ReadyNAS NV upgrade to 1TB HDDS

[Davideo]

Hello,
I just wanted to confirm a question that has probably already been asked in different ways...

I have a ReadyNAS NV (not the plus) running XRaid and I wish to upgrade it from 4 X 320GB HDDs to 4 X 1TB HDDs.

Someone had warned me that, because I was upgrading with 1TB drives, I need to do a completely new installation, i.e.: back up the NAS, pull all four 320HDDs out, put the four new 1TB HDDs in, initialize, and then copy all the backup data to the new array.

I would rather just yank one 320GB HDD, replace with a 1TB HDD, wait until it is finished copying the data, and then repeat this step 3 more times until I finally have a ReadyNAS with 3TBs. Can I do it this way, or do I have to do it the other way (above)?

Just want to make absolutely sure...

Davideo

[manniche]

Hello, I have the same problem with a ReadyNAS Duo with two 500 GB harddrive, I want to change configuration with two 1,5 TB.
First I change one drive, let the ReadyNas rebuild the partitione and than change the second drive.
Anyone tested this solution before?

Thanks, for all

manniche

[zamboni]

Short answer is you can do it.

However, if your array was initially created with pre-version 4.x firmware, then it will not automatically expand past 2 TB (you have to run a utility to force it).

Plus, the block size will not be ideal. Doing a full factory reset with the latest firmware will ensure you have optimum performance.

You can do this:
1) Plug a 1TB drive into a USB port. Back up your current NV data to that (should almost fit!).
2) Plug 3x 1TB drives into the NV, do a factory reset, build a "clean" 2TB+redundant array.
3) Restore data from 1TB USB drive to array
4) Plug 4th 1TB drive into array and let it expand.

The beauty of doing it this way, is you could get by with just 3 1TB disks - and not have to buy the 4th one yet; you'd still have a 2TB redundant array.

[Davideo]

Glen,
Thanks for your valuable answer; that really points me to the best possible solution. I also like that I can double the storage space and not feel that I need to fill all 4 drive bays right away (perhaps by the time I DO reach 2TBs of data the price of the extra drive will be considerably less.)

So I will do the back up and a factory reset for the best block size and keep things tidy. I bought my ReadyNAS in March of 2006 and I seem to recall it was NOT version 4 of the firmware back then, good to know.

Thanks again!

Davideo

[zamboni]

If you're going to do that... you may want to consider the Seagate 1.5TBs - with the latest firmware, they're back on the HCL, and only a few bucks more than 1TB drives. 2 drives would give you several hundreds of gigs more space than your 3x320 of data (ignore 4th parity drive) and still be redundant.

Though they run much hotter than the 1TB "Greenpower". In my pro, they run at like 44c while my Greenpower runs at about 35c.

Still, with just 4 drivebays in the NV...

[Sunday Afternoon]

Zamboni - did I read correctly that you are running both WD GP and Seagate 1.5TB disks in the same Pro?
Thanks,
Sun pm

[zamboni]

Yup. WD 1TB Greenpower as the first drive (position #5 - planned ahead), Seagate 1.5TB as #2, then after sync, another as #1, sync. Then reboot, and #1 & 2 "expanded". My plan is for my 3rd Seagate as #3, and then either another as #4, or my other Greenpower 1TB as #6.

The only problems are drives 1 & 2 with 2 & 1 reallocated sectors. My WD drive has 8,000 hours and 1,400 spin up/down and zero reallocated - and runs much cooler.

Last night, the Pro did a "RAID scrubbing", and my reallocated sectors has not increased!

I will now add my 3rd Seagate (which contained the backup of my WD), to give me my current 1.4TB plus 1.2 TB (so about 2.7 total) to back up my NV+ and its 2.1TB of data.

For now, I feel confident enough about the Seagate drives; we'll see how it goes when I slam the server doing the 2TB backup!