OpenWRT or Debian on Zyxel NSA325v2

Hello everyone,
I would like to give OpenWRT or maybe Debian a try on my NAS from Zyxel (NSA325v2).
According to the instructions (https://openwrt.org/toh/zyxel/nsa325 1), the u-boot.kwb from 19.x.x release is bugged and won't allow access to any mass storage, so it is recommended to use the latest 18.x.x version.

Now, I hope someone can help me with one or two questions I have:

- Is this information still valid and do I only need to replace the u-boot.kbw or also other files?
- Is it recommended to use the entire 18.x.x release with that u-boot.kwb or can the 18.x.x and 19.x.x be safely used together?
- Are there any known issues with accessing external or internal drives? Given that it is a NAS, the worst that could happen would be losing access to my drives or being restricted in the kind of drives I can use.
- What is the difference between the u-boot found in the instructions (so here) and the one from here?
- Will booting Debian require an external USB stick or an internal HDD to boot? Or will it fit on the system's internal storage?

Any help would be greatly appreciated and if anybody has anything to add or correct as far as installation instructions go, please feel free to comment :slight_smile:

All the best
Alex

FYI: I initially started this thread in the OpenWRT forum but a reply there and Google searching kept bringing me here :)
(https://forum.openwrt.org/t/openwrt-on-zyxel-nsa325v2/95352)

AleXSR700,

The basic 2 step to install Debian and new u-boot.

If you are inside stock OS, you can install both new U-Boot and new Debian rootfs:

1. On another Linux box, create the Debian rootfs using Debian-5.2.9-kirkwood-tld-1-rootfs-bodhi.tar.bz2 following the instruction.

Debian:
https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,12096

Scroll down to the section

Quote

Updated 25 Aug 2019:

Basic Debian buster Kirkwood rootfs for most Kirwood plugs:

2. Dowload the u-boot tarball uboot.2017.07-tld-1.nsa325.bodhi.tar to this new USB rootfs:

U-Boot:
https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,12381

3. And then attach the new USB rootfs to the NSA25 box. Follow the u-boot installation instruction to flash u-boot.

After installing on USB, and have verified that it works, you can transfer the USB rootfs to the internal HDD and run the system from there, if desire.

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Quote

- Will booting Debian require an external USB stick or an internal HDD to boot? Or will it fit on the system's internal storage?

This box NAND is too small for the Debian rootfs to fit in.

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Thank you @bodhi!

If OpenWRT fits on the NAND, I might consider doing that. I am a bit afraid to lose all functionality if my USB stick dies and I do not want to keep my HDDs awake. One NAS is storage only and the other NAS has only one HDD that is regularly used.

What is the difference between uboot.2017.07-tld-1.nsa325.bodhi.tar and the uboot from OpenWRT? OpenWRT seems newer, but is it really better or just constant updating with no benefit (or even disadvantages?)?

Or should I use the OpenWRT uboot for OpenWRT and the uboot.2017.07-tld-1.nsa325.bodhi.tar only for Debian?

I recommend to use uboot from openwrt. Environment variable will be set correctly. For sure you should have serial cable before you start your adventure.

AleXSR700,

> If OpenWRT fits on the NAND, I might consider
> doing that. I am a bit afraid to lose all
> functionality if my USB stick dies

It is OK to run USB rootfs if you take precaution, and do back up regularly. I have multiple Kirkwood boxes that run with USB rootfs (Sandisk thumb drives, which are most reliable) for many years. All my media server NAS run with USB rootfs and the HDDs are idle until I stream something.


> What is the difference between
> uboot.2017.07-tld-1.nsa325.bodhi.tar and the uboot
> from OpenWRT? OpenWRT seems newer, but is it
> really better or just constant updating with no
> benefit (or even disadvantages?)?

Probably not much different. They actually used WarheadSE (Arch Linux ARM)'s and my patches as the starter to build their u-boot. If anything, they have probably removed some functionalities.

> Or should I use the OpenWRT uboot for OpenWRT and
> the uboot.2017.07-tld-1.nsa325.bodhi.tar only for
> Debian?

If you only install OpenWrt then use their u-boot version.

If you want to run both then use my u-boot version. See here for the installation steps:

https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?4,42279
or
http://forum.doozan.com/read.php?4,29966

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Quote

If you only install OpenWrt then use their u-boot version.

If you want to run both then use my u-boot version. See here for the installation steps:

I'll take that back.

You should use OpenWrt u-boot version to run both OpenWrt and Debian.

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Why the change of heart?

AleXSR700,

If you run Debian only, then use my uboot.

If you run both systems in this box, you could use either. However, using OpenWRT uboot is a bit easier in this case, because I don’t have the envs setup to boot both , atm. Of course, it can be done easily if you prefer my uboot version.

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Hello everyone,
my new FTDI adapter arrived and I tested it on a smart socket and it works nicely.

So next I wanted to tackle my NSA325v2 and maybe I am thinking to complex but are not all steps performed via the usb to serial connection?
Because the OpenWRT instructions basically start by booting into u-boot, but there is no description on how to do that.
I tried simply using my serial connection and the blue LED lights up, but Putty cannot connect. On my smart socket I had to bridge IOO and GND to get access. Is there something similar needed here?
Or do I need to twist TX and RX? So is the scheme on https://openwrt.org/toh/zyxel/nsa325 the way to plug in? So FTDI Adapter TX goes to the pin labelled TX, correct? It is not meant that that one is TX and so it needs to be plugged into RX on the adapter?

Per your recommendations I would like to start off with the OpenWRT u-boot and image and depending on how that goes and how much I like it, maybe move to Debian afterwards. But I am lacking the initial u-boot installation instructions it seems.

P.S.: I am assuming that I do not need to plug in the power supply, correct? Or does the FTDI's 3.3V not suffice to boot and I need the power supply?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/11/2021 01:51AM by AleXSR700.

AleXSR700,


> I tried simply using my serial connection and the
> blue LED lights up, but Putty cannot connect.

Your wires connection is probably not correct.

> Or do I need to twist TX and RX?

Most of the time you do need to cross TX and RX. For certain older model of the CP2xxx module converter, the 2 wires already crossed. For the PL3xxx chip module, the wires TX and RX need to be crossed.

> P.S.: I am assuming that I do not need to plug in
> the power supply, correct? Or does the FTDI's 3.3V
> not suffice to boot and I need the power supply?

Correct. Never connect the 3.3.V (it will fry your NSA325 serial port). Only 3 wires are needed: TX, RX, and GND.

See the pinout for this box here (these Zyxel NAS boxes have the same pinouts):

https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,51739,51919#msg-51919

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Then let's hope I did not fry my serial port because I attached the 3.3V as per the scheme on the OpenWRT Wiki. That is not a smart picture or instruction then.
Especially given that it states you need 3.3V but then you don't use it.

I will try it this evening after work.
Most other devices (non NAS) need the 3.3V as power supply because they are flashed without mains connection

So, device is still working, however, I have had absolutely no luck getting the u-boot flashed. I have tried all my usb sticks and none seem to work. Not even the ones I used to use as swap on old Linux sat receivers.

TFTP servers also do not work (Tried 3 different ones). Just keeps to download but abort because it cannot connect/download.

Anybody have any ideas?

AleXSR700,

The easiest way is boot the new u-boot using kwboot. Once the new u-boot is running, installing OpenWrt is quite easy.

1. This is how to run kwboot. The instruction is for NSA320s, but is same for NSA325 (using u-boot image uboot.2017.07-tld-1.nsa325.mtd0.kwb)

https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,51739,51919#msg-51919

2. And when this new u-boot start running, use this instruction for the Pogo E02 to install OpenWrt:

https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?4,42279

The instruction is for Pogo E02, so the file you need is different

Quote

https://downloads.lede-project.org/releases/17.01.4/targets/kirkwood/generic/lede-17.01.4-kirkwood-pogo_e02-initramfs-uImage

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Thank you @bodhi!

I will try kwboot now, but I am either doing something wrong or something is no longer working.

I am running a RPi 4 with 8 GB, Raspian OS 64-bit.

[91387.374689] usb 1-1.3: Detected FT232RL
[91387.379766] usb 1-1.3: FTDI USB Serial Device converter now attached to ttyUSB0
pi@pi:~/Downloads/kwboot-tool $ ls -la
total 5664
drwxr-xr-x 2 pi pi    4096 May 12 09:03 .
drwxr-xr-x 3 pi pi    4096 May 12 08:47 ..
-rw-r--r-- 1 pi pi 4063232 May 12 08:51 18.bin
-rwxrwxrwx 1 pi pi   15604 May 12 09:03 kwboot
-rw-r--r-- 1 pi pi  569104 May 12 08:51 uboot.bin
-rw-r--r-- 1 pi pi  569168 May 12 08:51 uboot.img
-rw-r--r-- 1 pi pi  569620 May 12 08:51 uboot.kwb
pi@pi:~/Downloads/kwboot-tool $ ./kwboot -t -B 115200 /dev/ttyUSB0 -b uboot.kwb
bash: ./kwboot: No such file or directory
pi@pi:~/Downloads/kwboot-tool $

Using this kwboot https://bitly.com/2hfdNPS you linked.
The uboot.kwb is the OpenWRT one.

P.S.: /dev/ttyUSB0 seems to be working as Putty can connect without any issues.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2021 02:19AM by AleXSR700.

So, I wanted to give my feedback and hopefully this will help others in the future also.

Situation:
USB sticks were not recognized. TFTP did not work. kwboot did not work.

Then came a recommendation by Mijzelf to check if the 5V for the USB was actually being supplied properly. So I added an active USB Hub in between so the USB stick was already powered externally and not through the board.
And it worked!

So, if anybody has the same issue with USB sticks not being recognized or files not being readable, try an active USB hub.

In addition I found that I could not use the same USB stick to flash uboot and the actual OpenWRT. It just would not work. I need to reboot with a different USB stick (no rebooting with the same USB stick did not fix it).
And then it worked.
I tried on my second NSA325v2 using the second USB stick first. Same picture. I had to use two USB sticks in whatever order. The system just wanted two sticks even though both had the same files and same worked.

Anyhow, long story short: THANK YOU ALLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OpenWRT is now installed and next I need to figure out why I do not have a built in file browser in OpenWRT and then install one to check if the drives are read properly.

Summary:
Use an active USB hub and have two USB sticks prepared ;-)

Hello, I'm running a few days with a zyxell 325 V2. I once loaded Open WRT. now I tried to make Debian 5.2.9 according to the instructions omitting step 4 USB formatted ex3. USB is detected but Open Wrt starts instead of Debian, do I need to change U-Boot? please help.

Grzegorz,

Yout don't need to change u-boot. Treat OpenWrt u-boot like stock u-boot. And follow this instruction:

Boot Kirkwood rootfs with stock u-boot

https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,102054,105374#msg-105374

And you need to do Step 4 in the Debian rootfs installation.

===

Once you have booted Debian, there are more envs adjustments if you want to dual boot Debian on USB and OpenWrt on flash.

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I have Open WRT luci 22.03 snapshot.
https://openwrt.org/toh/zyxel/nsa325

root@clever:/media/root/rootfs/boot# cp -a zImage-5.13.6-kirkwood-tld-1  zImage.fdt
root@clever:/media/root/rootfs/boot# cat dts/kirkwood-nsa325.dtb  >> zImage.fdt
root@clever:/media/root/rootfs/boot# mv uImage uImage.orig
root@clever:/media/root/rootfs/boot# mkimage -A arm -O linux -T kernel -C none -a 0x00008000 -e 0x00008000 -n Linux-4.12.1-kirkwood-tld-1 -d zImage.fdt  uImage
Image Name:   Linux-4.12.1-kirkwood-tld-1
Created:      Mon Apr 10 13:19:28 2023
Image Type:   ARM Linux Kernel Image (uncompressed)
Data Size:    5449838 Bytes = 5322.11 kB = 5.20 MB
Load Address: 00008000
Entry Point:  00008000
root@clever:/media/root/rootfs/boot# sync

So I did. Debian does not start. What else do I need to change? urzywałem USB front 3.0 and back USB2.

glw125,

> So I did.

Did you set up envs in serial console like I mentioned above?

Quote

Yout don't need to change u-boot. Treat OpenWrt u-boot like stock u-boot. And follow this instruction:

Boot Kirkwood rootfs with stock u-boot

https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?2,102054,105374#msg-105374

If you did and Debian did not boot, then post the entire serial bootlog here.

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Hello,

I did as you wrote. Neither debian nor Open WRT boots on first boot. next time debian is started in console. And now debian won't start, every time open wrt starts even if i made a new usb.

glw125,

> I did as you wrote. Neither debian nor Open WRT
> boots on first boot. next time debian is started
> in console. And now debian won't start, every time
> open wrt starts even if i made a new usb.

Please post entire serial console boot log.

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Hello
problem is in

## Error: "setenv" not defined

again I wanted to do

NSA325> setenv usb_set_bootargs 'setenv bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 root=LABEL=rootfs rootdelay=10 earlyprintk=serial'

NSA325> setenv load_uimage 'ext2load usb 0:1 0x800000 /boot/uImage'
Unknown command 'setenv' - try 'help'

NSA325> setenv load_uinitrd 'ext2load usb 0:1 0x2100000 /boot/uInitrd'
NSA325> setenv usb_boot 'mw 0x800000 0 1; run load_uimage; run load_uinitrd; bootm 0x800000 0x2100000'
NSA325> setenv usb_bootcmd 'run usb_set_bootargs; run usb_boot'
NSA325> setenv bootcmd 'usb reset; run usb_bootcmd; usb stop; reset'
NSA325> setenv bootcmd 'usb reset; run usb_bootcmd; usb stop; reset'
NSA325> printenv
baudrate=115200
bootcmd=usb reset; run usb_bootcmd; usb stop; reset
bootdelay=3
console=console=ttyS0,115200
ethact=egiga0
ethaddr=5C:F4:AB:48:F2:BC
load_uinitrd=ext2load usb 0:1 0x2100000 /boot/uInitrd
mtdids=nand0=orion_nand
mtdparts=mtdparts=orion_nand:0x00c0000(uboot),0x80000(uboot_env),0x7ec0000(ubi)
stderr=serial
stdin=serial
stdout=serial
usb_boot=mw 0x800000 0 1; run load_uimage; run load_uinitrd; bootm 0x800000 0x2100000
usb_bootcmd=run usb_set_bootargs; run usb_boot
usb_set_bootargs=setenv bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 root=LABEL=rootfs rootdelay=10 earlyprintk=serial

Environment size: 586/131068 bytes
NSA325> boot
resetting USB...

does not recognize the command setenv load_uimage

You probably copy and paste and got some weird hidden chars. Try typing

setenv load_uimage 'ext2load usb 0:1 0x800000 /boot/uImage'

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Hello
It starts only once, after turning the NAS325 back on, the procedure should be repeated, because it starts Open WRT

U-Boot 2020.04 (Oct 14 2022 - 22:44:41 +0000)
ZyXEL NSA325 2-Bay Power Media Server

SoC:   Kirkwood 88F6282_A1
DRAM:  512 MiB
NAND:  128 MiB
MMC:
Loading Environment from NAND... OK
In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
Net:   egiga0
MV88E1318 PHY initialized on egiga0
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0
NSA325> setenv usb_set_bootargs 'setenv bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 root=LABEL=rootfs rootdelay=10 earlyprintk=serial'
NSA325> setenv load_uimage 'ext2load usb 0:1 0x800000 /boot/uImage'
NSA325> setenv load_uinitrd 'ext2load usb 0:1 0x2100000 /boot/uInitrd'
NSA325> setenv usb_boot 'mw 0x800000 0 1; run load_uimage; run load_uinitrd; bootm 0x800000 0x2100000'
NSA325> setenv usb_bootcmd 'run usb_set_bootargs; run usb_boot'
NSA325> setenv bootcmd 'usb reset; run usb_bootcmd; usb stop; reset'
NSA325> printenv
baudrate=115200
bootcmd=usb reset; run usb_bootcmd; usb stop; reset
bootdelay=3
console=console=ttyS0,115200
ethact=egiga0
ethaddr=5C:F4:AB:48:F2:BC
load_uimage=ext2load usb 0:1 0x800000 /boot/uImage
load_uinitrd=ext2load usb 0:1 0x2100000 /boot/uInitrd
mtdids=nand0=orion_nand
mtdparts=mtdparts=orion_nand:0x00c0000(uboot),0x80000(uboot_env),0x7ec0000(ubi)
stderr=serial
stdin=serial
stdout=serial
usb_boot=mw 0x800000 0 1; run load_uimage; run load_uinitrd; bootm 0x800000 0x2100000
usb_bootcmd=run usb_set_bootargs; run usb_boot
usb_set_bootargs=setenv bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 root=LABEL=rootfs rootdelay=10 earlyprintk=serial

Environment size: 637/131068 bytes
NSA325> boot
resetting USB...
USB0:   USB EHCI 1.00
scanning bus 0 for devices... 3 USB Device(s) found
       scanning usb for storage devices... 1 Storage Device(s) found
5449902 bytes read in 246 ms (21.1 MiB/s)
9671091 bytes read in 407 ms (22.7 MiB/s)
## Booting kernel from Legacy Image at 00800000 ...
   Image Name:   Linux-5.13.6-kirkwood-tld-1
   Created:      2023-04-16  20:15:23 UTC
   Image Type:   ARM Linux Kernel Image (uncompressed)
   Data Size:    5449838 Bytes = 5.2 MiB
   Load Address: 00008000
   Entry Point:  00008000
   Verifying Checksum ... OK
## Loading init Ramdisk from Legacy Image at 02100000 ...
   Image Name:   initramfs-5.13.6-kirkwood-tld-1
   Created:      2021-09-24   1:06:32 UTC
   Image Type:   ARM Linux RAMDisk Image (gzip compressed)
   Data Size:    9671027 Bytes = 9.2 MiB
   Load Address: 00000000
   Entry Point:  00000000
   Verifying Checksum ... OK
   Loading Kernel Image
   Loading Ramdisk to 1f1fd000, end 1fb36173 ... OK

Starting kernel ...

glw125,

> It starts only once, after turning the NAS325 back
> on, the procedure should be repeated, because it
> starts Open WRT

Yes. It is expected to behave like that initially, because you have not saved the envs.

So after running these envs and boot successfully into Debian a few times,

setenv usb_set_bootargs 'setenv bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 root=LABEL=rootfs rootdelay=10 earlyprintk=serial'
setenv load_uimage 'ext2load usb 0:1 0x800000 /boot/uImage'
setenv load_uinitrd 'ext2load usb 0:1 0x2100000 /boot/uInitrd'
setenv usb_boot 'mw 0x800000 0 1; run load_uimage; run load_uinitrd; bootm 0x800000 0x2100000'
setenv usb_bootcmd 'run usb_set_bootargs; run usb_boot'
setenv bootcmd 'usb reset; run usb_bootcmd; usb stop; reset'

Like you already did.

At the next boot,

setenv usb_set_bootargs 'setenv bootargs console=ttyS0,115200 root=LABEL=rootfs rootdelay=10 earlyprintk=serial'
setenv load_uimage 'ext2load usb 0:1 0x800000 /boot/uImage'
setenv load_uinitrd 'ext2load usb 0:1 0x2100000 /boot/uInitrd'
setenv usb_boot 'mw 0x800000 0 1; run load_uimage; run load_uinitrd; bootm 0x800000 0x2100000'
setenv usb_bootcmd 'run usb_set_bootargs; run usb_boot'
setenv bootcmd 'usb reset; run usb_bootcmd; usb stop; reset'

saveenv

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Thank you bodhi for your help :)
Starting the system, you are very kind.

I have a question, is it possible to Open WRT to remove NSA325v2 and restore the factory system on the internal memory and Debian on the external?

Regards

glw125,

> I have a question, is it possible to Open WRT to
> remove NSA325v2 and restore the factory system on
> the internal memory and Debian on the external?

Once you have the OpwnWrt u-boot or my u-boot flashed to NAND, it is no longer possible to run stock OS.

It is possible to dual boot stock FW and Debian, but it will be a lot of works: restoring stock u-boot and all other MTDs on NAND to factory condition. And then set up stock u-boot to boot the Debian rootfs on USB (or HDD).

Besides, stock OS is too old, and have inherent security problem. Don't use it.

Now you already have OpenWrt on NAND, you can go one step further and set up the envs to dual boot Debian on USB and OpenWrt on flash.

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Hi now debian boots from usb only as silent usb in the NAS is an error. And does not start open wrt

ZyXEL NSA325 2-Bay Power Media Server

SoC:   Kirkwood 88F6282_A1
DRAM:  512 MiB
NAND:  128 MiB
MMC:
Loading Environment from NAND... OK
In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
Net:   egiga0
MV88E1318 PHY initialized on egiga0
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0
resetting USB...
USB0:   USB EHCI 1.00
scanning bus 0 for devices... 2 USB Device(s) found
       scanning usb for storage devices... 0 Storage Device(s) found
Wrong Image Format for bootm command
Error occured, error code = 112
ERROR: can't get kernel image!
stopping USB..
resetting ...

Power up, interrupt serial console at countdown and,

printenv

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