WD DX4000 USB Boot Issue/Stuck Startup Initializing

We have a DX4000 w/ 4 x 3tb hdds that was getting a 0xD9 error. One of the drives was bad so we pulled it, and then tried booting off of the other 3. When we boot it , the LCD just stays on Startup Initializing. We left it like that for about 8 days. No luck. Created a USB recovery stick to reinstall the OS. Plugged the USB drive in, powered off the machine, held in the reset button, and powered it one while still holding the reset button. Held it for about 60 seconds and it still says Startup Initializing. I pulled all the drives, wiped them, and then only put 2 back in, tried it again and still no luck. Same error.

I know the USB works because my laptop will boot from it and start loading setup files. What should i try next?

Check the md5 hash? http://support.wdc.com/product/download.asp?groupid=1601&sid=162&lang=en

Now if you are going from raid 5 to 1, you will neeed to do a diskpart clean to totaly erase the raid info or it will see that.

When yuou mount the iso and run setup you are doing the middle step first?  Make a thumb and boot from it?  You need to make a thumb each time you try this.  It deletes an important file in the root when it executes.  (at some point, not sure iif it is the beggining or end, so just make one each time)

As you say, hold in the recovery button while you power on. 30 seconds should be long enough. If you have a thumb drive with an activity light it is more reasuring.

Most problems are a bad download.  It is eeasy to check with the hash

Thanks

  1. the MD5 hash is the correct.

  2. I deleted all the partitions on the drives in partion magic and setup new partitions.

3.I was booting from the thumb drive, as per istructions. The thumb drive is working, because i tested it in my laptop and booted off it, and it start to load setup files.

  1. I held in the reset button for over 60 seconds while booting with the usb thumbdrive plugged in and still just got that message “Startup initializing”.

Any other ideas?

Only that you may try a diff thumb drive.  It does not need to be big or fancy for this step

Thanks for the quick response.

I would like to, but the software is kind of useless. It says you need an 8 gb flash drive. But the wizard doesnt detect my 8gb as valid  and only detects one of my two 16gb flash drives.

Maybe i could image my flash drive and install it to another. Why dont they just give us the straight iso rather than a tool, that doesnt seem to be able to make up its mind :frowning:

The middle step should not require an 8gb flash?

yea, it says 512mb minimum

Just so I am on the same page, what do you mean when you say middle step?

Oh. I was doing the bottom option: Perform a Recovery. The NAS isnt booting at all so I thought I needed to reinstall the OS.  Do i need to do Recreate My Storage first, and then Perform a Recovery?

Yes sir :slight_smile:

I wish they made that clearer. I will give that a try and let you know. Thank you.

This is the thumb you need to make each attempt if it fails.  The bottom one that takes forever, you do not.

Hopefully this will move you forward.  For giggles after this step is done, there should be a log file in a wd folder on the thumb.  At the bottom/end of the file should make sense

The middle step creates the raid aray and formats it.  The bottom step just lays down the image.

Normally works fine.  As I said before, you might better look at the log file and make sure it setup a raid 1 with just 2 drives.  If it is still trying to do a raid 5, it will take 5 days on the next step before it says “fail”

I It tried booting to the new one on a new USB it and the same thing happened. It turns on and instantly says startup initializing. I held the reset button for abou 60 Seconds.

By the new one, you do mean the middle step, recreate my storage.  I forget what the screens say, but holding the button for 30 seconds is normally long enough, Then wait at least 5 minutes and the LCD should change to something else.

I use an allen wrench to hold the button in as it is big enough not to slip off.

let it sit a bit, if nothing, pull out the thumb and see if you got a log file.

I have to go on the road now, replies if needed will be sloooow :frowning:

It will be tomorrow, guess I need to check, I am not sure what it says “immediately” " if the button is held in

No luck its still says Startup initializing after leaving it running for the weekend. No log files on the USB

Does your thumb drive have a light on it?  Can you tell if it is booting from it.

I just booted with the 3rd option/bottom thumb drive and it took a long time I mean a minute or so before it said recovery started.  On a normal boot it shows loading OS after about 30 seconds.  I am not sure I ever see startup initializing.

I am kinda in the middle of something right now and do not want to wipe and reload this box  So i really don’t want to boot with the middle/recreate my storage today to see what the LCD says.

I know you said the thumb booted in your laptop, but could you try a totally different brand of thumb just to see.  The absolute cheapest will do.  It only has to be 512k

If it still hangs I think we have to go with it is broke.  As a last ditch effort you may try taking the cover off and removing the cmos battery for a couple of minutes just to see.