[HOW-TO] Recover data on a dead NAS (or almost) / Inside AS5002T
Posted: Sat Jan 26, 2019 7:45 pm
Hi,
For some unknown reason my NAS : AS5002T seem to don't start anymore
I have search HOW recover some data (APKG development folder ... some are not synchronized with an external server (an error))
Why try this :
... to understand How Asustor NAS is booting (not easily visible on a running NAS) ... in case I can solve it
... understand if a copy of booting files (bzimage, initramfs, etc.) exist
... AS5002T is relatively simple for storage (Raid 1) ... ext4 (when I restart I will use BTRFS) ... so can be recovered ... even with one disk
Requests :
... know how-to enter in BIOS ... "ESC" is the key ... (attention on AS5002T Bios is very complete ... so don't change things if you don't know exactly what you do)
... ... the only interesting menu is the Boot Manager ... to select an alternative boot device
... create an Ubuntu 18.04 USB boot device (Live USB) WITH UEFI boot mode (or double boot mode) ... add mdadm tools (not provide directly) or you can do it later (when it run) YOU CAN choice another Linux but be sure to have all the driver requested by your NAS model
... have a screen (HDMI) and a mouse and keyboard (mine are Logitech using Unify wireless module in front) (after you can use a ssh connection if it's more easy for you)
BOOT from the live USB Linux
... NAS is off ... plug Ubuntu USB live in an USB2 plug
... Power ON ... then press "esc" up to Bios (UEFI) menu
... use "Boot Manager" and boot using UEFI xxxxx (the name of USB key you use)
... Wait to get the screen
... OPTIONAL ... change the keyboard layout if you don't use a Qwerty keyboard
AT THIS POINT you can see :
Network ... available 1Gb ... use DHCP is better ...
3 disks : sda : HDD ; sdb : Live-USB ; sdc DOM (Disk On Module)
USB_Live (generally at /dev/sdb and view as a CDROM with ONE partition)
HDD ... but not mounted
DOM (internal USB disk use by Asustor as boot device) ... the "special" for DOM is that a part is not defined 8192 Blocks ... don't correct G.P.T. table (Not sure of the result)
... Part 2, 3 and 4 are mounted in /media (ext4)
... ... partition 2 and 3 are same with bzimage, initramfs and builtin.tgz
... ... partition 4 with apkg.tgz
... Part 1 is an UEFI (not mounted ... but you can mount it) containing grub and boot (including UEFI driver)
NAS HDD (in this case Raid1 ext4 on AS5002T) is partitioned with partition 4 as the data partition (volume1)
... if mdadm is not installed ... install it : apt-get install mdadm
reassemble the Raid ... only on partition 4
mdadm --assemble --run /dev/md0 /dev/sda4
... Now mount he Raid :
mount /dev/md0 /mnt (for ex.)
AT THIS POINT your DATA are available all shared resources / AppCentral (in .@plugins folder mount to /usr/local in NAS) / etc. are available
... now select the best way to save it
... ... add another USB disk and copy or archive (tar, etc.)
... ... use FTP, SFTP, rsync, etc. to do a save on network
You can also (for study) do a dd of the sdc disk (DOM) to analyse the Asustor Boot method)
I don't enter anymore in detail ... because it's a dangerous approach ... so if you have the skills ... you can do it easily ... if not ... better to call the support.
This is only for studying the Asustor software approach ... not for any other reason (except perhaps to install a real Ubuntu or Debian system on an (relatively) old NAS that you don't want to continue to used with A.D.M. software.
Philippe.
For some unknown reason my NAS : AS5002T seem to don't start anymore
I have search HOW recover some data (APKG development folder ... some are not synchronized with an external server (an error))
Why try this :
... to understand How Asustor NAS is booting (not easily visible on a running NAS) ... in case I can solve it
... understand if a copy of booting files (bzimage, initramfs, etc.) exist
... AS5002T is relatively simple for storage (Raid 1) ... ext4 (when I restart I will use BTRFS) ... so can be recovered ... even with one disk
Requests :
... know how-to enter in BIOS ... "ESC" is the key ... (attention on AS5002T Bios is very complete ... so don't change things if you don't know exactly what you do)
... ... the only interesting menu is the Boot Manager ... to select an alternative boot device
... create an Ubuntu 18.04 USB boot device (Live USB) WITH UEFI boot mode (or double boot mode) ... add mdadm tools (not provide directly) or you can do it later (when it run) YOU CAN choice another Linux but be sure to have all the driver requested by your NAS model
... have a screen (HDMI) and a mouse and keyboard (mine are Logitech using Unify wireless module in front) (after you can use a ssh connection if it's more easy for you)
BOOT from the live USB Linux
... NAS is off ... plug Ubuntu USB live in an USB2 plug
... Power ON ... then press "esc" up to Bios (UEFI) menu
... use "Boot Manager" and boot using UEFI xxxxx (the name of USB key you use)
... Wait to get the screen
... OPTIONAL ... change the keyboard layout if you don't use a Qwerty keyboard
AT THIS POINT you can see :
Network ... available 1Gb ... use DHCP is better ...
3 disks : sda : HDD ; sdb : Live-USB ; sdc DOM (Disk On Module)
USB_Live (generally at /dev/sdb and view as a CDROM with ONE partition)
HDD ... but not mounted
DOM (internal USB disk use by Asustor as boot device) ... the "special" for DOM is that a part is not defined 8192 Blocks ... don't correct G.P.T. table (Not sure of the result)
... Part 2, 3 and 4 are mounted in /media (ext4)
... ... partition 2 and 3 are same with bzimage, initramfs and builtin.tgz
... ... partition 4 with apkg.tgz
... Part 1 is an UEFI (not mounted ... but you can mount it) containing grub and boot (including UEFI driver)
NAS HDD (in this case Raid1 ext4 on AS5002T) is partitioned with partition 4 as the data partition (volume1)
... if mdadm is not installed ... install it : apt-get install mdadm
reassemble the Raid ... only on partition 4
mdadm --assemble --run /dev/md0 /dev/sda4
... Now mount he Raid :
mount /dev/md0 /mnt (for ex.)
AT THIS POINT your DATA are available all shared resources / AppCentral (in .@plugins folder mount to /usr/local in NAS) / etc. are available
... now select the best way to save it
... ... add another USB disk and copy or archive (tar, etc.)
... ... use FTP, SFTP, rsync, etc. to do a save on network
You can also (for study) do a dd of the sdc disk (DOM) to analyse the Asustor Boot method)
I don't enter anymore in detail ... because it's a dangerous approach ... so if you have the skills ... you can do it easily ... if not ... better to call the support.
This is only for studying the Asustor software approach ... not for any other reason (except perhaps to install a real Ubuntu or Debian system on an (relatively) old NAS that you don't want to continue to used with A.D.M. software.
Philippe.