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

raoul.grasselli · 2007-08-29 16:54:14

inserting a new second drive and the first is already in use from few moths? what can i do ? can i set two disk in mirroring o striping or can i only add as a second drive (JBOD or standard) what does the setup show me? I must make the configuration manually? i need a backup for the disk installed previously?

thanks to all!

Raoul

NOTE:
I have installed firmware 1.01b

Last edited by sala (2007-08-30 15:11:58)

fordem · 2007-08-29 17:53:13

You can only add it as a second drive - anything else will require you to backup your data and reformat.

dkl · 2007-08-29 17:57:36

I think you cannot create a mirror just by adding a disk. You have to reformat the whole thing to move to RAID 1 configuration. I don't know many systems that would allow this anyway.
Concerning the firmware, I would suggest you to move directly to 1.03, BEFORE creating the mirror, (if you decide to do so), as FW1.03 solves a lot of problems, specially on disk format (ext2 only in 1.03).
I suggest also that you read other threads related to RAID1 on this forum: a very good alternative is to use a software mirror (i.e an explicit copy between 2 disks) instead of RAID1, which does NOT seem to be 100% reliable. Rsync for example is a good candidate for achieving this. You loose a bit in performance, but gain a lot in reliability and ease of use.
If I had to do it again, I would do so, but I am a bit to lazy to restart from scratch now....

dickeywang · 2007-08-29 18:29:14

raoul,

I strongly recommend that you backup everything that is on the first disk, even if you are only trying to add the second one as a separate disk. I learned my lesson in a hard way. The firmware is buggy, even the newest 1.03. The DNS works fine if you just let it sit there and upload/download data, but if you want to do anything that involving add/remove/switch disks, its better that you copy all the data from the DNS to somewhere else, and then start from a fresh re-format.

fordem · 2007-08-29 18:48:41

dkl wrote:
I think you cannot create a mirror just by adding a disk. You have to reformat the whole thing to move to RAID 1 configuration. I don't know many systems that would allow this anyway.
Concerning the firmware, I would suggest you to move directly to 1.03, BEFORE creating the mirror, (if you decide to do so), as FW1.03 solves a lot of problems, specially on disk format (ext2 only in 1.03).
I suggest also that you read other threads related to RAID1 on this forum: a very good alternative is to use a software mirror (i.e an explicit copy between 2 disks) instead of RAID1, which does NOT seem to be 100% reliable. Rsync for example is a good candidate for achieving this. You loose a bit in performance, but gain a lot in reliability and ease of use.
If I had to do it again, I would do so, but I am a bit to lazy to restart from scratch now....

Sometimes I feel like a broken record

Scheduled synchronisation is not a substitute for mirrored disks or RAID1 - and - mirrored disks or RAID1 is not a subsitute for a backup, which is essentially what scheduled synchronisation is.

The problems that occur are most often caused by a misunderstanding of what the technology does and is meant to be used for.

Mirrored disks or RAID1 is intended to reduce the downtime impact of a failed disk, something which a scheduled synchronisation can never do.

dkl · 2007-08-29 20:54:23

Sure. I agree, and did not say the contrary... RAID1 is VERY useful when you need 100% 7/24 operation and prevent any crash, mostly on system partitions on servers. RAID1 is not appropriate at all for data backup, because if you delete a file by error, you delete it also on the mirror. That's clear!

So, I wanted to inform you, Raoul, that, if you consider using RAID1 for data backup, this is not the best solution (in my opinion, of course...) It's better to do a sofware backup, as related in the thread I was speaking about....

It's not a substitute, and nobody said it was here. It's just another solution for another need:
- you need 100% operation and don't accept any loss of access to your data? Use RAID1, and make a backup somewhere else
- you need only to be sure not to loose your data? better avoid RAID1 which is useless in that case, and make a periodic copy from one disk to the other one.

alexie · 2007-09-04 16:48:09

Did anybody really tried it? I have 1 disk in my box, and want to install a second one, but somewhere in the future. The linux utils are there, to fdisk/make2fs and such... ?

fordem · 2007-09-04 19:25:06

alexie wrote:
Did anybody really tried it? I have 1 disk in my box, and want to install a second one, but somewhere in the future. The linux utils are there, to fdisk/make2fs and such... ?

Did anybody really try WHAT?

Adding a second disk? YES!! You don't need to fiddle with the utilities, you can do it through the web admin pages.

Adding a second disk and creating a mirrored pair without a reformat? I haven't and I have seen no posts that indicate anyone else has - I'm not going to say it can't be done, just not through the web admin pages

alexie · 2007-09-04 21:00:59

Sorry, i meant adding a second disk in a "Standard" configuration, so no raid1. I don't have a spare disk, so i was wondering if i would loose the data (handy to know, up front).

dkl · 2007-09-05 10:51:31

Actually, as Fordem says, adding a second disk works, a lot of people did it directly using the web pages. It seems also there has been some issues on this topic (see http://dns323.kood.org/forum/t885-OMFG- … rible.html).

//edit
Please guys, use edit button and sometimes try preview

Last edited by sala (2007-09-05 14:47:55)

Lee · 2007-09-07 02:24:35

alexie wrote:
Sorry, i meant adding a second disk in a "Standard" configuration, so no raid1. I don't have a spare disk, so i was wondering if i would loose the data (handy to know, up front).

Just added a second drive to mine. On power up and login it asked me to format the new drive, I did. After a reboot I checked the original drive, all is a ok, no data loss. This was on firmware 1.03.

Lee

alexie · 2007-09-07 21:54:31

OK, i tried it. My setup was:

Single disk
---
1) Installed 1x 500GB (totally empty) in the NAS on the right side
2) Formatted it, and works fine

Added additional disk
---
1) Installed 1x 250GB (contains NTFS partitions) in the NAS on the left side
2) Went to the web-interface, and the NAS asks to format
3) Formats start, the right side start flashing (not good ) and it stops at 94%
4) Reset NAS
5) It doesn't recognize either disks, so it asks to format both
6) After format, both disks finally available

So the NAS fails when adding a second disk with non-ext2 layout :-(

Last edited by alexie (2007-09-07 21:55:07)

frodo · 2007-09-08 04:29:41

I recall reading in this forum. "Be sure that there is no previous partition on the disk you add."

fickle · 2007-09-10 09:49:25

curious, if you have a single disk, programmed the 323 on RAID1 and it works, wouldnt putting in the 2nd disk just get mirrored from the first? i would think if you have the 323 programmed ahead of time for RAID1 (even with a single disk at the time of your setup), then it would be fine. naturally backing up is always best bet though

fordem · 2007-09-10 15:38:35

fickle wrote:
curious, if you have a single disk, programmed the 323 on RAID1 and it works, wouldnt putting in the 2nd disk just get mirrored from the first? i would think if you have the 323 programmed ahead of time for RAID1 (even with a single disk at the time of your setup), then it would be fine. naturally backing up is always best bet though

1) There is NO way, using the web admin pages, to setup the DNS-323 for RAID1 with only one disk installed - you MUST have two.
2) I'll say it again - RAID is not an alternative to backup - if you don't backup, don't be surprised when you lose data.

fickle · 2007-09-11 08:51:49

odd thing is you can actually program the 323 to RIAD1 or 0 or whatever even without having any HD's in the system. currently, i have an EMTPY 323 and have told the box to be RAID1. in fact, i think that was mentioned on the DLink site for 1.03

but i STRONGLY agree, there is no better backup than having another backup

Last edited by fickle (2007-09-11 08:53:20)

fordem · 2007-09-11 20:04:30

fickle wrote:
odd thing is you can actually program the 323 to RIAD1 or 0 or whatever even without having any HD's in the system. currently, i have an EMTPY 323 and have told the box to be RAID1. in fact, i think that was mentioned on the DLink site for 1.03

but i STRONGLY agree, there is no better backup than having another backup

That is not my experience - and being sceptical - I just pulled both drives from my DNS-323 (firmware 1.03) and powered it up - I'm logged in as admin and when I go to Tools/RAID - the "Set RAID Type and Re-Format" button is greyed out.

If I recall correctly, prior to firmware 1.03, you couldn't even get to the admin pages without there being a disk installed.

fickle · 2007-09-12 01:16:45

great, now im wondering if my 323 is f*kd

oh well, just need to get the HD's first i guess

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

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#1 2007-08-29 16:54:14

what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

#2 2007-08-29 17:53:13

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

#3 2007-08-29 17:57:36

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

#4 2007-08-29 18:29:14

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

#5 2007-08-29 18:48:41

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

dkl wrote:

#6 2007-08-29 20:54:23

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

#7 2007-09-04 16:48:09

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

#8 2007-09-04 19:25:06

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

alexie wrote:

#9 2007-09-04 21:00:59

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

#10 2007-09-05 10:51:31

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

#11 2007-09-07 02:24:35

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

alexie wrote:

#12 2007-09-07 21:54:31

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

#13 2007-09-08 04:29:41

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

#14 2007-09-10 09:49:25

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

#15 2007-09-10 15:38:35

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

fickle wrote:

#16 2007-09-11 08:51:49

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

#17 2007-09-11 20:04:30

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

fickle wrote:

#18 2007-09-12 01:16:45

Re: what happen when install a new 2nd hdd and the first is already in use

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