First Time Install - have disk with data

The quick answer is do NOT install the disk with data into the NAS as the NAS will erase the disk. You'll want to connect the disk that has data to a PC and copy the data to the NAS through the network. There are other ways of copying the data and in the end you'll be able to install D1 into the Duo to enable redundancy but until the data is safe (and preferably backed up) do not install the disk with the data into the Duo.

Drat... That's not what I was hoping to hear. Sigh... Is there a way to make use of the USB port on the ReadyNAS to locally to the copy in order to expedite the process? I hate to think how long it will take to copy all that data over my wireless network from a USB port on my laptop!

I'm not sure I know what a teradrive is, but why not simply get a USB-to-SATA adapter and plug-in to the Duo's USB port, then use Frontview to do a "backup" of the USB drive to a share on the NAS.

Yep, using the USB port will also work and as maxblack suggests a sata->usb adapter would probably do the trick.

Hmmm.. Sorry for my lay-terms.

The 2 teradrives mentioned above are both WD Caviar Black 1TB Sata drives. Purchased to be installed in the ReadyNAS drive bays.

I didn't want to have to purchase yet another piece of hardware. I was kinda hoping that there was some order in which I could install the drives such that I wouldn't lose my data.

What would happen if:
1. I turn off my ReadyNAS, remove the (blank) D2, and install the (populated) D1 in the ReadyNAS and repower? (that is, only 1 drive would be installed in the ReadyNAS)
Surely the ReadyNAS won't overwrite my data? (or will it)
2. Can I then use RaidAR to find the drive and access it from my laptop and begin interacting with it? (reading/writing data)
3. What would happen if I then installed drive D2 into the ReadyNAS (leaving D1 installed). Would they sync? Which would the ReadyNAS use as the "master" drive? Is there a way to "tell" the ReadyNAS which drive to use as the master drive from which to sync?

Tim

Sorry, your already-populated drive has got to be formatted by the ReadyNAS in order to live there.

Ahhh.... double-drat. But thanks

What would happen if:
1. I turn off my ReadyNAS, remove the (blank) D2, and install the (populated) D1 in the ReadyNAS and repower? (that is, only 1 drive would be installed in the ReadyNAS)
Surely the ReadyNAS won't overwrite my data? (or will it)


The result is the NAS Duo will erase all of you D1 data, you will lost your data for ever.

Thank you everyone for your assistance. As instructed, I've bought a SATA adapter and have begun the slow and painful process of copying the files from the populated disk to the empty disk in the ReadyNAS. I am sure there are faster ways to do it, but brute-force shall prevail.