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I have tried to install a Raid 0 with on 6 TB and one 3 TB hard disk t get a total of 9 TB. I know that I don't have redundancy then, but I am fine with this. This is what happens. As in the manual I go back to factory settings, chose Flex Raid and select Raid 0. If I do this with both disks present I get a RAid 0 but only 3 TB of the 6 TB drive are used. So I have a total of 6 TB. If I do it with only the 6 TB drive present I get the full 6 TB as drive C (Raid 0). If I then add the 3 TB disk, it is not added to the first Raid but can only be added as drive D (another Raid 0). However, I need one drive with 9 TB. How can I do it? Forgive me, if this is listed elsewhere, but I did not find it, though I searched thoroughly.
However, I need one drive with 9 TB. How can I do it?
So what you want is a concatenated JBOD array. What the Ultra 4.2.x firmware supports is Striped RAID-0 - which is faster, but requires equal disk sizes.
You'd need to convert the Ultra to run OS-6. OS-6 does support the mode you want. Another benefit of the conversion is that OS-6 supports SMB 3 - which makes it more compatible with Windows 10.
The downside is that Netgear doesn't support OS-6 on the ultra - so you wouldn't be able to get paid support. That only applies if you are the original purchaser - Netgear won't provide paid support on any used ReadyNAS.
The alternative is to live with two volumes. You can distribute the shares between them to balance the fullness. When you access the shares over the network, you won't see the volumes.
Great and precise answer. Unfortunately it says nowhere in the manual that the disks need to be equal size. But this is probably the point. As I have never used paid support, I might live with its absence for OS-6. By the way I am the original purchaser.
Just to understand correctly: Is it possible to run OS-6 on the Ultra-2 and what do I have to do? Excuse my asking but as you apparently know what you are doing it is probably better to hear it from you rather than to search for it.
The bios update isn't needed for OS-6, but it is much easier to update it before you convert.
The other steps are outlined here:
Currently shipping OS6 NAS have at least 2 GB of RAM - your ultra only has 1 GB. OS-6 will still run, but you might consider upgrading the RAM to 2 GB (the hardware has only one memory slot, and can't accept more then 2 GB). You don't have to do this before conversion, it can be done at any time.
the description is great and the installation went flawlessly. Only problem: I still can only select flexraid and level 0 or 1. 0 with both disks results in 6 TB instead of 9. No JBOD. Procedure: I destroy the volume, then select both disks and install RAID 0.
Fantastic, for everyone, here is how it works. You start by creating a volume from one disk. YOu are only allowed to make a JBOD. Then you expand it. You are only allowed to add a RAID group. If you do it, you end up with a volume with the full capacity. Thanks. Problem solved.
