Upgrading from RNDP400U to RN214

[DuckyMoMo]

Hello,

This is my first post in this community.  I'm also a novice at this.

I have had an RNDP400U in X-RAID2 (RAIDiator 4.2.28) on my home network for several years now but have been approaching capacity (currently at 86%). I bought an RN214 and four 6TB drives (all still in box) and I want to basically move everything over from the Ultra 4+ to the RN214. What's the best way to do that?

Should I just set up the RN214 clean and transfer the files from the Ultra to it over the network?  Any way to do a disk swap method (or are there file structure incompatibilities)?

I will probably keep the Ultra on the network for extra storage as well.

Thank you in advance for your help!

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

---

@DuckyMoMo wrote:

Should I just set up the RN214 clean and transfer the files from the Ultra to it over the network?

---

That is the best way.  Create the shares on the RN214, and use the web ui backup to migrate the data share-by-share.  rsync is a reasonable backup method.

Do you use the private "home" shares?  Those are a bit more difficult.

---

@DuckyMoMo wrote:

Any way to do a disk swap method...

No.

---

@DuckyMoMo wrote:

I will probably keep the Ultra on the network for extra storage as well.

---

You could also use it for backing up your RN214.

Note that you can switch the ultra over fto OS6 if you want (though I both OS 4.2 and OS 6.6 NAS on my network, and that works well for me).

[StephenB · Accepted solution]

---

@DuckyMoMo wrote:

Should I just set up the RN214 clean and transfer the files from the Ultra to it over the network?

---

That is the best way.  Create the shares on the RN214, and use the web ui backup to migrate the data share-by-share.  rsync is a reasonable backup method.

Do you use the private "home" shares?  Those are a bit more difficult.

---

@DuckyMoMo wrote:

Any way to do a disk swap method...

No.

---

@DuckyMoMo wrote:

I will probably keep the Ultra on the network for extra storage as well.

---

You could also use it for backing up your RN214.

Note that you can switch the ultra over fto OS6 if you want (though I both OS 4.2 and OS 6.6 NAS on my network, and that works well for me).

[DuckyMoMo]

Wow! That was a fast reply.  Thank you Stephen!

I will go ahead and create the shares on the RN214.  I'm not familiar with using the web UI backup for migration, but I'll look into it.

I don't think I use private "home" shares.  How can I tell?

I'll probably leave the Ultra on OS 4.2 if that works OK.  I'm more afraid of screwing something up.

Sorry for the ignorance.  I'm kind of a noob at this.

[StephenB]

There is a backup guide here: http://kb.netgear.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/29730?cid=wmt_netgear_organic

---

@DuckyMoMo wrote:

I don't think I use private "home" shares.  How can I tell?

The first thing to look at is the security->user & group accounts on the web UI, and see if any accounts are listed.  If there are none, then you aren't using the private folders.

If there are, then when you access the NAS (say using \\nasname in windows file explorer) you'd see a folder that (a) isn't in the NAS share list and (b) matches the name of one of the user accounts.  It could also be called "admin".  If you see a folder like that, then browse into it.

Another way to check (again from Windows) is to run CMD and enter

net use * /delete

net use t: \\nasipaddress\C /user:admin nasadminpassword

That should mount the ReadyNAS "C" volume as drive letter t.  You should see a "home" folder on t - if you do, then browse into it, and see if there are any files in it.

[DuckyMoMo]

Perfect.  Thanks Stephen.  I indeed do not have any home shares.

Thanks again for all your help.