DSM-G600, DNS-3xx and NSA-220 Hack Forum

Biscotte wrote:

berninahusq,

Thanks for this. 

I too saw these one tB drives appear and wondered if they would be recognised. 

My worry is about the DNS323 wanting to reformat it when you go from one standalone drive to two mirrored drives. 
Basically I don't trust the firmware and suchlike.

One tb drives are now definitely on my wish list. 
Ta again for the info.

regards
Biscotte

A few quick observations -

If you add a second drive to the DNS-323 and you wish to use it in a mirrored or RAID1 configuration, you must reformat, this is not an option.

The only reason for concern that I see here is that any data on the drive would need to be backed up, the mirrored pair created & formatted and the data restored - if this is what worries you, then I'd like to point out to you - you NEED to backup your data, where ever it is stored - mirrored disks are NOT a form of backup.

Last thing - if you don't trust the firmware, don't buy the DNS-323 - the firmware controls every aspect of the device.  It's linux, you can get yourself a computer, repurpose an old one if you wish, install your drives and create your own NAS - you can take a look at FreeNAS and NASLite, or you can install your favourite linux distro and optimize it yourself - this way you will have full control of how your NAS works.

Biscotte wrote:

Fordem,

Thanks for the info but I can't help feeling sort of scolded by someone religious.   

The important part you have confirmed is that one cannot just cram in a new drive without formatting the existing one.  Thank you.

You can install a new drive without formatting the existing one - you cannot add RAID or change the RAID configuration without formatting.

I'm sorry if I come off as religious - where backups are concerned, I guess I am.  I've seen too many people lose data through not following (perhaps because of ignorance) accepted practise, and then malign the hardware and/or the manufacturer.

I have three of these units and have watched the US firmware updates and elsewhere firmware updates coming at regular and frequent intervals.  What with ext3 removal and removal of utilities such as defrag like I said I am not at all sure about the firmware.  See also the recent post about 1.04 coming soon.  What more can I say? 

I am not a unix / linux person and have no wish to be.  Windows administration takes all my time.  Installing the fun plug for a DNS323 is still beyond my ken. 

I again thank berninahusq for the info.

regards
Biscotte

Like you, I am less than happy about the removal of the ext3 file system, however they improved the reliability of the unit by doing that - the disk tools, well that I don't understand.

I also spend a lot of my time in a "Microsoft centric" world, simply because that's what exists out there - I'm no unix/linux person, but I do have to work with it from time to time and so have a basic familiarity.  I'm not trying to convert you, but I'd like to suggest that you get yourself one of the "live linux" versions out there - essentially a bootable CD with a linux environment and have a go, at least learn the basics.

Two weeks ago I would not have tried installing the fun_plug, but it really is very easy to do, and just for the heck of it, I worked with one of the other subscribers here to use the USB port for storage rather than as a printer port

Biscotte wrote:

My worry is about the DNS323 wanting to reformat it when you go from one standalone drive to two mirrored drives. 
Basically I don't trust the firmware and suchlike.  Ta again for the info.

You are very welcome Biscotte!  I just found this forum recently and there is SOO much information that I need to try to understand and apply if it is something I think I am comfortable doing.  I had the question if the Hitachi 1TB would be compatible, and when I found out it was, I wanted to contribute back to the many members (most way more technical than me) in a manner that I thought would be useful.  I realized after I posted my news that the data that I put on my first 1TB disk would be wiped out if I decided to use another 1TB hard disk in bay 2 and use RAID 0 or 1.  This is something I definitely want to do.  It is a matter of when I am "gently forced" to purchase another 1TB hard disk.  I see Newegg now has them in stock and the price has come down slightly.  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a … 6822145141  Should I bite the bullet?   Otherwise, I am just constrained to play with my first 1TB disk until I buy another one.

fordem wrote:

If you add a second drive to the DNS-323 and you wish to use it in a mirrored or RAID1 configuration, you must reformat, this is not an option.

Yeah, I just realized this.  Shucks!  However, you raise many concerns, especially when you noted "mirrored disks are NOT a form of backup, nonetheless, better than no backup at all, right?

fordem wrote:

...create your own NAS - you can take a look at FreeNAS and NASLite, or you can install your favourite linux distro and optimize it yourself - this way you will have full control of how your NAS works.

I'm afraid I may be a little less technical than Biscotte mentions, that's why I bought the DNS-323 and also because I don't want to have a computer on all the time.  I do not know if I can do most of the things that are explained in this forum, for fear of not knowing what I am doing.

Thanks guys!!!
Ed

Last edited by berninahusq (2007-06-02 00:59:48)

Your problem at this point, ed, is similar to the one I faced when I first got my DNS-323.  I initially only had one 500 GB hard drive on hand, and was going to start w/that and add a second later.  Once I figured out that meant startinng over to get a RAID1 setup (which was my desired setup) I realized that it was either do it now at the start, or deal setting things up all over again later, something I was not interested in.   Up to you how much your time is worth, but if it was me I'd get the second drive now...given the extent of the upgrades you've completed, in for a few thousand pennies, in for a few more...