Where to get old QTS firmware?

[Enquiries]

Dear guys,

I am reaching out in a state of final desperation. I have lost access to 12TB of data on my TBS-464 NAS after installing a new QTS firmware. The device is now stuck in a perpetual installation loop, and I am unable to progress past the installation step (where I choose "Reset Factory Settings" after which it reboots). No matter what I try, I always return to the same installation screen.

In the past, I resolved a similar issue by installing an older firmware version (QTS 5.0.0-2131 build 20220815), but now I am unable to locate this firmware version for download. It appears to have disappeared from the QNAP servers. I have already tried installing several different QTS versions, but none of them have worked to restore normal operation.

Could you please advise how I might obtain this specific firmware version or offer any alternative solutions to regain access to my data?

Thank you for your help. Much appreciated!

[ed]

Thanks for your message. To recover access to your data, here's a step you can try:

Insert Spare Drives:
Insert a couple of blank or spare drives into the NAS. These drives don’t need to be large, just enough for the system to boot properly.

Set Up the NAS:
Power on the NAS and go through the setup process as if you were setting it up for the first time. This should bypass the firmware loop and allow the NAS to complete its installation successfully.

Swap in the Old Drives:
Once the setup is complete and the system is up and running, power off the NAS. Now, remove the newly inserted drives and carefully insert your old drives (the ones containing your 12TB of data). The system should recognize the drives and give you access to your old data.

This method works in some cases as it helps the NAS to initialize properly without being stuck in the loop, while still preserving the data on your original drives.

[Avian]

Thank you so much for replying, Ed. What you describe, I have already tried yesterday, without any success.

First I removed all four M.2 drives from the TBS-464 then it was impossible to finish the installation. However, when I removed all four M.2 drives, and inserted a single M.2 drive that I used in my other NAS (TS-262-4G) for SSD Caching, then I could log in with the credentials on that other NAS alright (which was surprising, but it worked).

However, as soon as I put back the old M.2 drives, I get into the same perpetual installation loop. So the installation problem seems to be related to the existing four M.2 drives.

Unfortunately, I don't have an enclosure to mount M.2 SSDs, but maybe I could buy one and then format these other M.2 drives, maybe that could make a difference?

I also opened a ticket at QNAP support without any success. The support person doesn't understand that the old firmware cannot be downloaded, and they just send me to the download page to get it. Also, they want me to install TeamViewer on my computer and give them the ID and password, which is extremely strange to me. Something I am not comfortable with.

I could try buying a new NAS from QNAP, try the existing SSDs in it, maybe it recognizes it, then back up the content elsewhere, and send back the new NAS (or keep it).

[Avian]

To make matters worse, one of the SSDs failed during the disassembly/reassembly of the NAS, so I’ll need to send it back for warranty service.