Move drives to newer EX2

Legacy Products My Cloud OS 3
1

Hi. I currently have the first gen EX2 and was thinking of buying a bare EX2 Ultra and just transferring the drives over. Will the new EX2 retain my data or try to wipe the drives as a new install?

2

yes if you install in the ex2 ultra it will reset. Instead what is the current setup. RAID 0/1 OR JBOD.

if JBOD/RAID 0 not a good idea. But if RAID 1 then you remove 1 of the drive and install in EX2 ULTRA and once it format it . then copy the data to that and then once done. remove the 2nd and install the 2nd. this might work. But not for the other 2 mode of raid 0 and jbod.

3

Thanks. Yes it’s currently operating in a Raid1 setup and will continue to do so in the newer EX2.

4

Hi again. So I got my EX2 Ultra. Pulled the #2 drive from my Gen 1 EX2 and put it in the EX2 Ultra.
The Gen 1 EX2 says it’s still in Raid1 but degraded (clearly). The EX2 Ultra won’t let me configure shares (shows 0TB available) until I set up the storage mode. Thing is it won’t let me set the Raid mode with only one drive. Anyone know how I can move these volumes from an older EX2 to a newer one without (a) losing everything or (b) buying new drives?
Thanks.

5

Okay you have say 4tb in your old ex2 non ultra

2tx2 RAID 1. Total space is 50% ie 2tb only

Now you have to follow these steps. its a normal procedure.

RAID 1 have duplicacy means 1 of the 2 drives can fail.

You did the same on removing the 2nd one and installing in the first of Ex2 Ultra

Now you need to configure as RAID 1 drive. But i doubt it will allow without 2 drives. Give it a try.

But usually you need a similar hard drive say 2tb to swap in the data to new ex2 ultra and then create an RAID 1 with two drives say 1 from ex2 and other spare drive. Now once raid is created with 2 different drives of same size. You still have data in old ex2. Now copy the data to prime drive say Drive 1 from your ex2. Now the data are populated in new raid of ex2 ultra.

But once it says the raid is completed . after copying all the data. Remove the 2nd of ex2 ultra (spare drive) and 1st drive of ex2 which will allow now to re-build the array. Now you have sucessfully moved without loosing the data.

So you need one additional HDD as a spare drive to transfer the drives without loosing data.

6

That’s what I was trying to avoid. Think I’ll buy a month of Google Drive to backup then download back once it’s all set up.
Thanks.

7

The EX2 Ultra should be able to retain the data on the drives from your existing EX2 when you transfer them over. However, there are a few important considerations:

  1. Compatibility: Ensure that the drives you are using (HDD, SSD, or a combination) are compatible with the new EX2 Ultra system in terms of specifications like interface (SATA, NVMe, etc.) and capacity.
  2. RAID Configuration: If you have configured your drives in a RAID array (RAID 1, RAID 5, etc.) on the existing EX2, the new EX2 Ultra should be able to detect and import the RAID configuration automatically without data loss.
  3. Operating System: The EX2 Ultra may come with a newer version of the operating system or firmware compared to your existing EX2. In this case, it’s recommended to check the manufacturer’s documentation or contact their support to ensure a smooth transition without any data loss.
  4. Backup: As a precautionary measure, it’s always a good idea to have a full backup of your data before attempting any hardware change or migration process.

If you follow the proper procedures and ensure compatibility, the EX2 Ultra should recognize the existing drives and their data without attempting to wipe or format them during the initial setup. However, it’s highly recommended to consult the manufacturer’s documentation or seek their technical support for specific instructions and guidance related to your particular model and configuration.