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[Tomcrayfish]

I am satisfied user of DNS-323 for more than 10 years in RAID 1 configuration using WD Caviar Green 640 GB HDDs (firmware version 1.08). I discovered that an indication LED for one of the HDD is amber a week ago. I was not so surprised as the discs are in DNS-323 for 10 years (24/7) running without any problem. So I bought a new WD20EFRX (2T) harddrive, replaced the faulty one and let the DNS-323 rebuild the RAID 1 (640 GB).  So far so good.

After RAID 1 was finished there was a nice suprise for me because as a result 2 Volumes were created:
Volume_1: RAID 1 (the result of RAID 1 rebuild)
Volume:2: JBOD (using the rest of the space on the newly installed harddrive)
This found it excellent as with these 2 volumes I got and extra space for data that does not need to be backed up - just great. So I copied that data to newly created Volume_2.

However yesterday I shut down the DNS-323 just to install surge protection. After switching the DNS-323 on again I found Volume_2 missing. Currently I see Volume_1 only in RAID 1.

Can you advise please? Is this normal behaviour? Is it possible to combine RAID 1 and JBOD in case there are 2 HDDs installed od a different capacity?

Thank you.

[FurryNutz]

Any progress on this?

[Tomcrayfish]

Unfortunately not. Still have RAID1 of the size 640 GB in Volume_1. Unable to identify /connect the Volume_2 (rest of the 2TB HDD) formatted as JBOD. I tried restarting the unit several times - no success.

[ivan]

Did you apply a user and password to the JBOD volume?  If you didn't then it will not show up on a restart - you can have the same user/password for both the RAID1 and JBOD.

sorry I can't remember where you find that in the menus - but I think it is in the same place where you set the user/password for the RAID array.

[Tomcrayfish]

Thank you Ivan,

however I do not know how to apply user/password to individual arrays? I am using user/password just to access the administration. I tried to find it in admin configuration however I did not find this funcionality...

[ivan]

Log on the NAS and open the Configuration menu.

Click on the 'Advanced' tab and then 'Network Access' on the left side options.  This will open a page that should show what can appear on the network at the bottom of the page (SMB List).  It should show Volume_1 and also Volume_2

Pause!!!
A thought - Did you actually format the extra space before you tried to use it?  You didn't mention that at the beginning and if you didn't then you don't have Volume_2 available (rebuilding the RAID array DOES NOT format any other space on the drive).

Please confirm that you formatted the extra space before I go into a long explanation (if you need to format the space use the 'Standard' setting).

[Tomcrayfish]

Thank you for explanation Ivan!

To your question - I performed the ordinary formatting operation when new HDD was inserted to the unit (without ticking the box RAID 1 resync). When formatting was completed I manually rebuilt RAID 1 array. As a result there were two volumes:
Volume_1 RAID 1 (640 GB)
Volume_2 JBOD (approx. 1,3 TB)

It was a nice surprise for me, I even copied several not important but large files (movies) to Volume_2. I also succeeded to identify Volume_2 from other computers in my home network. However after the first reboot of DNS-323 Volume_2 disappeared.

[ivan]

Ah!  The problem is the RAID array of the DNS 323 is a software RAID thus without actually formatting the Volume_2 it only lived as a virtual volume and it disappeared when you powered down the unit.

Now you need to actually format Volume_2 (for ease of setup format it as a Standard volume otherwise it could get mixed up with the Volume_1).  It should then appear in the SMB List as I mentioned.  You will then have the opportunity to give it a user/password if you want (found under 'Configuration' --> 'Advanced' --> 'Users and Groups'.

[Tomcrayfish]

OK then...
Well ... but how to identify and format Volume_2 only if I do not see it anywhere in administration?

[ivan]

Open the web UI, select 'Configuration', when that opens select the 'Tools' tab then the RAID item on the left.  This will open the 'Hard Drive Configuration'.  In there you should find a heading 'Remaining Size' that has a button labelled 'Create a new Volume in the Remaining Available Storage Space', click on that and follow the instructions. (see page 61 to 64 in the manual).

[Tomcrayfish]

Many thanks for the navigation, Ivan!

Unfortunately I do not have the "Create A New Volume From The Remaining Available Storage Space" in my 1.08 rev. B firmware. Is this funcionality related to the latest 1.10 firmware only?

[ivan]

The firmware shouldn't have anything to do with it, I still have 1.08 on all my dnS-323 units but most of them have 1.5 TB drive pairs although the one I started with has a 1 TB and a 1.5 TB in it with the extra space being Volume_2.

Having had time to think maybe your problem stems from the fact you formatted the new drive before you rebuilt the RAID array.  Normally the process is to replace the faulty drive, rebuild the array and then format any extra space.  I will ask my old tech people (I'm retired now) when they get back from holiday next week if they have any ideas of a simple way to solve your problem (that is a way that doesn't require a full backup of the RAID 1 array and a complete reformatting of the unit).

Sorry I can't be more helpful at the moment.

[Tomcrayfish]

Thanks a lot for our time and help so far Ivan!

[ivan]

Sorry, but the conclusion is to backup the RAID 1 array (which you should do anyway), clear the disks with a new MBR (including clearing the partition tables) then reformat the array and format the extra space as a general volume and restore the array from the backup.  I have to say the techs actually built a unit following your guide to test this and that is what they found works.

Even if you added another larger disk you would have to backup the array, format the new larger array and then restore from the backup.

Sorry for that distressing news.

[Tomcrayfish]

Dear Ivan, thank you again for your valuable answer. I thought I would need to start from the zero so no disappointment for me.

Actually one last question - you mentioned "clear the disks with new MBR (including clearing the partition tables)". What exactly do you mean by that? Is not just proper disks formatting enough?

Thanks.