Connection to web interface lost after fsck

[Ed Kaczmarek]

Hi,

I have flashed Alt-F on a DNS-323 that I just took out of active use. It has a single 1TB HDD, almost full of data (which is backed up). Flashing of the firmware went well, however, it is not usable when it competes fsck.

While the device was checking the file system, I set a password and saved the settings in the flash memory (after erasing it). I was able to ssh into it using the password I set.

When fsck completes, the web admin page won't load (The connection was reset) and I can't ssh into the device (Server unexpectedly closed network connection)

I initiated a reboot via the front button. Now I can ssh into the NAS, but the web interface still won't load. Via ssh I can see that the main partition of the HDD is mounted, along with others:

# df
Filesystem           1K-blocks      Used Available Use% Mounted on
rootfs                   30716       280     30436   1% /
tmpfs                    30716       280     30436   1% /rootmnt
/rootmnt/dev/loop0        6400      6400         0 100% /rootmnt/ro
aufs                     30716       280     30436   1% /
tmpfs                    54272        40     54232   0% /tmp
/dev/sda2            960404324 924463324  35941000  96% /mnt/sda2
/dev/sda4               497861      2326    495535   0% /mnt/sda4

What should I do now?

Ed

[João Cardoso]

On Saturday, February 1, 2014 10:04:23 AM UTC, Ed Kaczmarek wrote:

Hi,

I have flashed Alt-F on a DNS-323 that I just took out of active use. It has a single 1TB HDD, almost full of data (which is backed up). Flashing of the firmware went well, however, it is not usable when it competes fsck.

While the device was checking the file system, I set a password and saved the settings in the flash memory

This might be the reason.

Do you had any Alt-F package installed?

Some configuration files are stored on the disk when Alt-F packages are installed and when you start fs-checking the filesystem they might come in conflict with the on-memory version (that you have meanwhile changed, when you changed password and save settings).

In any case the issue must be caused by a corrupted configuration file.

The easiest way to recover it is to use the recessed reset back button, read the wiki about leds buttons.

Resetting settings will make you lose all changes you made (but not the disk data!).

You might get the current settings and store it in the /tmp directory by using the 'loadsave-settings' command:

loadsave_settings -cs

set_2014-02-01_14:57:24.tgz

ls "/tmp/set_2014-02-01_14:57:24.tgz" 

-rw-r--r--    1 root     root          8558 Feb  1 14:57 /tmp/set_2014-02-01_14:57:24.tgz

and copy it to the disk or your desktop computer.

If you have enough knowledge you can then recover individual configuration files and re-apply them to the system. Of course the issue will reappear if you re-apply the faulty configuration file, so this is really for experts.

Don't post the settings file, as it contains sensitive data.

[Ed Kaczmarek]

Do you had any Alt-F package installed?

No, I just flashed the base Alt-F firmware.

The easiest way to recover it is to use the recessed reset back button, read the wiki about leds buttons.

I pushed the back button for 20+ seconds. The LEDs flashed during this, but the NAS did not reboot.

I issued a reboot command via ssh. After this, I was not able to log in any more. So I ended up power-cycling the device. I tried to connect only after several hours, but neither the web page, nor ssh works.

I just pressed the front button and released it while the left amber led was flashing. Instead of shutting down, the following cycle keeps repeating now: right amber led flashing, left amber led flashing, no led flashing.

[João Cardoso]

On Sunday, February 2, 2014 12:41:55 PM UTC, Ed Kaczmarek wrote:

Do you had any Alt-F package installed?

No, I just flashed the base Alt-F firmware.

The easiest way to recover it is to use the recessed reset back button, read the wiki about leds buttons.

I pushed the back button for 20+ seconds. The LEDs flashed during this, but the NAS did not reboot.

It should... never reported before. Sure it was more than 20 seconds? count the amber leds blinks.

As you reported in the first post that you rebooted using the front button, it is not a reboot issue.

Anyway, after a back button reset (>20 sec), all settings reverted to default values, and the box IP might change, consult your DHCP server for the new IP (usually your router, search for leases/clients on its web page or use a network explore/discovery program)

I issued a reboot command via ssh. After this, I was not able to log in any more. So I ended up power-cycling the device. I tried to connect only after several hours, but neither the web page, nor ssh works.

IP change.

 

I just pressed the front button and released it while the left amber led was flashing.

If buttons/leds work, then Alt-F is working fine, you only need to discover its new IP

[Ed Kaczmarek]

Sure it was more than 20 seconds?

Absolutely.

Anyway, after a back button reset (>20 sec), all settings reverted to default values, and the box IP might change,

The IP is still the fixed one that's been always set.

IP change.

No, I was able to ping the old fixed IP.

If buttons/leds work, then Alt-F is working fine, you only need to discover its new IP

Again, no, the IP sayed the same and the front button push did not cause a shutdown, only the LED cycle is described previously.

After a power cycle the web admin page works, ssh works with the password I set previously and it's checking the file system. After which I suppose I'll lose connectivity to the admin page... Can I reflash Alt+F while it's fsck'ing?

[João Cardoso]

On Sunday, February 2, 2014 3:23:46 PM UTC, Ed Kaczmarek wrote:

Sure it was more than 20 seconds?

Absolutely.

Anyway, after a back button reset (>20 sec), all settings reverted to default values, and the box IP might change,

The IP is still the fixed one that's been always set.

After clearing settings (what the back button > 20 secs does), all settings in the flash memory are deleted; this means that the static IP will be lost.

If you was using a static IP while using the vendor's fw, it was used *until* you save or clear settings.

 

IP change.

No, I was able to ping the old fixed IP.

This is becoming strange, because I don't know to what step of your procedures you are referring now.

 

If buttons/leds work, then Alt-F is working fine, you only need to discover its new IP

Again, no, the IP sayed the same and the front button push did not cause a shutdown, only the LED cycle is described previously.

After a power cycle the web admin page works, ssh works with the password I set previously and it's checking the file system.

Pardon? I'm confused!

 

After which I suppose I'll lose connectivity to the admin page...

why are you prejudging that?

If you have no Alt-F package installed there is no way this can happens. Wait, do you have have ffp folder from a previous ffp install? If yes, and you have not disabled conflicting ffp services, when the fsck finishes the ffp scripts will be run.

 

Can I reflash Alt+F while it's fsck'ing?

Be patient, otherwise you don't know what procedure causes what issue. Be systematic.

And reflashing would not solve anything. If a single bit (literally) of the flashing runs badly you would know, *nothing* would work.

And if continuing, please don't report a mixed set of actions and issues, order is important.

 

[Ed Kaczmarek]

Wait, do you have have ffp folder from a previous ffp install?

Yesss! That was it. I didn't pay enough attention to the installation guide. Now that I renamed the ffp directory everything runs fine. Thank you for the assistance.