Hello everyone,
I am reaching out for your help regarding a critical issue with my QNAP NAS. Above all, I want to restore the NAS to its exact state before the crash, to avoid worsening the situation or risking data loss.
Context:
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Hardware: QNAP TS-653A with a ~50GB system disk and storage disks configured in RAID5.
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Configuration: The storage disks are set up as a thick LUN, serving as an iSCSI target for a file server (a Windows Server VM running on ESXi).
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History: The QNAP has been in production and running smoothly for several years.
Problem:
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On the morning of April 9, 2026, the QNAP became unreachable on its usual static IP (manually set, outside the DHCP range).
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Reboot Attempt: Powering off via the power button failed; the QNAP screen displayed “mount loading” in a loop.
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Hard Reset: I had to ask the on-site client to unplug the power cable to force a reboot.
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Result: The QNAP rebooted but lost its static IP. Connecting via the new DHCP-assigned IP led to an installation page (screenshot attached), as if the system had been reset.
Unsuccessful Attempts:
- Multiple reboots (both via button and hard reset) did not resolve the issue.
Goal:
- Recover the RAID5 data (which are the production data for the Windows Server VM) without risk of loss or corruption.
Questions:
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How can I restore access to the system and data without reinstalling?
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Is there a procedure to force the QNAP to recognize the existing RAID5 and LUNs?
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Are there risks in attempting a partial reset or firmware update?
I am available to provide any additional information or screenshots. Thank you in advance for your valuable help!
Device: QNAP TS-653A
Firmware Version: QTS 5.0.0.1891