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[TJ]

I currently have two DNS-323’s: one is used exclusively as a media server, and the other holds all of my data. My “data-323” is configured with two separate volumes and I synchronize them weekly using SyncBack Pro, and once a month I sync these drives to an external. I thought this was a reasonable way to keep my data secure, however I noticed today that files have been disappearing from Volume_2 of my data-323:

I noticed that the remaining space on the two drives in my data-323 were different, so I ran a sync to find that 500 or so files had been deleted from volume_2 – (weird).  So Syncback copied the files in question back to where they belonged, and I rand a SECOND sync immediately after, to find a second 500 or so files had been deleted from volume_2. I did several scans of the drives using different AV scanners- nothing. I ran the dlink checkdisk utility on them both- nothing.

It is also important to know that the missing files do not reside in the same parent folder, nor are any of them executables. I’m consistently missing a few photos, a few mp3s, some word documents, a good number of gaming ROMS stored in zip files…

What the heck is going on? I used to feel so confident that my data was safe, but not any longer. Some insight would be greatly appreciated.
 
-T.J.

[jamieburchell]

My gut feel is that this is more an issue with Syncback or it's configuration rather than an issue with the 323.

I use "robocopy" which is a command line program that ships with Windows Vista and later (also available on XP with additional installation). Before I could successfully sync files from my Windows NTFS drives to the 323's EXT2/3 drives, I needed to change one of the parameters of the program which deals with file timestamps. File timestamps on an NTFS partition are stored with greater granularity (100 nanoseconds) than they are on EXT2/3 partitions (seconds). Without that extra parameter, some files would get replaced, others not, seeminly at random. It doesn't necessarily explain why your files would get deleted, but I wonder whether the concept is related to how Syncback works.

A better explanation:
http://www.somelifeblog.com/2008/05/robocopy-usage-ext2-ext-3-linux-systems.html

Have you asked the Syncback guys if it's a bug?

[TJ]

@jamieburchell:

I don't think it is SyncBack because there are currently 11 gigs fewer on Volume_2. Once they're in sync, the usage is the same, but for how long I couldn't say.

[gunrunnerjohn]

I've used the DNS-323 for about two years, I've had it in a RAID-0, RAID-1, and a separate disk configuration in that time.  I've gone from software 1.03 through to 1.08.  I've never had the box lose files.  I have a hard time believing this is the NAS unless it's simply a hardware failure.

[TJ]

I've had this particular 323 for about 2 years as well, and I bought a second box about 10 months ago. Maybe there is some filesystem corruption, or my drive is on its way out? Is it worth mentioning that this drive is using ext2?

At this time there is a folder which refuses to delete, the files within the folder disappear when I attempt to delete the parent folder, but the subdirectories remain. So I have all these empty folders hanging around, with a bunch of sub-folders within them.

I copied some random files from my notebook onto Volume_2 and I can literally watch the drive usage increase as each file copies, only to revert BACK to initial usage once the file is complete:

e.g. usage from let's say 100 GB to 101 GB WHILE copying 1 GB file. Back to 100 GB for a split second, then up to 102 GB because the next file to copy is 2 GB.

[gunrunnerjohn]

I strongly recommend EXT3, especially if you don't have a UPS connected and monitored by the NAS.  I have gone to EXT3 on both my D-Link NAS boxes and my Synology (standard on the Synology).

[TJ]

Attempting to delete the "undeleteable" folder within DOS gives the following:

C:\Users\TJ>rd "z:\new music folder" /s
z:\new music folder, Are you sure (Y/N)? y
z:\new music folder\UZEFAF~P\MDOO6J~4 - The directory is not empty

I have no such folder! The directory IS empty! I'm getting frustrated. Is there software execution occuring in this folder?

Norton Internet Security marks the drive as clean, as does MalwareBytes. I've scanned my machine with Spybot and Ad-Aware.

?

[TJ]

Addendum:

I have two other copies of this data, so I’m going to just wipe the one problematic drive (in ext3 like the other) do a factory reset, and hold my breath.
Now, I do a factory reset every time I update the FW; can I restore the settings from a config file, or is it best to enter all the info manually?

[gunrunnerjohn]

You need to enter it manually.  Restoring the parameter file may not accomplish cleaning out all the junk.  I tried doing that exact thing and it didn't work after a firmware upgrade.  I know it was a crap-shoot, but I was feeling lazy. 

[TJ]

@all:

So the drive is formatted in ext3. Now I have to copy about 600 GB of data OVER the network (~4MB/s). Thank you muchly for your assitance. Still wish I knew what the heck was going on.

[jamieburchell]

FWIW you are usually able to delete these locked files/folders after a NAS reboot, or after they have been released. Occasionally I'll be copying a file to the NAS and my wireless might die. The file is then locked on the NAS until I reboot and try again or wait for it to be released.

I think you've done the right thing though. You may also want to run the manufacturers diagnostics on the drive to verify it is clean.

It sounds more like an external process removing the files.

[gunrunnerjohn]

WOW!  Two days of transferring!    Why is it so slow?

[jamieburchell]

Try connecting directly to the NAS with a network cable, you should have a much quicker transfer rate that way.

[gunrunnerjohn]

Good gracious yes, if you're using wireless, connect with a wire! 

[TJ]

I'm on Gigabit; however I'm copying from Volume_1 to Volume_2 on the same 323 and since I didn't FunPlug, and I'm using a windows machine that means: dnsvol_1>router>notebook>router>dnsvol_2. I wish there was something in the firmware that would recognize that the files are moving laterally, and just SKIP the network.

And yea, a reboot of the 323 didn't do anything. Nor did using an erase utility. The "/s" of RD in DOS should have deleted it anyways... *shrug*