DS118 USB Expansion issue

[Kenny_K]

Hi,
I just connected a second USB expansion drive to my DS118, the first has been connected for some time now and shows in File manager as "usbshare1", I have had no problems with this. But the second drive just connected was initially connected hot, don't know if this is the best way or not. But I connected it then disconnected it and reconnected it. After which it showed in file manager as "usbshare2-1", I tried to rename it to "usbshare2" but it said that name was already in use, which it isn't? So, any way I put a test folder in "usbshare2-1" and mapped the drive to my PC, something didn't seem right, the disc space was not enough. So, because it was formatted in FAT and the usb drive was in NTFS, I decided to quick format the new drive into NTFS as well. In doing so I expected the test folder and anything else on the drive would be erased. After reconnecting the new drive it showed up as "usbshare2-2", but "usb2-1' was also present in file manager and still had the test folder present that should have been erased. It seems to me the DS118 has a record of "usbshare2-1" existing and that it had the test folder on it, so it automatically restored it? I tried to delete it, but there is no way I could find to do so. So "usbshare2-1" has only a small allocation of space and "usbshare2-2" has the most.
So, what I want to find out is:
1. What is the proper way to connect / disconnect / re-connect usb drives?
2. How to delete them from file manager, so in this case to delete "usbshare2-1" and have that space joined back onto "usbshare2-2".
3. How do I perhaps disconnect the new drive and clear/delete all the usbshares except for "usbshare1" and start again. I want to end up with the existing "usbshare1" and a new "usbshare2".
Thanks in advance for your help, it is truly appreciated.
Please also see attachment.

 

[Gerard]

Can you show control panel settings external devices.

 

[Kenny_K]

Can you show control panel settings external devices.

Has been added as an attachment.

 

[Gerard]

Has been added as an attachment.

Can you expand both of them so we can see exactly what folder belongs to which drive.

 

[Kenny_K]

Can you expand both of them so we can see exactly what folder belongs to which drive.

Done, added as attachment.

 

[fredbert]

The NAS’s default naming for USB drives is usbshareN[-M]. Each connected drive is assigned a different N number. Then if a drive has been formatted into multiple partitions then it will add -M, so -1 and -2 for a two partition drive.

The easiest way to change the drive configuration is to do it with a Mac/PC. You may find that some USB drives have unremovable partitions or they present a small, separate drive that can be used for drive tools. The latter is have WD My Book Studio has done it. Not much you can do in this case.

BTW you know that you can rename the usbshareN-M to something more useful. Do it via Control Panel.

 

[Kenny_K]

The NAS’s default naming for USB drives is usbshareN[-M]. Each connected drive is assigned a different N number. Then if a drive has been formatted into multiple partitions then it will add -M, so -1 and -2 for a two partition drive.

The easiest way to change the drive configuration is to do it with a Mac/PC. You may find that some USB drives have unremovable partitions or they present a small, separate drive that can be used for drive tools. The latter is have WD My Book Studio has done it. Not much you can do in this case.

BTW you know that you can rename the usbshareN-M to something more useful. Do it via Control Panel.

Thanks, I did format it as ntfs, but still the small FAT32 partition remains. I'll look at it on PC and see if I can delete it.
At least I can see now what has happened, I was unaware that you could expand the drives as per attachment no. 3.

 

[Gerard]

Thanks, I did format it as ntfs, but still the small FAT32 partition remains.

Why not just click that drive, click format choose one of the two format types and proceed to format there on the NAS?

When you formatted as ntfs, I assume you didn’t do this on the NAS did you?

 

[Kenny_K]

Why not just click that drive, click format choose one of the two format types and proceed to format there on the NAS?

When you formatted as ntfs, I assume you didn’t do this on the NAS did you?

No, I didn't. I formatted it on my pc as ntfs because the other drive is that and hasn't given me any trouble.
Which is better FAT32 or ntfs?

 

[Gerard]

No, I didn't. I formatted it on my pc as ntfs because the other drive is that and hasn't given me any trouble.
Which is better FAT32 or ntfs?

I suspect when you did this on the pc, it provided you with formatting the unpartitioned space, thus creating the second partition.

If you format on the NAS you can only choose FAT32 or EXT4.

 

[Birdy]

When you only format, no partitions will be deleted.
You should be able to delete partitions in Windows Disk Management.
I would format NTFS on your PC.

 

[Kenny_K]

When you only format, no partitions will be deleted.
You should be able to delete partitions in Windows Disk Management.
I would format NTFS on your PC.

Hi, I have tried what you said, however look at the attachment, there is a 200mb (EFI System partition) that seems to be unable to be deleted. The sub menu is all greyed out for this partition. So am I stuck with it? Or what?
Also, If I right click to the far left I get a sub menu where the only option available is convert to dynamic disc. Is this something that should be done? Would that allow me to merge the 2 partitions?

 

[fredbert]

The USB enclosures... the older one that doesn't have this issue and from screenshots is a WD 'whatever' whereas the new one is a Seagate. I recall looking at the Seagate external drives many years ago and they where pitched as backup devices and I recall where more than just a basic enclosure with standard HDD inside. I have standardised on 3.5" WD Elements (in USA they are called something else), or third party enclosure into which I insert a 'normal' 3.5" HDD. This is because they have no cluttering features.

Using these basic USB drive enclosures doesn't mean I can't configure partitions on them, but I do that for my own needs.

 

[Birdy]

With discpart you CAN delete an EFI partition, see here how.

 

[Kenny_K]

With discpart you CAN delete an EFI partition, see here how.

Hi Birdy, Thanks for that I used DiskPart. But had to delete the EFI volume so it became unallocated, then create an ntfs simple volume in it's place, delete the large H volume, so it then was unallocated, then extend the smaller volume. Then I changed the drive letter back to H. Only problem is there is still some hidden space apparently, it's a 6TB drive, looking at the properties there is still 200mb showing as used, but can't see it. When I changed the drive letter back to H from J it may have changed the size? I tried changing it again but no change in size. I just want 1 volume with all the space. See attachment.

 

[Gerard]

@Kenny_K use the program called Aomei partition assistant. It will get rid of it for you.

 

[Kenny_K]

Seems to be sorted now, thanks everyone for your help.

 

[Gerard]

Seems to be sorted now, thanks everyone for your help.

How?? …(for anyone else in the future having the same issue.) otherwise this was a thread of all effort and no solution

 

[Kenny_K]

How?? …(for anyone else in the future having the same issue.) otherwise this was a thread of all effort and no solution

Righto, the only thing that I did that isn't already noted here is to download "Minitool Patition Wizard" which showed me also only one partition. But if I was doing it again I would start by downloading a free good partition software like the MiniTool one or many others. Because this would have made the whole operation much simpler. The tools inbuilt in windows are by comparison complicated and limited in what they can do. Then there are several ways you could achieve the goal of turning two partitions into one. You would be able to delete one, extend the other and format into NTFS. And done.

 

[Gerard]

Righto, the only thing that I did that isn't already noted here is to download "Minitool Patition Wizard" which showed me also only one partition. But if I was doing it again I would start by downloading a free good partition software like the MiniTool one or many others. Because this would have made the whole operation much simpler. The tools inbuilt in windows are by comparison complicated and limited in what they can do. Then there are several ways you could achieve the goal of turning two partitions into one. You would be able to delete one, extend the other and format into NTFS. And done.

Thank you. And agreed I don’t like the built in windows tools especially if you’re looking to resize partitions in which are not near an unallocated space on the drive.