How to rebuild DS916 with new disks and a clean install of DSM?

[BobW]

Hello,

Question!
I have migrated my DS916 to a DS920, which now runs like a dream!

Now I want to rebuild the DS916 and do a clean install of DSM.
The DS916 now contains 2x 2TB HDD with the data transferred to the new DS920.

My plan is as follows;
I want to purchase
- 1x 1TB SSD
- 2x 4TB HDD

I want to take out the two old 2TB HDD disks and rebuild the nas with the disks to be purchased.
I then also want to do a clean install of DSM right away. So I want to start all over again as if it were a new NAS.

I want to use it as a test NAS and as a backup NAS/ backup machine in case of problems.

Questions I have:
- Is this possible and if so how do I go about it?
- Can I just delete the current storage pool/volume1 without data loss?
- can I still access the data on the old 2TB drives at a later stage, how do I do that?
- If I reset the NAS with the reset button will the DSM be completely erased as if it were a new NAS?

All input is welcome
TIA

 

[Telos]

I want to take out the two old 2TB HDD disks and rebuild the nas with the disks to be purchased.
I then also want to do a clean install of DSM right away. So I want to start all over again as if it were a new NAS.

When you pull the old drives, you have a "clean" system when adding the new drives (presuming the new drives have never before been inside a Synology NAS). At that point you will fresh install DSM and configure the pools as you like (be careful unless you want a single SHR pool/volume - the default).

 

[Rusty]

If I reset the NAS with the reset button will the DSM be completely erased as if it were a new NAS?

You will initiate an out of the box experience.

 

[BobW]

When you pull the old drives, you have a "clean" system when adding the new drives (presuming the new drives have never before been inside a Synology NAS). At that point you will fresh install DSM and configure the pools as you like (be careful unless you want a single SHR pool/volume - the default).

yes the drives will be new, I plan to purchase new drives.
So in other words I don’t have to delete the storagepool/volume first! Just pull out the drives?
And how do I access the data on the ”old” drives when needed? Can I plug it in some external case?

-- post merged: 28. Dec 2021 --

You will initiate an out of the box experience.

I’m sorry but I don’t really know what you mean with an out of the box experience?

 

[Telos]

how do I access the data on the ”old” drives when needed?

But you said...

The DS916 now contains 2x 2TB HDD with the data transferred to the new DS920.

So, I'm confused. The data is on the 920. And you should have backups from the 920.

If the removed 2 TB drives are RAID1/SHR, you can read the data partition using a USB dock, and a PC capable of reading the partition format (ext4/btrfs).

Or you could remove all drives from either NAS, insert the old ones, boot up, and all should be as you left it (drive swapping done with NAS powered off).

Just FYI... there is no need for a "reset" when only new drives are present.

 

[BobW]

So, I'm confused. The data is on the 920. And you should have backups from the 920.

Yes all the data is transferred to the new 920. I was asking how to access the old drive just in case I missed something, but I’m sure that is not the case. I think I needed a reassuring that the data is still accessible

Thanks for explaining I now know how to proceed!
I already ordered the drives SSD/HDD so they should arrive within a day or two.

Thanks again!