How to copy entire linkstation drive to another?

[lnz]

   

Hello

 

I have just bought a 1TB linkstation live (LS-CH1.0TL) to upgrade an older 500GB linkstation live, entirely full.

 

The idea is transfer the entire content of the 500GB unit to the 1TB unit retaining the directory structure.

 

I set up a normal backup job but the backup is changing the directory structure.

 

Does anybody have some brilliant solution?

 

I need the new drive to replicate the old drive, hopefully with the minimum of fuss, and hopefully in some direct manner.

 

Would connecting the two units via a USB hub, rather than a Gigabit  Ethernet switch, work (better? at all?)

 

Any other solution?

 

Lorenz

[winger]

   

I am a newb, but does the LS unit allow a user to:

1) connect both LS units drives to a computer  via USB  - thus becoming a "DAS (Direct Access Storage)  rather than "NAS" (Network Access Storage) when connected to a switch ) ,   then

 

2) open the computer, use it's Windows Explorer and select all from OLD LS and copy into NEW LS ? 

 

SCRATCH MY IDEA -  a BT rep told me you cannot hook a computer directly to the LS units 

Message Edited by winger on 07-24-2009 03:58 PM

[daoswald]

   

I believe some newer units will replicate from one unit to another.  However, the standadr LinkStation Live doesn't do this. 

 

Don't worry though; over a gigabit network a simple drag and drop file copy can be left unattended.  You only have 500GB or less, which should complete in under seven hours, though it does tie up a computer for awhile.

 

My favorite approach (and one that worked for me already once) was to back up to a usb drive.  Then mount the drive on the new LinkStation, and restore from that drive.  That takes just as long, but at least it leaves your computer out of teh loop.

 

[lnz]

   

Thanks to all the suggestions.

 

As I have several 500GB to transfer I was indeed looking for a solution that either did not require inordinate amount of times, nor computer involvement.

 

Then I begun playing with the backup options, and I realised that "Overwrite Backup (Complete Differential)" and not selecting  "Create the target folder for your backup" does not appear to change the directory structure.

 

I have the first unit running, it's been running overnight, but once the backup was set, I turned off the computers.

 

It's going a bit slower than I though, but I suspect I did not have Jumbo Frames selected.

 

The tests seemed to have worked. I'll find out whether the entire disk did also work.