RNDP 6000 seems to be short circuiting my UPS

The NAS-purposed drives run cooler.  You won't see any performance drop-off on large file transfers, but you could see some drop-off on browsing directories with lots of subfolders and files.

Enterprise-class drives have 5 year warranties, the NAS-purposed drives generally have only 3.

Either way, you should consider the new new SSD tiering feature if you will have lots of files.  That also would require using larger drives, so you'd have at least one slot free for the SSD(s).  https://kb.netgear.com/000049513/ReadyNAS-OS-6-9-Metadata-Tiering

Thanks, Stephen. I think I'm going to go with the NAS-Purposed drives as you recommended.

If I recall correctly, the drives all have to be the same capacity. Is this still true? For example: if I install 4 8TB drives and leave 2 bays open, and I want to expand later, would I have to stick with 8TB drives? Thanks again.

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KenTanker0us1 wrote:

 

If I recall correctly, the drives all have to be the same capacity. Is this still true? For example: if I install 4 8TB drives and leave 2 bays open, and I want to expand later, would I have to stick with 8TB drives? 

If you are using XRAID, then you could use 8 TB or larger drives.  For instance, add two 10 TB drives in the final slots, and you'd have a 42TB volume size.

You do need two of the largest drives installed to take advantage of the extra space.

Note you couldn't add a smaller drive.

GOOD NEWS, gentlemen.

My NAS is up and running!!! This is freaking awesome. Thank you so much for all your good advice.

The new NAS will be arriving today or tomorrow. 6 4TB NAS drives soon after. It will be twice the room I have in the 'old' NAS.

I will ask for some advice here: what's the best way to use my old NAS for a backup volume? Since the new one is twice as big, I'm thinking of just backing up (incrementally) the most important and timely files to the old one. Can you recommend, please, some methods/best software for scheduling incremental backups?

Thank you so much. This is one of the best forums I've ever visited.

I use the built-in rsync backup jobs.   They are incremental, and they work well between my RN526x and my pro-6.  I set up one for each share, scheduled to run daily.   One backup job is set to always notify me on completion (so I'll know if something has gone wrong), the other backup jobs notify only on failure.  You can optionally set up a power schedule if you want to reduce the power use or utilitization of the pro.

In your case you'd need to separate out the data you want to back up (putting those files into their own shares).

Your pro-6 can also be switched over to OS-6 - there are instructions here on how to do that.  My own pro is still running 4.2.31 though.

Stephen, thanks a lot for the info. My data is definitely already separated into shares, and it's good to know I can do incremental based on indiviual shares. I must tell you that I am unfamiliar with the built-in rsync. Can you point me to a good place to learn about this?

Also:

My NAS is shutting itself down because the drive temps are too high. Is this possibly because I have the case off and the rear fan out of place? If I put the fan in its place, do I need to have the case entirely closed for proper airflow? I can't do that until that ATX extender gets here.

Thanks so much for any and all advice.

Yes, the drives will get too hot with the back and power supply removed.  You need to get air flowing from front to back.  Try re-installing the back and using masking tape to tape up the power supply hole and any gaps in the rear except where the fan exhausts.  I've done that with 4-bay systems, and don't see why it wouldn't do the job on a six-bay one.  Some cardboard over the power supply hole prior to the taping might help, too.

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KenTanker0us1 wrote:

I must tell you that I am unfamiliar with the built-in rsync. Can you point me to a good place to learn about this?

 

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Perhaps start here: https://kb.netgear.com/29730/How-do-I-back-up-data-from-a-RAIDiator-4-system-to-a-ReadyNAS-OS-6-system

It has screenshots for both OS 4 and OS 6.  Settings for OS-6 are organized differently, but they are the same.

You can run into permissions issues between OS 4 and OS 6, because OS 6 uses different identifiers.  "Guest", "nobody", and "nogroup" aren't aligned, and there is no way to fix that.  So you need to assign some other account (and group) as the owner for each share.

If you use NAS user accounts, you should match the UID and GID for your user accounts and groups, and make sure that the shares use an account (and not guest, nobody, nogroup).

If you don't use NAS user accounts, set the shares on both systems to use admin/admin as the owner/group.  On OS 4 that is done on the "advanced options" screen for each share; on OS 6 it is done on the File Access settings for each share.

Well it looks like I've got a lot more studying to do. How can I tell which system my RNDP 6000 is using?

And also, somewhere upthread you mentioned I could upgrade to OS 6. Are there any benefits/problems that I should know about?

I'm googling all this as well, I need a lot of education very fast if I'm going to get all this to work.

Thanks again.

You should be running OS 4 (e.g, firmware 4.2.x) on your pro.

OS-6 can be installed on it.  The process involves installing special transition firmware, and then doing a factory reset, so it will destroy all data on the NAS.  The process is reversible (and downgrading back to OS 4 is also destructive).  So the natural time for you to consider this is after you have your new NAS operational.

The disadvantage is that Netgear Support won't provide paid support for OS-6 on legacy NAS (other than data recovery). 

Note your pro has 1 GB of RAM, while current OS-6 NAS have at least 2 GB.  So if you do switch, at some point you might find that you also need to upgrade the RAM in your pro in order to use all the services in OS-6.  Upgrading the memory is not difficult. (It does void the warranty, but I think you don't have warranty coverage anymore anyway).

Advantages include

• Support for SMBv3 (useful as Microsoft is deprecating the SMBv1 used in the pro)
• No known expansion limits
• Getting an up-to-date linux OS with security updates
• Getting OS-6 features and apps (antivirus, file search, plex media server, etc).
• Having the same OS running on both your NAS.

Though these are useful advantages, my own Pro-6 continues to run 4.2.31.  I'll switch it the next time I need to do a factory reset, but for the moment OS 4.2.31 is ok for me.  

Thanks, Stephen.

The new NAS is setting itself up, resyncing. I let it download an update for the firmware and I'm waiting for it to finish the sync and setup before I reboot and let the firmware update.

I have a plan, please comment on it for me.

1. Once the new NAS is all set up, I'm going to install the exhaust fan and plug all the holes in the old NAS so it will stay cool. Then I'm going to power it on. I assume it will show up on the network and I can copy everything to the new NAS?

2. Afer that, I'm going to be looking to trim some wires in that new PSU and really complete the repairs.

3. At that point, if you think it's a good idea, I'll upgrade the old NAS to OS 6, and upgrade the ram.

At that point, does I use the same browser control panel for both units? What will my interface with these units look like going forward?

Thank you so much for all your good advice and help.

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KenTanker0us1 wrote:

 

1. Once the new NAS is all set up, I'm going to install the exhaust fan and plug all the holes in the old NAS so it will stay cool. Then I'm going to power it on. I assume it will show up on the network and I can copy everything to the new NAS?

 

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Yes.  It's best to do that with rsync - I set up one backup job for every share.  Do you use the "private" home share feature of your pro?

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KenTanker0us1 wrote:

 

3. At that point, if you think it's a good idea, I'll upgrade the old NAS to OS 6, and upgrade the ram.

At that point, does I use the same browser control panel for both units? What will my interface with these units look like going forward?

 

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It's a convenient time to switch.  Though it's really up to you.

If you do upgrade, the two NAS will have the same web UI - but you do need to log into them separately (the ui isn't set up to manage both NAS from the same dashboard).

Thanks, Stephen. I was thinking, since I need to move everything off the old NAS to the new one, I would just do a simple copy across the network. I was under the impression that rsync was for setting up incremental backups. Please tell me where I'm wrong? And thanks.

Using the built in backup jobs will be faster than using drag+drop from a PC.  If you use drag+drop, the data is hauled from the old NAS to the PC, and then hauled again  from the PC to the new NAS.  The backup jobs avoid this double transfer.

Though you are copying everything, I still suggest backup jobs for each share - giving you control over what data you want to move first.

Rsync is a suitable protocol for this, even though you aren't needing incremental backup for this.  You could use NFS or Windows Backup (SMB) protocols if you prefer.   Though I just use rsync.

Okay, rsync it is. I'm looking at the link you sent before, thank you.

Here's something I'm wondering about: the direction is going to be from the old NAS to the new for this. Is it going to be weird later when I want the old NAS to be the backup, going in the opposite direction,so to speak? Thanks very much.

Hey here's another one: can I have both admin pages open at the same time? Chrome will let me tear off a tab. Would it be useful to be looking at both admin pages at the same time or is it a bad idea? Thanks.

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KenTanker0us1 wrote:

Hey here's another one: can I have both admin pages open at the same time?

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Yes, of course.  Sometimes it is helpful, especially if you are matching settings on the two NAS.  You do need to be careful not to get confused on which NAS you are changing.

Thanks, Stephen. Here's the latest problem:

The New Backup Job is being set up quite nicely except that it's asking for a Port. This is different from the tute. Is this because I updated the firmware?

(URL: https://kb.netgear.com/29730/How-do-I-back-up-data-from-a-RAIDiator-4-system-to-a-ReadyNAS-OS-6-system)

In step 6 of the tute it asks for:

Remote System's IP address

Protocol (remote:Rsync Server

>>(here is where it asks for Port)<<

Share

Login

Password

But in my new backup job it's asking for a Port after the Protocol. I have no idea what to put there. Help!!

(And before I forget again, Happy New Year to you and Sandshark and anybody else that helps.)

Use 873 - that is the standard port for rsync.

Thanks, Stephen, and again, Happy New Year.

I can't seem to connect to the new share through the network. It's asking for a network password. It's not taking my windows logon password. I'm the admin of this entire network. I tried my login for the admin panel in chrome, and that doesn't work. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks again.

The simplest option is to create a credential in windows credential manager for the NAS.  You'd use a local NAS account (either a user account or admin), and it's password.  You can use either the hostname or the IP address (or set up credentials for both).

Thanks again, Stephen. I honestly don't remember ever having to do this with the old NAS. Is this something new?

I'll look up windows credential manager. When you say local NAS account are you referring to the admin control panel password? That's the only place I've made a password for this. I'm a bit confused.

Thanks for any help.

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KenTanker0us1 wrote:

Thanks again, Stephen. I honestly don't remember ever having to do this with the old NAS. Is this something new?

 

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Windows 10 is making "guest" access to the NAS more difficult - this is part of Microsoft's response to the WannaCry ransomware and the security holes it exposed last year.

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KenTanker0us1 wrote:

 

I'll look up windows credential manager.

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It's easy to find, just enter "credential manager" in the windows search bar.  There's an overview here: https://www.digitalcitizen.life/credential-manager-where-windows-stores-passwords-other-login-details  You want to delete any credentials for the NAS that might be there already, and create a new "windows" credential.

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KenTanker0us1 wrote:

When you say local NAS account are you referring to the admin control panel password? That's the only place I've made a password for this. I'm a bit confused.

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Well, there is a way to create user accounts with passwords in both the old NAS and the new one.  It's just a feature you've never used.  As I tried to say earlier, "admin" is a built-in local NAS account (so you can use it and it's password in the credential).

I hate Windows 10. I'm in Win7 Pro.

I tried to use admin as a user and the password I created. That didn't work. I never had to do this with the old NAS that I can remember. I'm the admin of my entire network. Are we talking about a Windows password like I use to log in to my machines? Or is this some other kind of password? I must admit I'm totally confused by this. Are you saying that I should make a new credential with the NAS login info that I use to get to the Admin page in my browser? I had no problem finding the credential manager in Win7 but this is all totally new to me.

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KenTanker0us1 wrote:

Are you saying that I should make a new credential with the NAS login info that I use to get to the Admin page in my browser? 

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Yes.  Then Windows File Explorer will use this credential.  FWIW, I've done this in windows 7 also.

You can test it by running CMD and then entering

net use * /delete

net use t: \\nas-ip-address\data /user:admin nas-admin-password

using the real nas ip address and admin password of course.  Be careful on the typing (particularly spaces and slash direction).

The first command terminates any open network sessions; the second attempts to mount the NAS data volume as drive letter T.

You can also do this with your old NAS, just use \\nas-ip-address\c instead of \data.

Note that this won't work if you are using the default passwords (netgear1 for your old NAS, password for the new one).