Synology DS408 RAID5 crashed after a Read error

[CandymanLUX]

Hi,
I have one Synology DS408 in a RAID5 setup with 4 ST31500341AS discs (SD1A firmware). Everything was working fine since the installation this weekend ... the RAID5 system created just fine ... data moved ... all OK. This afternoon I wanted to copy around 10GB of data down to my USB pen ... I left the computer running while I left for the living room ... I noticed that my Squeezebox display was off and was worried ... rightfully so I'm afraid. When I came to the PC corner I noticed the blue light flashing on and off and the device was not reacting to anything. After leaving it for some time I decided to unplug the power and to restart it ... it seems that this was a huge mistake as my RAID5 is gone! After logging into the management console I could see that two discs are still assigned to my volume but the two other discs are simply shown as Initialized. Now as data was read from the device and not written to, nothing should be lost. Alas as everything was working fine I re-used the old discs for a new RAID array to which I wanted to copy the data once initialized. Now I end up having lost the new system with the data and the old system with the data. As it contains years of collecting I would really hate to see everything gone.
Not knowing anything about Linux and the way the discs are partitioned, signatures are written etc ... is there any way I could somehow 'revive' the system?
Thanks for any help and input,
Candyman

[lehalse]

This has happened to me also. Same DS-408 box and 4 Seagate Barracuda 1,5 TB ST31500341AS Firmware: SD1A. I have had 4 times harddrive crashes. The first time it happened with 30 minuttes interval (before my notice) and the Volume crashed. All data lost. The next 2 drive crashes with a couple of days between each. The 4 disk crashes has happened on 3 different drives. Seagate support claims there is no problems with the drives and that I'm using the latest firmware for the drives. Synology claims it is a firmware problem and that I should have a different firmware. But I am stuck in the middle. The problem I have is a unreliable system that I don't trust anymore.

[CandymanLUX]

I know that the Seagate's have had their fair share of issues. All the ones I have (21 in total) have had the buggy firmware (either SD17 or CC1G). After upgrading all of them to the fixed firmware (SD1A or CC1H0) all troubles seemed to have gone.
Not the problem I have understanding is that a READ error can cause the system to hang completely. I'm still waiting for Synology support to get back to me (@ FRANKLIN - I hope your support is not on vacation until 2009!).
I have a second DS408 which runs the same discs without issues so far and a DS209 also with the same discs. Strangely enough when I have them in my PC on a Highpoint and Promise controller, I do not see any issues. IF I really should have lost all data, I'll get rid of all NAS/RAID systems and just do simple and plain JBOD's ... at least only a part of the data is gone while now with bad luck 2 TB of data are (possibly) gone.
Now I know that some people will come with the 'RAID is not a backup' approach. I have an independent UPS on each of my NAS boxes for the worst case scenario ... and I think loosing 1 disc in a few months can be acceptable but I surely need to understand why a READ error causes the NAS to hang completely (no access via webinterface or telnet) ... and after a power off and on, the RAID config on 2 discs is gone.
I still have my hopes up ... and hope for Synology to get back to me preferrably before the next year (Telnet enabled/port opened/ready when you are ).
For All:
I noticed some 'RAID Recovery' tools out there but they all seem to be for Windows filesystems (NTFS) and not necessarily Linux EXT3 fs. Does anybody maybe know a recovery tool which can run on Windows (as I only have XP/2003/2008 boxes) and somehow recover partition information/RAID config for Linux fs.

[lehalse]

My problem with the degraded disk and volume crash seem to be related to slow reading of the disks. I my case having a mapped drive where I play MP3s from.

[Zouk !]

I noticed some 'RAID Recovery' tools out there but they all seem to be for Windows filesystems (NTFS) and not necessarily Linux EXT3 fs. Does anybody maybe know a recovery tool which can run on Windows (as I only have XP/2003/2008 boxes) and somehow recover partition information/RAID config for Linux fs.

Hi there,

Check this, maybe it could help : Successful! Broken Raid Reconstruction on a PC (XP-SP2)

Regards,
Zouk !

[CandymanLUX]

Hi Zouk!,
Thanks a bunch ... I will give the Syno people some time to (hopefully) get back to me, else I will surely try to recover whatever is possible. I'll read the full article and will grab that software.
Cheers.

[Franklin]

@CandymanLUX

Please wait from our support team to see if your RAID can be "force mounted."

[CandymanLUX]

@ Franklin

Will your support guys be working over the holidays and should I switch the box off until next year? As my dynamic IP changes quite often, I don't want to spam their mailbox by refreshing the IP address constantly .

[Zouk !]

@ Franklin
As my dynamic IP changes quite often, I don't want to spam their mailbox by refreshing the IP address constantly .

Think about set up a dynamic dns alias with your modem/router

[CandymanLUX]

@ Franklin

Will your support guys be working over the holidays and should I switch the box off until next year? As my dynamic IP changes quite often, I don't want to spam their mailbox by refreshing the IP address constantly .

Actually it is in place ... I noticed that my ISP had some issues and my router would simply hang after a couple of hours ... this seems to be fixed (thank god before the Xmas days). So the Syno gurus can connect whenever they want .

[Franklin]

@CandymanLUX

Our Main HQ should still be operating regular business hours for Christmas; New Years, our support staff are making arrangements to run support. More information will be announced on the Website.

Hope this helps

[CandymanLUX]

@CandymanLUX

Our Main HQ should still be operating regular business hours for Christmas; New Years, our support staff are making arrangements to run support. More information will be announced on the Website.

Hope this helps

@ Franklin

I understand that the timing of the crash is maybe not the best. However I would really appreciate if your support people could have a glance maybe in the next days. If the volume is not repairable, I might try with other options offered here on the forum (maybe this UFS Explorer) and if nothing helps, at least re-create the volume from scratch. The telnet access is still granted and your tech people have the login info and IP address (or dynamic host) (#21036). Thanks again.

[CandymanLUX]

One additional note ... all 3 Linux partitions are still visible when using a tool such as UFS Explorer ... unfortunately I don't know enough about Linux FS to play further ... so all 4 discs are recognized by the NAS ... 2 as initialized and 2 as my Volume 1 ... as the partitions are still there and no hardware error seems to exist ... shouldn't it be possible to 'force' the system to recognize to what volume it belongs? Getting slightly desperate here ...

[HarryPotter]

You probably have to wait until monday, as in general there are no support activities over the weekend.

[CandymanLUX]

You probably have to wait until monday, as in general there are no support activities over the weekend.

Thanks. I can wait that long ... additionally I'm on annual leave so will be right next to my blinking Syno's should it be required