- Networks
- NAS storage
Warning (Degraded)
QNAP Warning (Degraded) (NAS): storage pool RAID degraded
Risk level
High
Professional inspection is recommended.
Urgency
High
Quick answer
On a QNAP NAS running QTS, a storage pool status of Warning (Degraded) with 2 long beeps (1.5 sec) and the System Status LED flashing red every 0.5 sec means one or more disks in a RAID 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, or 60 group have failed or been removed.
Safety first
Stop and check this first
- A RAID group with a Degraded status has lowered or zero fault tolerance: resolve the issue as soon as possible because further disk failures may cause data loss.
Safe checks you can perform
- Identify the Warning (Degraded) storage pool and Degraded RAID group in QTS
- Check the System Status LED, bay HDD LEDs, and alarm buzzer pattern
- Verify whether the replacement drive is brand-new blank or has Free status
Leave these tasks to a qualified professional
- Do not attempt this professional task: Replace the failed disk with a new blank drive of equal or greater capacity
- Do not attempt this professional task: Manually initiate Rebuild RAID Group using a Free disk in QTS
What a technician must be able to justify
Technician visit
These are the steps they must carry out and show you. Tick them as they work: if steps are skipped, do not accept a part swap.
These are not instructions for opening or handling the equipment yourself. They are the checks that should support a technical conclusion.
Replace the failed disk with a new blank drive of equal or greater capacity
What they doThe technician confirms the failed bay in QTS, removes the faulty member drive, and inserts a healthy, completely blank disk of equal or greater capacity so QTS auto-configures it as a spare and starts rebuilding.
They must show youWarning (Rebuilding) progress in Storage/Snapshots and the System Status LED flashing green and red alternately every 0.5 sec.
In writingreplaced drive bay number, replacement drive model and capacity, and active RAID rebuild confirmation.
Manually initiate Rebuild RAID Group using a Free disk in QTS
What they doIf a healthy disk with equal or greater capacity is already in the NAS with the status Free, the technician opens Storage & Snapshots > Storage > Storage/Snapshots, clicks Manage on the pool, selects the Degraded RAID group, clicks Manage > Rebuild RAID Group, selects the Free disk, and clicks Rebuild.
They must show youthe Rebuild RAID Group window with the Free disk selected and rebuild progress in Storage/Snapshots.
In writingRAID group identifier, selected Free disk bay, and final Ready pool status after rebuild completion.
Before accepting a part or repair
Nothing has been shown yet. Do not accept a part swap based on the code alone.
Follow these steps
Note: Follow the documented order. An error code identifies the affected system, but it does not prove by itself which part has failed.
Identify the Warning (Degraded) storage pool and Degraded RAID group in QTS
- Who:
- you, signed in to QTS as an administrator on the affected QNAP NAS.
- How:
- go to Storage & Snapshots > Storage > Storage/Snapshots, select the storage pool or single static volume showing Warning (Degraded), and click Manage.
- Result that matters:
- confirm which RAID group has the status Degraded and which member disk bay is missing or failed.
- If the pool already shows Warning (Rebuilding) and the System Status LED flashes green and red alternately every 0.5 sec:
- allow rebuilding to finish.
- If the RAID group remains Degraded with no rebuild running:
- inspect the front panel LEDs next.
- Evidence to keep:
- Storage/Snapshots status view showing the Degraded RAID group and affected drive bay number.
Evidence: QTS 4.5.x User Guide: Recovering a RAID Group with a Degraded Status · QTS 4.5.x User Guide: Storage Pool Status
Check the System Status LED, bay HDD LEDs, and alarm buzzer pattern
- Who:
- you, inspecting the front panel of the QNAP NAS reporting degraded mode.
- How:
- verify whether the System Status LED flashes red every 0.5 sec, whether the buzzer sounded 2 long beeps (1.5 sec), and whether a specific HDD LED is solid red or off.
- Result that matters:
- match the physical bay showing a solid red or unlit HDD LED to the degraded RAID member in QTS.
- If a drive tray was merely unseated without media errors:
- reseat it and check QTS detection.
- If the bay HDD LED stays solid red due to a read/write error:
- prepare a healthy replacement disk of equal or greater capacity.
- Evidence to keep:
- observed System Status LED flash rate and individual HDD LED color for each bay.
Evidence: QNAP Turbo NAS Software User Manual: Checking System Status (LED and Alarm Buzzer)
Verify whether the replacement drive is brand-new blank or has Free status
- Who:
- you, reviewing the replacement disk state in QTS before starting recovery.
- How:
- check whether you are inserting a blank disk that has never been installed in a QNAP NAS before, or using an existing internal disk with the status Free and equal or greater capacity.
- Result that matters:
- determine whether QTS will start rebuilding automatically or requires manual Rebuild RAID Group selection.
- If a new blank disk is inserted into the empty bay:
- QTS automatically configures it as a spare and starts rebuilding.
- If an existing disk has the status Free:
- trigger Manage > Rebuild RAID Group manually in QTS.
- Evidence to keep:
- capacity and QTS status of the replacement drive selected for the degraded RAID group.
Evidence: QTS 4.5.x User Guide: Recovering a RAID Group with a Degraded Status
Still not solved
If the error persists, stop here. See what the technician must do and show you.
Where this code applies
A code is meaningful only inside the right product and version context.
Primary scope
- System
- Networks
- Brand
- QNAP
- Product type
- NAS storage
Known code variants
- 2 long beeps
- 2 sonidos bip largos
- Advertencia (Degradado)
- Conjunto de almacenamiento degradado
- Degradado
- Destellos rojos cada 0,5 s
- RAID group Degraded
- Status LED flashes red every 0.5 sec
- Storage pool degraded
- Warning (Degraded)
What it means
The QTS 4.5 User Guide defines Warning (Degraded) on a storage pool and Degraded on a RAID group when one or more member disks fail or are removed (applicable to RAID 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60). On the QNAP NAS hardware, the alarm buzzer emits 2 long beeps (1.5 sec) and the System Status LED flashes red every 0.5 sec, changing to alternating green and red flashes every 0.5 sec while RAID rebuilding is in process. Read and write access continues, but fault tolerance is lowered or lost completely. This indicator alone never proves a physical drive is permanently defective, because accidental removal causes the same status.
Warnings and stop conditions
- Highsource verified
A RAID group with a Degraded status has lowered or zero fault tolerance: resolve the issue as soon as possible because further disk failures may cause data loss.
Evidence: QTS 4.5.x User Guide: Recovering a RAID Group with a Degraded Status · QTS 4.5.x User Guide: Storage Pool Status
Symptoms and causes
Probable causes · in order
- Member hard drive read/write error or disk failureCommon
A disk in the RAID group encountered a read/write error or bad sector (indicated by a solid red HDD LED), causing QTS to mark the RAID group Degraded.
Evidence: QTS 4.5.x User Guide: Recovering a RAID Group with a Degraded Status · QNAP Turbo NAS Software User Manual: Checking System Status (LED and Alarm Buzzer)
- Removal of one or more member disks from a RAID groupPossible
A member drive in a RAID 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, or 60 group was removed from its drive bay, lowering or eliminating fault tolerance.
Evidence: QTS 4.5.x User Guide: Recovering a RAID Group with a Degraded Status · QTS 4.5.x User Guide: Storage Pool Status
- Non-empty replacement disk preventing automatic spare configurationLess common
If a newly inserted disk is not completely empty, QTS assumes it holds important data and will not automatically configure it as a spare disk.
Evidence: QTS 4.5.x User Guide: Recovering a RAID Group with a Degraded Status
Virtual technician
Does Warning (Degraded) still appear after these checks?
Answer a few questions to narrow down the likely cause and the safest next action. Guidance only - it never replaces a professional.
Sources and technical references
- 1
QTS 4.5.x User Guide: Recovering a RAID Group with a Degraded Status
QNAP Systems · 2026 · official_doc
- 2
Guía del usuario de QTS 4.5.x: Recuperar un grupo RAID con un estado Degradado
QNAP Systems · 2026 · official_doc
- 3
QTS 4.5.x User Guide: Storage Pool Status
QNAP Systems · 2026 · official_doc
- 4
Guía del usuario de QTS 4.5.x: Estado del conjunto de almacenamiento
QNAP Systems · 2026 · official_doc
- 5
QNAP Turbo NAS Software User Manual: Checking System Status (LED and Alarm Buzzer)
QNAP Systems · 2026 · official_doc
- 6
QNAP Turbo NAS Software User Manual: Comprobando el estado del sistema (LED y timbre de alarma)
QNAP Systems · 2026 · official_doc
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