I got Promise Technology SmartStor NS4300N Network Attached Storage (NAS) for many months ago but didn't really use it until I found out that there is a permission problem with it. Since I got it, I just moved all of my files and folders inside one folder on NAS. (Let's say "Temp") A few days later, I created some other blank folders at the same level as “Temp” folder and set some permission for different people. My plan is to organized all files and folder under “Temp” sometime soon.

Last month, I started to organize my files and folder. Before that, I found that there was a new firmware came out. So, I just upgraded firmware from 01.02.0000.05 to 1.03.0000.06. Started to move files from “Temp” folder to other folders but I ran into permission problem on many files and folders. This is strange but I found that the problem is about Owner of those files and folders were different. I had to change owner under FTP program. (CHOWN) Since there were a lot of files and folders I had to go through, I finally gave up.

I've contacted Promise Support and they answered me that there was no known problem about permission with this new firmware. I also asked him if it’s possible to get into SSH but he said there was no way to do that. (But I found a way later on this website and this one but I never tried that though.) They asked if I can try to refresh permission under web interface and see if it is solved or not. I replied back to ask if he can tell me step by step how to do that. Never get answer back from them ever since.

I, then, found this link -> http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1023&message=25115423 - Here is what creaturejbl said :

Their answer - Yes, this is a well know bug on permission control. They suggest me just return the product to store.

He even suggested how to fix it as following :

What I did is mounting the public directory to a Linux box with root. And Bingo! I'm able to clear the wrong owner ID in the public directory by using chown command.

I don’t know much about Linux but I think I have no choice but to try it sometime later.

I really disappoint with Promise SmartStor NS4300N. I bought it because it’s the brand name that I think I can trust. However, a NAS that can’t even handle files and folders properly. (Not to talk about the speed that I saw a few people complained about.) How can they put it on sale?