HDD change 2TB -> 4TB

[szlapton]

Hello
I have a problem. Tried to get help from Synology, but they replied that it is out of their range.
I have changed old 2TB HDD to brand new 4TB. Made exact copy and put inside DS (211+). Everything works fine, but there is only 2TB available to use on 4TB disk. Old HDD was MBR disk and so is new one. MBR handles only 2TB. Tried to convert to GPT but after conversion DS didn't boot. Convertion is reversible but requires additionaly to change partition id (type) to "FDh" ("Linux RAID") - I was able to check it thanks to 2TB HDD which remained intact (after a back-convertion DS also didn't boot). I don't want to make backups, reinstal DSM and restore backups. I think that I need to set proper partition id (type) after convertion to GPT. I'm looking for someone, who can remove a HDD bigger than 2TB out of DS, put it into a PC, and check those id (type) for partitions (system, swap and data). This is out of range for Synology's Helpdesk.

 

[Telos]

Made exact copy and put inside DS (211+)

What does this mean? To change a disk means pulling one out and replacing it. No copy. No MBR.GPT stuff. Just plug and play.

Describe your system before doing this and what you hoped to achieve.

 

[Rusty]

You are not using the NAS or DSM the right way. As Talos said.

 

[jeyare]

You have 2 bay NAS. To be sure:
- all two disks are independent Volume (not in a RAID or SHR) ... Yes/No?
- how you did the exact copy of the OLD to NEW disk? 3rd party independent utility, out of Synology ... Yes/No
- did you convert basic disk to dynamic disk or basic partition to dynamic volume? ... tell us

Then back to basics
GPT partition has two standards:
a) basic or simple disk
b) dynamic disk - contains simple volumes, spanned volumes, striped volumes, mirrored volumes, and RAID-5 volumes
Then the dynamic volume is contained within a dynamic disk and is a logical volume, much like the logical drive in a basic disk.

When the disk is independent - use this Step by step guide:
1. Switch off your NAS.
2. Put the NEW disk to your NAS. It will start new DSM initialization. Do it. When the NAS is hanging (your disk copy problem), format your disk as plain by another computer. Do it whole procedure in this point again.
3. If finished, you can switch off your NAS again. You don't need configure your complete NAS setup.
4. best way - use independent computer with Linux or Live CD
5. plug your OLD and NEW HDD into the computer by SATA or USB/SATA
6. switch on the computer, or Live CD boot
7. Use GParted
8. In NEW disk you will find 3 partitions small (DSM partition), large one (data partition), SWAP partition
9. NEW disk. You need edit/write a start + end sectors into the DSM and Data partition according the OLD disk (same partition)
10. NEW drive. Then you can erase DSM and the Data partition, prepared by DSM initialization proces from point no. 2 and 3.
11. DATA COPY. You have to copy both partitions from (DSM, Data) from the OLD drive to NEW one. Use Rsync command: rsync -avxHAXW --numeric-ids /source /destination
12. NEW disk data partition enlarge. You can enlarge the data partition, up to you.
13. Done, open a beer and cheers.

PS: as Acronis user from 2009, it is working with Acronis Disk Clonning, 100%. Just plug and play.

 

[szlapton]

Thank You for attention.

Maybe I wasn't precise enough. I have DS211+ with 2TB HDD (OLD disk). It occued that it is MBR disk (due to it size as I suppose). I want to change (maybe a better word is "replace") it with 4TB HDD (NEW disk). I want to save may data, databases, configs, etc.

Made exact copy and put inside DS (211+)

What does this mean? To change a disk means pulling one out and replacing it. No copy. No MBR.GPT stuff. Just plug and play.

Describe your system before doing this and what you hoped to achieve.

I have made an exact copy of 2TB HDD on 4TB HDD. MBR was "copied" too, so I'm unnable to enlarge my data partition over 2TB. Right now my DS is running 4TB HDD with all my data, databases and configs, but with only 2TB available to use. My DSM is 6.0-7321. I want to have everything from my 2TB HDD running on 4TB HDD with all available space to use.

You have 2 bay NAS. To be sure:
- all two disks are independent Volume (not in a RAID or SHR) ... Yes/No?
- how you did the exact copy of the OLD to NEW disk? 3rd party independent utility, out of Synology ... Yes/No
- did you convert basic disk to dynamic disk or basic partition to dynamic volume? ... tell us

Then back to basics
GPT partition has two standards:
a) basic or simple disk
b) dynamic disk - contains simple volumes, spanned volumes, striped volumes, mirrored volumes, and RAID-5 volumes
Then the dynamic volume is contained within a dynamic disk and is a logical volume, much like the logical drive in a basic disk.

When the disk is independent - use this Step by step guide:
1. Switch off your NAS.
2. Put the NEW disk to your NAS. It will start new DSM initialization. Do it. When the NAS is hanging (your disk copy problem), format your disk as plain by another computer. Do it whole procedure in this point again.
3. If finished, you can switch off your NAS again. You don't need configure your complete NAS setup.
4. best way - use independent computer with Linux or Live CD
5. plug your OLD and NEW HDD into the computer by SATA or USB/SATA
6. switch on the computer, or Live CD boot
7. Use GParted
8. In NEW disk you will find 3 partitions small (DSM partition), large one (data partition), SWAP partition
9. NEW disk. You need edit/write a start + end sectors into the DSM and Data partition according the OLD disk (same partition)
10. NEW drive. Then you can erase DSM and the Data partition, prepared by DSM initialization proces from point no. 2 and 3.
11. DATA COPY. You have to copy both partitions from (DSM, Data) from the OLD drive to NEW one. Use Rsync command: rsync -avxHAXW --numeric-ids /source /destination
12. NEW disk data partition enlarge. You can enlarge the data partition, up to you.
13. Done, open a beer and cheers.

PS: as Acronis user from 2009, it is working with Acronis Disk Clonning, 100%. Just plug and play.

Yes both disk are independent. They didn't worked together. No RAID but SHR (as DSM claims) on each of them.
I used a Linux program DDRESCUE, suggested by Synology Helpdesk to make a copy of OLD disk.
After a convertion to GPT it was a basic disk. I found in Internet that Synology handles only basic GPT. I didn't try to convert it to dynamic. Should I?
Question to step by step guide - points 1-3: You suggest to remove OLD, put NEW and let DS to handle it (create partitions and install DSM)?

 

[jeyare]

Question to step by step guide - points 1-3: You suggest to remove OLD, put NEW and let DS to handle it (create partitions and install DSM)?

Yes

After a convertion to GPT it was a basic disk. I found in Internet that Synology handles only basic GPT. I didn't try to convert it to dynamic. Should I?

When you will use my Guide, you can forget for this. It will not help you. Your problem is not in GPT, problem is in setup of partitions (described).

Yes both disk are independent. They didn't worked together. No RAID but SHR (as DSM claims) on each of them.

Just few questions:
- did you expect, that you will someday use two disk as single Disk group by SHR in your DS211+? It means the primary disk (where is DSM partition located) + another disk.
- or what is the primary reason use in 2 bay NAS two independent disk with two independent Disk group as SHR? Just interested in. It is your own choice.
... because the SHR is RAID, the you need 2+ disks for that reason in single disk group.

 

[Telos]

I have made an exact copy of 2TB HDD on 4TB HDD. MBR was "copied" too

Explain how you did this? Disk cloning? Did you expand the data partition with your clone tool?

 

[szlapton]

OK. After a while, please let me explain my situation, that there would be no doubt where am I and what I want to do.

I said "goodby" to my old 2TB HDD. It was almost full and was old - the probability of phisical failure increased. So I have purchased brand new 4TB HDD, put them both into a PC and using a Linux program DDRESCUE (suggested by Synology Helpdesk), made new 4TB HDD an exact (well almost exact - twice larger) copy of old 2TB HDD. I assume that each "ones and zeros" has been copied because I was able to run my DS 211+ (DSM 6.0-7321) from each of HDDs. Of course the idea is to run only new 4TB HDD and old 2TB HDD is now retired in a drawer. Right now in DS works new 4TB HDD, but I can use only 2TB of it's space. This is caused by MBR wchich was present on old HDD and has been copied via DDRESCUE to new HDD. To enlarge usable space on new HDD I have to convert it into a GPT. It is easy to perform via PC apps, but after a convertion from MBR to GPT DS does not boot. Same situation after a back convertion from GPT to MBR - DS does not boot. The solution was to change partition type to "Linux RAID" (on MBR) as it was on old HDD. This is why I think that after a convertion from MBR to GPT I have wrong (from Synology point of view) partition types. Unfortunately the Synology Helpdesk said that they can not give me such information. I do not want to performe a copy process from one HDD to another again make backups and other stuff like this. Call me a mad man but I think it must be a case of this partition type under a GPT.

 

[jeyare]

It is up to you only what you will chose.
"All I'm offering is the truth. Nothing more."

 

[WST16]

DS does not boot. The solution was to change partition type to "Linux RAID" (on MBR) as it was on old HDD. This is why I think that after a convertion from MBR to GPT I have wrong (from Synology point of view) partition types. Unfortunately the Synology Helpdesk said that they can not give me such information. I do not want to performe a copy process from one HDD to another again

Oh dear. You’re playing Russian roulette with your data

 

[Telos]

This is far too complicated ... Just install the 4TB in the empty NAS slot. Create a basic volume. Copy over your data from the 2TB. Your config should already now be stored on the 4TB. All that remains is to move (or reinstall) you packages on to the 4TB. Much easier than this cloning mess.