I take it you didn't use the "save" option for the configuration information?
Yes, you can "pop" the old drives into the new unit. The data will be intact. You will have to re-enter the configuration info such as IP info, user names, shares etc.
The power switch is pretty standard. In fact if you are sure that is the problem, you could likely bypass it with another switch. Personally, I only shut the unit down once or twice a year (it has been running over 4 months now since the last reboot).