Setting up a Diskless MyCloud EX2 Ultra - How Should I prepare the drives I want to use?

My Cloud OS 3 Personal & Network Attached Storage My Cloud EX Series
1

Hello all,

I bought a disk-less EX2 Ultra and I already have 2 x WD RED 4TB disks.

What’s the best way to prepare the disks for initial set up of the EX2?

Should I format them in Fat32 or something similar and then allow the EX2 to do its own formatting during setup?

I know this is probably answered somewhere else on the forum but I haven’t been able to find it!

2

Your questions are answered in the complete user manual pdf you can download from the WD Support site.

3

It probably would’ve been quicker for you to answer my question and reference the manual.

4

Yet another user who will not read a manual. Good luck!

6

And nope, nowhere in the manual does it say how I should prepare the drives. It mentions how to install them physically… but not about a formatting them before installing them in to the EX2 or what’s required.

7

You do not format them FAT32 or anything outside of the NAS. You install them in the NAS, Once the device is turned on and the device is a Linux device and they will be formatted the proper way. It likely will be set up as RAID1 unless you select otherwise. Also see the WD Knowledge base and tutorials for your NAS.

8

As they’re new disks, will I need to initialise them? Or will the EX2 just handle them? As I said I’ve bought the disks and the NAS separately. Do you have a link to any articles which cover this as I can’t find any.

9

I am finding it difficult to find info for you. although I did find these links:

For the User Manual which DOES tell you how to setup a DISKLESS unit!
https://www.wdc.com/content/dam/wdc/website/downloadable_assets/eng/user_manual/4779-705148.pdf

How ro setup your device

My DL2100 came with installed disks. All I did was connect the the Ethernet port to router and turn it on. After some disk activity the blue LEDs for Disks 1 and 2 came on steady. I then went to the Dashboard via the browser to complete the setup. I believe you can do the same, and presume the disks will be formatted during the initial turn on period.

If all else fails, then contact WD Support by Phone.