Just experienced one of the more bizarre issues I’ve encountered in my IT career.  I was attempting to install a simple Lenovo IX-4 firmware update.  I use one of these myself in my home lab.  Some of my very small customers use them for cheap replication or backup targets as well.  One customer needed a firmware update that went awry.  The solution was incomprehensible, but it fixed the problem.  I felt compelled to share!

IX-4 Firmware Update Issue

These IX-4 NAS devices are pretty straight forward to manage.  They do have a management app you can install.  However, they’re easy enough to just manage them through their built in web portal.  Updating the NAS firmware is normally standard fare, much like updating a home router firmware.

1. Point your web browser to the NAS, login, and go to the Software Update icon.
2. When you click to check for an updated firmware, it’ll tell you if there is one, and provide the link.  Download the firmware package.
3. Click the browse button, and select the firmware file you downloaded.  Do a file hash checksum first of course.  The firmware will then be uploaded.
4. Finally, click to apply the firmware.

The problem is this time, despite the file hash being correct, and trying multiple downloads of the latest firmware file, and even the next previous version, the firmware would not install.  I kept getting the error “The software could not be updated because the update file is corrupted.”

I tried rebooting the IX-4 and then reapplying it.  I tried deleting it and reuploading it.  Nothing worked.

IX-4 Firmware Update Solution

I did some googling.  I found a weird forum post about resolving this issue, that other users had success with as well.  Yes, this is pretty out there.

1. Delete the uploaded firmware file.
2. Power down the NAS.  You can do this within the web management console.
3. Pop the cover by removing the two screws on the back, and pulling the cover off.
4. Remove Disk 4.
5. Power the NAS back up.  When you log in to the web management portal, it will show alerts that disk 4 is missing.  This is obviously expected.
6. Upload the firmware file again and apply it.  The firmware should apply.  It did for me, which I could not believe!  Let it reboot, etc.
7. Power NAS back down.
8. Put Disk 4 back in.
9. Power the NAS back up.  Ensure that the status for the NAS shows the RAID set is rebuilding, or good.
10. Check back in and ensure that the RAID rebuild completes.

And that’s how I got the IX-4 firmware update installed!  I’d complain, but it was pretty simple to fix, and we are talking about a sub $1000 NAS here.