to rebuild sticks often to get either the EM ISO or the Debian ISO to boot.
Getting them into E2B would save me some time and less headaches... :)
Thanks
https://www.easy2boot.com/
Something about the GRUB loader on them- it doesn't like. ..
QuoteDoes it use the same boot files as the one we built for the WVHL recently? I have no idea what boot files he needs for the QVHL.
Exactly the same. He's looking to do exactly what you did (only without the 2-drive issue).
Quote from: 1000001101000 on January 31, 2020, 03:16:41 PM
QuoteDoes it use the same boot files as the one we built for the WVHL recently? I have no idea what boot files he needs for the QVHL.
Exactly the same. He's looking to do exactly what you did (only without the 2-drive issue).
Garlick, send me a PM. Worst case, maybe the ISO I made- will work for you. I'd like to see Davo's link. He had many articles here.
Thanks.
1. Decided this morning to switch out the drives in the NAS. The system had 4 – 2TB WD greens in it and I didn't really want to use those for a NAS, so I replaced them with 4 Htachi enterprise drives. Before adding them, I formatted and made new simple NTFS volumes on a different PC, so it would be a fresh start.
2. Still getting the same "Boot Fail" Error after switching out the drives
3. Had issues with USB boot recovery stick erroring out and looking for the OS when using it to boot into the NAS – I was using a Linux USB installer on Windows 10. Decided to switch it up and use a different USB boot installer – Used Universal USB installer and created the bootable flash drive
4. Started NAS in USB mode with the new Boot image/recovery image, was able to get past the "Boot Fail" error and it started loading the firmware from the USB
5. After loading the Firmware onto the new array, the system was recognizable in Navigator and showing up in Emergency Mode in Navigator
6. I used the TS-Updater to find the NAS and ran an update on the system
7. It asked if I would like to format the drives (This has been the farthest I have gotten when reinstalling the firmware
8. After formatting the new drives, the TS-updater application started download and installing the firmware to the drives
9. After completion, I restarted the NAS without the USB
10. I was able to login with the default admin password and the array/drives where present.
Small issue I had is the firmware used defaulted to Japanese, but was lucky to find an option to switch it to English.
I also reached out to Buffallo's official support and they told me it was not possible to add the firmware onto new drives. That doesn't really make sense on a pro-station, what happened if you lost disk, how would you ever replace them?
I want to thank 1000001101000 and Kane88 for all the support the last few days! Thanks! I'm definitely going to stop in and see if I can help other figure out their issues! Thanks again!! I would say this thread is closed
Great!
Good. Glad it worked. I would wipe the greens and retest them. They should load the same way you just did with the hitachi drives. This way you have a spare set, or use them for something else. One of them might be bad, who knows.
You won't see a speed increase with the enterprise drives on buffalo units. They will just handle a higher workload. Those kind of drives are better off in a dedicated server or desktop to truly see the performace increase.