How to reset NSA325v2 without loss of data?

znas4home

I tried to execute reset_and_reboot.sh in putty and got this:

libubi: error!: cannot get information about "/dev/ubi3"
        error 2 (No such file or directory)
ubirmvol: error!: error while probing "/dev/ubi3"
          error 2 (No such file or directory)
ubidetach: error!: cannot detach mtd3
           error 19 (No such device)

what does it mean?

AleXSR

Hello Mijzelf,

thank you for checking this for me. I have now returned home from my business trip and can finally tackle this topic. So judging by the script, I need to leave my drives installed to properly reset my NAS? And I won't lose your repository? Or will I lose that?

I checked /etc/exports and I would be able to delete the NFS shares there. But where are all those automatically created shares stored and is it possible to deactivate this feature? The NAs always creates folder and the matching shares "video", "music" and "photos". I don't want them created nor cluttering the menu. Can this be deactivated or deleted somewhere?

Mijzelf

AleXSR said:

So judging by the script, I need to leave my drives installed to properly reset my NAS?

You don't need to have the drives installed. But it won't hurt. The reset script only removes the Twonky database and some GUI settings on disk.

And I won't lose your repository? Or will I lose that?

All packages will be deactivated. Not de-installed. But you can activate them again.

where are all those automatically created shares stored and is it possible to deactivate this feature?

The shares are directories on you data volume, /i-data/sysvol/, and their 'share definition' is in /etc/samba/smb.conf. You can edit that, but it won't survive a reboot. And no, there is no easy way to deactive that feature.

Mijzelf

znas4home said:

I tried to execute reset_and_reboot.sh in putty and got this:

libubi: error!: cannot get information about "/dev/ubi3"
        error 2 (No such file or directory)
ubirmvol: error!: error while probing "/dev/ubi3"
          error 2 (No such file or directory)
ubidetach: error!: cannot detach mtd3
           error 19 (No such device)

what does it mean?

I think you was not logged in as root.

AleXSR

Mijzelf said:

All packages will be deactivated. Not de-installed. But you can activate them again.

Activate them in the packages menu or activate them by basically following the installation process again?

To be honest, I would not mind deleting everything except my data. So deleting all packages, all settings, all everything from stock and add-ons/repositories.

Would it be sufficient to perform a factory reset and then delete all of these folders

drwxrwxrwx    5 root     root          4096 Oct  7  2016 .media
drwxrwxrwx   10 root     root          4096 Apr 27 10:14 .system
drwxrwxrwx    4 root     root          4096 Jan 26  2015 admin
-rw-------    1 root     root          8192 Apr 27 10:20 aquota.user
drwxrwxrwx    2 root     root          4096 Apr 29  2020 music
drwxrwxrwx    2 root     root          4096 Apr 27 10:21 nfs
drwxrwxrwx    2 root     root          4096 Apr 29  2020 photo
drwxrwxrwx    2 root     root          4096 Apr 29  2020 public
drwxrwxrwx    2 root     root          4096 Apr 29  2020 video

Mijzelf said:

The shares are directories on you data volume, /i-data/sysvol/, and their 'share definition' is in /etc/samba/smb.conf. You can edit that, but it won't survive a reboot. And no, there is no easy way to deactive that feature.

I would not mind putting in some work. Is it not just one packet or one setting file in the root somewhere that makes the system generate these folders?

I wouldn't even mind having samba so much, but I dislike the messy drive layout. Especially since from past experience, the integrated samba seemed pretty slow compared to nfs. But adding nfs clutters the drive even more with additional shares and folders and the rules still need to be set manually to get it to work with KODI etc.

So really, using the built-in features does not get me where I need to be to access my NAS from Linux systems, Windows systems, Android and iOS. Or is there a way to boost samba performance?

Mijzelf

AFAIK the backend is written in python, and the code is available as 'pyc' files. These files can be uncompyled, and then you can pull the code which generates this shares.

Another option is to disable Samba using Tweaks, and install Entware-ng, and install it's samba server. This way you can provide your own share definitions. The firmware will still create the Video, Music, ... directories, but you don't see them anymore.

A third option is to ditch the firmware, and install OpenWrt, Debian or Arch. This way you can configure the box the way you like it, using a modern kernel and userland.

And no, I don't think you can speed up Samba. Smart guys have put a lot of effort in it to get it as fast as possible.

AleXSR

Uh, OpenWRT sounds pretty tempting.

I once wanted to try it on a router I owned but it had too many downsides for that particular model.

But for the NSA325v2 it sounds interesting. I ordered an FTDI adapter to give it a shot. What puts me off a bit is the comment, that the u-boot.kwb from 19.x.x release is bugged and won't allow access to any mass storage. I will try the one from the latest 18.x release but of course if I lose access to my internal or external drives, the move will have been a disaster.

Have you ever tried it yourself? Do the drives continue to work or are there any known downsides?

Mijzelf

I have tried OpenWrt, I control several routers running OpenWrt. I also have it on a NAS, a RaidSonic IB-NAS4220-B, and it works fine. Yet I never installed it on a 325.

As u-boot only runs until the kernel boots, I suppose the 19.x.x u-boot.kwb didn't initialize the sata or something like that.

AleXSR

Well, it is looking more and more like I won't be installing it on my NSA325v2 either.

So far flashing from usb, tftp and kwboot are failing. It does not seem possible to flash a new uboot onto my device. No idea why. No solution to be found anywhere yet

I am considering giving up, but if I do I need to upgrade SMB, but apparently the SMB3 will only support 30-40 MB/s and uses 100 CPU. So seems like it is not well suited for the NSA. Are there any reliable alternatives that are fast and work reliably with Windows/Android phones?