D-Link Forums
The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => D-Link Storage => DNS-321 => Topic started by: jeremycbcd on July 10, 2008, 08:47:33 AM
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I have a DNS-321 with firmware 1.0, with 2x Western Digital 750gb hard drives (model WD7500AYYS-01RCA)
Whenever I try to format the drives (trying to do raid-1 mostly, but have attempted every format type given), the format process stops at 94%. After rebooting the DNS-321 or waiting a few minutes, it will occasionally show the disks as 2 useable seperate disks. At one point I put a small file on one of the drives to see if it was mirroring and just not showing, but the file did not mirror and the file has remained there after multiple format attempts, so at the very least it's not formatting the second disk.
Any suggestions?
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When formatted in RAID one you should get a single Volume_1. Once you had to separate standard volumes and tried to format in RAID1 it looks like it just is not doing it when it stops at 94% its not finishing. Try installing the drives into your PC and remove any partitions from the drivers and try formatting in RAID1 again
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Just to make absolutely sure, I ended up doing this a few times. When I just deleted the partitions and quick formatted them and put the drives back in the DNS-321... the file i had put on the drive was still there, and they were both seperate partitions still.
I just finished a full format, put the drives back in the DNS-321, and so far the format just isn't working (freezing again at 94%)
These drives were brand new, right out of the box.
When formatting the disks, it says the maximum format size is 748gb, instead of ~698gb (advertising GB vs actual GB, or however you want to call it (10^9 vs 2^30)), so no clue if that matters.
I've tried keeping an IE window/tab open to the administration page and refreshed the screen so it doesn't log me out of the administration control panel, along with just leaving it alone to do it's thing.
Also, just noticed that below the status bar, starting somewhere between 20-30% one of the frames in the popup (using the Tools -> Raid method) shows an "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage" error, but I am not sure what page it is trying to load.
Firefox 3 (Safe mode) just freezes at 94% too, with no error message.
Tried in the initial menu (log in and it automaticailly prompts you for format type) as well as in Tools -> Raid
Computer: Vista Home Pro, using IE7, Firefox 3 (in safe mode), both the PC and the DNS-321 are connected to a gigabit switch. I do not have any spare SATA drives to throw into the DNS-321 for additional troubleshooting.
Let's see... any other information I am missing?
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Remove the partition with your PC. Do not format.
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What I've done: (in order)(trying to be thourough)
Format multiple times on the DNS-321: FAILURE (occasionally gives me 2 partitions, but not RAID-1, even when RAID-1 is selected)
Installed drives into PC, removed partitions, attempted re-formatting in DNS-321: FAILURE (similar to above results)
Installed drives into PC, removed partitions, formatted on PC, attempted re-formatting in DNS-321: FAILURE (at least this time it isn't just formatting as individual partitions)
After above, installed drives into PC, removed partitions, attempted re-formatting in DNS-321: FAILURE (as always, freezes at 94%, and even after waiting a few hours with the device on, it still shows the drives as needing formatting)
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Both hard drives same issue? I would recommend returning the device to the point of purchase and try this with another unit. The unit seems to be defective the the drives used are just not compatible with the DNS-321. Here is a list of tested drives on the DNS-321.
http://support.dlink.com/faq/view.asp?prod_id=3072&question=DNS-321
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i ran into this same problem with a hitachi 750gb drive. i started the format of the drive, and it stopped at 94%. what seemed to be the problem for me was that i initially logged into the dns-321 using the device name (i.e., http://[name]). i also got the "unable to load web page" error.
the solution which worked for me was to log into the dns-321 using the ip address instead. it formatted fine after that.
not sure if that was your problem, but it sounds similar.
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I have two different DNS-321 on my desk right now. One I have tried to configure in a standard mode. It did not complete the format (hung at 94%), but through some fluke, after powering off and back on, the drives are formatted. The other one I am attempting to configure with a partial RAID configuration (100 Gig of 750 Gig per drive). The drives are new, out of the bubble-wrap Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3750330AS 750GB, on the D-Link tested list of hard drives. As suggested, I attempted to get to these through Internet Explorer using both the name and the IP address, but have gotten the same result. Any more ideas on how to get the DNS-321 to format my drives and not hang at 94% complete? Is there a firmware upgrade beyond ver 1.0 as delivered? The DNS-323 page seems to indicate that the firmware would work on the DNS-323 and DNS-321, but I was unable to get this installed.
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The DNS-323 page seems to indicate that the firmware would work on the DNS-323 and DNS-321, but I was unable to get this installed.
Which part of the DNS-323 page "seems" to indicate this?
The closest I can come to that is a FAQ that outlines the procedure - which is the same - but that does not indicate that the actual firmware is the same.
Given the fact that the hardware IS different - the DNS-323 includes a USB port that the DNS-321 does not have, it would seem to me, to be a distinctly risky thing to do.
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Which part of the DNS-323 page "seems" to indicate this?
I don't remember exactly where I saw it, since I looked at every D-Link page that I could find on the subject. I t might have been at the top of this page:
http://support.dlink.com/faq/view.asp?prod_id=2430&question=DNS-323%20/%20DSN-321%20/%20DNS-343
Still, my original question remains. The DNS-321 has been working on a RAID-1 format for over 12 hours now. Will it ever finish, or what can I do to make it happen?
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I don't know about the DNS-321 (I have the 323) but 12 hours seems a little long - I have 250 GB drives and I don't recall it taking longer than perhaps 20 mins or so - so I'd guess at an hour tops for 750s - but 12 hours - no - you have a problem of some sort.
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Please try these steps if you see a format hang up in 94% during RAID fault tolerance test.
1. Use 1.05 firmware
2. Clean the web browser cookie (tools-->internet options-->delete cookies).
3. Do the raid1 format again.
Try another browser if you still see this issue on your PC.
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Please try these steps if you see a format hang up in 94% during RAID fault tolerance test.
1. Use 1.05 firmware
2. Clean the web browser cookie (tools-->internet options-->delete cookies).
3. Do the raid1 format again.
Try another browser if you still see this issue on your PC.
There is no firmware update available for the DN-321, only the DNS-323.
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Oh yes I am sorry skip that step shipping firmware is available only at this time for the DNS-321.
Please try clearing your browser cache and if you are using firefox please try IE if that fails.
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Oh yes I am sorry skip that step shipping firmware is available only at this time for the DNS-321.
Please try clearing your browser cache and if you are using firefox please try IE if that fails.
I am using IE, not FireFox. I'm on hold right now with Tech Support. If they don't produce anything, I'll give your suggestion a try. I don't see how it's going to help get it through a formatting, though.
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Oh yes I am sorry skip that step shipping firmware is available only at this time for the DNS-321.
Please try clearing your browser cache and if you are using firefox please try IE if that fails.
Surprise of all surprises, that did not work. I tried this through two different computers, both running WinXP HE with IE. Calling D-Link technical support did not provide any useful information, and I was unable to get past level 2 support, even though I was told that I needed to talk to a product specialist. I guess they are too busy to talk to someone willing to work with them and work out a problem with their device. I am in the process of returning this item to NewEgg.
I believe that I went WAY out of the way in order to resolve the problem with this unit. 4 phone calls, accounting for more than 90 minutes on the phone, did not produce a useable device. Without resolution, I cannot recommend this device to anyone at this time, and my review will reflect that opinion. I'm kind of disappointed, since this looked to be a nice unit for the home user. Maybe if they get it fixed at some point.....
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Which part of the DNS-323 page "seems" to indicate this?
I was checking to see if I could find any recent updates, and found this page, talking about the 94% problem:
http://support.dlink.com/faq/view.asp?prod_id=3167&question=DNS-321%20/%20DNS-323%20/%20DNS-343
which leads to this page:
http://www.support.dlink.com/faq/view.asp?prod_id=2430&question=DNS-323%20/%20DSN-321%20/%20DNS-343
There is no update for the firmware yet on the DNS-321
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Bill. For what it's worth, I don't think D-Link has a bloody clue why this 94% format issue is happening. In fact, I'm having the exact same problem here http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=2126.0 (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=2126.0) Of course I'm using a DNS-323, but I'm sure the two device share something in common that is causing the issue.
You want to know what's really sad though? I've been given repeat advice on troubleshooting when in fact I've already been down that path as stated previously in my posts. It's like I'm talking to a wall or something.
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Bill. For what it's worth, I don't think D-Link has a bloody clue why this 94% format issue is happening.
Their latest faux pas was that they posted a "new" version of Easy Search for the 321, supposedly version 4.1.0.0. It's the same size as ver 3.8, and reports that it is version 3.8.
I'm returning one of my two DNS-321. I need RAID 1 on this, and the DNS-321 just can't do it. The other one seems to be okay with normal 2-disk operation.
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Well, I'm learning more and more about this product, things that Tech nonSupport doesn't know, or doesn't want to reveal. Their answer to everything is clear out the cache and reformat.
I took two 750 Gig HDs on their approved list (see my initial post for the model numbers) and low-level formatted them (12-14 hours each). Stuck them into to the DNS-321, turned off my pop-up blocker (as suggested in another thread), cleared my cache and attempted another standard format, and it hung at 94% again. What a surprise.
I then attempted the same format from a Linux box running Red Hat (version 4.0, if I remember correctly). I was stunned to see it actually complete something. (In my best Church Lady voice)... So, who can we blame? Who on earth, in heaven, or in Hades can we blame? Could it be.... SATAN?
Okay, some of the other posts that I've read on this and similar D-Link devices indicates that IE 7 might be the problem. Rather than me spending a lot of time trying to do the jobs of the Tech nonSupport people and solve the problem globally, I thought I'd move on. I attempted another format, one with a 100 Gig RAID 1 setup, with the rest of the space on the two hard drives set as standard volumes. It failed once under Linux (at 94%), so Satan isn't completely to blame, but it did pass the second time that I attempted.
After all that I've read on this and similar devices, I decided against running with a RAID 1 setup. I would rather do scheduled backups every day, so that if something is inadvertently deleted, it can be recovered if it is caught before the next scheduled backup. There were just too many people complaining that a RAID disk when down and they lost ALL of their data on both disks, or similar problem.
I still can't recommend this device to anyone, but if you already have one, or HAVE to have one, this information might help you get it working.
Good luck. You are going to need it.
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Yes it seems this issue is mainly seen formatting in RAID1. The steps provided have solved this issue in many cases but it is still undetermined why some drive experience this issue. We are currently looking into this incident on some drives.
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The steps provided have solved this issue in many cases but it is still undetermined why some drive experience this issue. We are currently looking into this incident on some drives.
It's nice to know that D-Link knows of the problem and is actively seeking a resolution to it. ;D
Just a theory, but could having the DNS-321/3 connected to a Gigabit switch having anything to do with it? Perhaps being connected to a 1gbit network causes the main CPU to work harder or get out of sync with the format process? Anyone that is having this 94% issue using Gigabit too, or also 100Mbit?
Also, has D-Link though about supporting the JFS file system instead of EXT2?
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I have not tried that, I suppose you could just lock it to 100Mbps in the web config and try it. I do not have any drives that are experiencing this issue to test it here. So if anyone wants to try it feel free.
As for JFS I do not make those decisions here but I will forward a message to product management.
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Just a theory, but could having the DNS-321/3 connected to a Gigabit switch having anything to do with it? Perhaps being connected to a 1gbit network causes the main CPU to work harder or get out of sync with the format process? Anyone that is having this 94% issue using Gigabit too, or also 100Mbit?
I am using a 100 Mbit network, and I have the problem. I've also had problems formatting to just normal configuration (no RAID), so that theory is shot down. I've had it hang formatting from Windows and LInux, but in most cases, you can just cycle power and either it is format, or it will try again, sometimes getting it on the second attempt. Still, what does it do during the final 6%?
At this point, I see formatting to something other than the standard disk configuration very risky, as the drives may go down, and it might be difficult or impossible to retrieve the data on the disks.
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I am using a 100 Mbit network, and I have the problem. I've also had problems formatting to just normal configuration (no RAID), so that theory is shot down.</
Ya, same here.
There must be some sort of logical explination for why it doesn't finish the remaining 6%. It's one thing if it hangs randomly or never starts. But it always gets to 94%. Why? What is the common denominator in all of this? Could it be the way it addresses some drives with LBA or CHS?
Here's a simple google search of others having the same problem. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=dns-323+94%25&aq=1&oq= (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=dns-323+94%25&aq=1&oq=)
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Oh yes I am sorry skip that step shipping firmware is available only at this time for the DNS-321.
Please try clearing your browser cache and if you are using firefox please try IE if that fails.
My format was showing 94% completion. I don't think I cleared the cache. I just refreshed the page and it flickered 98% and then 100% very quickly. All is well (980GB later).
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OK, I'm having the same 94% error as other folks and I've tried the suggestions posted. I've even gone into the tools and tried to 'configure the 2nd drive' option and still got a failure. This is my 6th attempt. I've switched drives, cleaned cookies, etc. These were brand new Seagate 750GB drives. One formatted ok and the other is not. I really doubt a new drive is bad, very very rare in my opinion and since this is the 94% format failure lots of other folks are having, I suspect more that the drive is not the problem.
If I can't get this going in the next hour, back to Fry's it goes. Great idea and I'll buy another NAS but so far I'm very leary about putting my valuable data on something that is very problematic in even getting set up initially.
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I was just having this issue with some new drives im testing and it was hanging at 94% in IE on 3 different computers I switched to Firefox and it formatted successful no problem. Make sure you try Firefox if you have this problem.