Problems with F2-210

[itma]

I have had an F2-210 for about 3 years and it has never really worked well on my network which originally consisted of a PC and a Mac - both Intel i7 based. The PC worked pretty well but the Mac only seemed to work on SMB, but lately is even unable to locate the TNAS unit. Both of these devices are now past their best and I have acquired an M4 Mac mini to replace them both. I am thus trying to get the F2-210 up and working properly with the new MAC. Does this involve reformating the drives?

Also, somewhere along the way, the administrator password disappeared. I suspect my best approach would be to do a full initialization. I understand that this can now be done without without losing the data on the disks but I have a full backup available.

Having played around with this much of today, I am unsure which software package to use. Help would be appreciated.

[itma]

OK, no response from terra-master via this post or or by their chat line.

Anyway, I went ahead and loaded the TNAS PC program 5.1.212 for Apple CPUs (I have a Mac Mini M4), regardless of whether it runs on the F2-210. It loaded fine (didn't expect otherwise). When I attempted to access the IP address from my web browser, I received a "403 Forbidden" response which I guess is to be expected at the start of initialization. Then I requested a change of IP address and it seemed to work.

Next I loaded the TOS script 4.2.44 (initialization version). The only thing of note that happened was that the status of TNAS is now "Unitialized" but I can't say whether this occured after loadin TNAS PC or TOS. After that, nothing happened. I searched my main disk and can't even see where the TOS script went.

So can anyone enlighten me as to what I am doing wrong, please.

[TMzethar]

Sorry, the known information doesn't allow us to give an accurate answer yet.
It seems that you are trying to reset the TOS, although it is not necessary to make any changes to the F2-210 if you are just changing the MAC.
Are you using the TNAS PC app with v5.1.202?
Regarding the “403 Forbidden”, does this show up on other browsers or browsers on other devices such as cell phone browsers? You might want to try adding or removing the http/https ports for TOS.
Regarding the “Unitialiezed” shown on TNAS PC, it still shows “Unitialiezed” after refresh and reboot? Is there any disk in F2-210 at this time?

[itma]

...... although it is not necessary to make any changes to the F2-210 if you are just changing the MAC.

Unfortunately, TOS was not working prior to my getting the new Mac. I had tried to update the software a week or so back as it still had the software from the F2-210's purchase in 2021. I updated to TNAS 3.2.0.6 which worked fine in that it allowed me to map the drive in Windows 11. Also I updated TOS to 4.2.44 which created a problem. The new TOS would open and ask for a user/password. When that was put in, the progress bar in TOS just churned away for ever. TOS app icons never came up on the on the TOS page. This sounds very similar to darke42's experience in his message of 31 October: F2-210 stuck after update. (I added a "me too" message into darke42's thread.)

So when my new Mac arrived, I loaded it with TNAS 5.1.212 and tried to initialize the F2-210 using TOS 4.2.44 but this obviously failed as afterwards TNAS indicated that it was "Uninitialized". That's where things now stand. I have not had the opportunity run TNAS from the Mac with an initialized F2-210.

One possibility is that I did not run TOS 4.2.44 correctly. With windows 11, the installation process asked me what program I should use to run to use the .ins file and I specified TNAS. I did the same ting when when prompted on my Mac but is this the correct procedure?

[TMzethar]

Please try refreshing the TNAS PC to show the latest status of the F2-210.
Can you access the TOS webpage by entering the IP in your browser?
What is the full name of the ins installer you are using? Did you use it to install TOS from the initialization page?

[Gremlin]

Dear Alfred,
If your posts did not (try to) contain hidden links to other (insert expletive here) websites, your advise might be taken more seriously.

[itma]

Well, I'm within minutes of throwing my F2-210 out with the trash. First, let me say that I am not a network expert: I don't live and breathe in this environment as I suspect many others on this forum do. I also think that Terra Master could do much to improve its communications.

I decided to take a step back and bring my old Windows machine back to life as this is the only computer that I have which ran the F2-210 correctly. I first re-ran the TNAS installation using the installation script) and was directed to use 5.0.003. When TNAS was up and running, it suggested that I update to 5.0.021. I had previously been told that V5 was not meant to be run the F2-210 but assumed this had been fixed. (My first niggle: If a newer version is available, why I then tried point users to the older version.) I then tried to install TOS 4.2.44 but after clicking on open the .ins file with TNAS, nothing happened.

TMzethar: The TNAS's staus shows as Uninitialized so there is no access to the data on the disks.

So I uninstalled TNAS 5.0.023 and reinstalled 3.2.0.6. Next I installed TOS 4.2.44. This time, I got the "open with" dialog and specified TNAS and the install dialog started. I clicked "install" but this took be back to the "open with" dialog and so on in a closed loop. Oddly, the open with dialog had two entries for TNAS but I tried them both with the same result. At some point, I got a script to update my firmware. (I can't remember how I got there.) My TNAS was showing a known fault: All lights green and on/off switch inoperable. In the script, it said that the upgrade depended on whether my TNAS was 1 or 2GB. I can't remember what it is. Can you inform based on the serial number? A1Y201101161.

Looking ahead to the time that I have this answered, I was a bit baffled by the suggstion that I plug the other ed of the network cable oh the TNAS directly into the PC. Do I understand this correctly? I have not come across this situation before. I suppose a server is created on the PC with the TNAS as a client for its firmware update.

I also understand that the TNAS can be restored to factory settings. Where is the reset button?

So what I would like at this point to reset the TNAS and go through a "from scratch" installation. Please confirm which TNAS installation I should use (5.0.021 or 3.2.0.6) and TOS installation 4.2.44.

[itma]

A post script. TNAS reports I am using the wrong admin password. Could you confirm that this is result of the frozen TNAS.

[Gremlin]

With windows 11, the installation process asked me what program I should use to run to use the .ins file and I specified TNAS. I did the same ting when when prompted on my Mac but is this the correct procedure?

I don't know, but I think you may have got this bit a little mixed. Were you trying to install the .ins file on Windows/Mac? That is not the way.

The .ins file is specified if/when you go through "Custom" initialisation on the NAS - You might be viewing it through a browser window, but it is a NAS operation. You would specify the .ins file when asked during custom initialisation. Otherwise, if you leave the system to the default install process, you will get whatever version of TOS is appropriate for the device at that time.

It is possible that the internal usb flash drive may have been compromised through the various attempts. It is possible reasonably easily to re-write the usb flash. (or buy a new one either blank and diy or obtain from TM)

I don't know the 210 model(s) or TOS4, so I am only basing the above on what I know about other models.