I’m not sure about the warranty situation, although SSH is a built-in feature. However, if you can’t get back in any other way you can follow one of these Guides:
Since it sounds like you have data to preserve, the first Guide is what you want. This will involve removing a drive from the case and hooking it up to your computer directly. There are instructions for accessing the Linux file structure on the MBLD drive if you are running Windows, and for reinstalling the operating system (firmware). The main procedures involve booting from a Linux rescue CD. Instructions and links to the necessary materials are all there.
I have done this to put larger drives in my enclosure, but I was unconcerned about preserving the contents. This thread has lots of discussion from various users with nfodiz , who wrote and maintains the Guides. My description of the experience of running the procedures is at or near the end of the thread.
I have not installed any add-ons to my MBLD, so I can’t really offer anything on that account. The “Debrick” procedures will get you back up and running, though. Be aware that it is much better to connect the drive you are working on via SATA. Using a USB adapter seems to have unpredictable results.
If you go this route, please be sure to give KUDOs to !
Take this with a big grain of salt. I cannot be sure of Mac related operations. I believe that somewhere in the thread there was discussion from someone who referred to using the Console (command line) in OSX to access a drive. The basis for this is that OSX is Unix based.
As to the dock issue, I don’t think using that to extract data from a drive would do any damage. You would just be reading it, after all. I think the problems arose for some people in trying to run the Debrick script successfully. This too, had some discussion in the primary thread or in a link. I’m not sure if a Mac can read the Linux file system directly. If it can’t, I suspect that there are add-ons out there similar to things which exist for Windows to read Linux.
Sorry I can’t be more specific. My experience doing these procedures required three varied attempts and a lot of studying the threads over a few days time before I got it right. In my case, I was not concerned with data as there was nothing unique on the MBL Duo.
I don’t think there is any ultimate risk as far as your NAS is concerned. (And it is down, already!) The worst I can forsee is that you might have to find someone with a Windows desktop to run the Debrick procedure from.
The best answers will probably come from posting questions in the Guide thread-
It may take a bit for nfodiz to respond, but it seems that he generally does. In the meantime, I would read the thread carefully and see what you can glean from it. I printed parts of it to refer to while I was booted from the CD. There’s another thing…I don’t suppose that your (Intel) Mac would boot from a PC style boot disc, but I don’t know.
Good luck, and feel free to post further. I’m happy to offer what I can.