Apparently automatic volume capacity not working as advertised

Question

I'm trying to upgrade from a 8TB to a 16TB system. A year or more ago I bought a 4TB drive as a test and somehow got the system to replicate to it. I wasn't ready at the tim to make the full upgrade, but recently commiting to do so last week. I bought 3 more 4TB Ironwolf COMPATIBLE drives and attempted my first swapout the other day but so far nothing is going as expected. Instead of remaining online but degraded, my volume cage UI went dark and there's no indication any replication is happening. In fact, the system decided it could handle the situation and shut down by itself! Just prior to the swap, I also completed disabled my auto backups. Maybe one clue is an error unable to download firmware, buy why? My system firmware is already install latest of 6.10.5. Seems like a complete bust for a "simple" RAID system upgrade. Are there any diagnostics to check or logs? (Apparently having massive difficulty uploading screen shots here). I can see while editing but then missing after editing.

StephenB · Answer

teddis&nbsp;wrote:
&nbsp;I bought 3 more 4TB Ironwolf COMPATIBLE drives and attempted my first swapout the other day but so far nothing is going as expected.

I suggest testing the new disks in a Windows PC using Seatools. You can connect them either with SATA or with a USB adapter/dock.

teddis · Answer

I don't have access to a PC, just my Macs. I've ordered an adapter to test with Disk Util. I replaced the first ironwolf with a second one received but some results. Nothing. The volume cage is dark and doesn't look like anything is replicating. With two such failures, doesn't seem like a shipping fluke, but some odd incompatibility readynas os. I would this this would mount!

StephenB · Answer

teddis&nbsp;wrote:
&nbsp;With two such failures, doesn't seem like a shipping fluke, but some odd incompatibility readynas os. I would this this would mount!

Lots of people use Seagate Ironwolf drives, so it's not an incompatibility.
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It's not that uncommon for drives to be damaged in shipment (and if the package is mishandled, it's quite possible that it would affect all the drives in the package).
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Another option is simply to exchange the disks, and see if the second set behaves differently.
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teddis&nbsp;wrote:
I don't have access to a PC, just my Macs. I've ordered an adapter to test with Disk Util.

While waiting you could also try testing them in the NAS.

Power down
remove all the old drives (labeling by slot)
insert one of the new disks (perhaps in bay 2, since bay 1 isn't detecting it)
Power up.

If the NAS detects the drive, it will automatically do a factory install.&nbsp; You then complete the setup (doing as little as possible).&nbsp; Then run the disk test (volume settings wheel on the system-&gt;volumes tab).&nbsp; If that completes with no errors, then the test passed.&nbsp; When done, destroy the volume (using the volume settings wheel option), power down, and remove the drive.
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This only does a read/non-destructive test, but it still has value.
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Sandshark · Answer

StephenB&nbsp;wrote:If the NAS detects the drive, it will automatically do a factory install.&nbsp; You then complete the setup (doing as little as possible).&nbsp; Then run the disk test (volume settings wheel on the system-&gt;volumes tab).&nbsp; If that completes with no errors, then the test passed.&nbsp; When done, destroy the volume (using the volume settings wheel option), power down, and remove the drive.&nbsp;Before destroying the volume on the first disk tested, power down and move the drive to slot 1.&nbsp; If the unit powers up normally and sees the volume, then the slot is OK.&nbsp; I don't see anything in your process that shoud damage the slot, but it's best to eliminate all possibilities.

teddis · Answer

I received my USB 3.0 to SATA hard drive adapter for my Mac and tested all three IronWolf drives (seem fine). Each had to be initialized using the Disk Utility. I'm not sure the best format that should be used. I thought ExFat would be the most modern FS. My system finally upgraded to latest firmware 6.10.6 as well.For days ReadyNAS would blink "degraded" and never seemed to begin migration. I discovered (finally) is some kind of physical limitation of the drive bay system. I finally "pushed" the drive back further into the cabinet, and the drive "connected" and start migration. Unfortunately, it was using previous 2TB drive. Anyway, here's a screen shot. I wish I had correctly used the new 4TB IronWolf drive instead. To avoid potential damage, I'm waiting. for this useless exercise to complete (using old original drive). The big problem is WHY won't the new drive snap in and connect with the backplane? This feels very wrong. Perhaps I'm missing some physical piece or just didn't push far enough back on the bay but seems like I should not have had to do more. I'll update again soon. If there is any recommendation as to how to properly ensure data seal with the internal backplane and the drive bay, I'd appciate knowing the right solution... Thanks.