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[stevewk]

Hi all,

I have a 1TB SATA HDD that was previously installed in a PC and already formatted for ext2. When I insert it into my new DNS-323, the wizard prompts me to select my RAID config and then offers to format my HDD but I would prefer to keep the filesystem and files in place as is and simply for the DNS-323 to begin serving my files. Is this possible or do I need to move my files onto another disk, allow the DNS-323 to reformat the HDD and then copy the original files back over?

Thanks!
SWK

[gunrunnerjohn]

I think you may have to do option B.   I hear conflicting stories about this, but if it won't allow you to continue without formatting, I'd make sure you have the data saved before continuing.

[stevewk]

Thanks for the tip. I'll have to consider now how I'm going to spread 1TB of data across my various external USB drives/laptops/desktop before I do the DNS reformat and then recopy it all back.

From reading through the forums, I guess if the filesystem doesn't 100% match up with what the DNS-323 is expecting, it assumes it isn't formatted. Can someone who's recently used the DNS to re-format their drives shed some light on what exactly the DNS-323/321's expected filesystem looks like (if it's anything actually unique)? As I mentioned, I formatted it in my PC using Partition Magic when I first got the drive a few months ago.

[gunrunnerjohn]

The DNS-323 expects a Linus EXT2 or EXT3 (new firmware) filesystem, so NTFS or FAT32 is not good.  Also, the DNS-323 expects a clean disk with NO filesystem or you may have problems.

[stevewk]

So the ext2 formatting is probably fine, but the fact that it sees any files at all is probably the issue then? So after a clean DNS-323 format, is the disk completely empty? If there is some sort of folder structure, can anyone describe it? If it's just a matter of creating some directories with specific naming conventions, that would save me a lot of time. In the meantime, I guess I'll start copying my files elsewhere...

[gunrunnerjohn]

Changing your filesystem structure on the fly is a guaranteed way to loose data!  Even if it did recognize the disk, having only one copy of any important data is very foolish.

[Georgio]

If there is some sort of folder structure, can anyone describe it?

There appear to be 2 small extra partitions on a dns formatted drive. I'd certainly go with a re-format, just to minimise the chance of anything going wrong in the future.

[stevewk]

@Gunrunner: Thanks for replies...never said they were important files, just a 1TB of movies that can be re-downloaded if absolutely necessary (of which most are already backed up to another external USB HDD). This has been strictly a time saving question from the start...I assure you I know how to manage my "important data" just fine; foolishly or otherwise.

@Georgio: Thanks, that's the confirmation I was asking for...whether the DNS was looking for specific folder structure or whether it was actually partitioning the drive off during the process. As per Gunrunner's initial advice, I've already started the process of moving my files off so I can do a re-format but was willing to forego that exercise if anyone had experience with a similar transplant.

Thanks all...great info in these forums!

[gunrunnerjohn]

Well, it would take a long time to download a terabyte of files!

[stevewk]

Well if that were to happen, I just wouldn't bother re-downloading them. My "irreplaceable" files (such as photos) are safe and sound and my favorite movies are on my external USB attached to my WDTV hence my willingness to attempt a transplant. Don't worry tho, I did take your advice in the end...I appreciate your concern for my data's well being

In a related story about the importance of redundancy, a co-worker of mine spent over $1k on a Linksys 4x1TB RAID setup to protect his "irreplaceable" files...4-way redundancy...how could you ever lose your data do you ask? Well the NIC on the chassis died meaning NO access into the box! No other ways in (Firewire or USB) so Linksys prompty shipped him a new one under warranty, but unfortunately the new chassis wouldn't recognize the drives previously formatted by the original chassis even tho it was the same model. Even data recovery specialists had a bleak outlook given that is was RAID....ouch!

[gunrunnerjohn]

The other problem with RAID of any level is it will happily remove all copies of your files if you just ask it to, even by accident.  Oops, I hit DEL on that big folder of all my valuable files.  And, since there is no Recycle Bin on a network drive, they're REALLY gone.

That's just one of many scenarios where RAID turns out not to be backup.