Pull a drive and have it read by computer?

[larryschwenk]

I have the TS-659 Pro+ (v4.1 firmware). Drives 1-5 are set up in a RAID 5 configuration (4TB used out of 7TB). Drive 6 is a hot standby.

What I'd like to do is replace Drive 6 with either a 5TB or 6TB drive. Use that drive as a backup; so I can copy everything from the RAID to this drive. Pull it out and store as a "just in case" disaster happens.

Question: If I plug this drive into a SATA dock and plug via USB into my computer, can my computer read it? Or is there a specific format I need to create this drive in first?

[pwilson]

I have the TS-659 Pro+ (v4.1 firmware). Drives 1-5 are set up in a RAID 5 configuration (4TB used out of 7TB). Drive 6 is a hot standby.

What I'd like to do is replace Drive 6 with either a 5TB or 6TB drive. Use that drive as a backup; so I can copy everything from the RAID to this drive. Pull it out and store as a "just in case" disaster happens.

Bad idea! Use the provided USB/eSATA ports to backup to "external" drives or an USB3.0/eSATA Drive Dock w/ "loose" drives. (I use a Dock here).

Question: If I plug this drive into a SATA dock and plug via USB into my computer, can my computer read it? Or is there a specific format I need to create this drive in first?

Yes. (iff your PC is running Linux).

You can temporarily boot up your PC with a Linux LiveCD to read it, and can even use that same LiveCD to copy from the external drive to your Windows partition. Upon reboot (w/o the LiveCD) you'll be able to "read" the files copied over from the External drive to your Windows machine.

You can also install Ext2 File System Driver for Windows at SourceForge to read Linux drives under Windows, but it has limitations. The LiveCD method should always work. In fact a LiveCD could also re-assemble your RAID5 array too, if your PC has enough SATA ports to permit you to attach all 5 RAID5 drives at once.

I don't have to worry about this here, as all my PC's are already running Linux.

[larryschwenk]

Bad idea! Use the provided USB/eSATA ports to backup to "external" drives or an USB3.0/eSATA Drive Dock w/ "loose" drives. (I use a Dock here).

Well not the answer I was hoping for, but a good answer non the less. Seeing my model is showing its age as not having a USB 3 port, I'll have to go the eSATA route (something new for me but just a port).

Doing a quick scan for a HDD dock that supports both eSATA and USB 3.0 yielded one option, the StarTech SATDOCKU3E USB 3.0/eSATA to SATA. Did you know of any others off hand? (most with eSATA were only USB 2.0).

I'm assuming once connected, I'd use the internal NAS backup option? Or use the internal web file manager and "drag and drop" internally from NAS to external drive?

[pwilson]

I'm assuming once connected, I'd use the internal NAS backup option? Or use the internal web file manager and "drag and drop" internally from NAS to external drive?

You can do both. Your external drive will mount at /share/eSATADisk1, /share/eSATADisk2, ....& etc, depending on the number of partitions on the drive. If you are setting up a drive specifically for Linux backups of your Linux NAS, format the external drive as "Ext4".

USB3.0/eSATA Docks should be commonplace. You will want to use such a Dock in "eSATA" mode with your NAS, (due to no USB3.0 available), but you might want to use USB3.0 mode when using it with your PC, unless your PC also supports "eSATA" or "eSATAp".