2UM42A2UM42AET0024B

[Sethnl]

Hi There,

I have a Netgear ReadyNas Duo V2 for a long time. Within the NAS there are 2 x 3TB discs. I havent used it for a while because the NAS was full and this version doesnt support larger discs.

After using 2 x USB 5TB disc on the computers I want to make use of the netgear again and change the RAID configuration from RAID 1 to RAID 0. This didnt work in the following ways. Does anyone has a suggestion to change it to stripe?

1. Updated to the latest firmware;
2. Go to factory settings into the ADMIN 192.168.etc. page (this process took a while but still no possibility to change the RAID config);
3. Pressed the reset button (with pincet) and power button and resetted the NAS, installed RAIDar, installed the NAS again via RAIDar (option 2) as RAID 0, but after some reboots it is still a RAID 1 (and recovering);
4. Pressed the reset button (with pincet) and power button and resetted the NAS, installed RAIDar, eraised the volumes (third option), installed the NAS again via RAIDar (option 2) as RAID 0, but after some reboots it is stilla RAID 1 (and recovering);

The software is build to strong, whatever I did it is not possible to break the RAID config 🙂

[Sethnl · Accepted solution]

This is madness. Tried it for the (I suppose) 7th time (same procedure everytime) and it is working right now. Hooray. 5.4TB available so I can mirror the USB disc.

Thanks all for your help...

[StephenB]

You can use disks that are larger than 3 TB in your NAS - there is at least one post here from someone who installed 6 TB disks in an NV+ v2 (which uses the same CPU, etc as your duo).

Your approach 3 (RAIDar) should have worked.  Generally I prefer using JBOD with one volume  per disk over RAID-0.  JBOD is more robust, as if you lose one disk in a single-volume RAID-0 array you lose all the data on all drives.  With multiple volumes, you only lose the data on the disk that failed.  One limitation with the v2 is that you can't destroy a volume, so there's no good way to upgrade once you are in jbod mode. 

So maybe try again, but this time only have one disk installed when you switch to flexraid (choosing JBOD).  Then confirm that mode, and hot-insert the second disk.

Details on RAID configuration are on pages 20 and following in the software manual here: http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/READYNAS%20ARM-PLATFORM%20(DUO%20V2,%20NV+%20V2)/RAIDiato...

[JohnCM_S]

Hi Sethnl,

Welcome to the Community!

May I know the version of RAIDar installed on your computer? You may need to use the older version, which is the 4.3.8.

Regards,

[StephenB]

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@JohnCM_S wrote:

You may need to use the older version, which is the 4.3.8.

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Good catch - RAIDar 6 won't work for this.

[Sethnl]

Hi John, Thanks for the suggestions. It is now erasing with the old tool, hopefully your suggestion will work on this. 🙂

Before downloading version 4.3.8 I used the latest so you are right about that. However the old version looks more or less the same as the latest version. What is the difference between the two versions? And do you have a suggestion in steps? Do you recommend to Erase first and rebuild as second action?

[Sethnl]

Hi Stephen, thanks for your reply. I will first try the older version of RAIDar as the suggestion of John. If thats not working I will try to reinstall with only one disc and add the second when this phase is done.

Thanks as well for the suggestion on the larger disc. So it might work when I'm using 5TB discs?

Another question regarding your note on JBOD; my goal is to have the full 6TB so therefore I need to use a striped configuration right (with the current 3TB discs)? Does JBOD offer me 6TB as well?

[StephenB]

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@Sethnl wrote:

Thanks as well for the suggestion on the larger disc. So it might work when I'm using 5TB discs?

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It should, as I've seen at least one poster using 6 TB drives.  So if there is a ceiling, it's greater than 6 TB.

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@Sethnl wrote:

Another question regarding your note on JBOD; my goal is to have the full 6TB so therefore I need to use a striped configuration right (with the current 3TB discs)? Does JBOD offer me 6TB as well?

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With jbod you'd end up with a C and D volume; each would be 3 TB.  You'd need to put some shares on each, and make sure you have reasonable free space on each.  When you access it using SMB, etc you'd only see the network shares - so there'd be no difference in network access.

Though it is a bit more work to keep the storage balanced, I've found that in practice it's not difficult when you have larger disks.  The main drawback is that it does limit the maximum share size to less than 3 TB.  But it is much less fragile - with one volume you lose everything when one disk fails, which is a nuisance at least.  Off-line data extraction is also easier. For me, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

[Sethnl]

Hi Stephen, thanks for your reply. Because it is my backup unit I prefer to use it as one volume. I have dozen of USB discs and it is hard to oversee what content is on what disc so I bought this 5TB discs to enter all data and therefore want to configure the NAS as a striped 6TB disc so I can clone the complete 5TB disc (understanding all the riscs of data loss, but hey, it is only backup :)). Thanks again for the reply

(And perhaps, if the 5TB USB 6TB NAS shadow is full, I will demolish the two 5TB USB disc and try them in the NAS oneday ;-)).

[StephenB]

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@Sethnl wrote:

Hi Stephen, thanks for your reply. Because it is my backup unit I prefer to use it as one volume.

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Up to you of course.  That means you can't start with just one disk installed, as that only works with 2 volumes (or RAID-1).  Both disks need to be in place to create a single RAID-0 volume.

[ukbobboy]

Sethnl, StephenB, JohnCM_S

Hi Guys

I was just bouncing by when I thought I'd have a look and see if anyone was talking about my favourite NAS, the ReadyNAS Duo V2, which I have been using non-stop since late 2012.

Anyway, I thought I'd chime in with a couple of bits of info, which may or may not help:

Sethnl

First, unless told otherwise, the maximum size disk the RNDuoV2 can handle is 4TB, I have 2 x 4TB X-Raid2 formatted WD Red HDs (NAS Drives) running in my RNDuoV2. Plus, when the RNDuoV2 was first released there was no such thing as a 6TB HD NAS drive.

The RNDuoV2 is an EOL product, and has been such for 2 - 4 years now, so it is highly unlikely that Netgear will do any further upgrades on this product, apart from some minor bug and security fixes via their firmware upgrades which currently stands at V5.3.13.

StephenB

I've been meaning to ask, is Netgear still promoting their propriety X-Raid2 format? it's just that I've seen new ReadyNASes released over the past few years but no mention of X-Raid, while other NAS makers are all promoting their own version of the Raid format.

JohnCM_S

Just to let you know, there was a later version of RAIDar released that could be used with the RNDuoV2 but I still use version 4.3.8.

Hope my little intervention helped.

UK Bob

[StephenB]

Nice to hear from you again 

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@ukbobboy wrote:

I've been meaning to ask, is Netgear still promoting their propriety X-Raid2 format? it's just that I've seen new ReadyNASes released over the past few years but no mention of X-Raid, while other NAS makers are all promoting their own version of the Raid format.

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XRAID is still the default RAID mode for ReadyNAS.  It's built on top of standard RAID, so an XRAID volume can be mounted in pretty much any linux system.

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@ukbobboy wrote:

First, unless told otherwise, the maximum size disk the RNDuoV2 can handle is 4TB,

4 TB is the largest drive on the HCL but you can go larger (some folks here have).

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@ukbobboy wrote:

Just to let you know, there was a later version of RAIDar released that could be used with the RNDuoV2 but I still use version 4.3.8.

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RAIDar 6 generally works with OS 4 and OS 5 ReadyNAS, but it won't set up flexraid.  

[ukbobboy]

Hi StephenB (& Sethni)

It's good to see you are still fighting the good fight.

Mind you, there was something in your reply about HD capacities the RNDuoV2 can accept that had me somewhat confused, you said, "4 TB is the largest drive on the HCL but you can go larger (some folks here have)".  And here is why I'm confused, since Netgear's HCL only recommends a 4TB HD as the maximum then trying to install a larger capacity that may or may not work seems like a substantial gamble, considering the price of a 6TB NAS HD.

US Price:  https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=WD+Red+6+TB+NAS+Hard+D...

UK Price:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/WD-Red-NAS-Hard-Drive/dp/B00LO3KR96/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526163985...

So, I guess what I am saying is that it seems like an unnecessary and very expensive risk to take trying to install a 6TB HD (or anything larger than 4TB) in the RNDuoV2, simply because if anything went wrong this would automatically void the warranty on the new HD and Netgear's paid support most likely wouldn't want to know.

However, if Sethnl wants to proceed with trying out a 5 or 6TB HD then he must be made aware that this procedure is unsanctioned by Netgear, probably any HD OEMs as well, and is entirely taken at his own risk.

Sethni

If you do decide to go ahead then write back and let the forum know how you got on.

UK Bob

[StephenB]

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@ukbobboy wrote:

And here is why I'm confused, since Netgear's HCL only recommends a 4TB HD as the maximum then trying to install a larger capacity that may or may not work seems like a substantial gamble, considering the price of a 6TB NAS HD.

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It's an end-of-life NAS model, and Netgear hasn't updated the HCL for it for some years.  There's at least one post here from someone who successfully used a 6 TB drive in a v2 platform (and there's no obvious technical reason why that won't work) - so I don't think it's as big a gamble as you are thinking. 

Though @Sethnl's current focus is getting 2x3TB to work as a RAID-0 6 TB volume, so he isn't moving off the HCL at this point.

[Sethnl]

@ukbobboy

@step

Yes, primairy goal is to get the 2 x 3TB working in RAID-0 so I can backup my 5TB USB Disc via network from my MAC and PC so i'm currently not thinking about crushing the 2 x 5TB USB disc to put them in the Netgear. 🙂

The NAS was erased yesterday (it took almost whole day) and it is currently installing so hopefully this worked. 🙂

[Sethnl]

Gents, after erasing and reinstalling it is still a RAID 1 config with only 2.7TB. Grrr. Besides this, there are still 2 shares active so 'erasing' and 'reinstalling' doesnt bring me what I want.

Do you have further tips and trics?

[bedlam1]

If you have no data on the NAS can you not Factory Default it?

Download and save your NAS config first in order re-instate it afterwards

[Sethnl]

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@bedlam1 wrote:

If you have no data on the NAS can you not Factory Default it?

Download and save your NAS config first in order re-instate it afterwards

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Tried this for several times but Factory Default does not effect Factory Default 😞

[StephenB]

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@Sethnl wrote:
Tried this for several times but Factory Default does not effect Factory Default 😞

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 Are you using the procedure in the hardware manual (pages 16-17) http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RND2110/ReadyNAS_Duov2_NV+v2_HW_en_23-Mar-12.pdf

[Sethnl]

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@StephenB wrote:

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@Sethnl wrote:
Tried this for several times but Factory Default does not effect Factory Default 😞

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 Are you using the procedure in the hardware manual (pages 16-17) http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RND2110/ReadyNAS_Duov2_NV+v2_HW_en_23-Mar-12.pdf

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Yes, tried to perform the option Factory Default (Disk 1 LED illuminate) but the RAID config does not change as I entered.

New suggestions?

[StephenB]

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@Sethnl wrote:

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@StephenB wrote:

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@Sethnl wrote:
Tried this for several times but Factory Default does not effect Factory Default 😞

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 Are you using the procedure in the hardware manual (pages 16-17) http://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RND2110/ReadyNAS_Duov2_NV+v2_HW_en_23-Mar-12.pdf

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Yes, tried to perform the option Factory Default (Disk 1 LED illuminate) but the RAID config does not change as I entered.

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Meaning that you did the factory default procedure - getting the Disk 1 LED to light, and then pressing/releasing the reset button?

And after that you used RAIDar 4.3.8 to set the RAID mode within the 10 minute window?

[Sethnl]

Answer to your questions:

Meaning that you did the factory default procedure - getting the Disk 1 LED to light, YES! and then pressing/releasing the reset button? YES!

And after that you used RAIDar 4.3.8 to set the RAID mode within the 10 minute window? YES!

And RAIDar gave me the option to reinstall it (with two scenarios), erase it. I executed both procedures several times but it still recovered afterwards to the old mirrored configuration. 😞

[StephenB]

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@Sethnl wrote:

And RAIDar gave me the option to reinstall it (with two scenarios), erase it. I executed both procedures several times but it still recovered afterwards to the old mirrored configuration. 😞

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The right option here is "flexible raid" (the middle choice) with "RAID-0" as the RAID option.  https://kb.netgear.com/21014/How-do-I-change-my-Duo-v2-or-NV-v2-from-X-RAID2-to-Flex-RAID

The "erase" option should be avoided, as it is time consuming and if interrupted can result in locking your disks.

You could try that process one more time I guess.  My only other suggestion is to repeat the procedure with only one disk installed, and then create a second volume with the second disk (which I realize isn't quite what you want).

[Sethnl]

Nope, no results after another try.

I will go on and remove the discs and format them into a USB-SATA cradle before installing them again in the DUOv2. That must do the job I guess, right?

[StephenB]

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@Sethnl wrote:

I will go on and remove the discs and format them into a USB-SATA cradle before installing them again in the DUOv2. That must do the job I guess, right?

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If you are properly doing the factory reset, then the disks are being reformatted already.  You'd see the default shares in the data volume, but any shares you created (and any files you put on the NAS) would be gone.

If that's the case, then I doubt that formatting them in a PC will make any difference.

[Sethnl · Accepted solution]

This is madness. Tried it for the (I suppose) 7th time (same procedure everytime) and it is working right now. Hooray. 5.4TB available so I can mirror the USB disc.

Thanks all for your help...