Not really adding anything constructive, but definitely echoing the sentiment of just building something from a minimal Linux install. I'm currently experiencing the issue of a commercial NAS making some simple things much harder than they should be. All I can put it down to is the tangle of customization and variance from general standards they do behind the scenes.
I wont be replacing them with newer versions - I'm nearly at the point of ripping their storage for dedication to a Linux VM setup to do the same duties.