Use the boot menu to restart or troubleshoot your ReadyNAS unit.

Select your model from the Table of Contents on the right. Your unit has the following boot modes:

1. Normal. Initiates a normal boot process, just like booting using the Power button.
2. Factory default. Initiates a short disk test that takes approximately 5 minutes, then begins a 10-minute time-out period waiting for RAIDar. During the 10-minute time-out period, the system can be powered off safely without causing any data loss. After 10 minutes, or if you select the factory default option with RAIDar during the time-out period, the factory default process begins. WARNING! The factory default reboot process resets the unit to factory settings, erases all data, resets all defaults, and reformats the disk to X-RAID2.
3. OS Re-install. Reinstalls the firmware from the internal flash to the disks. Use the OS reinstall boot mode when the system crashes and corrupts some configuration files. OS reinstall boot mode also resets some settings on your unit, such as Internet protocol settings and the administrator password, to defaults.
4. Tech support. Boots into a low-level diagnostic mode. Use the tech support boot mode only when instructed to do so by a NETGEAR Technical Support representative.
5. Skip volume check. After a system crash, the system tries to scan and fix the volume using a file system check. If several problems are found on a disk, this process can stall, causing the system not to boot. Use this option to skip the scan and let the system boot. WARNING! Use the skip volume check boot mode only when instructed to do so by a NETGEAR Technical Support representative, otherwise data loss might occur.
6. Memory test. Performs a memory test. The pass or fail result is reported using the unit’s LEDs. Contact a NETGEAR technical support representative to interpret memory test results.
7. Disk test. Performs an offline full disk test. This can take 4 hours or more, depending on the size of your disks. Any problems are reported in the RAIDar discovery tool.

To access the boot menu:

1. Power off your unit.
2. Using a straightened paper clip, press and hold the Reset button.
3. Press the Power button to power on the unit.
4. Continue to press the Reset button until the Power button LED, USB and backup status LED, disk 1 LED, and disk 2 LED are lit
5. Press the Backup button to scroll through the boot mode options.
   1. The unit shows the boot mode options using the LEDs, as described in the following table:

1. Press and release Reset button to confirm your boot menu selection.

The system boots in the selected boot mode.

To access the boot menu:

1. Power off your unit.
2. Using a straightened paper clip, press and hold the Reset button.
3. Press the Power button to power on the unit.
4. Continue to press the Reset button until the status display screen shows an boot menu message.
5. Press the Backup button to scroll through the boot mode options.
6. Press and release Reset button to confirm your boot menu selection.

The system boots in the selected boot mode.

To access the boot menu:

1. Power off your unit.
2. Using a straightened paper clip, press and hold the Reset button.
3. Press the Power button to power on the unit.
4. Continue to press the Reset button until the status display screen shows an boot menu message.
5. Press the Backup button to scroll through the boot mode options.
6. Press and release Reset button to confirm your boot menu selection.

The system boots in the selected boot mode.

To access the boot menu:

1. Power off your unit.
2. Using a straightened paper clip, press and hold the Reset button.
3. Press the Power button to power on the unit.
4. Continue to press the Reset button until the status display screen shows an boot menu message.
5. Press the Backup button to scroll through the boot mode options.
6. Press and release Reset button to confirm your boot menu selection.

The system boots in the selected boot mode.

To access the boot menu:

1. Power off your unit.
2. Using a straightened paper clip, press and hold the Reset button.
3. Press the Power button to power on the unit.
4. Continue to press the Reset button until the status display screen shows an boot menu message.
5. Press the Backup button to scroll through the boot mode options.
6. Press and release Reset button to confirm your boot menu selection.

The system boots in the selected boot mode.

To perform an OS Re-install or Factory Default, this is managed via the Reset button on the back of the chassis.

1. Locate the reset pinhole.
   1. ReadyNAS X6/600: the pinhole is on the back in the lower left corner.
   2. ReadyNAS Duo/NV/NV+: the pinhole is next to the USB port in the back.
2. Get a straightened paper clip and depress the hidden switch in the pinhole while the power is off, and then power on the ReadyNAS.

To perform other options such as Skip Volume Check, Tech Support Mode, and Memory Test, this is managed via the Power button.

1. With the system off, hold down the Power button, and wait for the desired LED flashes.
2. Release the Power button when the option you desire is active.
   1. Systems with an LCD (NV+) will also display the boot menu item text on the LCD at each stage.

To perform an OS Re-install or Factory Default, this is managed via the Reset button on the front of the chassis.

1. Get a straightened paper clip and depress the hidden switch in the pinhole while the power is off, and then power on the ReadyNAS.

To perform other options such as Skip Volume Check, Tech Support Mode, and Memory Test, this is managed via the Power button.

1. With the system off, hold down the Power button, and wait for the desired LED flashes.
2. Release the Power button when the option you desire is active.
   1. Systems with an LCD (NV+) will also display the boot menu item text on the LCD at each stage.

To access the boot menu:

1. Power off your unit.
2. Using a straightened paper clip, press and hold the SYS button.

1. Press the Power button to power on the unit.

1. Continue to press the SYS button until the LEDs are all lit.

1. Press the Backup button to scroll through the boot mode options.

1. The following table lists the boot menu’s LED status blink pattern, which you can use to identify boot mode options.

Normal
Factory default
OS reinstall
Tech support
Skip volume check
Memory test
Disk test

1. Press and release Reset button to confirm your boot menu selection.

The system boots in the selected boot mode.

To access the boot menu:

1. Power off your unit.
2. Using a straightened paper clip, press and hold the Reset button.
3. Press the Power button to power on the unit. Ignore the first blink of the fan LED when power is turned on. Watch for the fan LED to turn on and stay on. This happens when the boot loader recognizes that the button was pressed.
4. Release the Reset.
5. Press and release the Reset button to scroll through the boot menu options.
   1. The following table lists the fan LED blink pattern, which you can use to identify boot mode options.

Boot Menu Mode	Fan LED Blink Pattern
Normal
Factory default
OS reinstall
Tech support
Skip volume check
Memory test
Disk test

1. To select a boot mode, press the Reset button for 5 seconds until the fan LED illuminates.
2. Release the Reset button.

This triggers the execution of the boot option selected. The LED quickly blinks twice, and then turns off to confirm that your selection is being executed. Do not press the Reset button again; if you do, the process is aborted.

To access the boot menu:

1. Power off your unit.
2. Using a straightened paper clip, press and hold the Reset button.
3. Press the Power button to power on the unit.
4. Continue to press the Reset button until the power diagnostic LED and the fan LED are both lit. This takes approximately 1 minute.
5. Release the Reset button.
6. Press the Reset button within 2 seconds to enter the boot menu.
7. Press and release the Reset button to scroll through the boot menu options.
   1. Watch the blink pattern of the power diagnostic LED and the fan LED. The following table shows the how the system displays the current option using the power diagnostic LED and fan LED.

Boot Menu Mode	Power Diagnostic LED and Fan LED Blink Pattern
Normal
Factory default
OS reinstall
Tech support
Skip volume check
Memory test
Disk test

1. Press and hold the Reset button for 3 seconds to select a boot mode.

The system confirms the selection by blinking the power diagnostic LED and the fan LED twice, and then begins to boot the system in the selected boot mode.