New Drobo 5D - can only create one Volume, not able to set size

Forum History Drobo 5D
1

I just setup a new Drobo 5D. 120G mSata, 5x2TB seagates. Its working correctly.

When dashboard finds it, it asks t0 format the drives, and it shows only one option for HFS+. This filesystem is what I want, but there is no way to change the size. Also, I want to create 2 volumes and separate some data onto different partitions, but I see no way to add another volume. I would like more than one partition. One for an iTunes Library, another for a virtual machine repository and a third for Time Machine.

While it is livable to run one large partition for all, I just would like to separate different types of data.

Manuals speak of space sliders, and add volume options with screenshots, but I see none of those in my dashboard.

2

I think the option to choose a different volume size was removed in the recent versions of the Drobo Dashboard.

I’m afraid volume management (i.e. creating volumes and allocating their size for it) is only a feature that is existent on the Drobo B800i and Drobo B1200i models.
http://dashboardhelp.drobo.com/guide/250/en/B800i_Creating_Volumes.htm
http://dashboardhelp.drobo.com/guide/240/en/B1200i_Creating_Volumes_with_Other_Operating_System_Platforms.htm

3

Not correct.

Volume size is still selectable. You just have to create one at a time.

http://dashboardhelp.drobo.com/guide/250/en/5D_Turning_On_Your_Drobo_5D_and_Formatting_the_Drives.htm

4

In the latest version (2.6.4) of the dashboard on my drobo 5d with the latest firmware, my drobo doesn’t allow me to select the volume size.

When I go to format it jumps from NTFS to what drive to mount as w/o the intermediate step of selecting a volume size. I also had wanted to split into different volumes but apparently that’s not allowed.

I might try seeing if I could download a previous version of the software and seeing if that makes a difference.

5

Huh. What in the heck is going on a Drobo?

2.6.4 is a debacle in so many ways.

Roll back your version of dashboard to 2.6.3. That has selectable volume sizes.

6

Unfortunately I can’t seem to find the previous version of the software. Oh well. This means that the next drive array I buy won’t be a drobo. I might actually just buy something else and ebay this one.

7

mgriffin34: I’ve looked at the doc you reference and it only talks about formatting the drive into 1 partition. How do you do 2 partitions, for example?

Thanks.

8

You have to use Drobo Dashboard 2.5.3 in order to do so. You cannot use Drobo Dashboard 2.5.3 on Yosemite, you cannot use it on Mavericks unless you have not installed the 2015-003 security patch, and you cannot have a firmware newer than 3.1.1 on the Drobo 5D. If you meet this unlikely combination, then you can download the old 2.5.3 Dashboard from ftp://updates.drobo.com/dashboard/mac/Drobo-Dashboard-2.5.3.dmg .

If not, well, welcome to the sh*tshow that is Drobo - where the motto is “why focus on stability and reliability when you can focus on removing useful features?” I have never been so angry and disappointed in a company as I have at Drobo. I enjoy dealing with my cable company more.