NAS Zyxel NSA325v2 problem

[Slang]

Hi
first of all: forgive my english.
I was given a non working Zyxel NSA325v2 nas.
I am sure that the psu is OK.
When i turn it on, power led shines (HDD2 led also shines, but it's really dim).
NAS is not reachable on the net and it seems to reboot every 25-30 seconds.
At the beginning i thought a failed firmware flash and tried the emergency procedure to restore the fw via USB but it's not working.
I teared off the nas, applied power to the MB and noticed that RAM chips (2 DDR3, 256 MB each, soldered on mainboard) get really really hot in few seconds.
I checked ram VDD and it is about 1.45 volts, close enough (?) to the normal DDR3 voltage (1.5 V).
I don't believe a corrupted FW can cause this kind of problem: RAM chips could be shorted inside (both??), but it's strange to me that ram psu circuit protection does not comes in.
Anyone can suggest where the problem could be located and what i could try to find (and hopefully fix) it?
TIA
Slang

[jondoe]

Re: NAS Zyxel NSA325v2 problem

You can talk to the device over serial http://zyxel.nas-central.org/wiki/Serial_port_(NSA325)

If you can see what's coming out the serial port you might have an idea where it's going wrong, if it is indeed booting at all.

[Slang]

Re: NAS Zyxel NSA325v2 problem

Hi
thank you for your answer.
I get nothing from serial console of Zyxel: i think there is a big hardware problem and its "brain" doesn't work.
To test my serial connection and Putty, first i connected a probably unrecoverable (?) Qnap TS 219P+ (tried all Qnap suggested recovery procedures without luck: firmware seems to be loaded but at the end of the loading nothing happens: nas does not reboot, no beeps ...) and the result from console is in the attached picture.
What do you think about this output? What does it mean "Bad Magic Number"?
There is anything else i can try?
A dead flash chip?
TIA
Slang

[jondoe]

Re: NAS Zyxel NSA325v2 problem

Well done on the progress, at least now you can see what's going on and it doesn't appear to be completely dead!

That looks like a problem with the firmware, that is, it's trying to load and boot but the image is broken so it can't decompress the Linux Kernel. Here's the boot process http://zyxel.nas-central.org/wiki/Bo...ss_(300_series)

There is a standard factory reset, and a NAND flash memory reflash, talked about here http://zyxel.nas-central.org/wiki/Restoring_Firmware

I've had a similar problem on a Qnap device, after a clean reflash of everything, it's been fine every since.

Good luck!

[Slang]

Re: NAS Zyxel NSA325v2 problem

[QUOTE=jondoe;721025]Well done on the progress, at least now you can see what's going on and it doesn't appear to be completely dead!

Hi.
I hope you noticed that the log is from the Qnap nas (Zyxel showed nothing at all and is gone in the bin).

That looks like a problem with the firmware..........
I've had a similar problem on a Qnap device, after a clean reflash of everything, it's been fine every since.

Can u explain your procedure to reflash Qnap?
With mine, i tried all Qnap suggested methods (VMware player, LiveCD) but nothing was successful.
I think it could be a damaged flash chip and i already bought a new one.
But it's here that you can really help me:
if i remove the "damaged" chip from Qnap mainboard and solder the new one, this is empty so (if i have correctly understood) i have no bootloader too (and no firmware image, of course).
So, with a new empty flash chip on PCB, what could be the procedure to restore the nas?
Thank u for your patience and help.
Slang

[jondoe]

Re: NAS Zyxel NSA325v2 problem

You don't have a Qnap, you have a Zyxel, so for a start I wouldn't be trying to use Qnap recovery methods, there is a 99.9% chance it won't work. If you've done it already, there is a good chance this is the reason it isn't booting.

The link I posted -> http://zyxel.nas-central.org/wiki/Restoring_Firmware

has all the information you need to recover your device from a corrupt NAND, including links off the Zyxel forum that includes a file to recover the device (http://www.zyxelforum.de/viewtopic.php?f=138&t=4310)

I wouldn't say you in a position where you need to start removing chips yet, the fact you have a serial output is a sign it's still trying to live.

[Slang]

Re: NAS Zyxel NSA325v2 problem

[QUOTE=jondoe;721118]You don't have a Qnap, you have a Zyxel, so for a start I wouldn't be trying to use Qnap recovery methods, there is a 99.9% chance it won't work. If you've done it already, there is a good chance this is the reason it isn't booting.

Sorry, there is a misunderstanding.
I tried serial connection with Zyxel and nothing happened so i put it in the bin.
It doesn't exist anymore.

But, to be sure that my serial connection was working ok, yesterday i connected a bricked Qnap that was lying somewhere in my room.
So all my thinking about flash chip and bla bla bla are Qnap nas related.
Forget the Zyxel.
Slang

[jondoe]

Re: NAS Zyxel NSA325v2 problem

I guess that proves you TTL level convertor is working, I understand what you're saying now, that'll teach me not to read things twice

There is a procedure to recover Qnaps, much like the Zyxel, it's on their forum some where.