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Mixed Hard Drive for ReadyNASRNDP6000v2

robbierohit
Aspirant

Mixed Hard Drive for ReadyNASRNDP6000v2

Hi,

 

I have 1x4TB WD Red NAS HDD in existing my ReadyNASRNDP6000v2. Can I additionally use 2x3TB WD Red NAS HDD or is it not recommended? Any expert suggesitons I may foresee in terms of data loss or any sort of impact if I used mixed size HDDs?

 

Thanks.

Message 1 of 3
Sandshark
Sensei

Re: Mixed Hard Drive for ReadyNASRNDP6000v2

There is nothing wrong in general with using mis-matched drives, but there are limitations.  You cannot expand a volume using drives smaller in size than what is already in there except in some specific cases, and I see nothing that would indicate yours is one of those cases.  The only way you can use those drives are as an entirely separate volume (or two) or by doing a factory default with them in place.

Assuming you're still running the original 4.2.x software on your NAS, then switching to FlexRAID also involves resetting the NAS.  Both of these will require you to back up and restore your data, since it wipes the drives.

 

If you use them as a separate volumes, your original 4TB volume will continue to have no redundancy.  You can use the two 3TB's as one RAID or two more separate volumes.

 

If you factory default with them in place, the end result will be a 6TB RAID5 and 1TB unavailable space on the 4TB drive.

 

Given all that, you may want to upgrade to OS6 since you're already going to have to backup and restore your data, as you would to migrate to OS6..  It doesn't help you in the expansion (your final volume options remain the same), but the OS is more up to date and offers better expandability as you move forward.

Message 2 of 3
robbierohit
Aspirant

Re: Mixed Hard Drive for ReadyNASRNDP6000v2

Thanks, @Sandshark. I understand.

 

 

 

Message 3 of 3
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