How would you restore to HD version of the UnityServe?

Posted by: Richard Lord on 15 March 2011

I have been told it is not possible to add files to the 1 Terabyte version of the UnityServe, other than by ripping. It is the nain reason why I have opted for the SSD version.  

If this is true, then other than re-ripping everything, how is it done?  Back to Naim together with your NAS backup?

Richard
Posted on: 15 March 2011 by garyi
If the music is ripped via serve to your NAS, then your NAS now has a music store.

All you do I guess is point your serve at the NAS. If your NAS fails then you have learnt a valuable lesson, NASes are not back up devices!

I have a separate USB drive attached to my NAS which backs up every evening, specified folders, if you have a NAS I recommend you do the same.

If your NAS has four bays then set it to RAID5, in this way if a drive fails you swap it out for a good one and all should be well. With a back up strategy you should only need to rip once with the Naim solution. 

Remember that NAS is not a backup, if for instance you carelessly delete the music store one day, then its gone. There is no coming back. If you have a back up somewhere you can retrieve the mistake.
Posted on: 15 March 2011 by Richard Lord
I think I understand.  But I am told it is not possible to write anything to the UnityServe hard drive, other than by ripping a CD
 
True, you may have a dozen backups, but if it is impossible to write to its internal drive, then you are out of luck. I suppose the UnityServe would still access the NAS and therefore play music, but if that is the case, why pay for an internal hard drive in the first place?

So again, apart from re-ripping, how would you restore your music to the UnityServe?

BTW, thank you for the tip about backing up via the USB.
Posted on: 15 March 2011 by Aleg
I don't think it is completely true that you can't write anything to a UServe harddisk.

AFAIU you can move music between Music Stores so when you have created a Music Store on the Harddisk and a Music Store on the NAS you can move music between them.

See page 12 of your manual under "Moving Music".

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aleg
Posted on: 15 March 2011 by garyi
I you have a NAS and rip to the music store on that NAS, your concerns over putting music back on the serve are removed.

Just remember to back up the music on your NAS.
Posted on: 15 March 2011 by Aleg
Ignore my reply. I think I misunderstood your question

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aleg
Posted on: 15 March 2011 by Richard Lord
Originally Posted by garyi:
I you have a NAS and rip to the music store on that NAS, your concerns over putting music back on the serve are removed.

Just remember to back up the music on your NAS.

So it makes sense to buy the SSD version, right?
Posted on: 15 March 2011 by garyi
(edited 'cause I actually read up on the serve )

If it was my moneys and I had the NAS and network in place, I would get the SSD version, but with the back up strategy in place for the NAS.

How ever based on what you have said about your network I would make sure thats in full operation first.
Posted on: 15 March 2011 by Richard Lord
Originally Posted by garyi:
(edited 'cause I actually read up on the serve )

If it was my moneys and I had the NAS and network in place, I would get the SSD version, but with the back up strategy in place for the NAS.

How ever based on what you have said about your network I would make sure thats in full operation first.
OK, garyi.  I am going to ensure everything is indeed backed up.  As a test, now that I have the NAS up and running, I deliberately wiped my iTunes entire library, including everything I had DL off my iMac. I then brought up my Time Capsule, and restored 100 Gigs (almost all AAC, no WAV).  It took just 30 minutes. Not bad and its all there, even the Playlists. I am impressed.