Can I change RAID type without losing data?
Sometimes. Synology supports certain in-place migrations (for example RAID 1 to RAID 5, or SHR to SHR-2) by adding drives, keeping data intact. Other conversions are not supported live and require backing up, recreating the pool, and restoring. Always have a current backup before any RAID change, as migrations carry risk.
Last verified July 22, 2026 · 2 official sources checked Updated
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Some RAID changes can be done in place without losing data; others require a rebuild from backup. Which is which depends on the source and target types and your NAS platform.
Migrations that are typically supported
Synology allows several non-destructive migrations, generally by adding drives rather than reformatting:
- RAID 1 → RAID 5 (add a drive).
- RAID 5 → RAID 6 (add a drive), and SHR → SHR-2.
- Expanding an existing array by adding drives or replacing with larger ones.
These run in the background while the volume stays online, though performance dips during the migration.
Changes that usually require a rebuild
Going the other direction (e.g. reducing redundancy), or converting between fundamentally different layouts that the system does not support live, means back up, delete the pool, recreate it in the new type, and restore. Check your exact source-and-target combination against Synology's documentation before starting: the supported matrix varies by model and DSM version.
The rule that never changes
Whatever the migration, have a current, verified backup first. Even a supported in-place migration stresses the drives and is not risk-free: a drive failing mid-migration on an array with thin redundancy can be costly. If you are adding drives for the migration, use CMR NAS drives; the table lists options.
Drives that solve this
Live Amazon.ca prices in CAD, ranked by price per terabyte. The Recording column is verified against manufacturer documentation. Prices checked
| Model | Capacity | Recording | Price | CA$/raw TB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Seagate Exos X22 22TB SATA 6Gb/s 7200RPM 3.5" Enterprise Hard Drive - ST22000NM001ENewbest price per TB CMR recording, SATA enterprise drive Amazon.ca · sold by ServerPartDeals · one bare internal drive; shipping and taxes not included · checked Oct 7, 2026CA$1,108Buy on Amazon | 22 TB | CMR ✓ | CA$1,108 | CA$50.38/TB | Buy on Amazon |
 Seagate IronWolf Pro 32TB Enterprise NAS Internal HDD Hard Drive – CMR 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM 512MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage, Rescue Services (ST32000NTZ00)New CMR recording, SATA NAS drive rated for 24/7 use Amazon.ca · sold by THEKEYKEY · one bare internal drive; shipping and taxes not included · checked Oct 7, 2026CA$1,740Buy on Amazon | 32 TB | CMR ✓ | CA$1,740 | CA$54.37/TB | Buy on Amazon |
 Seagate Exos M 28TB Enterprise Internal Hard Drive HDD - 3.5in 6GB/s SATA 7200RPM 2.5M MTBF (ST28000NM003K)New CMR recording, SATA enterprise drive Amazon.ca · sold by Amazon.ca · one bare internal drive; shipping and taxes not included · checked Oct 7, 2026CA$1,543Buy on Amazon | 28 TB | CMR ✓ | CA$1,543 | CA$55.11/TB | Buy on Amazon |
 Seagate IronWolf 10TB NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD – CMR 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM 256MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage (ST10000VN0008) (ST10000VNZ008/N0008)New CMR recording, SATA NAS drive rated for 24/7 use Amazon.ca · sold by Deals2You · one bare internal drive; shipping and taxes not included · checked Oct 7, 2026CA$579Buy on Amazon | 10 TB | CMR ✓ | CA$579 | CA$57.91/TB | Buy on Amazon |
 Seagate Exos X24 ST20000NM002H 20TBNew CMR recording, SATA enterprise drive Amazon.ca · sold by THEKEYKEY · one bare internal drive; shipping and taxes not included · checked Oct 7, 2026CA$1,165Buy on Amazon | 20 TB | CMR ✓ | CA$1,165 | CA$58.25/TB | Buy on Amazon |
 Western Digital HUH721212ALE604 12TB Ultrastar DC HC520 SATA HDD - 7200 RPM Class, SATA 6 Gb/s, 256MB Cache, 3.5"New CMR recording, SATA enterprise drive Amazon.ca · sold by Seller_King · one bare internal drive; shipping and taxes not included · checked Oct 7, 2026CA$699Buy on Amazon | 12 TB | CMR ✓ | CA$699 | CA$58.25/TB | Buy on Amazon |
 Seagate Exos X24 24TB Enterprise Internal Hard Drive HDD - 6GB/s SATA 7200RPM 2.5M MTBF (ST24000NM002H)New CMR recording, SATA enterprise drive Amazon.ca · sold by THEKEYKEY · one bare internal drive; shipping and taxes not included · checked Oct 7, 2026CA$1,400Buy on Amazon | 24 TB | CMR ✓ | CA$1,400 | CA$58.33/TB | Buy on Amazon |
 Toshiba N300 PRO 8TB Large-Sized Business NAS (up to 24 Bays) 3.5-Inch Internal Hard Drive - Up to 300 TB/Year Workload Rate CMR SATA 6 GB/s 7200 RPM 512 MB Cache - HDWG780XZSTBNew CMR recording, SATA NAS drive rated for 24/7 use Amazon.ca · sold by HYPER MEGA Electronics · one bare internal drive; shipping and taxes not included · checked Oct 7, 2026CA$480Buy on Amazon | 8 TB | CMR ✓ | CA$480 | CA$60.00/TB | Buy on Amazon |
 Seagate IronWolf Pro 20TB Enterprise NAS Internal HDD Hard Drive – CMR 3.5 Inch SATA 6Gb/s 7200 RPM 256MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage, Rescue Services (ST20000NTZ01/ST20000NT001)New CMR recording, SATA NAS drive rated for 24/7 use Amazon.ca · sold by THEKEYKEY · one bare internal drive; shipping and taxes not included · checked Oct 7, 2026CA$1,235Buy on Amazon | 20 TB | CMR ✓ | CA$1,235 | CA$61.75/TB | Buy on Amazon |
 Western Digital 22TB WD Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive HDD - 7200 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, CMR, 512 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD221KFGXNew CMR recording, SATA NAS drive rated for 24/7 use Amazon.ca · sold by Deals2You · one bare internal drive; shipping and taxes not included · checked Oct 7, 2026CA$1,400Buy on Amazon | 22 TB | CMR ✓ | CA$1,400 | CA$63.64/TB | Buy on Amazon |
Related questions
Sources
Every technical claim on this page is checked against manufacturer and standards documentation. Dates are when each source was last reviewed.
- Synology KB: Repair a Storage Pool (checked 2026-07-22)
- Synology: Products Compatibility List (checked 2026-07-22)