Anyone using 3TB drives in their Twinstore?

[rgbyhkr]

Hi all,

I have been considering moving into a couple of Twinstore units form my current Store Ones and Twos. From a storage standpoint, I'd prefer to jump into 3TB drives to accommodate my current collection (which is just over 3TB) and leave quite a bit of space left over for future expansion. I asked my local Meridian Regional Sales Rep and he told me that the reply from the developers was that while it should support 3TB drives, they haven't tested them yet. As such, they wouldn't be supported and were recommending sticking with 2TB drives.

So, anyone out there using 3TB drives anyway and, if so, what brands/models?

Jeff

[JSCC]

Originally Posted by rgbyhkr

Hi all,

I have been considering moving into a couple of Twinstore units form my current Store Ones and Twos. From a storage standpoint, I'd prefer to jump into 3TB drives to accommodate my current collection (which is just over 3TB) and leave quite a bit of space left over for future expansion. I asked my local Meridian Regional Sales Rep and he told me that the reply from the developers was that while it should support 3TB drives, they haven't tested them yet. As such, they wouldn't be supported and were recommending sticking with 2TB drives.

So, anyone out there using 3TB drives anyway and, if so, what brands/models?

Jeff

Understand the 3TB has been tested and working and one local customer already had his 2 Twinstores upgraded! I was approached for the same "upgrade".

Currently, I planned to do a CLEAN RE-INSTALL, leaving the C15 untouched (500GB not used) and fully populate one of the 2TB x 2 Twinstore, and another 600GB of the second 2TB x 2 Twinstore. Leaving some 1.5TB of space.

However, should I do the upgrade, effectively, I would have a whopping 2 x (3TB x 2) Twinstores with the C15's 500GB still unused.

I will check on the details and revert later when the local dealer tells me what they are. Personally, looking at the way things are going, I dont think I would upgrade as I have MORE THAN AMPLE storage today. Unless I am thinking of selling off the NEW second (2TB x 2) Twinstore and save some money for buying another gear ... used DEMO Meridian 800v4 player. Hmmmmmm ...

Cheers!

[jericho]

I've been told that the 3TB are not working.
The SOOLOOS system is based on the windows embedded operating system.
XP is not supporting discs larger than 2TB, I think it woun't work with the 3TB's
Keep postings your results because I also have 2 Twinstore's with in each the 2TB Western digital discs for servers

Regards

[howiebrou]

I don't think I will need to move to 3TB. 4TB total in storage should be more than enough to keep the 5600 or so CDs in the collection.

howie

[JSCC]

1. The 3TB drives used have to be HITACHI's. Understand Twinstore was develop to use this brand.

2. The upgrade would require some "programming". What exactly the dealer does he won't share.

3. I am in the process of negotiating with him to take in my NEW-UNUSED 2TB x 2 Twinstore which I had just bought and have him do the upgrade. After all, I don't see I can populate 3TB of disc information. Right now, I am using only 2.4TB (with 5216 CD's information). I don't see myself going beyond 6000 CD's. In fact, I am prepared to clean up the C15 and not use the 500GB space there. Just using the Twinstore's 3TB x 2 should suffice. Remember 500GB is about another 1000 CD's worth of storage space. So, this should be the last upgrade for my Meridian system.

Last but not least, he is charging me US$1k for the job (inclusive of 2 x 3TB Hitachi drives). Worth it? I think so.

Will update once I am able to strike the deal and done the upgrade.

Cheers!

[Kingsrule]

i believe there is a work around to use 3TB drives with XP. Most likely a firmware install on the drives
The issue I see here is what happens when a 3TB drive fails? Can you just pop another one in the Twinstore like you can with the smaller drives or will it be necessary to go back to the person who tweaked the 3TB drives to work in the first place?
For me one of the great advantages of the Twinstore over the Store is the built in formatting capability when putting in a new drive. You don't have to rely on anyone. Then there is the issue of back-up. You can find plenty of 2TB drives that are around $120 USD for off site back-up.
It seems to me that if you need more than 2TBs adding a second Twinstore is the better solution IF you have to have some tweaked 3TB drive for replacement.

[howiebrou]

Originally Posted by g997

i believe there is a work around to use 3TB drives with XP. Most likely a firmware install on the drives
The issue I see here is what happens when a 3TB drive fails? Can you just pop another one in the Twinstore like you can with the smaller drives or will it be necessary to go back to the person who tweaked the 3TB drives to work in the first place?
For me one of the great advantages of the Twinstore over the Store is the built in formatting capability when putting in a new drive. You don't have to rely on anyone. Then there is the issue of back-up. You can find plenty of 2TB drives that are around $120 USD for off site back-up.
It seems to me that if you need more than 2TBs adding a second Twinstore is the better solution IF you have to have some tweaked 3TB drive for replacement.

Personally I prefer two twinstores because it doesn't put all my eggs in one basket.

[JSCC]

Well, I would be to differ.

Practically, IF the 3TB does NOT require a firmware install on the drives, it does makes sense to put all the "eggs in ONE basket" as it would mean the backup has it all - in the ONE Twinstore itself. And to have a "third gen" backup, either in a NAS and/or an external 3TB drive would ensure all the precious ripped music stays intact in an event of a failure.

To have it in 2 Twinstores would meant NOT knowing which are the files stored (which I dont think we can know) when a failure happen. Indeed, one may argue that all one needs to do is to put in a new HDD and presto, things would be restored in that particular "spoilt" Twinstore. Question is - are we sure its all done 100% or are there going to be missing files during this rebuild/restore process?

Personal experience tells me there might be "missing files". My first failure with the drives in the Twinstore (Green HDD's) proved to be such a pain. As one can never remember all his collection, especially with thousands in there, one would have lost precious CD's and not even knowing it. I found that out painfully, when I re-restore my stuff and only when I went back to a preloaded HDD did I realised that "some" can amount to a hundred or more.

So, the best way is to keep it in all ONE place. Of course, if one can find a 4TB external drive or a NAS, then the Twinstore's information is safe for sure - doubly sure.

Yes, I am being paranoid but "once bitten, twice shy". The only hold back now is IF dealer would trade in my Twinstore to the amount I wanted. If by any chance I cant, then I would join the 2 x 4TB gang and then work on boosting my QNAP NAS to 12TB to accomodate a proper third full backup. 5200+ and more is not something I wish to lose, not even one.

Thats my thinking. I stand corrected, but today, this is what I think it is. Could be wrong!

Cheers!