Back-up on Uniti Core does not start

Hello,
WD 1To HD connected to the front pannel, HDD is seen by Uniti Core. It proposed to (re)format it which I accepted. Then When I lauch the back-up , the back-up point name is correct, however the status is No back-up point… Puzzling!
Any help much appreciated.
Regards
Jean-Michel

I have occasionally had a backup problem, but this is always sorted by a power cycle of the Core (not just putting it into network sleep, but deep sleep or if you aren’t sure about sleep modes, then power off completely for a few seconds.)
Then try again and hopefully it will be ok. If not then try another USB HDD…
Best

David

David,
Many thanks for your input which has proven helpful. I however underwent quite a brexit-like process: I took your advice, Uniti Core still refused to lauch back-up whereas it could recognize and reformat for back-up the WD external USB disk. At that stage, I decided to install a Synology Nas on the network to back-up. It took me some time. Uniti Core does not see the Nas. Uniti Core feeds a Naim NDS in my system, which NDS sees well the Nas and streams its files. Then, as I wanted to play somme music from Uniti Core to relax from all those efforts, I discovered yesterday night that ALL files on Uniti Core had disappeared… A lot of ripping time lost, my goodness! One hour ago, I connected the WD direclty to a PC that confirmed that it was Naim formatted and empty. I tried to access the Uniti core with a USB connection to the PC, the PC not being able to see Uniti Core. I tried then to USB connect the Nas straight to Uniti Core which did again not see the Nas!
I created a new partition on Uniti Core (CD box) and ripped one CD just to see. That triggered all previous files to appear again on Uniti Core. Both marvelous ans puzzling…
Desperately I got then Uniti Core to reformat 3 or 4 times the WD HDD with as much failures to lauch back-up and eventually it accepted to start the back-up process on this external USB Disk.
May I conclude that altogether network driver, back-up software, device management etc. are still young and rich of bugs?
Uniti Core apart from that is a great co-source!

One of the key things to know about the UnitiCore is that it only scans and indexes in two sorts of place and you have to tell it where those are.

The first is that you have one Music Store. This is where the Core saves it’s own rips. Normally this would be the internal disc, but only if you make it your music store. You do that at setup but you can also do it or change it later using the “Manage Music” option in the settings of the Core in the Naim app.

The second is that you can have no, or one, or however many music Shares. These are usually other network locations or NASs or discs and again you define which of those locations you want in Manage Music in the app.

The Core indexes the Store and all Shares that have been defined and you will see all the music neatly arranged in one list in the Naim app.

Getting the Core to see network locations is a struggle sometimes and similarly it can be hard to get the Core to allow other network locations to transfer stuff into your downloads folder in the Music Store for example.

It does seem to be a bit immature still and not helped by Microsoft defaulting SMB to disabled in recent updates.

Not sure what that has got to do with your backup woes though.

Best

David

David,
Thank you for your message which I will read carefully tomorrow before making more trials with the Nas.
Another question: I run together a, Ethernet connection (same network like the NDS of course) and a direct SPDIF BNC/BNC connection to the NDS. The quick start guide gives the impression that in that case the system would convey the flow via the network and not via the noblest SPDIF cable… Am I correct and should I unplug the network from Uniti Core once everything has been set up? Thanks in advance for your valuable advice.
Best
Jean-Michel

The way this works is that the two types of connection from your Core can work together, but you control them separately.

The normal way of using the Core is to connect it and the NDS to your router by ethernet cable and use the Naim app to go to the NDS and select upnp, then pick the Core server and navigate to your preferred music. I believe Naim recommend the upnp connection for best SQ but others don’t always agree. I would say that there is no definitive answer to which gives better SQ and of course the direct connection only works with one Naim unit, so serving to multiple rooms the same or different music streams can only be done with upnp. There is no reason though why you shouldn’t use a direct connection in your main system and upnp in other systems you might have if you want.

Another way of using the Core is to run a digital cable SP/DIF cable from the Core to the NDS. Obviously this is a digital input of the NDS and not ethernet. You select the digital input of your NDS either with the remote or with the NDS section of the Naim app, but then you go to the Core part of the Naim app to select and control your music.

So it’s not that one connection is preferred over the other. It’s that you decide which you want to use.

Best

David

David,
I got it! Just select DAC coax as entry on the NDS and not Digital 1 as I had done. Then, against the Quick start guide, keep the Ethernet connection together with the SPDIF cable. SPDIF is superior to network connection on my system. Thanks again!
Best
Jean-Michel

Hi
This is interesting to me,after reading your post,I checked my NDS settings.I am using digital 1 to connect my Core to NDS,I also use it in UPNP…and honestly can’t tell much difference between the two.There is a coax/DAC mode,like you said…which I have turned off.What exactly is this input?Is it the same BNC input,but a different way to configure it?

I run tne Naim in French, so just let me check the exact wording…
UpnP is Streaming audio,
USB is Arrêt
Spotify is Spotify
Tidal is stop (I additionnally run Qobuz thank to MConnect HD app)
Numérique 1 is Arrêt
Numérique 2 is Arrêt
Numérique 3 is Arrêt
DAC Coax 1 is Uniti Core (touch the green sign)
all others entries Arrêt

I am not that sure that my setup is stable…

Sorry, I did not check, but DAC Coax1 associated to Uniti Core does not stay. Logical as it expects an analog flow.
Digital or Numérique1 , I fail to connect Uniti Core.
I wish I would run Uniti Core on SPDIF BNC as I guess it will improve.

The above referred improvement was probably due to running the system for 2 hours!

All I know is that I was using digital 1 input without DAC/coax 1 enabled,and music is playing by selecting Core in the App.The DAC/coax 1 input only appears in the APP,and I am able to turn it on,but it does not appear on the NDS screen when you hit that little wrench symbol.When I turn it on in the APP,it then appears as an input in the APP,but I am not able to click on it,or select it.Then it eventually disappears,and when I check the settings,it is no longer enabled,not sure what it does really.

David,

My comments:
“Another way of using the Core is to run a digital cable SP/DIF cable from the Core to the NDS. Obviously this is a digital input of the NDS and not ethernet.”
With SPDIF and without the Ethernet connection, Naim App no longer controls Uniti Core and NDS does find Uniti Core but does not access music store…
" You select the digital input of your NDS either with the remote or with the NDS section of the Naim app, but then you go to the Core part of the Naim app to select and control your music." That does not work. I select Digital 1 but digital 1 does not convey to Uniti Core …
Best

I get about the same results…
I had a Naim DAC and SPDIF BNC is the best entry, I therefore think the NDS may be the same.
Best

Yes well that is obvious and you misunderstand me. You must have the Core and the NDS connected to the ethernet so the app can control them both. My comment was only concerning the signal flow.

It does work, so you are doing something wrong. Is your digital input on the NDS enabled? Are you selecting the right digital input? You have to tell the Core to play music by going to the Core part of the Naim app. You can’t do it from the NDS part of the app, unlike with upnp.
Best

David

David,
In NDS “room”, I select Digital 1 as entry and it is activated.
Then I go to Uniti Core “room” on the Naim app as you suggest, I get something to play and nothing happens. Only way up to now is upnp.

Another thing is Digital1 in tha Naim app says “not connected” whereas there is a Naim DC1 cable BNC from Uniti Core to BNC on tne NDS…

I restarted the NDS of course which doesnot change anything.
Thank you for your help.
Best

“Not connected” means the input is enabled but there is no digital signal to lock to.

Are you sure the BNC socket is Digital 1? I can see from the reference manual that it should be.

Are you sure you are connected to Digital In and not Digital out?

You could enable all the digital inputs, set the Core playing a file in the way you describe and then switch to each digital input in turn using the NDS page in the app.

Can you try another cable?
Best
David

"Are you sure the BNC socket is Digital 1? I can see from the reference manual that it should be. " I had enabled all Digital 1 to 3 entries or alternatively only Digital 1. No effect. (2 is RCA and 3 optical).

“Are you sure you are connected to Digital In and not Digital out?” Yes unless there was a misfabrication. Very unlikely. Maybe I should try Digital out :slight_smile:

You could enable all the digital inputs, set the Core playing a file in the way you describe and then switch to each digital input in turn using the NDS page in the app.
Done without any result.
Additionally Itried to activate and desaativate "Multiroom"entry, no effect.

Can you try another cable? Not right now because I have no other BNC/BNC digital cable. This cable I used positively on another configuration with N-Dac so I trust it. Of course, it can always “collapse”.

Probably, before I can try another cable, there is not much more to be tried…?
Best

I can’t think of anything else. Maybe someone else will have an idea. As I said it should work and if it doesn’t then something is wrong with either your Core, the lead or your NDS.

Best
David

Lead tested, it is ok.