RAID 1 - Drive Recommendations for Home Server

Forums › Desktop computing › RAID 1 - Drive Recommendations for Home Server

thekiwi

295 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 7

#150217 15-Jul-2014 14:42

Hi all

Have had one of my 2TB drives fail in my RAID 1 setup for my home server (runs Mediaportal 24x7 as well as a couple virtual machines).

The two drives in the array are WD Caviar Green (WD20EARS) and just wondering if its possible to swap in something like a WD20EARX (ie same make and size but different model)?

If not the WD's, what other drives would be a possiblity?

Cheers

Dynamic

4015 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1851

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1089320 15-Jul-2014 14:55

Have you looked at the WD Red series?

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

thekiwi

295 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 7

#1089361 15-Jul-2014 16:11

Dynamic: Have you looked at the WD Red series?

I hadnt, but I guess that would make sense, and given its 24x7 nature (and one of the virtual machines is a Win28 Domain Controller) it might actually be more efficient to use a RED disk? As I understand it , somehow RED are better designed for RAID situations?

Something like a WESTERN DIGITAL RED WD20EFRX ?

One further question. My MB is a MIS P55A-G55 ... and my current drives are SATA2. Its no drama replacing with SATA3?

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#1089362 15-Jul-2014 16:11

WD RED

Green drives for RAID is just an open invite for a failure. Not a case of it, but when. They should never be used as they're not designed for RAID.

Dynamic

4015 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1851

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1089363 15-Jul-2014 16:13

SATA2 and SATA3 devices play together nicely. You should have no trouble mixing any combination of devices.

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

lxsw20

3689 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2174

Subscriber

#1089364 15-Jul-2014 16:19

sbiddle: WD RED

Green drives for RAID is just an open invite for a failure. Not a case of it, but when. They should never be used as they're not designed for RAID.

And yet Synology have them on their list of OK to use drives.

Dynamic

4015 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1851

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1089367 15-Jul-2014 16:25

lxsw20:
sbiddle: WD RED
Green drives for RAID is just an open invite for a failure. Not a case of it, but when. They should never be used as they're not designed for RAID.

And yet Synology have them on their list of OK to use drives.

I wouldn't count on anything but a fairly short basic test by any NAS vendor on any particular series of drives.

My experience of Green drives in a NAS is atrocious - these being NAS devices we have been asked to assist with, not ones we have set up.

Our experience with Red drives is flawless.

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams

Apple TV

Stream your favourite shows now on Apple TV (affiliate link).

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 9996

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#1089374 15-Jul-2014 16:45

lxsw20:
sbiddle: WD RED

Green drives for RAID is just an open invite for a failure. Not a case of it, but when. They should never be used as they're not designed for RAID.

And yet Synology have them on their list of OK to use drives.

Might pass a simple certification test but even Western Digital themselves tell you not to use them for RAID

http://www.wdc.com/en/products/products.aspx?id=780

Sideface

9649 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 15596

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1089380 15-Jul-2014 16:57

WD Red
I'm running 20 of them in various NAS units and servers - no failures yet.

Sideface

thekiwi

295 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 7

#1089382 15-Jul-2014 17:01

Thanks everyone

2 x new 2TB WD Reds are on their way.

Just got to now sort out what is the best way to replace both drives with the new ones (OS is on a seperate drive).

PhantomNVD

2619 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 759
Inactive user

#1089462 15-Jul-2014 18:54

Swap in one, rebuild raid and then swap in the other?

billgates

4705 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 671

Trusted

#1089465 15-Jul-2014 18:58

Which OS are you running? If Windows 8 Pro or Enterprise them setup Storage Spaces (software RAID). Much easier to manage, grow, remove drives on demand etc.

Do whatever you want to do man.

Lego

Shop now for Lego sets and other gifts (affiliate link).

thekiwi

295 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 7

#1089475 15-Jul-2014 19:26

PhantomNVD: Swap in one, rebuild raid and then swap in the other?

Yea that's what I was planning.

Im using Windows 7 Pro

thekiwi

295 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 7

#1090596 17-Jul-2014 11:53

Doooh hit a snag.

Current remaining drive with the data on it (not OS) is 512 bytes per sector, but new drive(s) 4096 bytes.

Luckily bought two new ones ... but from what Ive read there is no way to have the old disk and one of the new ones in the same RAID array?

Dynamic

4015 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1851

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1090600 17-Jul-2014 11:58

I've not come across this before. If you get stuck you could borrow a 2tb drive from someone, back up the files to it, remove both of the old NAS drives and do a fresh setup on the NAS before copying the files back. Bit of a hassle but not the end of the world. If something goes toes up, you can put the original drive(s) back into the NAS.

“Don't believe anything you read on the net. Except this. Well, including this, I suppose.” Douglas Adams