Synology: Difference between revisions

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==Consumer-impact summary==

*User freedom: ~~Has revoked~~ ability to use off-brand hard drives from modern NAS models.<ref name=":0" />

*User freedom: Revoked ability to use off-brand hard drives from modern NAS models<ref name=":0" /> and has as of October 8th 2025 been reversed<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Hagedoorn |first=Hilbert |date=8 Oct 2025 |title=Synology Reverses Policy Banning Third-Party HDDs After NAS sales plummet |url=https://www.guru3d.com/story/synology-reverses-policy-banning-thirdparty-hdds-after-nas-sales-plummet/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 Oct 2025 |work=The guru of 3D}}</ref>

*User privacy: Unknown.

*Business model: Selling digital storage devices to consumers.

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==Incidents==

This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].

===Removal of Hardware transcoding drivers (2025)===

Synology removed Hardware transcoding drivers for HEVC (H.265), AVC (H.264), and VC-1 [https://www.synology.com/en-global/products/status/eol-video-codec-support]. With these drivers removed, the external device receiving the video becomes responsible for transcoding. There is an unofficial guide on how to reinstall the drivers.[https://nascompares.com/guide/how-to-get-hardware-transcoding-back-on-your-synology-nas/]

===Requiring Synology-branded hard drives for certain features (2025)===

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This can currently be circumvented at the user's own risk with a hack [https://github.com/007revad/Synology_HDD_db using a script available on Github] that adds the drives in the system to the list of compatible drives. Other solutions use changes to configuration files to disable the checks.<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, these workarounds may cease to function at any time or have unexpected side effects or consequences.

As of 8th October 2025 this has been partly reversed<ref name=":1" />. Only 2025 models allow third-party drives "and do not apply retroactively to previously launched systems." Even on 2025 systems there is still a requirement for M.2 drives to be on Compatibility List for the use as a cache drive. [https://kb.synology.com/en-us/DSM/tutorial/Drive_compatibility_policies]

===Intel C2000 controversy (2015)===

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===Proprietary bootloader===

Unlike on competing products, It is not easily possible to install a Linux distribution other than the manufacturer's DSM. This makes it difficult to repurpose the devices for other uses or install alternative software when support runs out for the manufacturer's OS. The devices also have no video output, thus limiting other uses.<ref>{{Cite web |last=UN_Synapse |date=2023 |title=Can you install a OS other than DSM on Synology hardware. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/synology/comments/12cwure/can_you_install_a_os_other_than_dsm_on_synology/ |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=Reddit}}</ref>

~~=== Removal of Hardware transcoding drivers (2025) ===~~

Synology removed Hardware transcoding drivers for HEVC (H.265), AVC (H.264), and VC-1 [https://www.synology.com/en-global/products/status/eol-video-codec-support]. With the drivers removed video transcoding is a lot slower and less efficient. Their is an unofficial guide on how to reinstall the drivers.[https://nascompares.com/guide/how-to-get-hardware-transcoding-back-on-your-synology-nas/]

==Products==

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 ==Consumer-impact summary==
-*User freedom: Has revoked ability to use off-brand hard drives from modern NAS models.<ref name=":0" />
+*User freedom: Revoked ability to use off-brand hard drives from modern NAS models<ref name=":0" /> and has as of October 8th 2025 been reversed<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Hagedoorn |first=Hilbert |date=8 Oct 2025 |title=Synology Reverses Policy Banning Third-Party HDDs After NAS sales plummet |url=https://www.guru3d.com/story/synology-reverses-policy-banning-thirdparty-hdds-after-nas-sales-plummet/ |url-status=live |access-date=8 Oct 2025 |work=The guru of 3D}}</ref>
 *User privacy: Unknown.
 *Business model: Selling digital storage devices to consumers.
@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 ==Incidents==
 This is a list of all consumer-protection incidents this company is involved in. Any incidents not mentioned here can be found in the [[:Category:{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{PAGENAME}} category]].
+===Removal of Hardware transcoding drivers (2025)===
+Synology removed Hardware transcoding drivers for HEVC (H.265), AVC (H.264), and VC-1 [https://www.synology.com/en-global/products/status/eol-video-codec-support]. With these drivers removed, the external device receiving the video becomes responsible for transcoding. There is an unofficial guide on how to reinstall the drivers.[https://nascompares.com/guide/how-to-get-hardware-transcoding-back-on-your-synology-nas/]
 ===Requiring Synology-branded hard drives for certain features (2025)===
@@ Line 33: / Line 36: @@
 This can currently be circumvented at the user's own risk with a hack [https://github.com/007revad/Synology_HDD_db using a script available on Github] that adds the drives in the system to the list of compatible drives. Other solutions use changes to configuration files to disable the checks.<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, these workarounds may cease to function at any time or have unexpected side effects or consequences.
+As of 8th October 2025 this has been partly reversed<ref name=":1" />. Only 2025 models allow third-party drives "and do not apply retroactively to previously launched systems." Even on 2025 systems there is still a requirement for M.2 drives to be on Compatibility List for the use as a cache drive. [https://kb.synology.com/en-us/DSM/tutorial/Drive_compatibility_policies]
 ===Intel C2000 controversy (2015)===
@@ Line 41: / Line 46: @@
 ===Proprietary bootloader===
 Unlike on competing products, It is not easily possible to install a Linux distribution other than the manufacturer's DSM. This makes it difficult to repurpose the devices for other uses or install alternative software when support runs out for the manufacturer's OS. The devices also have no video output, thus limiting other uses.<ref>{{Cite web |last=UN_Synapse |date=2023 |title=Can you install a OS other than DSM on Synology hardware. |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/synology/comments/12cwure/can_you_install_a_os_other_than_dsm_on_synology/ |access-date=2025-04-19 |website=Reddit}}</ref>
-=== Removal of Hardware transcoding drivers (2025) ===
-Synology removed Hardware transcoding drivers for HEVC (H.265), AVC (H.264), and VC-1 [https://www.synology.com/en-global/products/status/eol-video-codec-support]. With the drivers removed video transcoding is a lot slower and less efficient. Their is an unofficial guide on how to reinstall the drivers.[https://nascompares.com/guide/how-to-get-hardware-transcoding-back-on-your-synology-nas/]
 ==Products==