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[dookie1949]

I was running a NAS using a D-Link DNS-321 with 2X Hitachi 2TB hard drives in a RAID 1 configuration when the NAS died. I returned the DNS-321 to D-Link and they have sent me a new one.

Now the questions is, "How do I go about configuring the new one without putting the data on the drives in jeopardy?" I called D-Link technical support but the tech could not seem to grasp what I was asking him.

Do I:

1. Try to configure the DNS-321 as a RAID 1 without the drives in the box, finish the set up, and as a final step put the two drives in? (Not too sure this would work...)

2. Put both drives in and run the D-Link utility to reconfigure the NAS. (Gasp, what about my data? I wasn't running a RAID 1 for nothing!)

3. Something else???


Any help with this one would be much appreciated. 

[rpgmonkey]

Put one of the hard drives in, and run it as it comes default, this will allow it to work as an individual HD...

Copy all of the data to another pc, or usb stick...

Then once you have a backup, then put both hdd's in the system and then format to raid 1 and put the information back...?

Not too sure, but seems like it should work just fine...

[gunrunnerjohn]

You do realize that RAID of any level is NOT backup, right?  FWIW, you should be able to put those drives (in the same slots) in the new NAS and have them recognized.  Of course when I did this, I had a backup, so the risk was minimal.

[dookie1949]

Yes, I am aware that RAID is not backup.  I've some, but not all, of the data backed up.

From your comment I gather that you have successfully applied the technique?

 

[gunrunnerjohn]

Yes, I actually took two RAID-0 drives from a DNS-323 and stuck them in a DNS-321, and it woke up and was able to access the data.  I was a bit surprised, but happy to see it.

I can't imagine why stuffing them into an identical model would be a problem, but I'm always careful with my data.

[dookie1949]

Wow, that sounds pretty good.

Had you previously used the configuration wizard on the 321?  Or was the config data written onto the HDDs?

I won't be able to try it until after the weekend, but it sounds like a go!  (Whew...)

[gunrunnerjohn]

Actually, I just reset the box to factory defaults and then stuck the drives in.  I later configured the accounts and the like.

[dookie1949]

Thanks for help.  I'll give it a try next week and report back on the results.

[gunrunnerjohn]

Cross your fingers.

[dookie1949]

Got it to work!   

It took about 4 calls to technical service before I got someone who had an idea of hat I was trying to do.  I essentially used him to make certain that anything I was trying wouldn't wipe the discs.

The hang up was that the new enclosure had a new MAC address (duh!) which translated into a new device name.  I suspect the old device name was logged in somewhere, so I ended up deleting the map and reconfiguring with the new device name dlink-XXXXX or whatever.  Then remapped and Viola.

Also immediately bought a 2TB external drive and spent 26 hours backing up the RAID!!!!

Thanks for the help gunrunnerjohn!

[gunrunnerjohn]

Great, glad it worked out.