TeraStation TS-XEL firmware update boot loop

[t3kg33k]

I just attempted a firmware update from 1.72 via the web interface. The install seem to complete and now after the reboot cycle it seems to be stuck in a boot loop.
How do I recover and get my NAS back to a known good state?

[Kane88]

Start with a download and manual install of firmware 1.73:
https://www.buffalotech.com/support/downloads/terastation-es

Hopefully that fixes it.

[t3kg33k]

Start with a download and manual install of firmware 1.73:
https://www.buffalotech.com/support/downloads/terastation-es

Hopefully that fixes it.

Well, it's currently in a boot loop so it is offline right now and no way to get to it via the network.

[Kane88]

I was hoping maybe the updater could catch it before it reboots.  But if it doesn't even see the network, it won't work.

You can wait and see if any of the linux ppl here have some ideas to get the unit into EM mode, if that is even possible in its current state.

Hopefully your data is already backed up.
With the firmware being shot, I don't know what else can be done besides wipe the drives and start over. 

And that's going to require firmware boot file extraction:

Plus, the use of TFTP to load the boot files: (I have a TFTP boot and firmware file set for the TS-XEL, PM me if you want it)

Or without TFTP with the steps in this article:
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Restoring_Stock_Firmware_without_TFTP

After it boots to EM mode, you'd run the manual install of the 1.73 firmware.

[t3kg33k]

I was hoping maybe the updater could catch it before it reboots.  But if it doesn't even see the network, it won't work.

You can wait and see if any of the linux ppl here have some ideas to get the unit into EM mode, if that is even possible in its current state.

Hopefully your data is already backed up.
With the firmware being shot, I don't know what else can be done besides wipe the drives and start over. 

And that's going to require firmware boot file extraction:

Plus, the use of TFTP to load the boot files: (I have a TFTP boot and firmware file set for the TS-XEL, PM me if you want it)

Or without TFTP with the steps in this article:
https://buffalonas.miraheze.org/wiki/Restoring_Stock_Firmware_without_TFTP

After it boots to EM mode, you'd run the manual install of the 1.73 firmware.

Gotcha. Thanks. Yep, luckily I have backups.

[1000001101000]

when you say it's "boot looping", what is happening? Or rather, what shoes on the LCD as it tries to boot?

[t3kg33k]

when you say it's "boot looping", what is happening? Or rather, what shoes on the LCD as it tries to boot?

It just kept rebooting. I can't remember exactly the LCD display message. I've since unplugged it (probably a mistake). Now when I plug it in I now see a red LCD with "No Init File at HDD 0". Which I would assume means there is no firmware installed?

[1000001101000]

That makes sense.

It takes a pretty odd combination of things to get these to boot loop. It would require the boot process to somehow succeed really far and then have the device crash hard. Most scenarios would either lead to booting into EM mode or failure to boot like what you see.

If you've already got your data backed up I'd recommend pulling the drives, wiping them and running diagnostics on them (and then replace any drives that are failing.

After that you can reinstall the firmware:
https://forums.buffalotech.com/index.php?topic=30419.0

Or if you prefer you could install Debian Linux on it instead:
https://github.com/1000001101000/Debian_on_Buffalo

[t3kg33k]

That makes sense.

It takes a pretty odd combination of things to get these to boot loop. It would require the boot process to somehow succeed really far and then have the device crash hard. Most scenarios would either lead to booting into EM mode or failure to boot like what you see.

If you've already got your data backed up I'd recommend pulling the drives, wiping them and running diagnostics on them (and then replace any drives that are failing.

After that you can reinstall the firmware:
https://forums.buffalotech.com/index.php?topic=30419.0

Or if you prefer you could install Debian Linux on it instead:
https://github.com/1000001101000/Debian_on_Buffalo

Oohh..Debian install. I like that!

So I setup a Windows VM (I don't run Windows at home. I'm a Linux guy) and installed NAS Navigator. And, it looks like it is in Emergency Mode. Can the firmware be installed in this mode?

[t3kg33k]

Tried updating the firmware with the firmware utility and it stated no partition found.
I guess I will go the Debian route.

[1000001101000]

take another look at the instructions. You create the partitions by using the Debug options of the firmware updater.

[t3kg33k]

take another look at the instructions. You create the partitions by using the Debug options of the firmware updater.

Gotcha. Thanks.