ASUS RT-N66U USB HDD cross-linking and master file table errors

[Nix]

Hi there, I bought the RT-N66U for its wireless performance and also its SAMBA file sharing capability. I set it up going up to firmware _112 and everything seemed kind of stable. When I plug in my external HDD into the router I can read the files shared just fine from my Win 7 (64-bit) machine. When I start managing files such as creating a folder and moving folders from the parent folder to the created sub-folder everything seems fine until next time I switch off/on the router or umnount the HDD and plug into my pc. Some of the files (usually .jpg) become corrupted and when I run CHKDSK it picks up Master File Table (MFT) and cross-linking errors. CHKDSK /f fixes it but I lose the files. It does this on 500 GB NTFS HDD and similarly on a FAT32 flash drive. I loaded Tomato Toastman (tomato-K26USB-1.28.0499.3MIPSR2Toastman-RT-N-VPN) and the same problem occured. Has someone else experienced this problem? Problem is that the DLNA media server stops indexing there where the corrupted file is encountered which is a real problem. I'm a nube but I'm assuming the SAMBA server software may have a problem and is this something developers can fix? No help from ASUS support so far

 

[RMerlin]

One thing to keep in mind: never turn off the router while a disk is plugged in. Always unmount it first, or else you will face the risk of filesystem corruption. The same could also happen if for some reason your router reboots (due to a crash or a manual reboot being used).

 

[Nix]

.. tried unmounting as well

Thanks for the feedback. I did test that though. I tested both mounted and unmounted cases.... I had the same problem either way... could it be that the firmware doesn't actually umount... even though it says it does?

 

[RMerlin]

Thanks for the feedback. I did test that though. I tested both mounted and unmounted cases.... I had the same problem either way... could it be that the firmware doesn't actually umount... even though it says it does?

Possible, although unlikely. You can know for sure by connecting through telnet, and running the following command:

mount

See if there is any reference to /dev/sda or /dev/sdb in there. If yes, then the drive is still mounted.

Another possibility is the NTFS driver Asus uses (Paragon NTFS). I have seen file corruption issues on other devices using the same driver, altho they were using an older version. That could be another culprit. Unfortunately, the only way around this (if it's truly the case) would be to use a different filesystem, like ext3. This would however be unreadable on a Windows PC, only through the network from the router.

 

[Nix]

You're right, the mounting/unmounting does seem to work. Before unmounting I see: /dev/sdb on /tmp/mnt/TRAXFLASH type vfat (rw,nodev,noatime,fmask=0000,dmask=0000,codepage=cp437,iocharset=utf8,shortname=winnt)
..... but after unmounting it disappears and the shared folders are no longer visible in Win Explorer. I posted this issue on this forum because I haven't seen any other posts related to this issue. Most people are more concerned with bit transfer rates, torrent connections, FTP, etc. It would be interesting to know if somebody else could actually verify if they experienced the same problem. If not, maybe it's just this unit I purchased.... but I think that should be unlikely. Just another question: I assume then that Toastman fw use the same NTFS driver? I'm experiencing similar problems with FAT32 though...

 

[Nix]

... I'm a coding nube so don't mind my ignorance. I found links on an Ubuntu forum specifically pertaining to issues of samba shares with external USB drives and NTFS/FAT32. Dunno if they might be related in any way.... anybody got some insight?

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1705572
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1020890

 

[RMerlin]

I assume then that Toastman fw use the same NTFS driver? I'm experiencing similar problems with FAT32 though...

No. Asus uses a proprietary driver from Paragon Software, for which they bought a license. Other open-sources firmwares use the open source NTFS-3G driver, which is quite slower.

 

[Nix]

Thanks, I guess I'll have to wait and see if someone else has noticed the problem too.... maybe the software guys at ASUS pick it up.

 

[Nix]

I know it seems weird that I'm replying to my own thread but there really are issues I'm experiencing and no love from ASUS support. If the SAMBA server managed to corrupt a file or two due to the problem mentioned in this thread relating to cross-linking and MFT in FAT32 and NTFS external USB HDD's the DLNA media server gets stuck at that corrupted file, i.e. it stops indexing right there and goes into some kind of a 'scanning' loop as its staus gets locked there.

 

[2000wolf]

Hi Nix
I suffer from the same problems.
I had to remove the partitions and format my USB drives several times!
No solution...

 

[Nix]

Hi Nix
I suffer from the same problems.
I had to remove the partitions and format my USB drives several times!
No solution...

Ah, thank you, at last somebody with the same problem. I emailed Jeremy from the "ASUS Introduction" thread who represents ASUS. He told me he forwarded the issue to the ASUS networking support manager. Let's put pressure on them to resolve the issue sooner than later. I'm screaming for some value for my $200 here. His email:
cl-jeremy@asus.com

 

[Guz]

Have you tried with an ext2 formatted drive?

 

[Nix]

...

Have you tried with an ext2 formatted drive?

No, I haven't, but I'm not interested in ext2 as I want to be able to have access to the hard drive via pc as well, unless there is some convenient workaround using mounting software. Do you have any suggestions?

 

[AndreaS]

THIS can be an idea, if you don't want to install Linux, but I guess you'll need at least a live cd to format your disk.

 

[Nix]

Thanks for this... (just been told by ASUS to reflash my unit in recovery mode and if that doesn't help, I can return the unit to the retailer. Well, that is how I got my _112 firmware on after having Tomato Toastman installed which corrupted my drives as well).... How do I now format my hard drive in ext3 format from a Win pc? I see quite a few people had issues with the Ext3 File system driver for Windows 7 and even XP.

 

[AndreaS]

As a linux user I rarely use windows and just for cad programs or for spreadsheets needing some sort of vba programming.
So I didn't test that driver with win 7, but I had no problems with win xp.
If you only need to read or copy your files a linux virtual machine created with vmware or virtualbox (free, the latter) can be a valid and undoubtedly compatible solution.
Otherwise you can use a live generic distribution (every linux flavor has one) or a specific one, like GPARTED, that I highly recommend.
Lastly, if I well remember, many partitioning applications, like those from acronis and from paragon, should be able to perform the task even from windows.

About the type of partition, ext2 is normally recommended for flash drives and ext3 for hard drives.

 

[Nix]

EXTended return..not over until FAT lady sings

Have you tried with an ext2 formatted drive?

I've scheduled the return of my unit later in the week but thought I'd try the ext3 thing as proposed by RMerlin as well. I installed Ubuntu in VMware on my Win7 machine. Quite impressed with the VMware setup btw... worked flawlessly. I formatted my drive first in ext4 and the router didn't pick it up. I then formatted in ext3 and it picked up. I did the same thing as with the FAT32 format... I created folders in subfolders and moved .jpg's around. (File management from Win7 was also buggy because I only got access in 'account mode'). Exact same thing happend!!! The ext3 file format was corrupted. I have screenshots of doing file system checks in Ubuntu's Disk utility before and after the disk was in RT-N66U ... Ubuntu picked up file system errors afterwards..... I don't know if this problem is specific to my unit but if it isn't, don't buy this router if you plan to use the SAMBA server!

 

[MoogLe]

hey guys

I've also been having tons of problems with file transfers to mounted hard drives.

I've been in constant communication with a guy called Adam from Asus which has been trying to help me out allot.

My problem was basically that like OP said, after transfering allot of files, it looks like somewhere during the transfer, files and file tables get corrupted. I've had entire directories get corrupted and everytime i reconnected the drive to a pc I've had to fix the file tables.

It's gotten to the point that i kinda gave up on it.

Adam suggested i try a beta firmware that they're working on which I have not gotten a chance to do yet and if that doesnt fix it he offered to RMA my unit.

But it's finally looking like this problem was not just me. My problem was that I could not provide asus with any way to recreate the problem and the other problem is that hard drive activity is not recorded into the log files so it's hard for them to trouble shoot.

Can you guys consistently recreate the problem? I'm gonna send this thread to Adam so he might be able to provide some input.

I absolutely love the stability and speed of this router, but this was a feature I was really looking forward to and I'm very dissapointed that it didnt work out as it should have. Another note was when it DID work, the transfer speeds were VERY slow! Like 6-8mb/sec TOPS! Compared to 20mb+/sec that my NAS gets connected to the same router.

 

[Nix]

@MoogLe (above), I feel exactly the same way you do but unfortunately yourself, 2000Wolf and myself are the only ones here reporting this issue. Great router otherwise and I really would like to keep it. I've been in contact with Jeremy, the ASUS representative who also has his own thread running under 'ASUS Wireless'. Jeremy has been quick to respond and helpful as well, but he says his hands are tied as he escalated the issue higher up into ASUS.

The way I see it ASUS have a problem with the Paragon SAMBA software (RMErlin mentioned ASUS uses Paragon), so to fix this problem they might end up having to talk to developer contractors. This inevitably becomes a drawn out situation. What I find interesting is that the type of firmware makes no difference, i.e. Tomato Toastman has same problem and the file format, NTFS, FAT32, ext3, etc.... also makes no difference, so the problem is somehow inherent file management.

I reliably recreate the problem without exception. All I do is switch on the router nearby, insert a FAT32 flash drive (or NTFS 500GB ext drive, etc) with a folder with a subfolder containing a few pictures. I then create subfolders and move the pictures around from subfolder to root and back, etc. Note, No corruption detected yet! I then remove (unmount) the disk and insert it in any Win7 or XP machine and run a CHKDSK.... and there is always a mapping and cross-linking error. If I don't fix the disk and start browsing folders some of the subfolders I created just aren't there or some of the files I moved are completely corrupted and non-repairable. If I put the disk back in the router, without fixing, all of a sudden the folders and files the router saw and managed before with no problem are now no longer workable and the DLNA server stops indexing right there stuffing up your DLNA feature as well. (Btw, if you allow CHKDSK to repair, i.e.chkdsk /f, you permanently lose folders and files.... but at least corrupted files are no longer present.)

I have tried everything I can and until ASUS don't come back with a solution one of the main reasons why I bought this router is a total dudd. ASUS won't give me a timeframe to the solution so my only option now is to exercise my consumer right to return the product in my country and to look at a competing product like e.g. the Netgear WNDR4500....

 

[2000wolf]

Though Netgear's Readyshare feature worked like a charm on my old WNDR 4000 ASUS' WLAN performance is more important to my usecase - as I already mentioned there http://forums.smallnetbuilder.com/showpost.php?p=43661&postcount=20
I'm afraid I'll never get the best from the two worlds...