TS-431XeU stuck on login screen – cannot trigger initialization

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1

Hi,

I’m having trouble getting a QNAP TS-431XeU into an initialized state.

Details

  • Model: TS-431XeU

  • QTS: 5.2.1.x

  • NAS is effectively new (never in production), but purchased over a year ago

  • No important data on the device

  • Disks can be wiped if needed

Issue:

After boot/reset, the NAS always shows only the login page in the web UI.

I never get the Welcome / Initialize NAS / Setup Wizard.

  • Login attempts (admin, MAC-based password, etc.) all fail

  • Web UI loads via http://localip:8080

  • NAS responds to ping

  • Qfinder does not detect it, and manual add is unreliable

  • No visible option to initialize or reinstall QTS from the login page

What I’ve tried

  • 3-second reset

  • 10-second reset (correct beep sequence)

  • Power cycles

  • DHCP via router + direct connection with manual IP

Result is always the same: login screen only.

I ve also tried the cloud installation, but it doesn´t find the qnap, when i put in the Cloud Key

I Just want to install and start using the qnap.

Any guidance on the correct recovery / reinitialization would be appreciated.

Thanks!

2

Are the disks in the NAS new or are they from a previous NAS or installation?

What happens if you try booting the NAS without any disks installed.

3

Hi, they are unused an new.

Pulled them all four and the qnap makes one beep after 10sek, and a new one after aprox more sek.
Then a third one after a minute or so.

Only lights are green ´i´and 10G (I have tried the regular networkport as well, same result.)

4

My usual goto step at this point is to pull the memory, ensure the contacts are clean, reinsert. Check all internal connections to ensure nothing got moved by accident. Check, replace the power supply….

5

With all drives pulled, the NAS should start into websetup, find the IP via Qfinder or your DHCP server

6

FYI, I usually shutdown the NAS and uninstall all disks/SSD and M.2(if any) and then boot up the NAS without them whenever I want to re-initialize the NAS system. After it, the NAS Smart Installation page appears. Then plug-in all disks/SSDs to start the NAS initialization.

7

Hi, thanks for the advice.

I managed to start the web setup by powering down the NAS, removing all disks, and booting again. Qfinder detected it and the setup wizard started. I updated QTS as prompted.

When the wizard asked me to insert the disks and begin initialization, the countdown started but I suddenly lost connection. The NAS still has an IP (shown in my router) and responds to ping, but I can’t reach the web UI (:8080/HTTPS) and Qfinder no longer finds it.

Any idea how to proceed?

8

“the countdown started but I suddenly lost connection“ !? I have done it to my NAS couples of times but I’ve never seen this. Anyway, you may try boot up NAS without disks and then insert one or all disks into NAS when you see the setup wizard before clicking next to start and wait for one minute. Suppose the inserting disks notice won’t appear.

9

Hi, I really appreciate all the quick and helpful suggestions so far.

I completed the initialization process and received a message saying that the initialization was successful. However, afterwards I’m taken back to the login screen where it asks for a username and password — but the credentials I set during the setup process are not accepted.

Another strange thing is that the NAS name shown on the login page has reverted to the default device name, not the custom name I entered during initialization.

I’ve repeated the initialization a couple of times with the same result. The NAS also does not appear in Qfinder anymore.

Any idea what could be causing this?

10

Did you wipe all the disks involved before doing the setup ? (maybe there is a wonky/broken script on the old disks that kills your setups). Just use diskpart in windows and clean each drive.

11

I would like to try that, but do I need some cable adapters to usb for quick connect to laptop. Or is there any other recommended way to wipe the discs?

12

A USB dock or adapter would be the only thing if you have a laptop.. yes (I have many flying around, those things come in handy all the time, I even have m.2 docks for NVME and SATA)

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13

Wiping the disks did the trick, everything seems to be working fine now. Thanks a lot for the great support and quick responses! @dolbyman and everybody.

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