Adding 2nd drive to TS-253

[Rogtuf]

I have a TS-253 now with a single 6 TB drive on which I have a lot of data. I want to add a second 6 TB drive with mirroring (Raid 1). Is there any danger that the data on my present drive will be removed when I add the second drive please, (presumably using Storage Manager to add the second drive)?

Roger

[Gaudi]

You always need to have a backup, specially while performing RAID operations.

[Rogtuf]

I have now added the second drive, which it looks like it may have configured automatically as Raid 1.

The next problem is Storage Pools. I have a disk capacity of 5.45TB, with 2.74 "allocated". I cannot see what this means as the disk has very little on it at present. I tried selecting Expand Pool, but it then asks about creating a new raid group. I'm really lost, because the manual seems silent on this, and clicking on help simply brought up a screen about Raid.

Roger

[pwilson]

I have now added the second drive, which it looks like it may have configured automatically as Raid 1.

The next problem is Storage Pools. I have a disk capacity of 5.45TB, with 2.74 "allocated". I cannot see what this means as the disk has very little on it at present. I tried selecting Expand Pool, but it then asks about creating a new raid group. I'm really lost, because the manual seems silent on this, and clicking on help simply brought up a screen about Raid.

Roger

Sorry, Roger, but your screenshot is unreadable. Could you have made it any smaller?

Please review article: When you're asking a question, please include the following.

Please access your NAS via SSH, login as "admin" and run:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/sh
rm -f /tmp/nasreport
touch /tmp/nasreport
chmod +x /tmp/nasreport
cat <<EOF >>/tmp/nasreport
#!/bin/sh
#
# NAS Report by Patrick Wilson
# see: http://forum.qnap.com/viewtopic.php?f=185&t=82260#p366188
#
# 
echo "[code]*********************"
echo "** QNAP NAS Report **"
echo "*********************"
echo " "
echo "NAS Model:      \$(getsysinfo model)"
echo "Firmware:       \$(getcfg system version) Build \$(getcfg system 'Build Number')"
echo "System Name:    \$(/bin/hostname)"
echo "Workgroup:      \$(getcfg system workgroup)"
echo "Base Directory: \$(dirname \$(getcfg -f /etc/config/smb.conf Public path))"
echo "NAS IP address: \$(ifconfig \$(getcfg network 'Default GW Device') | grep addr: | awk '{ print \$2 }' | cut -d: -f2)"
echo " " 
echo "Default Gateway Device: \$(getcfg network 'Default GW Device')" 
echo " "
ifconfig \$(getcfg network 'Default GW Device') | grep -v HWaddr
echo " "
echo -n "DNS Nameserver(s):" 
cat /etc/resolv.conf | grep nameserver | cut -d' ' -f2
echo " "
echo " "
echo "HDD Information:"
echo " "
alpha='abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz'
drives=\$(getcfg Storage 'Disk Drive Number')
for ((i=1;i<=drives;++i)) ; do
	echo -n "HDD\$i -"
	if [ ! -b /dev/sd\${alpha:\$i-1:1} ] ; then
		echo "Drive absent"
	else
		hdparm -i /dev/sd\${alpha:\$i-1:1} | grep "Model"
		echo " "
		parted /dev/sd\${alpha:\$i-1:1} print
		echo " "
		/sbin/get_hd_smartinfo -d \$i
		echo " "
	fi
done
echo "Volume Status"
echo " "
mdadm -D /dev/md0 /dev/md1 2>/dev/null
echo " "
cat /proc/mdstat
echo " "
echo "Disk Space:"
echo " "
df -h | grep -v qpkg
echo " "
echo "Mount Status:" 
echo " "
mount | grep -v qpkg
echo " "
#echo "Contents of \$(dirname \$(getcfg -f /etc/config/smb.conf Public path)):"
#echo " "
#ls -lF \$(dirname \$(getcfg -f /etc/config/smb.conf Public path))/
#echo " "
#echo "Windows Shares:" 
#echo " "
#for i in \$(grep \] /etc/config/smb.conf | sed 's/\[//g' | sed 's/\]//g' | grep -v global) ;do 
#	echo -n "\$i:"
#	testparm -s -l --section-name=\$i --parameter-name=path 2>/dev/null 
#done
#echo " "
#echo "QNAP Media Scanner / Transcoder processes running: "
#echo " " 
#/bin/ps | grep medialibrary | grep -v grep
#echo " " 
#echo -n "MediaLibrary Configuration file: " 
#ls -alF /etc/config/medialibrary.conf
#echo " " 
#echo "/etc/config/medialibrary.conf:"
#cat /etc/config/medialibrary.conf
echo " "
echo "Memory Information:" 
echo " "
free | grep -v cache:
echo " "
echo "NASReport completed on \$(date +'%Y-%m-%d %T') (\$0) 

"
echo " "
EOF
sleep 2
clear
/tmp/nasreport
#done
[/code]

Please cut&paste the output of the resulting NASReport back to this message thread.

[Rogtuf]

I have updated my system details in the signature. I have attached a new photograph of the screen as the Mac screen capture is too large for the forum which I originally had to shrink to fit.

I have no idea how to SSH into the Qnap and the Wiki link doesn't help. I'm guessing that I need some other utility?

I'm getting the impression that I'm maybe just going to have to give up with the Qnap.

Roger

[ColeGM]

I have updated my system details in the signature. I have attached a new photograph of the screen as the Mac screen capture is too large for the forum which I originally had to shrink to fit.

I have no idea how to SSH into the Qnap and the Wiki link doesn't help. I'm guessing that I need some other utility?

I'm getting the impression that I'm maybe just going to have to give up with the Qnap.

Roger

If you first installed one drive, you have to rebuild the system by creating a new RAID 1 pool. Unfortunately, this means you have to format both drives. I did what you've done and I had to back-up data to an external drive before creating the RAID 1 pool.

[pwilson]

I have updated my system details in the signature. I have attached a new photograph of the screen as the Mac screen capture is too large for the forum which I originally had to shrink to fit.

I have no idea how to SSH into the Qnap and the Wiki link doesn't help. I'm guessing that I need some other utility?

I'm getting the impression that I'm maybe just going to have to give up with the Qnap.

Roger

If you first installed one drive, you have to rebuild the system by creating a new RAID 1 pool. Unfortunately, this means you have to format both drives. I did what you've done and I had to back-up data to an external drive before creating the RAID 1 pool.

Quite correct. Re: Expanding Storage Pools section of the fine manual:

Please note that RAID 0, RAID 1, Single and JBOD are not supported for storage pool expansion.

I went straight to RAID5 here, so I didn't have to worry.

[Rogtuf]

I have updated my system details in the signature. I have attached a new photograph of the screen as the Mac screen capture is too large for the forum which I originally had to shrink to fit.

I have no idea how to SSH into the Qnap and the Wiki link doesn't help. I'm guessing that I need some other utility?

I'm getting the impression that I'm maybe just going to have to give up with the Qnap.

Roger

If you first installed one drive, you have to rebuild the system by creating a new RAID 1 pool. Unfortunately, this means you have to format both drives. I did what you've done and I had to back-up data to an external drive before creating the RAID 1 pool.

Thank you. To be honest, last night was nearly at the point of giving up with the Qnap as I'm not a techie. I simply want a 6tb drive (with 2nd drive Raid 1) to store my movies using Plex. I got the Plex part working initially with a 1tb test drive, but then put in a 6tb and then a few days later another 6tb.

I'll see if I can do as you suggest as there is nothing on the drive(s) that I want to keep. Am I correct that I correct that I delete the present storage pool and go through the raid wizard to do this?

Roger

[pwilson]

Thank you. To be honest, last night was nearly at the point of giving up with the Qnap as I'm not a techie. I simply want a 6tb drive (with 2nd drive Raid 1) to store my movies using Plex. I got the Plex part working initially with a 1tb test drive, but then put in a 6tb and then a few days later another 6tb.

I'll see if I can do as you suggest as there is nothing on the drive(s) that I want to keep. Am I correct that I correct that I delete the present storage pool and go through the raid wizard to do this?

Roger

Invest in a eSATA/USB Drive Dock. These inexpensive devices (I paid less than $50USD for mine), make it much easier to do your Backups. (You should be doing regular Backups anyway).

[Rogtuf]

A Eureka moment. If anyone reading this is as lost as I was, take heart. I tried removing the Storage Pool - as stated in the manual - but it wouldn't allow this - without wanting me to remove the Volume or a ISCSI something. So I tried removing the volume, which came back with an error. But going back in the Storage Pools, the Pool had gone. I then went through the creation of (I think) a new Pool and Volume with Raid 1 and finally I have a 5.4tb available with Raid 1. I say I think, as I can't remember exactly the steps, because I stumbled through it, but it can be done.

I have to say that experimenting with a single 1tb then changing that for a a 6tb then later adding another 6tb to Raid was not a sensible move. I should have bitten the bullet and put two 6tb's in initially. The system may have sorted this out on an initial install, but I don't know that is the case. I guess you would have to tell it somewhere that you want to Raid the setup.

I am sure the manual is excellent for those with technical knowledge, but it would be helpful if there was a section for a novice who just wants to use the system as a remote hard drive, perhaps with Raid 1.

Roger

[ColeGM]

A Eureka moment. If anyone reading this is as lost as I was, take heart. I tried removing the Storage Pool - as stated in the manual - but it wouldn't allow this - without wanting me to remove the Volume or a ISCSI something. So I tried removing the volume, which came back with an error. But going back in the Storage Pools, the Pool had gone. I then went through the creation of (I think) a new Pool and Volume with Raid 1 and finally I have a 5.4tb available with Raid 1. I say I think, as I can't remember exactly the steps, because I stumbled through it, but it can be done.

I have to say that experimenting with a single 1tb then changing that for a a 6tb then later adding another 6tb to Raid was not a sensible move. I should have bitten the bullet and put two 6tb's in initially. The system may have sorted this out on an initial install, but I don't know that is the case. I guess you would have to tell it somewhere that you want to Raid the setup.

I am sure the manual is excellent for those with technical knowledge, but it would be helpful if there was a section for a novice who just wants to use the system as a remote hard drive, perhaps with Raid 1.

Roger

That's great... At least you got what you wanted. But make sure you follow Wilson's advice on getting a dock or external drive for back-up purposes. Pretty your data will become more useful as you accumulate it over the years.

Nic

[Rogtuf]

Yes, that's good advice thank you.

Roger

[pmcdunnough]

@Rogtuf

I am more lost than you. I have a TS251+. I had a 4TB NAS Seagate drive. It has about 1.5TB of data. I bought a 2nd identical drive. I inserted it and the system initialized it. I now have two volumes but no RAID 1. How did you get to a RAID1 situation? Did you have to format both drives? I would love to avoid doing that.

Must say, this is not the easiest thing to do!

Philip

[Rogtuf]

I am sorry that I cannot be of much help. To be honest, I found the system hard to follow. It is not for the novice user in my opinion and the user guide assumes a reasonable level of knowledge, especially with drive pools etc. It is a year or so since I did mine, but I believe that I inserted the second and got it to recognise it. I have it set on Raid 1, but I'm sorry that a year later I can't remember how. Make absolutely sure you have a backup, just in case it (or you accidentally) decides to format the drives. Try another posting and see if someone more knowledgeable will assist.

Roger

[pmcdunnough]

Thanks will try another post. As far as backups go, I back up the ts251+ to a Synology NAS which I have had for a few years. I have never found using its raid system complicated. I really like my QNAP but I do think they assume users are very technically adept. I would have thought that inserting the drive would lead the ts251+ to present a dialogue box with a bunch of options. Instead it wants the user to initiate actions. That is fine if you know what to do but otherwise ...

The problem with a backup is that as far as I can tell you don't ever get the disk back the way it was. Hence any settings get erased and not recovered. I am not concerned about the data. That is backed up in three places. It is the system disk which I might never get back to the state it is in.

Philip