Guide on Data Backup and Migration to Nucleus (ref#TPO6FX)

[Edward_Gonzalez (Matsaly)]

What’s happening?

· Something else

How can we help?

· None of the above

Other options

· Other

Describe the issue

How to create new post re data backup/migration to Nucleus

Describe your network setup

Verizon FIOS, Trendnet ethernet over Coax Adapter

[Edward_Gonzalez (Matsaly)]

I’m a computer/network novice and my question may seem like a simple backup question but it pertains to migrating music files to a new Nucleus One or Titan.

Currently I have a 2TB SSD in my existing music server (Antipodes). The SSD is several years old and I’m planning on replacing it as a precautionary measure.

My objective is to:

1. Backup all music files to new SSD.
2. Replace old SSD in Antipodes Music server with new SSD.
3. Prepare for data transition to a Nucleus Titan.

The current music server is on the 1st floor of my older home and is connected to my Verizon router (2nd floor) via a MoCa box. [ethernet over cable adapter]

My proposed strategy is to remove the legacy SSD and install it in a SSD enclosure which I would connect to my iMac via USB. Then I would cut/paste or copy the legacy SSD onto a 2nd (new ) SSD which is also connected via a SSD enclosure.

Once complete, I would simply install the new SSD into my existing server and enjoy music.

Once I get a Nucleus Titan/or One, then I hope to simply remove the “new” SSD and install it in the Nucleus chassis and start enjoying music.

The main reason I propose to do the “backup in the manner specified is that I don’t want the data “traveling” through 200 feet of coax {from Server>Moca>Coax>Verizon Junction box> Router etc.} I’m hoping my strategy will eliminate the data having to flow through much of the “noisy”, cheap MoCa box, routers supplied by the ISP provider Verizon.

Can anyone comment on:

1. Is my backup strategy sensible? Will it work?

2. When the time comes will I be able to simply install the new SSD [with music files} in a new Nucleus Server and have it play?

[Wade_Oram]

@Edward_Gonzalez

My objective is to:

1. Backup all music files to new SSD.
2. Replace old SSD in Antipodes Music server with new SSD.
3. Prepare for data transition to a Nucleus Titan.

The current music server is on the 1st floor of my older home and is connected to my Verizon router (2nd floor) via a MoCa box. [ethernet over cable adapter]

My proposed strategy is to remove the legacy SSD and install it in a SSD enclosure which I would connect to my iMac via USB. Then I would cut/paste or copy the legacy SSD onto a 2nd (new ) SSD which is also connected via a SSD enclosure.

Once complete, I would simply install the new SSD into my existing server and enjoy music.

Up to this point, everything should be fine in principle provided that you used the same file system as the old drive (ext4, exFAT?) for the new drive. It is unlikely to work if you use NTFS or the Mac native filesystem format.

@Edward_Gonzalez

Once I get a Nucleus Titan/or One, then I hope to simply remove the “new” SSD and install it in the Nucleus chassis and start enjoying music.

Unfortunately, this will not work. Once the new drive is installed inside the Nucleus (either model) it must be formatted using the Nucleus Web ui which will, of course, erase all of the contents.

The following procedure may work instead:

1. Remove old SSD from Antipodes and install in USB enclosure.
2. Copy contents to you computer (assuming it has enough free storage) and then replace old SSD back in the Antipodes.
3. Install new SSD in Nucleus and format it using the Nucleus Web UI.
4. Remove the new SSD from the Nucleus and put it in the USB enclosure and connect it to your computer
5. Copy the media files to the new SSD using the copy you made in step 2.
6. Unmount the SSD drive and disconnect from the computer. Remove the SSD from the USB enclosure and install it back in the Nucleus.
7. Delete the copy of the files on your computer created in step 2

If you have two USB enclosures, then you can avoid the need for storage space on your computer by doing the following:

1. Install the new SSD in the Nucleus and format it using the Nucleus Web UI.
2. Remove the SSD from both the Antipodes and the Nucleus and put both SSD’s in USB enclosures.
3. Connect both USB enclosures to your computer and copy the contents of the old drive to the new drive.
4. Safely Unmount both SSD’s, remove them from the USB enclosures and reinstall them back in their respective devices (Antipodes and Nucleus).

Having said this, simply installing the new SSD in the Nucleus, formatting it and then ,using the network shares of the Antipodes and the Nucleus to copy the media files to the Nucleus may be nearly as quick and avoids a lot of the more risky removal and installation of SSD’s. That is the method that I would choose.

[Mikael_Ollars]

@Wade_Oram

The following procedure may work instead:

1. Remove old SSD from Antipodes and install in USB enclosure.

Are you sure the Antipodes use a compatible file system?

I’d utilize the Antipodes backup routine, to backup its contents to a portable USB drive (or whatever it may support). You will still want a backup of you media/purchased files etc.

Then the BackUp drive can be used as a source when copying the media to the new Nucleus.

Basically, this is the best approach:

@Wade_Oram

Having said this, simply installing the new SSD in the Nucleus, formatting it and then ,using the network shares of the Antipodes and the Nucleus to copy the media files to the Nucleus may be nearly as quick and avoids a lot of the more risky removal and installation of SSD’s. That is the method that I would choose.

[Wade_Oram]

@Mikael_Ollars

Are you sure the Antipodes use a compatible file system?

I’m not sure. That’s why I said ‘may work’. However Windows can be persuaded to read and write many filesystems. Even if it can’t, there is plenty of software for windows ( free or very cheap) that can do a partition copy without needing to understand the file format.

I agree - and I said as much - that the best way is just to do a copy between network shares. It may appear slow when the copy is happening (compared to a copy between usb connected disks) but the time is more than made up by the more streamlined hardware installation.

It’s also likely to cause fewer issues as well. Filesystem incompatibility is one issue but there is also a (small) risk of damaging hardware whenever disks are removed or added and you wouldn’t put your shiny new Nucleus Titan at risk, even only slightly, would you?

[Edward_Gonzalez (Matsaly)]

I appreciate your help.

@Wade_Oram

Up to this point, everything should be fine in principle provided that you used the same file system as the old drive (ext4, exFAT?) for the new drive. It is unlikely to work if you use NTFS or the Mac native filesystem format.

Mu understanding is that I must first FORMAT the new SSD prior to copying the contents from the legacy SSD.

Like I said, I’m a novice with computers. How can I ascertain what file format the legacy SSD is? I use Mac so any screenshots or detailed instructions will be helpful.

Once I ascertain the “file system” how do I format the new SSD?

[Wade_Oram]

I’m sorry. I really can’t help you with anything Mac related. I have never used one. Windows and some Linux only here.

For Windows, you can get a plethora of partition tools that are able to copy a partition from one disk to another irrespective of file system employed and in many cases they can also resize the partition. Thus you could may well be able to replace the disk in the Antipodes with a newer/larger one by using such a tool to copy the partition (no formatting required) and then resize the partition to use the whole of the new disk (if larger). I’m sure that there must be similar tools for Macs.

Whatever you do, don’t erase the old SSD until you are happy that everything has been successfully copied to the new one and it is up and working in the Antipodes.

However, none of that will help you subsequently move the SSD into a Nucleus. That will always require that the SSD placed in the Nucleus be reformatted (and thus all contents erased) using the Nucleus Web UI unless the SSD has come from another RoonOS (Nucleus or ROCK) server.

As I (and @Mikael_Ollars) have suggested, it would just be much easier to wait until you have the Nucleus, install the new SSD directly in the Nucleus, format it using the Nucleus Web UI and then use the SMB shares of both the Antipodes and the Nucleus to copy files from the Antipodes to the Nucleus.