changing raid type

[unita]

i have an old readynas rnd4000 nvx.

i have just replaced it with a new nas and want to re-purpose the old one as a straightup backup - using raid 0.

it is a funny configuration: 2 discs of 500bg each; and a 3rd disc of 2tb (don't ask...!).

the total amount of data is 810gb. currently using x-raid.

is there a way to move all the data onto one disc, then re-format the other two as raid 0?

or is there any way to change the raid type without losing the data?

[StephenB]

---

@unita wrote:

is there a way to move all the data onto one disc, then re-format the other two as raid 0?

or is there any way to change the raid type without losing the data?

---

No, you'll have to lose data.  Or add another 2 TB disk to the array, which will bring you to 3TB (~2.7 TiB) volume size.

[unita]

hi Stephen, thanks for the speedy reply. could you please explain the significance of 3tb volume capacity in this context?

cheers,

s

[bedlam1]

Maybe you should do a few "what if's" with this TOOL

Hover over the "capacity" for detailed info

[StephenB]

---

@unita wrote:

hi Stephen, thanks for the speedy reply. could you please explain the significance of 3tb volume capacity in this context?

cheers,

s

---

You are wasting 1.5 TB of the 2 TB drive now, adding a second 2 TB drive would avoid that.  It also eliminates the need for a factory reset (which would be needed if you change RAID modes).

If your goal is to free up the 2 TB drive, you could switch to RAID-0 using the two 500 GB drives, by doing a factory reset and then setting the NAS to flexraid.  There is a ~5-10 minute window after you start the reset to do that.  You need to make that switch using RAIDar 4.3.8 (not the newer RAIDar 6).

Note that if you create a single flexraid volume (RAID-0 spanning both drives), then your volume is especially fragile.  Failure of either disk will lose all data on the NAS.  I always recommend setting up one volume per drive instead - then if you lose a disk, you still will have the data on the other one.

OR just use RAID-0 with the 2 TB drive, and retire the two 500 GB models.