x-raid, flex-raid, ... how?

Question

I have a 2-bay pro 2, running with a 1 TB disk on OS6 in X-raid mode. I want to replace the 1TB disk with a 4TB disk, but without redoing the whole setup. I only have and need one drive. There is no need for redundancy and also the data is redundant available in another place on another readynas.

How can I achieve this? I already placed the 4TB disk in the unit, but now it is redundant at 1TB with the first 1TB disk. I could imagine there is a way with flex raid, but the description was not that easy, especially not on that use case...

Thanks for any help or hints!

StephenB · Answer

el_patron&nbsp;wrote:
How can I achieve this? I already placed the 4TB disk in the unit, but now it is redundant at 1TB with the first 1TB disk.
&nbsp;

Normally you'd need to back up the data, do a fresh install with only the 4 TB drive in place, and then rebuild the NAS.
&nbsp;
But there a way to get there with ssh.&nbsp; You need to&nbsp;

Remove the 1 TB drive from the RAID array
Physically remove the 1 TB drive
Expand the volume to use the full 4 TB of space.

Sandshark&nbsp;provided the relevant information on these steps here:https://community.netgear.com/t5/Using-your-ReadyNAS-in-Business/Reducing-RAID-size-removing-drives-WITHOUT-DATA-LOSS-is-possible/td-p/1736125
&nbsp;
If you need more tailored advice, please post your mdstat.log and also disk_info.log (both from the log zip).&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Although it sounds like you already have a backup of your data, I do want to emphasize the importance of making a backup before attempting to run these commands (for the benefit of other readers).&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

el_patron · Answer

Thanks for the hints... Well doesn't read too simple... Any further hints are welcome. Please find enclosed the two mentioned files.&nbsp;mdstat-logPersonalities : [raid0] [raid1] [raid10] [raid6] [raid5] [raid4] 
md1 : active raid1 sdb2[1] sda2[0]
      523264 blocks super 1.2 [2/2] [UU]
      
md127 : active raid1 sda3[2] sdb3[0]
      971912832 blocks super 1.2 [2/2] [UU]
      
md0 : active raid1 sda1[2] sdb1[0]
      4190208 blocks super 1.2 [2/2] [UU]
      
unused devices: &lt;none&gt;
/dev/md/0:
           Version : 1.2
     Creation Time : Thu Aug 23 21:07:38 2018
        Raid Level : raid1
        Array Size : 4190208 (4.00 GiB 4.29 GB)
     Used Dev Size : 4190208 (4.00 GiB 4.29 GB)
      Raid Devices : 2
     Total Devices : 2
       Persistence : Superblock is persistent

Update Time : Sat Jun 29 20:23:40 2019
             State : clean 
    Active Devices : 2
   Working Devices : 2
    Failed Devices : 0
     Spare Devices : 0

Consistency Policy : unknown

Name : 758b1e1e:0  (local to host 758b1e1e)
              UUID : f61c735e:9719da61:b5ec78d5:cfb3b875
            Events : 338

Number   Major   Minor   RaidDevice State
       0       8       17        0      active sync   /dev/sdb1
       2       8        1        1      active sync   /dev/sda1
/dev/md/data-0:
           Version : 1.2
     Creation Time : Thu Aug 23 21:08:03 2018
        Raid Level : raid1
        Array Size : 971912832 (926.89 GiB 995.24 GB)
     Used Dev Size : 971912832 (926.89 GiB 995.24 GB)
      Raid Devices : 2
     Total Devices : 2
       Persistence : Superblock is persistent

Update Time : Sat Jun 29 20:23:34 2019
             State : clean 
    Active Devices : 2
   Working Devices : 2disk_info.logDevice:             sda
Controller:         0
Channel:            0
Model:              WDC WD40EFRX-68N32N0
Serial:             WD-WCC7K4FSNP98
Firmware:           82.00A82
Class:              SATA
RPM:                5400
Sectors:            7814037168
Pool:               data
PoolType:           RAID 1
PoolState:          1
PoolHostId:         758b1e1e
Health data 
  ATA Error Count:                0
  Reallocated Sectors:            0
  Reallocation Events:            0
  Spin Retry Count:               0
  Current Pending Sector Count:   0
  Uncorrectable Sector Count:     0
  Temperature:                    36
  Start/Stop Count:               598
  Power-On Hours:                 772
  Power Cycle Count:              1
  Load Cycle Count:               598

Device:             sdb
Controller:         0
Channel:            1
Model:              ST31000528AS
Serial:             9VP9RW97
Firmware:           CC49
Class:              SATA
RPM:                7200
Sectors:            1953525168
Pool:               data
PoolType:           RAID 1
PoolState:          1
PoolHostId:         758b1e1e
Health data 
  ATA Error Count:                0
  Reallocated Sectors:            1451
  Reallocation Events:            1451
  Spin Retry Count:               0
  End-to-End Errors:              0
  Command Timeouts:               0
  Current Pending Sector Count:   0
  Uncorrectable Sector Count:     0
  Temperature:                    36
  Start/Stop Count:               6807
  Power-On Hours:                 28797
  Power Cycle Count:              103

Thank you!&nbsp;

StephenB · Answer

el_patron&nbsp;wrote:
&nbsp;Well doesn't read too simple...

It's not - this is fairly advanced stuff.&nbsp;&nbsp;You should make sure you have a backup of your NAS before you begin.
&nbsp;
It's always a bit risky when I need to post linux commands that I can't actually test.&nbsp; Hopefully Sandshark&nbsp;will chime in (as he's done experimenting with these commands and I have not).&nbsp;
&nbsp;
In your system disk 1 (sda) is the 4 TB drive and disk 2 (sdb) is the 1 TB drive.
&nbsp;
Start by changing to flexraid (web ui volume tab).
&nbsp;
Then log in as root via ssh and enter
# mdadm /dev/md127 --fail --verbose /dev/sda3
# mdadm /dev/md127 --remove --verbose /dev/sda3
# mdadm --zero-superblock --verbose /dev/sda3
This should remove disk 1 from the array.
&nbsp;
Remove disk 1 and reboot.&nbsp; At this point you should see your data volume (as before) and have access to your data.&nbsp; The array shouldn't be flagged as degraded.
&nbsp;
Then try hot-inserting disk 1 again.&nbsp; You should be able to select it from the volume tab and create a new volume on it.&nbsp; If you have trouble (for instance if you see an "inactive volume"), then try connecting the disk to a PC (either SATA or USB adapter/dock) and zero it with Western Digital's Lifeguard utility.&nbsp; After that, hot-insert it again.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Sandshark · Answer

Actually, I believe that will leave the array degraded after reboot.&nbsp; The following command fixes that:&nbsp;# mdadm --grow /dev/md127 --raid-devices=1 --force --verbose&nbsp;The zero-superblocks command listed by StephenB&nbsp;is to insure your NAS doesn't try to re-integrate the drive into the current array when you return it to the chassis.&nbsp; For anyone not returning the drive to the NAS, it's not necessary.&nbsp;The --force in the command above is necessary.&nbsp; The --verbose is not, but I always like visual confirmation of what's going on, which this provides.&nbsp;The NAS will also need to re-sync the OS and swap partitions, but that's fast.&nbsp; You may see a message shortly after the reboot stating that sync is complete.&nbsp;But then comes the part I'm not sure about.&nbsp; Will XRAID then start expansion of the volume to fill the 4TB drive, or can it be done in FlexRAID?&nbsp; My experiments were with equally sized drives, so I don't know.&nbsp; Even if it does, you'd end up with a very odd configuration: a 1TB single-drive RAID1 and a 3TB single-drive RAID1 on the same drive with a BTRFS file system spanning them.&nbsp; I could tell you how to do it manually, but then you'd definately be stuck needed to do all furure expansions manually.&nbsp;Expanding the partition with GPARTED and then the RAID with MDADM would be a better way, but that's even more complex, in large part because GPARTED can't operate on a mounted partition.&nbsp;Honestly, I'd recommend either a factory default with the 4TB and restore from backup or remove the 4TB from the array instead, and add it back as a new, separate volume.&nbsp; You'd still have the 1TB present, and as the primary OS device with your home folders, but you could move everything else to the 4TB.&nbsp;Whether you could successfully EXPORT the 1TB after the 4TB is added as a new volume, I don't know, either.&nbsp;You've given me food for thought should I ever try more experiments in this area.&nbsp;

StephenB · Answer

But then comes the part I'm not sure about.&nbsp; Will XRAID then start expansion of the volume to fill the 4TB drive, or can it be done in FlexRAID?&nbsp;
&nbsp;

I believe the goal here is to create a second volume on the 4 TB drive.&nbsp; That was why I suggested switching to flexraid before executing any of the ssh commands.&nbsp; Perhaps click on format before creating a new volume on the drive.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

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x-raid, flex-raid, ... how?

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