Replacing a drive in Qnap HS-210
Posted by: David O'Higgins on 01 September 2016
The other day I noticed a 'warning' message about Drive 2 in my NAS. I have bought another 3tb WD Red (to match the existing) but I couldn't find any instructions as to how to install it. Anyone done this?
Are you mirroring the two drives. so they both contain the same content, or do you have a backup?
I am mirroring, and I have a backup.
In which case you can just shut the server down, swap out the disk and you should be fine. To remove the disk, "take the front panel off. It’s magnetic, so you just pull it off. It’s designed to be removed and attached with very little effort. Next, you want to remove the drive sleds. Next to each drive bay is a tab that says push. Push these towards the center. Pull the sleds forward, remove them from the HS-210" Except of course you only have to remove the affected drive in its sled.
Then you can unbolt the disk from the sled, bolt the new one in place, and replace the sled.
Might be worth having a look at the disk before removing it, though. Log in to the server using a computer and QFinder, then go to General > Storage Manager > Disks, then click on the disk in question and click Disk Health. If it still says there are problems, you can run a more comprehensive Test on it, but in my experience the disks do sometimes go screwy, but can be recovered. I think they may just get very fragmented after lots of reading and writing.
Then, given your mirror and backup, you could try formatting the affected disk: over many years of using QNAPs and WD Reds, I've never had a disk with a problem unable to be saved with a re-format. Give it a try before you put in the new disk - you could save some cash by returning the new disk if you find you don't need it, and/or have a useful spare disk for the future.
Thanks Andrew. I'll try this at the weekend. How do I know which disc is which? Number 2 is the one which is giving a warning.
The sleds should be marked, but logic would suggest 1 is to the left, and 2 to the right, and that's just how it is.
Andrew, I'm using Qfinder Pro 5.2.1 and the menu structure is a bit different from what you describe. I go in to control panel/storage manager. There I select disk 2 and I get the ambivalent message 'Warning The hard disk was detected not to be in the best status. Your hard disk should be operating properly'. Selecting 'test' from that menu offers me a rapid or a complete test. Selecting 'rapid test' runs for 2 minutes and gives a clean result, but the Warning message remains. Selecting 'complete' gives a read error message after a few minutes.
I have not yet been able to find the 'Format' option. Must be hiding there somewhere.......?
You may have to go System Settings > Storage Manager, click the disk in question and HDD Smart, and if that says 'Good' I wouldn't worry.
To format you may have to take the disk out of the QNAP and connect it to a computer to wipe it, then reinstall it in the NAS and it should reformat again. But if the drive is showing 'Good', then no problem.
Have now installed a new disk and the system is now rebuilding. Thanks for your help.
David