Forum Discussion
ReadyNAS Duo V2 Memory expansion and organisation
Hi all, apologies if this is a duplicate post. I've been searching the community forums and can't find an answer at present I've had my ReadyNas DUO V2 since 2012 running the same pre-installed 2TB ...
Sabedi wrote:
I've had my ReadyNas DUO V2 since 2012 running the same pre-installed 2TB HDD.
I always want to confirm the model with v2 ReadyNAS, since many v1 owners mistakenly think they have a v2. I think that's unlikely here - but just in case:
- A v2 says "Duo v2" on the front panel; v1 just says "Duo".
- A v2 runs 5.3.x firmware; a v1 runs 4.1.x firmware.
If you do have a v1, then it can't handle a 4 TB drive - it is limited to 2 TB.
Sabedi wrote:
I've purchased the WD Red WD40ERFX to install in the 2nd bay. Is there a way of partitioning the drive to use 2TB for back up and the additional 2TB for extra storage of non-essential stuff (ie files etc that I'm not concerned about losing)
I think you really mean that you want to run RAID-1 mirroring on the main drive, but use the extra 2 TB of space on the WD40EFRX as another volume?
RAID-1 mirroring is useful, but it's not really the same thing as a backup.
Anyway, there is no way to do that with your NAS.
What you could do instead is:
- Purchase a second WD40EFRX, and replace the first disk after the new one resyncs.
- Switch to flexraid and set up both disks are independent jbod volumes. Then use the built-in backup jobs to back up the files on the 2 TB drive to backup shares on the WD40EFRX.
Option 2 requires doing a factory default (losing all data). So you will need to back up the data to a USB drive or PC before you do it. So If you go with that approach, you should set up the NAS in flexraid using the newer disk in slot 1 (leaving the second slot empty). Then add the 2 TB drive as the second volume (hot inserting it).
Personally I'd go with option (1), and also purchase a USB drive for backup. The best way to protect your data from loss is to back it up to a different device - a USB drive, another NAS, or cloud. A USB drive is the least expensive.
Information on flexraid is here: http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/READYNAS%20ARM-PLATFORM%20(DUO%20V2,%20NV+%20V2)/RAIDiator%205.3%20SW%20Manual_5Sep12.pdf
Note that switching to flexraid does require installing RAIDar on a PC. That's described in the manual - but it doesn't say that you need RAIDar 4.3.8 for this. The newer 6.5 RAIDar won't work. You can download RAIDar here: https://kb.netgear.com/20684/ReadyNAS-Downloads
Thank you for such a detailed response
It is definitley a Duo V2 - I have both RAIDar 4.3.8 & 6.0 and they both state it is a V2.
I think I will pursue option 1 - but a few follow up questions if I may:
- If I install the WD40EFRX in the 2nd bay, it will backup my existing 2TB drive and I still only have access to 2TB space (effectively losing 2TB on the new drive)?
- Once the back up is done, if I then swap the original 2TB in the 1st bay with another WD40EFRX, that will then back up the drive in the 2nd bay but now I have a total of 4TB space to utilise?
- This way will not require me to do any factory reset of the original 2TB drive?
I've purchased a 2TB Seagate External HDD a while ago but can't get my laptop to recognise it now. Looking online apparently it's a common fault of these drives! I will look to back up the 2TB HDD anyway externally as well.
Thanks once again for your time
Sabedi wrote:
It is definitely a Duo V2 - I have both RAIDar 4.3.8 & 6.0 and they both state it is a V2.
I think I will pursue option 1 - but a few follow up questions if I may:
- If I install the WD40EFRX in the 2nd bay, it will backup my existing 2TB drive and I still only have access to 2TB space (effectively losing 2TB on the new drive)?
- Once the back up is done, if I then swap the original 2TB in the 1st bay with another WD40EFRX, that will then back up the drive in the 2nd bay but now I have a total of 4TB space to utilise?
- This way will not require me to do any factory reset of the original 2TB drive?
Yes to all. Simply hot-inserting the WD40EFRX will convert your existing volume to RAID-1 with no expansion of space. Hot-swapping the 2 TB drive later on with another WD40EFRX would expand your storage to 4 TB. No need for a factory reset.
As an aside - there is a newer version of the 4 TB Red called the WD40EFAX. This newer model uses SMR ("shingled magnetic recording") instead of CMR ("conventional magnetic recording"). There are some downsides to using SMR in RAID, so I'd recommend sticking to the EFRX if you can (at least for now). There is a youtuber who is posting some detailed performance tests on these two models - though the most important tests haven't been posted yet.
- Thanks for clarifying.
I will have a go at doing all the above this weekend and see how it goes! 🤞🏽🙏🏽
StephenB wrote:
Yes to all. Simply hot-inserting the WD40EFRX will convert your existing volume to RAID-1 with no expansion of space. Hot-swapping the 2 TB drive later on with another WD40EFRX would expand your storage to 4 TB. No need for a factory reset.I've now got 2 x WD40EFRX drives. Before I install the first one in the 2nd bay, I've just checked ReadyNAS dashboard and the existing HDD is setup as XRAID2.
This doesn't make any difference? I can still install as planned above and it should still work?
Thanks!
Sabedi wrote:
the existing HDD is setup as XRAID2.This doesn't make any difference?
It doesn't matter.
The first generation NAS had XRAID. The next wave (4.2.x and 5.3.x) had an improved version called XRAID2. They've made further improvements in OS6, but decided to go back and just call it XRAID again.
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