TS-112 - Removing and putting back a full HDD

[jurass]

My HDD in TS-112 is full. I need to put in a new disk and keep the data on the first one until I upgrade my storage system with a multi-bay NAS. What do I have to do to make sure that data on the first disk is preserved when I put it back to TS-112 for moving data to a new larger unit? Is it enough to backup system settings before I remove the full HDD from the unit and then making a settings restore from GUI when the HDD is back inside? Anything special I should take care of?

[pwilson]

My HDD in TS-112 is full. I need to put in a new disk and keep the data on the first one until I upgrade my storage system with a multi-bay NAS. What do I have to do to make sure that data on the first disk is preserved when I put it back to TS-112 for moving data to a new larger unit? Is it enough to backup system settings before I remove the full HDD from the unit and then making a settings restore from GUI when the HDD is back inside? Anything special I should take care of?

Upgrading the original disk in your QNAP 1-Bay NAS:

You might want to invest in an external eSATA Dock for your drive upgrade in your existing NAS.



To upgrade your drive proceed as follows:

1. Put your new disk in a eSATA dock
2. Plug your eSATA dock into your Qnap NAS
3. Access your NAS Admin WebUI:
   WebUI > External Device > External Storage Device
   
   1. You will see your New Disk
   2. Format your eSATA disk with EXT3
   3. After the format has been done, at the bottom of the windows, select "QRaid1"
   4. Click "Apply"
   5. You will see the disk syncing..
4. When finished, you can turn off you Qnap NAS
5. Replace original Disk in NAS with new Disk.
6. Turn on you Qnap NAS

You are now using your new disk.

Migrating your original disk into your new QNAP NAS:

Check out the System Migration section of the QNAP Turbo NAS User Manual. You can move your original drive directly to a larger QNAP NAS. This might require upgrading the firmware on your drive once it installed in the new NAS (it will do it automatically if required). Once your new drive is installed in the new NAS you can proceed to Online RAID Level Migration or Use Online RAID Capacity Expansion and RAID Level Migration together as you add additional drives to your NAS.

If you intend to migrate to a 4-Bay (or larger) model you should probably serious consider adopting RAID5 for your NAS. Ensure that any drives you purchase are listed on the QNAP 3.5" HDD Compatibility List. Western Digital RED (NASware) drives are recommended.

[jurass]

Thanks for your effort pwilson, I appreciate it, but that's not exactly what I was asking about. Although it gives me an idea of using external storage unless somebody is able to confirm that the simple procedure I described in my first post will work. Why shouldn't it, putting back an original disk in the NAS I mean? It's just a special case of system migration. The easiest I guess, since you're installing the HDD in the same hardware.

Using eSATA dock has an advantage of having the data on original HDD installed in the NAS available as I will use external storage in Data Sharing mode for storage expansion. I don't follow your proposal of Q-RAID 1 mode. I don't want to duplicate original disk, but gain additional space temporarily (ca. 3 months), having two disks available and preserving data on original one before I buy a multi-bay station.

By the way, any eSATA dock/enclosure should work? I know there is a compatybility list, but there is nothing described as a eSATA dock there.

[pwilson]

Thanks for your effort pwilson, I appreciate it, but that's not exactly what I was asking about. Although it gives me an idea of using external storage unless somebody is able to confirm that the simple procedure I described in my first post will work. Why shouldn't it, putting back an original disk in the NAS I mean? It's just a special case of system migration. The easiest I guess, since you're installing the HDD in the same hardware.

Using eSATA dock has an advantage of having the data on original HDD installed in the NAS available as I will use external storage in Data Sharing mode for storage expansion. I don't follow your proposal of Q-RAID 1 mode. I don't want to duplicate original disk, but gain additional space temporarily (ca. 3 months), having two disks available and preserving data on original one before I buy a multi-bay station.

By the way, any eSATA dock/enclosure should work? I know there is a compatybility list, but there is nothing described as a eSATA dock there.

The external drive, is not designed for Storage Expansion. You will need to tweak permissions on it every time you connect it, for it to become visible to every user on your NAS. Easy enough to do, but must be repeated every time it is connected. If you're only talking 3 months, you could probably live with this inconvenience.

I still recommend a Dock though. (They're cheap, and very useful. This also also negates the requirement of using dedicated "enclosures" on your "backup drives").

Doesn't really matter which Make/Model Dock you buy. eSATA is simply a SATA bus extension, so any eSATA dock should work. The correct choice of drive is far more important, but as you've already decided on the WD NASware line, that won't be a problem either. As you can migrate your drive to the new NAS later, I don't understand why you wouldn't upgrade the drive immediately. You can migrate it to the new NAS when you get it later.

[jurass]

The external drive, is not designed for Storage Expansion.

What is the purpose of Data Sharing Disk Usage Setting of External Storage Device then? You mean it's not designed for because it's not convenient? But this is the only option.

as you've already decided on the WD NASware line

Have I? I didn't say that. It's one of two choices I'm considering and actually I'll probably go for it as Reds are starting to appear over here with good pricing and 3 year warranty, although they are not speed demons, but I think it's not that important for any NAS below high-end level, or is it? Also WD is not my first choice in general as recently I have stumbled at various occasions at much more reports of new or almost new faulty WD drives than Seagate. Also performance wise Seagate seems to have more interesting options. It's just my personal impression.

I don't understand why you wouldn't upgrade the drive immediately.

What do you mean by upgrade in my present configuration?

[hanz54]

My HDD in TS-112 is full....

To upgrade your drive proceed as follows:

1. Put your new disk in a eSATA dock
2. Plug your eSATA dock into your Qnap NAS
3. Access your NAS Admin WebUI:
   WebUI > External Device > External Storage Device
   1. You will see your New Disk
   2. Format your eSATA disk with EXT3
   3. After the format has been done, at the bottom of the windows, select "QRaid1"
   4. Click "Apply"
   5. You will see the disk syncing..
4. When finished, you can turn off you Qnap NAS
5. Replace original Disk in NAS with new Disk.
6. Turn on you Qnap NAS

You are now using your new disk.

Greate suggestion, is this alo possible with a USB 3.0 only Docking Station?