[Help] TNAS F4212 stuck in bootloader loop

[jawheeler]

Hello everybody!

I was recently updating my TNAS F4212 and, because of summer, a blackout happened during the process. Now, the TNAS is stuck in a bootloader loop. It starts up and then if I visit the TNAS web page I just see a 30 second countdown going on infinetely. The problem is: I'm now out from home for a few weeks.

Therefore, I have 2 questions:

1) is there a way to unstuck/factory reset the TNAS? I already have a backup of the data inside, so I can also wipe the HDDs.

2) is there a way to do that REMOTELY, knowing I have access through Tailscale to devices connected to the same local network?

Thanks and please let me know!

[CursaYang]

Bootloader loop issues are often due to network problems, preventing downloads or verification.
Please check if your NAS network connection is normal.
Alternatively, you can manually download from the official website's download center and upload it:

https://support.terra-master.com/downlo ... 12%20(2GB)

[sianderson]

ultimately you should be able to put the hard drives in another computer, wipe them then the NAS drive will see it as a fresh new system and install TOS from the in built USB drive (or i believe there are instructions on how to rebuild the USB if theres an issue there) but granted all that requires physically being there so probably not much you can do remotely unless you can get it to boot up again

sometimes its easier to just cut your losses and start a fresh rather than trying to "fix" a couple of issues to get it going again

[crisisacting]

… install TOS from the in built USB drive (or i believe there are instructions on how to rebuild the USB if theres an issue there)…

Currently, there aren't current ARM based TNAS devices supported in that initboot drive thread @ viewtopic.php?t=6433.

The previous ARM 210 series TNAS devices had a very unique & configuration specific "brick" fix @ viewtopic.php?f=76&t=696, which isn't applicable to the newer 212 series TNAS devices due to the ARM versioning & major Linux kernel change between older TOS 4.×/5.× builds & the current TOS 6.× releases.

[sianderson]

… install TOS from the in built USB drive (or i believe there are instructions on how to rebuild the USB if theres an issue there)…

Currently, there aren't current ARM based TNAS devices supported in that initboot drive thread @ viewtopic.php?t=6433.

The previous ARM 210 series TNAS devices had a very unique & configuration specific "brick" fix @ viewtopic.php?f=76&t=696, which isn't applicable to the newer 212 series TNAS devices due to the ARM versioning & major Linux kernel change between older TOS 4.×/5.× builds & the current TOS 6.× releases.

CursaYang provided the link which includes a bootloader download for the 212 so i assumed they could do it?

[crisisacting]

CursaYang provided the link which includes a bootloader download for the 212 so i assumed they could do it?

Oh, yeah, that'll do it.
Doesn't seem like there's a newer boatloader for TOS 6 ARM builds yet; OP didn't mention if they'd been using the public beta.

[Gremlin]

I don't believe that the "bootloader" download available on support pages is the same file needed for USB init/boot system. Rather it is the firmware downloaded during a TOS installation and installed on the primary dive(s) first partition.

[crisisacting]

don't believe that the "bootloader" download available on support pages is the same file needed for USB init/boot system. …

Looked further into it & the 212 series TNAS devices don't have any internal USB ports at all, based on this image of the motherboard @ https://mightygadget.co.uk/wp-content/u ... 8.jpg.webp; it wouldn't have a removable initboot (could be soldered on or possibly on the other side of the board, but that's not visible on that image)

[sianderson]

i will go and sit quietly in the corner on this one, definitely seems things have moved on from the F2-210 days as that was really obvious


but as you say the 212 is completly different design