Changing to a larger external storage

[Flt505]

Running Win 11 laptop.
I have a 1 TB external HDD storage device named D:\ChDVR
I want to change it to a new 4TB device.
I don't need to keep any of the recordings.
Do I :.
1.Uncheck Server Enabled
2.Unplug the old 1TB device
3. Plug in the new 4TB device
4. Recheck Server Enabled

==
Do I get prompted for a device name? I have no problem keeping the same device name/path?
Should I give the new device the same name D:\ChDVR ? OR give it a different name?
Will CDVR then automatically format the new drive with the proper file structure?

[Morris_Altman]

That will not work if you have the simplest setup with only one storage device defined as the configuration and database will be on your storage device. The easiest way:

• Shutdown Channels DVR
• Add the second drive
• Copy everything to the second drive
• Remove old drive
• Change drive letter of new drive to that of the old one
• Start Channels DVR

Next best is to follow the server migration procedure

Both are easy

[Flt505]

Thank you👍
If only have one USB port available, i will copy old to C drive, remove old , then C drive to new external drive,
so the new drive drive letter will be correct.
To make the copy old to new
Should I format new first then
just Use a windows Copy utility. ?

[Morris_Altman]

I did not notice that your videos are on your c drive. What I described will not work.

You can add the new drive and add it as a second source. All recordings will continue to go to the c drive. You can move your old recordings to the new drive.

If you want all recordings on the new drive you are best to copy all of the channels directly to the new drive. Make a backup of settings and database. Uninstall channels and then follow the server migration process and use the new drive as the storage drive.

[Flt505]

My recordings ARE on an external D drive, i was going to copy and restore using the C drive as an intermediary device since i only had one usb port available on the laptop didn't have a usb hub... but I then realized my C drive cannot hold the nearly 1TB of data during the transfer
So i will get a hub and simply do the copy from old to new external drive on the hub as you first said.
Thanks for relies.

[Edwin_Perez]

IF you get a powered hub you can keep both Drives make the smaller drive secondary storage and the new drive Primary ... then you do not have to move any recordings.

[Flt505]

I like that idea, yes Hub will be powered.
Old drive letter is D:\ChDVR
How would I make the new drive Primary and the old one Secondary??
Is it the order, is the first one Primary, if so how would I force the new one to the top?
Step by step PLEASE... I'm not as good as I once was!!!

[Flt505]

I found this from a while back, 2021, is it still like this , makes sense.
.
racameron

Feb '21

After attempting to follow my own directions, I see all options go away when the DVR is disabled. So, you can do it beforehand.

From the DVR's web UI:

1. Navigate to Settings > DVR Database > Storage Paths.
2. Click on the icon, and select your current DVR directory. (Yes, it will now show up twice, the second instance with a trash icon next to it.)
3. Under Settings > Basic Setup > DVR, un-check DVR.
4. In the path selector below where it now says Enable DVR, select your new location.
5. Check Enable DVR.

Under the DVR Database section, you should now see your newly added new primary location, and listed below that will be your old/original location, with the trash icon beside it.

....

3 years later

racameron

Feb '24

The web UI was restructured. The primary/recording storage location is under Settings > General > Basic Setup. Additional storage paths are defined on the same page, further down under the Library Database heading; the process is still the same.

[Edwin_Perez]

I would go that way this is what mine looks like except I have 2 nas's so I just move what I want to keep for a long period of time to the NAS's.

[Flt505]

Thanks a whole bunch to all replies.
I like the secondary storage idea for original device, and I think I know how to do it all now.
I can't record to the old storage with Channels anymore but I can still use the remaining space for other things.

[Flt505]

One remaining question:
When I select my new storage location will that cause Channels to format and create the file structure on the new device?
Thanks

[Edwin_Perez]

I do not think it will format it ... but it will create the File Structure.... Just create your destination folder point to it and all subfolders will be created. Once you re-enable the dvr.

[Flt505]

Thanks.
Now waiting for the hub and new drive to arrive.