how to access data on a QNAP HDD?

[mbussolo]

When you connect a drive externally, it doesn't realize it "was" an internal drive, so it simply auto-mounts all partitions separately; it is up to you to figure out which partition is which. When you attach a former internal drive externally (via eSATA/USB) the only partition you will care about is the 3rd one, as this is where your data lives. (The other "small" partitions are used by the Firmware for it's own purposes).

Patrick,
thanks, it is very clear now. Can I ask you a couple of more questions:
1) tomorrow my eSATA/USB dock will arrive and I will use it to externally connect my former HDD1 to the NAS. Then what? I will turn on the NAS and access the former HDD1 using my windows PC? Using windows explorer. The objective is to move all the data out of the former NAS HDD1 into something that I can more easily access. And then reformat the former HDD1 and that is it. I will not need to install any additional software, as I will be using the NAS to intermediate between the external former HDD1 and the windows PC. Does this sound right?
2) the auto-format thing that you mentions concerns me a bit... is it possible to still access the data on my former HDD1 if the NAS has auto-formatted it?

I hope this answers your question to your satisfaction.

Indeed. I have learnt quite a bit and would like to thank you.
In fact, do you have any suggestions on where to read a good document on how to set up RAID for the QNAP. I find the documentation on the QNAP website not very clear.
Again thanks and best regards, M

[pwilson]

When you connect a drive externally, it doesn't realize it "was" an internal drive, so it simply auto-mounts all partitions separately; it is up to you to figure out which partition is which. When you attach a former internal drive externally (via eSATA/USB) the only partition you will care about is the 3rd one, as this is where your data lives. (The other "small" partitions are used by the Firmware for it's own purposes).

Patrick,
thanks, it is very clear now. Can I ask you a couple of more questions:
1) tomorrow my eSATA/USB dock will arrive and I will use it to externally connect my former HDD1 to the NAS. Then what? I will turn on the NAS and access the former HDD1 using my windows PC? Using windows explorer. The objective is to move all the data out of the former NAS HDD1 into something that I can more easily access. And then reformat the former HDD1 and that is it. I will not need to install any additional software, as I will be using the NAS to intermediate between the external former HDD1 and the windows PC. Does this sound right?

Almost right. While you could use Windows Explorer for this task, you really do not want to do so. Copying files from your external NAS drive to your internal NAS drives should be done from the NAS, so that you don't need to transfer every file across your network twice via a Windows machine. You could use File Station for this.

I typically do this from the command line:

Code: Select all

/usr/bin/cp -rpav /share/USBDisk3/Public/* /share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/Public/

You'll need to figure this out for yourself on your "Not selected" NAS device. (It is unfortunate that you have chosen not to provide your NAS model on your Forums profile, nor to provide your NAS Model, Firmware Version/Build, or HDD Make/Model, or HDD Volume configuration in your Forum signature. With half this information missing from this message thread it is impossible to provide an example specific to your configuration.

2) the auto-format thing that you mentions concerns me a bit... is it possible to still access the data on my former HDD1 if the NAS has auto-formatted it?

Nope. Restore from your most recent Backup if needed. (This is why you make regular Backups in the first place). As you have multiple NAS devices, you can easily do NAS-to-NAS Backups, so at least for you this task is easy to do, you were very wise to invest in multiple NAS devices, in order to make this possible.

I hope this answers your question to your satisfaction.

Indeed. I have learnt quite a bit and would like to thank you.
In fact, do you have any suggestions on where to read a good document on how to set up RAID for the QNAP. I find the documentation on the QNAP website not very clear.

Reading the correct manual for your undisclosed Firmware Version/Build is really the best place to start. You'll find your manual among all the QNAP Manuals presently available for you. Your two NAS models use different manuals so you will probably want to "bookmark" at least 2 of these manuals within your Web Browser so that you can access them whenever you want as needed.

[mbussolo]

Almost right. While you could use Windows Explorer for this task, you really do not want to do so. Copying files from your external NAS drive to your internal NAS drives should be done from the NAS, so that you don't need to transfer every file across your network twice via a Windows machine. You could use File Station for this.

Thanks for this. It makes a lot of sense to bypass the windows machine and the network router.
In fact the file station is very similar to a windows explorer. I am still unsure though on whether I will "see" anything once I put the former HDD1 into the eSATA dock...

I typically do this from the command line:

Code: Select all

/usr/bin/cp -rpav /share/USBDisk3/Public/* /share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/Public/

I do not know how to access the command line? Do you access it from a web browser (on a windows machine) that is pointed to the IP address of the NAS, or how?

... (It is unfortunate that you have chosen not to provide your NAS model on your Forums profile, nor to provide your NAS Model, Firmware Version/Build, or HDD Make/Model, or HDD Volume configuration in your Forum signature. With half this information missing from this message thread it is impossible to provide an example specific to your configuration.

I have updated the signature and all the info is there. When I signed into the forum my NAS model was not there (or I did not see it), so I could not add it to my profile.

2) the auto-format thing that you mentions concerns me a bit... is it possible to still access the data on my former HDD1 if the NAS has auto-formatted it?

Nope. Restore from your most recent Backup if needed. (This is why you make regular Backups in the first place). As you have multiple NAS devices, you can easily do NAS-to-NAS Backups, so at least for you this task is easy to do, you were very wise to invest in multiple NAS devices, in order to make this possible.

I have only one NAS left, so I guess I am not that wise... how do I know whether the new NAS did auto-format my former HDD1. When I look at it, and it is sitting in the second bay, I can "see" that it has 450GB of data in it... but the NAS (for example the file station) does not allow me to do anything with this data...
I have backed up some of it but not all of it... so I would be very happy to recover it.


Finally I realize that you have been providing a lot of information to me and I am very grateful. Is there a way I can show my gratitude? Can one vote on these fora? Can I recommend you in some ways?
Thanks again and best regards

[pwilson]

Almost right. While you could use Windows Explorer for this task, you really do not want to do so. Copying files from your external NAS drive to your internal NAS drives should be done from the NAS, so that you don't need to transfer every file across your network twice via a Windows machine. You could use File Station for this.

Thanks for this. It makes a lot of sense to bypass the windows machine and the network router.
In fact the file station is very similar to a windows explorer. I am still unsure though on whether I will "see" anything once I put the former HDD1 into the eSATA dock...

.

Your former drive will show up. On the TS-220 it would show up as "/share/eSATADisk1", "/share/eSATADisk2", "/share/eSATADisk3", & "/share/eSATADisk4". Your former NAS data will be in "/share/eSATADisk3". (3rd partition on the eSATA disk).

On your TS-469L device it will show up as 4 partitions too, but I have no idea if it will follow this naming scheme under SMB Firmware. (I don't use eSATA with my TS-470 Pro).

I typically do this from the command line:

Code: Select all

/usr/bin/cp -rpav /share/USBDisk3/Public/* /share/CACHEDEV1_DATA/Public/

I do not know how to access the command line? Do you access it from a web browser (on a windows machine) that is pointed to the IP address of the NAS, or how?

Microsoft does not provide an SSH client with Windows yet. (SSH has only been around for 20 years, so perhaps they'll add it eventually ). If you want to access your NAS via SSH from your Windows box, simply download and install PuTTY. It's free.

2) the auto-format thing that you mentions concerns me a bit... is it possible to still access the data on my former HDD1 if the NAS has auto-formatted it?

Nope. Restore from your most recent Backup if needed. (This is why you make regular Backups in the first place). As you have multiple NAS devices, you can easily do NAS-to-NAS Backups, so at least for you this task is easy to do, you were very wise to invest in multiple NAS devices, in order to make this possible.

I have only one NAS left, so I guess I am not that wise... how do I know whether the new NAS did auto-format my former HDD1. When I look at it, and it is sitting in the second bay, I can "see" that it has 450GB of data in it... but the NAS (for example the file station) does not allow me to do anything with this data...
I have backed up some of it but not all of it... so I would be very happy to recover it.

I'm afraid I can't help with data recovery. I have never attempted it. I use my Backups here, so I have never needed to attempt data recovery. 20+ years of running Linux, and I have never needed to try it. Regular backups are my friend.

Finally I realize that you have been providing a lot of information to me and I am very grateful. Is there a way I can show my gratitude? Can one vote on these fora? Can I recommend you in some ways?
Thanks again and best regards

It's a Community. I participate here, because I like helping people. Your thanks is enough. Enjoy your NAS.

PS: Please provide the Build number of your QTS 4.1.0 in your signature too. (It is important).

[mbussolo]

Dear Patrick,
It is with extreme joy that I announce that right at this moment the QNAP NAS is connected with his former HDD1 via the external eSATA dock and I am seeing my precious data! I am currently using the file station to copy the data into the HDD of bay 1 and will then proceed with backup.

I had a few very tense moments because initially only 1 partition appeared as eSATAdisk1, and it did not contain anything useful (at least to me). But then eSATAdisk2 appeared and I became hopeful... then after a few seconds (very long seconds) this thing appeared: 5000039ff3c57939 and this last guy is where all the data of the former HDD1 are!
Hallelujah Hallelujah.

Thanks again for all your help and time spent on my issue. I have opened a ticket with QNAP helpdesk and today I also talked to one of their tech support agent and they have not done anything yet. The only think the agent said is that they will write me an email, which I am still waiting for.

All the best. M