Hardware

• What does this light pattern mean? (LED)
• What is the maximum drive size that the ReadyNAS supports?
• How can I verify that my disk is bad?
• What are some of the common noises of a defective disk drive?
• Is there any advantage in having more memory?
• What is the maximum memory can we install into ReadyNAS?
• Will changing memory void my warranty?
• How do I replace the stock memory module on the ReadyNAS NV/NV+?
• Is there a way I can verify if my memory is good?
• Can I attach a USB 2.0 Hub to ReadyNAS USB Port?
• Are USB multi-reader devices supported on the ReadyNAS?
• Can I attach two or more USB Printers to the ReadyNAS?
• I'm having printing problems on over Windows XP. What can I do to get printing to work?
• What devices can I install in the PCI slot on the ReadyNAS 600/X6/1000S?
• What devices can I attach to the ReadyNAS USB ports?
• Why is my USB drive not being detected?
• Can I attach the ReadyNAS to a USB port on the PC?
• What do I need to do to get UPS alerts and proper shutdown on battery low condition?
• What do my disks not spindown?
• What is my fan still running in spindown mode?
• My hard disk(s) in ReadyNAS is reporting high SMART Raw Read Error Rate, Seek Error Rate, and Hardware ECC Recovered. What should I do?
• My ReadyNAS 600/X6 fan is making noises. How do I fix it or get a replacement?
• How do I override the minimum FAN Speed?
• How do I replace the stock fan on the ReadyNAS 600/X6 (Rev B)?
• How do I replace the stock fan on the ReadyNAS NV?
• How do I replace the stock power supply on the ReadyNas NV/NV+?
• Can I use standard ATX power supply unit to power the ReadyNAS?
• Can I use a serial-to-USB converter from a serial port-only UPS to the ReadyNAS?
• Where can I find the ReadyNAS memory specification?
• How can I release a stuck ReadyNAS NV tray?
• My ReadyNAS NV+ LCD keeps turning off. Is this normal?
• Can I use the 2nd ethernet port on the 1100 for load-balancing / teaming?

Hardware

What does this light pattern mean? (LED)

For NV, NV+, 1100, and Rev B X6/600 Power LED off, 3rd disk LED on: Unrecoverable NAND read error(Multi-bit error can not be recovered by ECC)

For Rev A X6/600/1000S Power LED fast blink, 3rd disk LED on: Can not find boot device Compact Flash

Power LED shall stay solid during normal operation or blinking/pulsing at regular rate during boot time, if it goes off about every 30 seconds, and activity LED blinks once when power LED goes off, system is stuck at disk retry.

If all LEDs blink briefly(milliseconds) after power on and then no sign of power, the PSU may be bad or there might be short circuit on PCB and hard drives.

What is the maximum drive size that the ReadyNAS supports?

ReadyNAS supports up to 1 TB disks.

How can I verify that my disk is bad?

Here are some links to disk drive diagnostic tools offered by different drive manufactures. Some of the links are for a specific line of drives but will give you the general idea of what test are available.

These tools are helpful in clearing out all info on a drive and fixing minor problems with drives. Some of the manufactures recommend that you run there test utility before they will issue an RMA. The tools are easy to use but can take up to a couple of hours to complete depending on the test you select.

Most of these tools are windows based but I think I saw some that support Linux. They can also run off a boot disk or some will run on your desktop.

• Hitachi Drive Fitness Test
• Maxtor PowerMax
• Seagate SeaTools
• WD Data Lifeguard Diagnostic for Windows
• Ultimate Boot CD contains all of the above plus tons of other HD & recovery tools, all bootable from one CD-R, highly recommended by bhoar
• Ultimate Boot CD for Windows along the same lines, but working more toward data-related and not hardware-related disaster recovery. However, ubcd4win takes a lot of work to create as it cannot be distributed whole due to copyright: it requires copying files from your XP/2003 setup CDs. I put one together with some additional tools, so now I have ubcd4win bootable off of a flash stick on my keychain... (note from bhoar)

What are some of the common noises of a defective disk drive?

Here's a useful link to seeing what state your hard disk might be in if it starts making abnormal noises, courtesy of Hitachi.

• Defective Drive Sounds

Is there any advantage in having more memory?

Upgrading memory on the ReadyNAS can improve performance for memory intensive tasks such as rsync backups, indexing of media files (i.e. Slim Server), and accessing folders containing a large number of files. Large file streaming has shown to improve about 12% when going from standard 256MB to 1GB. If you do intend to upgrade the memory, make sure only memory from our Hardware Compatibility List is used.

What is the maximum memory can we install into ReadyNAS?

ReadyNAS devices support up to 1GB of memory. Please see the Infrant Hardware Compatibility List for currently supported DIMMs.

Will changing memory void my warranty?

As long as you utilize memory from Infrant Hardware Compatibility List, your warranty will not be voided.

How do I replace the stock memory module on the ReadyNAS NV/NV+?

Make sure memory module meet Specification. If you are not sure, it is recommended to use a memory module listed in the Hardware Compatibility List . If you need to resort to memory outside the list, make sure you run the memory test twice in succession before trusting the memory.

The ReadyNAS NV/NV+ utilizes one 200-pin DDR SO-DIMM module. Installation instruction is posted here.

Is there a way I can verify if my memory is good?

Starting with RAIDiator 3.01, there is comprehensive memory test that you can run on the ReadyNAS. To invoke it, power-down the ReadyNAS and depress the front power button, until you see all disk LEDs blink together for the 5th time (ignore the quick flash at the beginning). Disks will blink for about a second at about the 5-, 10-, 15-, 20-, and 25-sec mark. Release at that point. The first disk LED will come on to signify the first of an 8-stage memory test. The LED sequence for the 8 stages will be in binary format going from left to right. When all disk LEDs are lit, the memory is good. If the first and second LED blink, followed by the 3rd and 4th LEDs, in alternating pattern, the memory is bad.

Please keep in mind that the success rate for flagging an actual bad memory is about 85%, so we do recommend that you run this test twice.

Can I attach a USB 2.0 Hub to ReadyNAS USB Port?

Yes. But please pay attention on power if your hub is bus powered.

Are USB multi-reader devices supported on the ReadyNAS?

Currently multi-readers are not supported.

Can I attach two or more USB Printers to the ReadyNAS?

Yes, you can attach multiple USB printers to the ReadyNAS.

I'm having printing problems on over Windows XP. What can I do to get printing to work?

Ever since Windows XP SP2, some printer drivers really slowed down with Windows Printing. If you have have one of those printers/drivers, a nice workaround is to use IPP instead of Windows Printing. An easy way to setup IPP Printing is by downloading Bonjour for Windows from Apple's website, and just follow the wizard as it discovers and setups IPP.

You don't actually need Bonjour for Windows to use IPP, since Bonjour is nothing more than a discovery service. To use IPP Printing without Bonjour, try: Control Panel -> Printers -> Add Printer -> Network Printer. Then click on the button that says something about connecting to a printer on the internet. For URL, use "http://[nas]:631/printers/[printer_share_name]". As an added benefit, it should be *much* faster than Windows printing.

What devices can I install in the PCI slot on the ReadyNAS 600/X6/1000S?

The PCI slot supports add-on wired or wireless NIC, and add-on USB ports. Please see the Infrant Hardware Compatibility List for compatible cards.

What devices can I attach to the ReadyNAS USB ports?

You can attach printers, external hard disks, flash devices, UPS, USB hub, and wireless adapters. Please see the Infrant Hardware Compatibility List for the complete list of devices.

Why is my USB drive not being detected?

Please check if your drive is listed in the Infrant Hardware Compatibility List. It may be using a chipset that may be currently incompatible with the ReadyNAS. If your drive is 2.5" disk, please use AC adaptor instead of getting power from USB bus.

Can I attach the ReadyNAS to a USB port on the PC?

The ReadyNAS will not work as a target USB device.

What do I need to do to get UPS alerts and proper shutdown on battery low condition?

Simply refer to the Hardware Compatibility List for a compatible UPS and plug the USB monitoring cable to the ReadyNAS. FrontView will detect that your UPS is detected, and any UPS alerts will be automatically sent to the Alert contact list. Upon battery-low condition, the ReadyNAS will power down gracefully.

What do my disks not spindown?

First, make sure the ReadyNAS has been updated to the latest RAIDiator 3 or later release. Earlier RAIDiator releases do not support disk spindown. Next, disable services that you don't need -- UPnP is one such service that might prevent your disks from spinning down.

What is my fan still running in spindown mode?

The ReadyNAS itself does not sleep in disk-spindown mode, hence the power supply and main board can overheat if the fan is not running.

My hard disk(s) in ReadyNAS is reporting high SMART Raw Read Error Rate, Seek Error Rate, and Hardware ECC Recovered. What should I do?

Seagate uses these SMART fields for internal counts, so this is a known issue with Seagate disks. Look for abnormal counts in other fields, especially Reallocated Sector Ct and ATA Error Count.

My ReadyNAS 600/X6 fan is making noises. How do I fix it or get a replacement?

First, you can try lubricating the fan (described here) to lower the fan noise. If that doesn't help, please contact support for a fan replacement.

How do I override the minimum FAN Speed?

An add-on package is available and can be downloaded from the Add-Ons page for users who are replacing the stock fan with a fan meeting the specs of the ReadyNAS. The addon allows you to set up the fan minimum RPM speed, overriding the minimum setting for the stock fan. Use of this add-on however is discouraged as misuse can lead to fan circuitry failure on the mainboard. Please also be aware that use of this add-on will void your ReadyNAS warranty.

How do I replace the stock fan on the ReadyNAS 600/X6 (Rev B)?

For those wanting to replace ReadyNAS 600/X6 for out-of-warranty self service or other reasons, this FAQ will give you the information necessary to find a replacement fan that meets the specifications required from the fan driver circuitry on the main board. We believe current our fan selection is optimal for operating temperature and noise. Therefore we do not recommend replacing the fan unless it is necessary.

FAN must be selected with following considerations. First two criteria must be satisfied before third one.

• Do not stress FAN control circuitry.
• Provide enough air flow and pressure at the heavy load condition.
• Maintain as lower noise as possible.

Before proceed, please understand our warranty policy which will become invalid after replacing components (except SODIMM and hard disks). Please take this into serious consideration before proceeding.

ReadyNAS 600/X6 Rev.B has two FAN connectors labeled as "FAN1" and "FAN2". The FAN1 connector has ability to control FAN speed, while the FAN2 connector does not have this feature. Both FAN1 and FAN2 connectors has ability to monitor rpm (speed). You can use either FAN connectors. Below is guideline to select FAN1 replacement.

• FAN must be 12VDC and has monitor output. (3-wire fan).
• If you choose a FAN with power consumption of 1.2W or lower, you can set minimum fan speed at any value. Please note that low power fan may not provide enough air flow at heavy load condition. So it is strongly recommended to turn on "Power-off NAS when disk temperature exceeds safe levels" option in Alerts/Setting tab under System menu.
• If you choose a FAN with power consumption of 1.2W~2.04W, minimum fan speed should be set roughly 4/5 of fan spec or above. (For example, your fan spec is 2300rpm, you can set it to 1900rpm.)
• Please do not use a FAN with power consumption over 2.04W. It will damage components on mother board permanently.

If you decided to use FAN2 connector, please follow below guideline. (You may need to use FAN2 connector if you damaged FAN1 driver circuitry.)

• FAN must be 12VDC and has monitor output. (3-wire fan).
• FAN maximum power consumption must be less than 3W.
• FAN speed need to be controlled outside circuitry. (Some vendors sell FAN controller, which may be used in ReadyNAS 600/X6 Rev.B.)

How do I replace the stock fan on the ReadyNAS NV?

For those wanting to reduce the main fan speed further, this FAQ will give you the info necessary to find a replacement fan that meets the specs required from the fan driver circuitry on the NV mainboard. We believe current our fan selection is optimal for operating temperature and noise. Therefore we do not recommend replacing the fan.

Please notice that noise also comes from a smaller fan embedded in the power supply units (PSU). PSU fan makes a louder high pitch noise when the main fan does not provide enough air flow.

For those with earlier ReadyNAS NV units affected by the Service Action Notice (03/2006), after updating to RAIDiator 2.00c1-p9, installing the fan adapter, and installing the add-on to reset the NV fan speed (see http://www.infrant.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2874 ), your fan should operate at about 1900 RPM at idle. This is the same RPM as the currently shipping ReadyNAS NV.

Please make sure to follow the guidelines to ensure that you do not reduce the life of the fan circuitry and thus reduce the life of your NV.

• Fan control circuitry should never be applied excess power in order to avoid permanent damage.
• Hard disk temperature should be maintained within operating temperature range specified in drive spec when system runs with heavy load.
• FAN in built-in Power Supply Unit (PSU) should be spinning at low RPM when system is idle. PSU FAN tends to make a higher pitched noise than the main fan. When the main fan does not supply enough air flow, the higher pitched noise from the PSU fan becomes more pronounced.
• Do not use an unknown quality fan.

Because we need to consider all above consideration, we cannot provide an optimal solution for every individual system configuration. For example, if your unit is equipped with smaller capacity or cooler-running hard disks, you may be able to reduce the fan noise further. The do-it-yourself guideline provided below is for those who wish to try to reduce noise at their own risk. Infrant will provide you with an option to set the minimum fan speed in a future update. Note that Infrant will not warranty any hardware damage and may opt to not help restore any lost data after the non-standard treatments. Please take this into serious consideration before proceeding.

• If you choose a FAN with power consumption of 1.2W or lower, you can set minimum fan speed at any value. In this case, you do not need to use fan adaptor. Please note that low power fan may not provide enough air flow at heavy load condition. So it is strongly recommended to turn on "Power-off NAS when disk temperature exceeds safe levels" option in Alerts/Setting tab under System menu.
• If you choose a FAN with power consumption of 1.2W~1.8W, minimum fan speed should be set roughly 3/4 of fan spec or above. (For example, your fan spec is 2400rpm, you can set it to 1800rpm.) In this case, you don't need FAN adaptor.
• If you choose FAN which power consumption is 1.8W~3.0W, you should set minimum fan speed at 1900, and you should use the fan adapter.

How do I replace the stock power supply on the ReadyNas NV/NV+?

Please follow this directions to replace the power supply in the ReadyNas NV and NV+ Power Supply replacement instructions

Can I use standard ATX power supply unit to power the ReadyNAS?

No, a standard ATX power supply is wired differently. There is a possibility of damage occurring to the ReadyNAS and/or the power supply.

Can I use a serial-to-USB converter from a serial port-only UPS to the ReadyNAS?

No, unfortunately the signals do not map correctly for the UPS driver with the converter cabling.

Where can I find the ReadyNAS memory specification?

Below is DIMM requirement for the various ReadyNAS systems. As you know, the memory products always have potential compatibility problems, so we cannot guarantee all DIMMs that meet the below specification works on your ReadyNAS. Please perform Memory Test before use. Also please check Hardware Compatibility List.

How can I release a stuck ReadyNAS NV tray?

There have been some instances where the NV trays may not release from the closed position. The following post outlines how you can easily release the tray. In the picture below, use a push-pin at "A". If this does not work, insert push-pin at "B", and move the pin downward gently to release the latch. This will move the plastic block (colored in Cyan) behind the front cover.

Still cannot open? Try using hole "C". Insert pin at the top portion of "C", and use "pin" as "lever", and use top edge of hole "C" as "pivot point" and move head of pin upward. So stronger force can be applied easily. (See photo on right.)

Please be careful while using the push-pin.

My ReadyNAS NV+ LCD keeps turning off. Is this normal?

This is by design to not only prolong the life of the LCD, but also to minimize distraction when the NV+ is situated near a TV. If there's any new status or event, the LCD will turn on and display that, however after about 5 minutes, it'll shut itself off. You can manually turn on the LCD again by pressing the power button momentarily on the front.

Can I use the 2nd ethernet port on the 1100 for load-balancing / teaming?

No, the second port is available so the 1100 can be accessed from 2 physically separate networks.