Can no longer access my Freenas Server

[ktag]

Sometime recently I have lost access to my FREENAS server. I can still watch movies from it through Plex but can't access it through any computers as I could before. It is not listed under the network tabs as before, and the mapped drives do not work.

Tried the IP address etc.
Rebooted the server.

What could have changed this. What can I try.

Additionally the daily emails I used to receive have stopped, I can't remember when this happened.

EDIT:
Actually after the reboot, Plex not working. Plugged a monitor into the NAS and have the following error...

"This is a NAS data disk and cannot boot system. System halted."

I am sure the USB is what I should be using to boot the system?

Any ideas?

 

[danb35]

Following the forum rules would help quite a bit (hardware, FreeNAS version, pool configuration, etc.), but at first glance, your system is trying to boot from one of the data disks (as the message says). Either your boot order has changed, or your USB stick has died. If the latter, do a clean installation to a new USB stick, upload your saved config file, and you'll be up and running. Better yet, do that clean installation to two USBs in a mirror configuration, so when the next one dies you won't have this problem again.

Though you've posted this in the Networking forum, your issue has nothing to do with networking.

 

[DifferentStrokes]

+1

 

[ktag]

Thanks for your reply. Sorry for not detailing as required, was just after a quick response in a frustrating time.

It does look like my USB has died, unfortunately I did a lot of research 12 months ago when I set this up but have forgotten almost everything. Currently downloading Freenas again and will purchase a couple of USB drives to reset a boot usb device back up.

Once I have a new bootable USB, I expect all i will need to do is plug it into the server and turn it on - data access would not have changed?

Reference the networking thread - originally I thought it was a networking problem. So just had that in my head when I started typing.

Thanks again, as your comments were helpful in directing my activities.

 

[Bidule0hm]

If you have a backup of the config file and you import it to the new install, then yes, everything will be the same. But if you've not then your data is still here, no worries, but you'll need to reconfigure the shares and co from scratch.

 

[ktag]

OK, where I am at is the following...

Original USB is failing to boot.
Configured a new usb with 9.3 - boots up correctly
Restored from config file (December 2014) - unfortunately this was before I configured additional data shares.

To correctly get back to where I was I would like to try the following...

Option 1
I would like to try to access the failed USB drive to see if I can pull off the latest config file. (data/freenas-v1.db)
But have not used linux before and am unsure how to try, ideas?

Option 2
Reconfigure shares to access current data
How do I do that or where can I get a tutorial or similar?

Option 3
Any other ideas?

Thanks again for the help.

 

[danb35]

Option 3 (probably the easiest) would be to download one of the backups that the system makes automatically for you. They're in /var/db/system. Take the last one before your USB died, put it on an accessible share, and upload that back to the server using the Upload Config button. You will need to use the command line to do this, though. And, of course, FreeNAS doesn't run on Linux.

 

[ktag]

Ok. Unfortunately I am going to ask... How do I do that?

To get to a command line, I am booting from the install usb and selecting "shell". But am not familiar with manoeuvring to or from shares or drives or command line codes.

 

[danb35]

To get to a command line, you should be able to use the console menu from the regular boot USB. Or you can use the Shell option from the web GUI. Or you can connect to the server using SSH (probably the best option). Boot your 9.3 USB, to which you uploaded the December 2014 config file, and then use whichever of those options you prefer.

For the commands, this looks like a pretty good cheat sheet. You can google something like "unix command tutorial" for more options. Stuff about Linux will likely be relevant, but BSD does a lot of things different from Linux, so be prepared for differences. Use the cd command to change directories (like in DOS), and cp to copy a file. Only you know where your shares are located. You'll do something like this:

Code:

# cd /var/db/system
# ls -l
(you'll see a bunch of files named freenas.yourdomain.tld-yyyy-mm-dd-nn.db.  Find the most recent one before your USB died.  Then...)
# cp freenas... /mnt/poolname/share (whatever path corresponds to an existing share you have access to--you can find the path on the Sharing page in the web GUI).

You should then see the file in the share on your networked computer. You can then upload it to FreeNAS and you should be back where you were before the USB died.

 

[ktag]

Fantastic. Thanks.

When I get home I'll try. I'm not a total novice when it comes to computers but it's been 30 years since I did any programming. And things have changed...

 

[ktag]

danb35!!

You pointed me in the right direction and I was able to obtain the latest auto backup config file. I loaded it up and all is back to normal... And it didn't cost me too much time.

Very appreciative, thank you!!

:)