Guide: How to circumvent Synology hard drive restrictions: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 17:01, 7 May 2025

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Main article: Synology requiring proprietary-branded drives to be used with its NAS

In early 2025, Synology introduced a requirement for new NAS models moving forward to be used exclusively with their branded hard drives.^[1] While at the moment this does not affect any of the company's NAS models before the change, owners of newer NAS models will lose vital functionalities for non-Synology-branded drives,^[2] such as lifespan analysis and automatic firmware updates. Additionally, storage pools are restricted for third-party drives and support for third-party drives are either limited or nonexistent.^[2]

Guide[edit | edit source]

Warning: It is possible that this guide may be outdated, or contain incorrect information, either due to changes made by Synology or for other reasons. It is therefore advised that the reader to follow this guide at their own risk, acknowledging potential for damage to the NAS or installed hard drives.

Some methods are aware of the wiki and are provided as references here^[3].

HDD DB[edit | edit source]

Download the zip file from the GitHub page^[4] to a folder on your NAS, which is not inside a M.2. volume.

You can drag and drop this file onto your NAS and unzip the file, or alternatively use SSH and input the following commands into the command line:

cd $HOME

wget https://github.com/Consumer-Rights-Wiki-Org/Synology_HDD_db/archive/refs/heads/main.zip -O syno_hdd_db.zip

7z x syno_hdd_db.zip

cd Synology_HDD_db-main && ls -ali

Verify that the following files are in the same folder:

syno_hdd_db.sh
syno_hdd_vendor_ids.txt
dtc or the bin folder containing dtc (only required if you have a E10M20-T1, M2D20 or M2D18 in a NAS that does not support them).

Now, you just need to set this script to run after an update, as any update will override the script. You can easily set the script to run via the guide provided by the HDD DB Github page.^[5]

Any changes may not be immediately visible, so it is recommended to restart your NAS after the script is first run.

There are additional features this script provides, and necessary troubleshooting so it is advised to further study the GitHub page if you are interested.^[4]

Alternative installation[edit | edit source]

There are also 2 commands you can run to circumvent the script should it be either too cumbersome or no-longer function.

Log into your NAS via telnet with the following command:

http://[ip-address of NAS]:5000/webman/start_telnet.cgi

Now after being logged in via root, input this command:

printf '#!/bin/sh\nexit 0\n' >"/usr/syno/share/get_hcl_invalid_disks.sh"

Refreshing the web install page should allow for you to now use your incompatible drive with modern Synology NAS software.

References[edit | edit source]

↑ Morales, Jowi (Apr 16, 2025). "Synology requires self-branded drives for some consumer NAS systems, drops full functionality and support for third-party HDDs". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 "Synology weitet Nutzung auf Plus-Modelle aus". www.hardwareluxx.de. 16 Apr 2025. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
↑ "Finally managed to get WD Red Disks working without compatibility issue on DS3622xs+". Reddit. 2023. Retrieved 2025-04-19.
↑ ^4.0 ^4.1 Russel, Dave (Feb 26, 2023). "Synology HDD db". Github. Retrieved May 6, 2025.
↑ Russel, Dave. "How to schedule a script in Synology Task Scheduler". Github. Retrieved May 6, 2025.

[:0-1] Morales, Jowi (Apr 16, 2025). "Synology requires self-branded drives for some consumer NAS systems, drops full functionality and support for third-party HDDs". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[:1-2] 2.0 ^2.1 "Synology weitet Nutzung auf Plus-Modelle aus". www.hardwareluxx.de. 16 Apr 2025. Retrieved 18 Apr 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[3] "Finally managed to get WD Red Disks working without compatibility issue on DS3622xs+". Reddit. 2023. Retrieved 2025-04-19.

[:2-4] 4.0 ^4.1 Russel, Dave (Feb 26, 2023). "Synology HDD db". Github. Retrieved May 6, 2025.

[5] Russel, Dave. "How to schedule a script in Synology Task Scheduler". Github. Retrieved May 6, 2025.

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[5]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{GuideNotice|comment=''This guide is submitted by community member [[:User:JamesTDG]], and is presented from the perspectives of linked references, with various modifications from Consumer Action Taskforce members.''}}
-== Origins ==
 {{Main|Synology requiring proprietary-branded drives to be used with its NAS}}
-In early 2025, [[Synology]] introduced a requirement for new NAS models moving forward to be used exclusively with their branded hard drives.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Morales |first=Jowi |date=Apr 16, 2025 |title=Synology requires self-branded drives for some consumer NAS systems, drops full functionality and support for third-party HDDs |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/nas/synology-requires-self-branded-drives-for-some-consumer-nas-systems-drops-full-functionality-and-support-for-third-party-hdds |url-status=live |access-date=18 Apr 2025 |website=Tom's Hardware}}</ref> While at the moment this does not affect any of the company's NAS models before the change, owners of newer NAS models will lose vital functionalities for non-Synology-branded drives,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=16 Apr 2025 |title=Synology weitet Nutzung auf Plus-Modelle aus |url=https://www.hardwareluxx.de/index.php/news/hardware/festplatten/65949-synology-weitet-den-zwang-zur-eignen-oder-zertifizierten-festplatte-auf-die-plus-modelle-aus.html |url-status=live |access-date=18 Apr 2025 |website=www.hardwareluxx.de}}</ref> such as lifespan analyses and automatic firmware updates. Additionally, storage pools are restricted for third-party drives and support for third-party drives are either limited or nonexistent.<ref name=":1" />
+In early 2025, [[Synology]] introduced a requirement for new NAS models moving forward to be used exclusively with their branded hard drives.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Morales |first=Jowi |date=Apr 16, 2025 |title=Synology requires self-branded drives for some consumer NAS systems, drops full functionality and support for third-party HDDs |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/nas/synology-requires-self-branded-drives-for-some-consumer-nas-systems-drops-full-functionality-and-support-for-third-party-hdds |url-status=live |access-date=18 Apr 2025 |website=Tom's Hardware}}</ref> While at the moment this does not affect any of the company's NAS models before the change, owners of newer NAS models will lose vital functionalities for non-Synology-branded drives,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=16 Apr 2025 |title=Synology weitet Nutzung auf Plus-Modelle aus |url=https://www.hardwareluxx.de/index.php/news/hardware/festplatten/65949-synology-weitet-den-zwang-zur-eignen-oder-zertifizierten-festplatte-auf-die-plus-modelle-aus.html |url-status=live |access-date=18 Apr 2025 |website=www.hardwareluxx.de}}</ref> such as lifespan analysis and automatic firmware updates. Additionally, storage pools are restricted for third-party drives and support for third-party drives are either limited or nonexistent.<ref name=":1" />
-== Guide ==
+==Guide==
-Warning: It is possible that this guide can be outdated, notably from a change by [[Synology]]. It is advised to the reader to follow this guide at their own risk, since this may unintentionally cause the NAS or the installed hard drives damage.
+Warning: It is possible that this guide may be outdated, or contain incorrect information, either due to changes made by [[Synology]] or for other reasons. It is therefore advised that the reader to follow this guide at their own risk, acknowledging potential for damage to the NAS or installed hard drives.
-Some methods are aware of the wiki and are provided as refs here,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=Finally managed to get WD Red Disks working without compatibility issue on DS3622xs+ |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/synology/comments/161w36v/finally_managed_to_get_wd_red_disks_working/ |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=Reddit}}</ref> however due to the sake of limited time, they have yet to be integrated.
+Some methods are aware of the wiki and are provided as references here<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=Finally managed to get WD Red Disks working without compatibility issue on DS3622xs+ |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/synology/comments/161w36v/finally_managed_to_get_wd_red_disks_working/ |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=Reddit}}</ref>.
-=== HDD DB ===
+===HDD DB===
-This method is recommended<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bhutani |first=Dhruv |date=May 5, 2025 |title=I got around Synology's dumb drive restrictions — here's how |url=https://www.xda-developers.com/i-got-around-synologys-dumb-drive-restrictions/ |access-date=May 6, 2025 |website=XDA Developers}}</ref> to attempt first, as it is the easiest. First, download the zip file from the GitHub page<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Russel |first=Dave |date=Feb 26, 2023 |title=Synology HDD db |url=https://github.com/007revad/Synology_HDD_db |access-date=May 6, 2025 |website=Github}}</ref> to a folder to your NAS, specifically not inside a M.2. volume.
+Download the zip file from the GitHub page<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Russel |first=Dave |date=Feb 26, 2023 |title=Synology HDD db |url=https://github.com/007revad/Synology_HDD_db |access-date=May 6, 2025 |website=Github}}</ref> to a folder on your NAS, which is not inside a M.2. volume.
-You can simply drag + drop this file onto your NAS and unzip the file, or alternatively use SSH and input the following commands into the command line:
+You can drag and drop this file onto your NAS and unzip the file, or alternatively use SSH and input the following commands into the command line:
   cd $HOME
-  wget <nowiki>https://github.com/007revad/Synology_HDD_db/archive/refs/heads/main.zip</nowiki> -O syno_hdd_db.zip
+  wget <nowiki>https://github.com/Consumer-Rights-Wiki-Org/Synology_HDD_db/archive/refs/heads/main.zip</nowiki> -O syno_hdd_db.zip
 z x syno_hdd_db.zip
   cd Synology_HDD_db-main && ls -ali
 Verify that the following files are in the same folder:
-* syno_hdd_db.sh
+*syno_hdd_db.sh
-* syno_hdd_vendor_ids.txt
+*syno_hdd_vendor_ids.txt
-* dtc or the bin folder containing dtc (only required if you have a E10M20-T1, M2D20 or M2D18 in a NAS that does not support them).
+*dtc or the bin folder containing dtc (only required if you have a E10M20-T1, M2D20 or M2D18 in a NAS that does not support them).
-Now, you just need to set this script to run after an update, as any update will override the script. You can easily set the script to run via the guide provided by the HDD DB Github page.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Russel |first=Dave |title=How to schedule a script in Synology Task Scheduler |url=https://github.com/007revad/Synology_HDD_db/blob/main/how_to_schedule.md |access-date=May 6, 2025 |website=Github}}</ref><!-- Considering merging the guide into this wiki page in the future. Consider discussing whether it would add too much bloat or not. -->
+Now, you just need to set this script to run after an update, as any update will override the script. You can easily set the script to run via the guide provided by the HDD DB Github page.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Russel |first=Dave |title=How to schedule a script in Synology Task Scheduler |url=https://github.com/007revad/Synology_HDD_db/blob/main/how_to_schedule.md |access-date=May 6, 2025 |website=Github}}</ref><!-- Considering merging the guide into this wiki page in the future. Consider discussing whether it would add too much bloat or not.
+I don't think so - the guide should always be kept separate from the main page, as a lower standard of information goes into it, and we don't want people to treat it as reliable in the same way as a wiki article.
+- keith  -->
 Any changes may not be immediately visible, so it is recommended to restart your NAS after the script is first run.
@@ Line 30: / Line 35: @@
 There are additional features this script provides, and necessary troubleshooting so it is advised to further study the GitHub page if you are interested.<ref name=":2" />
-=== Installing DSM on DS925+ ===
+===Alternative installation===
-Some unsupported drives are also reported to be impossible to run this script, as it is reliant on [[Synology]]'s DSM operating system. All information has been copied over from a reddit post as of May 6, 2025.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Alex_of_chaos |date=Apr 28, 2025 |title=(Script) Installing DSM on DS925+ using unsupported drives |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/synology/comments/1kaab7v/script_installing_dsm_on_ds925_using_unsupported/ |access-date=May 6, 2025 |website=Reddit}}</ref> It is recommended to check in with the post before following this guide since it will be more up-to-date.
-==== Preparation (steps for DS925+): ====
-# Save the script<ref name=":3" /> on your desktop as <code>skip_syno_hdds.py</code> file
-# Download DS925+ firmware from the Synology site: <nowiki>https://www.synology.com/en-me/support/download/DS925+?version=7.2#system</nowiki>
-# Insert '''<u>empty</u>''' disks into the NAS
-# Turn it on and wait a few minutes for it to fully boot
-# Find out the IP address of the NAS in your LAN - either check in your router or scan the network.
-# In the browser, check that on <code>http://<NAS_IP>:5000</code> you have NAS DSM installation welcome page opening.
-# Leave it on that page without proceeding with the installation.
-==== Using the script: ====
-Warning: This script has been developed with a Linux host in mind, however machines running Windows or MacOS with Python3 installed should also be capable of running this.
-# Run the script as <code>python3 skip_syno_hdds.py <NAS_IP></code>. For example, if your NAS' IP address is 192.168.1.100, run the script as <code>python3 skip_syno_hdds.py 192.168.1.100</code>
-# Now, refresh the browser page and proceed with DSM installation normally.
-# When asked, give it the .pat file with DSM firmware that you downloaded earlier. (currently it is <code>DSM_DS925+_72806.pat</code> file)
-# After the installation is done, don't try to create the storage pool immediately. Instead, add your disks to the DSM compatibility list using Dave's script<ref name=":2" /> or just set <code>support_disk_compatibility="no"</code> in <code>/etc/synoinfo.conf</code>, then you can proceed with pool creation.
-=== Alternative installation ===
 There are also 2 commands you can run to circumvent the script should it be either too cumbersome or no-longer function.
@@ Line 60: / Line 44: @@
 Refreshing the web install page should allow for you to now use your incompatible drive with modern [[Synology]] NAS software.
-== References ==
+==References==
 <references />