Lost Alt-F Homepage access on DNS-321 after 1st reboot...

[ds rok]

Hello,

Trying to breath new life into DNS-321 HW ver A3, I upgraded it from the D-Link factory firmware to RC5-DNS-321-rev-Ax.bin tonight. All went very well where it really was almost too easy.

After the system check completed, I then ran the wizard and set the passwords and checked the various settings (& saved them onboard) so it was finally time time for a reboot from the menu..

Unfortunately that's where things started then went from good to bad...I can now no longer access the DNS-321 via the Alt--F homepage using the same the ip address of 192.168.2.150 that I used numerous times to access the Alt-F homepage (by logging in & out numerous times) before rebooting, so I know the ip was/is valid!

In spite of previously enabling SSH & Telnet, since rebooting I can't access the DNS via those methods either but I was able to access files/folders on the DNS via Windows explorer/Samba

I since waded through many documents looking for a way to try to recover from the problem at hand and found this:

   https://sourceforge.net/p/alt-f/wiki/About%20Buttons%20and%20Leds/#button-recovery-actions

So here are my results from my findings of posted info & things I tried:

- The LED responses from the button push confirms that the Alt-F is in fact running...

- Keeping the back reset button in for > 10 sec (but < 20 sec) did not allow me to telnet or SSH into the box (even using port 26) - the kicker here is that a network "Fing" search shows the DNS-321 is still using the same ip address of 192.168.2.150 (same as when it had the stock D-Link firmware & when I was tied in via the original sessions on the Alt-F homepage) yet still I can't access it...

- Keeping the back reset button in >20 sec did in fact reboot the box, and another "Fing" search revealed it picked up an alternate ip address in my 192.168.2.128  - but I still can't get the Alt-F homepage to load when accessing it via that new ip address NOR can I acces it via telnet or SSH...

So while it appears it is running Alt-F, I just can't access it.

Any suggestions, as the LED responses & fact I can see it has an ip address via FING indicates it's not bricked, but unfortunately is not usable either.

Thanks & best regards for any pointers or tricks anyone can offer to try to resolve the access issue!!!

[João Cardoso]

You have done most of the possible tests, and from the buttons/leds responses Alt-F is indeed running.

-It's puzzling that after rebooting and while using the initial ip you could access the windows shares (client caching?) but not use telnet or ssh, and that the recovery telnet on port 26 was not usable (did you uncheck the "Enable Recovery" under Services->System, sysctrl (temp/fan), Configure?)

-it's also puzzling that after the long reset and the new IP everything remains identical.

You know from the RC5 README download file (and the forum topic on that subject) that RC5 has some occasional network problems, and it seems that you were seriously affected by it. Have you applied the network fix? any fix? (the 321 also wrongly displays/controls system temperature/fan speed without a fix)

What browser are you using?

You can do a couple of other tests: power off, remove all disks and USB devices, and power on. Still troubles?

No disks, long reset press. Still issues?

What services does "fing" reports that are open on the box? And after pressing >10 <20 secs the reset button? does a service appears on port 26? (it might have several non obvious names)

[ds rok]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I had tried Edge, Chrome & Mozilla browsers, all with no success last night after the issues occurred. I even restarted & powered off the unit for several minutes & restarted without success. In frustration last night I pulled the power adapter cord & walked away from it.

This morning I went to approach it with a clearer head & having done nothing different (other then full power removal for a lengthy time) I can now access it via the Alt-F homepage. So I contribute it to the "RC5 occasional network problems" you referenced and have now applied the network fix first thing once I got back into the unit. I haven't gotten around to the fan/temp fix as of yet.

So looking forward to working with this now there are far more possibilities than when it was in its stock condition as a limited end of life product!

Thank you again!!!

[João Cardoso]

On Friday, 5 May 2017 18:26:15 UTC+1, ds rok wrote:

Thanks for the quick reply!

I had tried Edge, Chrome & Mozilla browsers, all with no success last night after the issues occurred. I even restarted & powered off the unit for several minutes & restarted without success. In frustration last night I pulled the power adapter cord & walked away from it.

This morning I went to approach it with a clearer head & having done nothing different (other then full power removal for a lengthy time) I can now access it via the Alt-F homepage. So I contribute it to the "RC5 occasional network problems" you referenced and have now applied the network fix first thing once I got back into the unit.

Glad it is "solved". Hope that it is not a thrilling mystery with a sequel in the way.

The RC5 network issue reveals itself mostly by a blank status page, and by corrupted files read from the box (mostly when using Samba)

[Ram Set]

I subscribe to the same issue (had it happen to me twice) on a 323 with RC6.

The only thing I can add is that samba and a MiniDLNA  service was still working (I was able to access the shares and browse/open files)

I was not able to connect to the Alt-F interface.

Upon further investigation I noticed that all ports got (somehow) closed on the NAS with the exception of samba and the MiniDLNA.

No reboot brought it back only >20 sec reset and everything from scratch or restore saved settings...

Here's a comparison between one working and one not:

[João Cardoso]

On Tuesday, 9 May 2017 22:57:59 UTC+1, Ram Set wrote:

I subscribe to the same issue (had it happen to me twice) on a 323 with RC6.

The only thing I can add is that samba and a MiniDLNA  service was still working (I was able to access the shares and browse/open files)

I was not able to connect to the Alt-F interface.

Upon further investigation I noticed that all ports got (somehow) closed on the NAS with the exception of samba and the MiniDLNA.

No reboot brought it back only >20 sec reset

Have you tried  the >10 but less than 20 secs reset? It should open a telnet session on port 26.

 

and everything from scratch or restore saved settings...

Here's a comparison between one working and one not:

That's valuable information. Was it taken after a reboot or during normal operation (after using the webUI? which one?).

If taken after a reboot It says that the normal boot proceed OK but inetd was not launched, probably because of an incorrect configuration file.

The reboot after the >20 sec reset should leave an "alt-f.log" (boot log taken at current boot time, which is OK) and "alt-f.log-previous", the log found during the current boot and reflecting the previous faulty boot log. Those files can be found at the base of each mounted filesystem, such as /mnt/sda2/alt-f.log-previous or /mnt/md0/... or /mnt/sda4/...

For anyone facing this situation:

0-try a port scanner to see what services are available.

1-try first the soft recovery (reset button pressed >10 but <20 seconds) (Note-1), and try telneting on port 26.

1-a)- if it works, generate a new log running "rcuser start" (Note-2) and save on *disk* the /etc/inetd.conf and /tmp/alt-f.log files with another names for latter reviewing, then try the command "rcinetd start" (watch for any errors or warnings) to see if the webUI becomes available

1-b)- if telnet on port 26 does not succeeds, do a long >20 seconds reset and right after the boot save one of the /mnt/sda2/alt-f.log-previous (or /mnt/md0/...) file for further reviewing

Note-1: the "rcuser start" command only generates a new log if  Services->User->user, Configure, "Create diagnostics file:" checkbox is keep checked

Note-2: the "soft reset recovery" only opens a telnet on port 26  if Services->System->sysctrl, Configure, "Enable Recovery" checkbox is keep checked

 

[Ram Set]

Unfortunately I didn't try the >10, <20 method. I went straight for the full reset. I performed several reboots on that NAS and it always came back like that. The portscan is post restart.

I figured that inetd must not have started. No services tied to inetd were tampered with. I noticed a spike in processor usage while monitoring the status page and I rebooted the NAS without actually checking the processor usage via ssh. It came back without any inetd "powered" services.

I attached the two logs for your review.