I had to power down my server because they were upgrading my utility power meter to a "smart" meter.  I turned it off through the web interface (stop, then shutdown). 

 

NOTHING changed but, it now hangs on boot.  Here's a picture of the screen output.

 

 

What other info can I provide?  my syslog doesn't seem like it's current, but I will provide that we well (I can't make one as it won't boot)

 

 

EDIT:  BTW, I didn't want to try upgrading to v5 because I currently have a missing drive (That's like the first thing it says not to do on the upgrade page).  I had a drive fail and I'm waiting for a replacement. (Living dangerously, I know)  But the server has been fine like this for a few days now.

syslog.txt

I am not the best expert on this type of failure.  What I can see is that it appears that your BIOS is not locating a bootable device.  I would first suggest that you boot to the BIOS and see how your boot options are setup. 

 

If you BIOS battery is more than about three years, replace it.  (That battery stores your BIOS setting when power is removed from the server and that loss of those settings could easily be your problem.)  That battery will only cost a couple of bucks at a drugstore.

if what Frank suggests does not work put the stick in a windows computer and run a file system check on it.

I am not the best expert on this type of failure.  What I can see is that it appears that your BIOS is not locating a bootable device.  I would first suggest that you boot to the BIOS and see how your boot options are setup. 

 

If you BIOS battery is more than about three years, replace it.  (That battery stores your BIOS setting when power is removed from the server and that loss of those settings could easily be your problem.)  That battery will only cost a couple of bucks at a drugstore.

 

This error is coming up after it has already booted from the flash drive.  It's loaded the .img files and is starting to boot linux.    The BIOS is properly saving the information, I was in there to be sure the flash drive was still set as the boot device.

 

 

I also put the flash drive in this Windows PC and ran a check, it reported it was working fine.  I'm going to put it back in and run a memtest (The other option in the boot menu), just to be sure the RAM didn't die somehow. 

Memtest came back fine.    I was thinking that perhaps something on the flash got currupted?    What are files that I could safely delete without loosing data?    Or would anyone think it's possible to try a v5. upgrade?  I know it doesn't sound like a good idea since it won't boot on 4.7.  But it seems to me that something on the flash isn't right. :'(

Memtest came back fine.    I was thinking that perhaps something on the flash got currupted?    What are files that I could safely delete without loosing data?    Or would anyone think it's possible to try a v5. upgrade?  I know it doesn't sound like a good idea since it won't boot on 4.7.  But it seems to me that something on the flash isn't right. :'(

 

Try booting the flash on another Machine.  Nothing bad will happen unless you assign drives and start the array.  All you are trying to do is see if the flash will boot.

 

Another quick and dirty test is to do make a full backup of your flash drive-- something you should be doing in any case.  This verifies that everything on the drive can be read without error.  If your do find a file that can't be read, you have a good lead on where your problem lies.  As I understand it, the only time unRAID normally writes to your flash drive is when the server is shutdown.  And you did do a shutdown before all your problems started. 

Thanks for the advice Frank, I tried it in this machine and it gave the same error.  I used a backup to replace the two image files and all is now well again.  Guess something weird happened to it?

 

Thanks again!

Thanks for the advice Frank, I tried it in this machine and it gave the same error.  I used a backup to replace the two image files and all is now well again.  Guess something weird happened to it?

 

Thanks again!

 

How old is that flash drive?  If it is several years old, keep an eagle eye in it.  They do fail--- That is why unRAID only writes to the flash drive basically on shutdown in an attempt to extend its life.  Several unRAID users have had flash drives fail.  (Tom apparently has been good about issuing new licenses to those folks who have written to him and described their problem.) 

 

The problem is that flash drives have a limited number of write cycles before failure.  While the drive manufacturers have now implemented schemes to minimize the problem by writing to the least used sectors first, all of them will eventually fail.  It is quite possible that you copied the files again, they were written to a new location as a result of the scheme which your drive manufacturer used.