My QNAP TS-212P reboots every 5 mins

[Domenico Andreoli]

Hi,

this started to happen right after I updated kernel to version 4.9.88-1.
Previous version, I think it was 4.9.82-1+deb9u3, worked just fine. This
machine strictly follows Debian stable + updates.

I've the serial cable connected and I don't see any strange kernel message
on the console. OTOH I hear the disks spinning down and up again, then
u-boot shows up, as if some watchdog is kicking in.

In support of the watchdog theory, if I break in u-boot before any kernel
is booted, it stays in u-boot as long as I want. If instead I firstly boot
and then reboot manually (before the supposed watchdog kicks in), breaking
in u-boot lasts only for few minutes (I didn't take wall time but I suspect
it's ~5 minutes minus the time it takes to firstly boot and for me to enter
the password again).

I don't have the previous kernel package installed, I downloaded it but I'm
a bit afraid to install it, I'm quite sure it would not make in time to
install and flash everything before a new watchdog kick.

I've some hopes to find a way to avoid enabling the watchdog, so that I can
safely downgrade the kernel version but first a few questions here:

1. how is it possible nobody else has this problem?
2. any experience in disabling the watchdog?
3. maybe I'm missing some watchdog package which properly solves my problem?
4. should I open a new bug for the kernel?

Please help me, this machine is quite important to me.

Kind regards,
Domenico

[Martin Michlmayr]

Post by Domenico Andreoli
3. maybe I'm missing some watchdog package which properly solves my problem?

Does this make any difference?

/sbin/qcontrol --direct watchdog off

[Martin Michlmayr]

Post by Martin Michlmayr
Does this make any difference?
/sbin/qcontrol --direct watchdog off

yes, a lot.
Indeed after the watchdog is turned off the box doesn't reset any more.

This command normally gets run in the initramfs, so the next step is
to figure out why this isn't the case.

Maybe you could edit
/usr/share/initramfs-tools/scripts/init-bottom/qcontrol
and add a "set -x" at the beginning. Then rebuild the initramfs
(update-initramfs -u).

You only changed the kernel, right, or did udev also change?