can i add a new drive without having to delete the data on it

[neptunesdragon]

Hi Guys, pretty new to this NAS storage. I had a 1TB drive that I quickly used up so I purchased a new 2TB drive and tried to add that, turns out I didn't setup the Raid correctly so I could only use 1TB of the new drive. So I transferred all of the data onto the 2TB drive and was just going to use the one drive, I pushed the reset button on The ASUSTOR AS 202TE to try and start again, but now when I try and put the @ TB drive back in it is saying it will delete all of the data on the drive. Since I have not backed it up anywhere else, I cant.
My question is, can I install the 2TB drive without deleting all of the data?
And if I cant, then how do I get the data off the 2TB drive onto say a USD Hard drive?

[orion]

If you setup RAID-1 volume originally, that should be easy. You can put original 1TB disk and 2TB disk back, then power NAS on. Yes, you can only use 1TB space in this configuration. However you can expand the capacity to 2TB by replacing 1TB disk to 2TB disk.

• Wait for NAS synchronization task done (1TB + 2TB RAID-1).
• Remove 1TB disk. Put a new 2TB disk.
• After synchronization, go to ADM web page -> Storage Manager -> Volume-1 -> Expand.

Your data should remain the same.

[neptunesdragon]

Thanks so much Orion for your help. However I have a couple of questions, my 1TB disk has now been cleared (when I did my last reboot) so it no longer has data on it but the 2TB disk has all of my data on it (and I have no way to transfer it nor do I have it backed up) so if I put both the 1TB and 2TB in together and reboot it, I am afraid it will delete both disks.
Are you saying that it will be ok? Or are you saying that I only put in the 1TB let it do its sync and then turn off and remove and add then replace with the 2TB?
Regaring your second point you mention put in a new 2TB, do you mean I have to go and buy a new 2TB or use the current one that has the data in it.
Sorry to sound stupid but I cannot lose this data and need to get it correct.

[orion]

Ok, your information is insufficient.

Did you setup your NAS as RAID-1 originally?
How did you "transferred all of the data onto the 2TB drive" at the first time?
Based on these information, I might be able to give you recommendations.

[neptunesdragon]

Thanks again Orion. (Sorry in advance for the amount of detail)
I originally had someone set it up for me (who has since disappeared) but at the time I only had 1TB drive so I am unsure how it was setup as I said I am new to this. However the following should help you understand - when the ITB was full I purchased a second drive (the 2TB). When I went to put the second slot (I only have 2 slots) in, it would only allow me to use 1TB of the 2TB, so I am presuming he set it up as RAID 1, however bothe disks did work, so then I backed up all of the data from the 1TB to the 2TB and then removed it from slot 2 for safe keeping, as I was going away for a few months.
While I was away, someone that worked for me did something, (I am guessing rebooted it) and it lost all of the data that was on the 1TB. So when I returned I put in the 2TB in and it was working fine until the size of the data got to over 1TB and it would not allow me to add anymore, that is when I read up about the NAS on the internet and thought I would reboot it again to try to reset it from the beginning and get full use of my 2TB (which will be enough for a year or so and I only intended to use one slot, however it would be nice to use them both and have a total of 3TB and I will back up onto a hard drive).
Which leads me to where I am and I cant seem to start again without losing all of the data which I cannot back up now.

[orion]

Sounds there are unknown black zones. Ok, I think we can check it step-by-step.

• Does NAS work correctly with only 2TB disk?
• If yes, go to ADM web page -> Storage Manager -> Select Volume-1. What's the RAID level? How many disks does it show? It's better that you can post the screen picture here.
• On the same page, do you see volume-2?

[neptunesdragon]

Hi Orion,
Sorry for slow reply I had to go out for a while. Where I am currently at is I have hit the factory reset button on the back of the NAS so I am literally at step 1.
I cannot do anything with the 2TB disk as I cannot lose the data. So when I have turned it on it is basically starting from scratch including having to search for latest software. When I have tried to follow the quick setup and set for Raid 1 it tells me if I progress I will lose all of the data. I haven't tried the manual setup.
I can and have started with the 1TB disk as it no longer has any data anyway but then I get back to the position that I cant use the 2TB disk as it only accepts the smaller size.
Any suggestions?

[orion]

Ok, if your NAS cannot bootup with 2TB disk correctly (you saw the initialization guide), that means your original volume-1 is not RAID-1. So the question for you will be: how do you copy 1TB data to 2TB disk? I mean if you bought a 2TB disk and put into NAS slot-2, what did you do? Did you create another volume? Or you created a MyArchive volume? It's not possible to copy data without do anything.

That action impacts what you should do the next.