can you swap enclosures?

[Alex Gerulaitis]

[Brian Tetamore] “I have a four drive esata enclosure stiped as a simple raid that I’d like to pull the HDs and use them in a new enclosure. Can you do this while retaining your original data – remounting the original “raid”?”

If the RAID engine (controller) remains the same – yes.

Alex (DV411)

[Brian Tetamore]

It’s a Kano Technology eSATA enclosure. So, practically speaking what does that mean? Do I need to purchase another Kano Tech drive array, or a drive array with a compatible RAID engine controller?

The reason I need to change is I no longer have access to a Mac with an eSATA card. I need a firewire 800 connection.

The Visual Rabbi
TheVisualChurch.com
“Crafting Visual Messages to Engage and Persuade”

[Andrew Richards]

Practically speaking you can use those drives in a new enclosure, but you will be wiping them to make a fresh RAID set out of them. You’ll need to offload your data somewhere and then move it back. There is virtually no chance you would find a FW800 enclosure that would take your existing drive set and retain the data. Bottom line, the safe route is to offload and start fresh with your drives in their new home.

Best,
Andy

[Alex Gerulaitis]

[Andrew Richards] ” There is virtually no chance you would find a FW800 enclosure that would take your existing drive set and retain the data.”

…unless the box was a JBOD striped in the OS – then all he needs to do is get a JBOD-capable box with FW800 I/O.

All we need to find out is if the drives were striped in the OS. In that case, the data is perfectly salvageable.

Alex (DV411)

[Brian Tetamore]

Yes. the drive was striped using Mac Disk Utility.

Would it hurt to at least try to install the drives in a new enclosure to see if it mounts? And do the drives need to be installed in the same order as they were in the original enclosure?

Really appreciate the help guys.

The Visual Rabbi
TheVisualChurch.com
“Crafting Visual Messages to Engage and Persuade”

[Alex Gerulaitis]

[Brian Tetamore] “Yes. the drive was striped using Mac Disk Utility.”

You are in great shape then.

[Brian Tetamore] “Would it hurt to at least try to install the drives in a new enclosure to see if it mounts? And do the drives need to be installed in the same order as they were in the original enclosure?”

Just make sure the new box supports JBOD (i.e. a mode of operation of no RAID of its own); the order doesn’t matter.

Alex (DV411)

[Andrew Richards]

Oops, I was jumping to a RAID-5 conclusion. Alex is right.

Best,
Andy