Local Backup via USB is failing [merged thread]

[fabtech]

I am using a Pyrogate Personal Storage Device, 3.5” HDD enclosure, eSATA + USB2. Currently using eSATA and formatted using EXT4 and a Digitus, Model # DA-70580, 3.5” HDD enclosure, eSATA + USB2. Currently using USB2 and formatted using EXT3.

Both HDDs worked just fine with my previous DS207+. Backup problems with these same units start appearing with the new 712+ that I purchased back in November. Since then no backup.

[gunrunnerjohn]

My old enclosures used to work fine until I upgraded the DSM, then it was crash and burn. I'm not sure how they managed to screw up something that was working, but they did.

[fabtech]

Hello @gunrunnerjohn
I did not read all the threads you wrote, but I suggest you send a support email to Synology so that they may consider fixing the problem sooner.

[gunrunnerjohn]

I have had not one, but two tickets open on this issue with Synology. If you read a bit more, you'll find that the wheels fell off when they "fixed" mine, and I reverted to the stock firmware to at least get back to the USB 3.0 enclosure working, which is where I am now.

[fabtech]

The HDDs I am using, both internal and external DAS for backup are all Synology approved from this list:
http://www.synology.com/support/hd.php? ... d%20Drives

Using DSM3.2 shouldn't I be able to view all my available storage, including external & internal HDDs, using the DSM3.2 Storage Manager application? -- I can only view my internal disks (Volume1).

Also my external disks (the enclosures) use JMicron Technology. Hope the interfaces are approved by Synology.

I will also send a reminder to Synology today, as I haven't received a response to my end-of-December backup inquiry yet.

[fconil]

I've seen USBs drop outs on 3 different boxes lately.

I hope the patch will be here soon.

[fabtech]

What is the version # of the DSM used on those 3 NASs?
I have been asked to allow Synology engineers to access my NAS. Perhaps they do not have a clear picture of the backup problem.

[gunrunnerjohn]

Well, I let them access it, twice! It got worse each time, and I finally had to do a network install of the original DSM 3.2-1955 to get back the functionality with the one USB disk that worked! Since I've had several tickets open, and at one point they had a patch that fixed this, I can't imagine they need to keep doing this on a case-by-case basis. Time to put a patch in that fixes it for all cases.

[txrpls]

Well, I let them access it, twice! It got worse each time, and I finally had to do a network install of the original DSM 3.2-1955 to get back the functionality with the one USB disk that worked! Since I've had several tickets open, and at one point they had a patch that fixed this, I can't imagine they need to keep doing this on a case-by-case basis. Time to put a patch in that fixes it for all cases.

Al least you guys are getting a response. I have not had a response since the 22nd.

[fabtech]

Someone from within Synology or a Forum Moderator can tell us how important this problem is for Synology. I looked at competitor's forums and did not see this major problems.

In this 'merged thread' there are 'only' 82 replies and almost 2K viewers, and some replies were from the same person.

It appear that Synology is starting ti behave like Microsoft, where it is close to impossible to get anything fixed!

[manfredell]

I had/have the same problem on all of our units: 1010, 3611, 3411

The problem was introduced with fw 3.x because on 2.x USB backups always worked.

We tried a Lacie Biggest Quadra, external Maxtor single disk units etc. All fail most of the time.

After contacting support the answer was always that the drives are not compatible! This is their standard answer and not acceptable because the drives work without issues on our QNAP's.

In the end we bought the expansion units to backup locally (DS510, 1211 etc)

This is a big joke and yes they behave like M$S in this case. The product otherwise is excellent.

[fabtech]

Thank you for the information.
I would suggest for you to copy your post and email it to Synology support, as I do not believe they monitor these forums closely.
Perhaps, the more support calls they receive, the higher the probability to get a fix sooner.
For my small business, it is not cost effective for now to purchase an additional expansion unit. Plus, I strongly believe that a problem as important as this should be fixed.
The backup with my previous DS207+ with DSM 2.2x worked just fine with the same HDDs (USB2&eSATA+).

[manfredell]

Thank you for the information.
I would suggest for you to copy your post and email it to Synology support, as I do not believe they monitor these forums closely.
Perhaps, the more support calls they receive, the higher the probability to get a fix sooner.
For my small business, it is not cost effective for now to purchase an additional expansion unit. Plus, I strongly believe that a problem as important as this should be fixed.
The backup with my previous DS207+ with DSM 2.2x worked just fine with the same HDDs (USB2&eSATA+).

There is no such USB issue with our firmware, or we will get many user's report and we will know it.
Here we have RS3411 running with the latest firmware and works with USB external disk normally.

If you could ensure that your usb storage is OK, it will be an issue on compatibility.
This Lacie external storage might not be compatible with Disk Station.
You may refer to our reference list,

http://www.synology.com/support/faq_sho ... 4&lang=enu









The reason we have the compatibility list is that we could confirm those devices could work with our products, we test them and could debug with them.
You mentioned that it could work with DSM 2.x, however we never guarantee that your LaCie could work with our products (never on the compatibility list).
We could check with your issue but we don't guarantee it must work.
Every model, every new firmware might change the code, and we could not promise that the devices which are not on the supported list will always work with our products in every version of firmware.

You will also find that the model on the compatibility list are single-bay model. A multiple-bay model will often get the problem.
To ensure the best compatibility, you could use the extension unit from us, like 1211 you have now, to avoid such kind of issue.

If you have further issue on your 1211 with main unit, please don't hesitate to contact us again.

[txrpls]

Thank you for the information.
I would suggest for you to copy your post and email it to Synology support, as I do not believe they monitor these forums closely.
Perhaps, the more support calls they receive, the higher the probability to get a fix sooner.
For my small business, it is not cost effective for now to purchase an additional expansion unit. Plus, I strongly believe that a problem as important as this should be fixed.
The backup with my previous DS207+ with DSM 2.2x worked just fine with the same HDDs (USB2&eSATA+).

Support does not even reply to my emails. This is a joke, albeit a bad one.

[fabtech]

I am actually in contact with Synology Tech support since I opened the tix before the end of 2011. We are writing back-and-forth and they are offering possible solutions to fix the problem.

Tech support wants to remotely log on to my DS712+ to closely verify the cause of the backup fault with my USB2 and eSATA enclosures. I an not in the office now, but I am planning to let them log on. However, I will ask them not to place any patches on my DS system as I want to make sure I will be able to update to future SW releases without having to always insert a patch.

Tech support first step was to ask me to save the debug file of the DS and email it to them.
The result: >>Actually, you can unzip the log file by renaming the file to kernel.dat.tgz and you can find the log files in it.
From the messages, we can only find the error message that shows the external devices is probably not well connected so we would like you to test other e-SATA cable. Besides that, I can't find any error message about local backup.<< [Tech support asked me to test a USB 'Y' cable].

I also asked tech support to send me a list of Synology’s approved external enclosures and HDDs that I can use for backing up data (eSATA AND USB). [Just in case I decided to purchase new enclosures].

The result: >>Currently the supported USB external devices list had been removed from our website and the policy now is we should support all the external devices. If there's any device that have problem when use with disk station, we should try to fix the problem anyway. So I don't have the support list for you but we will check the issue and try to fix the problem.<<

In the end tech support says: >>The conclusion is that we can't reproduce the problem at our end and need the remote access with your permission to have the right to logon your system for further action.<<

I hope this helps. Please do insist and open as many support tickets with tech support as necessary. This problem (as important as it is) must disappear in future DS SW releases.