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[kymira]

Hi there.

I currently have 2 drive (1 TB & 640GB) each set up as their own volume. I eventually plan on upgrading to 2x 2TB in raid 0.

Installing the new drives and setting up raid 0, I get. But how do I re-transfer all my existing files on the old drives into the new Volume if Windows cannot recognize the Linux format?

Im sure this is simple to do, I just dont know how to approach it.

[ivan]

For a start I would recommend RAID 1 rather than RAID 0.  RAID 1 will save your data if a disk dies where RAID 0 will not and, of course, neither replaces a good tested backup.

The best way you transfer your data back is to use your up to date backup - this also proves your backup works.

From your question, I am assuming you don't have a backup so you will need to either transfer everything on your disks to your computer or get a USB/SATA adapter or caddy.  If you go the USB/SATA adapter route read the sticky 'DNS-320-Data recovery (windows PCs)' at the head of this forum.

With a little care you should have no problems.

[kymira]

thanks, Im still considering raid 1 for reassurance purposes.

I wouldn't be able to transfer anything to my computer because I dont have the necessary capacity. Even if I did have the capacity, it would take a hell of a long time over the network.

Is it possible to format my "new" drives in the Nas and then throw all 4 of the drives in my desktop and transfer the files that way? Are the formatted drives even readable in a windows environment?

[ivan]

To answer your question, no you can't just throw the drives into a windows computer and do anything with them.  They are formatted with the linux ext3 format, hence the need for an installable IFS driver to allow you to read them.

The other thing is that you can't just copy data to a couple of drives on a computer and hope they will work as a RAID array back in the NAS, it doesn't work that way.

Another thing you may be able to do to copy your old drives is to put them into a computer and boot that computer with a linux live CD.  This will allow you to see the drives and copy them to the NAS overnight via the network.

I did say may in the above paragraph for the simple reason I have only used that method to transfer a small amount of data (about 10 GB) when we had a client with a physically damaged computer and a day old backup.