Help me pick 2 larger HDD's for DS723+

[Enquiries]

Hi!

I have found your youtube videos so helpful. Thanks! I hope the new year is treating you and yours well.

I have a question about selecting HDD's for my newly purchased DS723+.

First a bit of background:

I got the nas a few days ago, installed 32gb ram (2x Crucial RAM 16GB DDR4 CT16G4SFRA32A) and two NVME drives (WD_BLACK 1TB SN770 NVMe WDS100T3X0E).

I also installed two of these hdds:

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B084ZTSMWF?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1
(Seagate IronWolf 12TB ST12000VNZ008)

The system would not work (could not install DSM). So I tried using just one HDD, and it worked. Then I added the other drive (after a reboot) and it would not boot. So, I went ahead with one drive, assuming the other was DOA. However, the first drive eventually failed and went into read only after about 3 hours operating.


I returned those drives.

Next, I was able to reset and reboot the system and setup DSM again, with this old 2tb HDD I had laying around:

https://www.ama

[ed]

I’m glad you’ve found my videos helpful, and I hope the new year is treating you well too!

It sounds like you’ve had a bit of a rough start with your DS723+, but it’s great to hear that you’ve managed to get the system up and running with your 2TB HDD for now. Since you're now looking to upgrade to 12TB HDDs again, let’s go over some recommendations and advice to help avoid the issues you encountered earlier.

Potential HDD Options for DS723+
Given that you've had a Seagate IronWolf 12TB fail on you, it’s important to consider reliability and compatibility with your NAS moving forward. When selecting drives for your DS723+, ensure that the drives are on Synology's Compatibility List for this specific model. Here are some HDD recommendations based on your budget and use case:

Seagate IronWolf 12TB (ST12000VNZ008)

This is the same model you tried previously, but it’s worth mentioning again since it’s a popular choice for NAS systems. It has NAS-specific firmware designed for 24/7 operation, making it a solid choice for a system like yours. However, if you're still hesitant due to your previous issues, you could consider other options for peace of mind.
Western Digital Red Plus 12TB (WD120EFAX)

WD Red Plus drives are designed for NAS systems and are known for their reliability and low noise. With a focus on performance and compatibility with home NAS systems like the DS723+, they could be a good alternative to the Seagate drives. They're often a reliable option for storage-intensive applications like media servers, which could be a good fit for your setup.
Toshiba N300 12TB (HDWG11AXZSTA)

Toshiba's N300 series is also NAS-optimized, offering good performance for both home and small business NAS setups. The 12TB model has a robust design for 24/7 operation and should work well in your DS723+. Toshiba generally offers competitive prices, making them a value-friendly option for larger storage.
Important Considerations
Drive Health & Compatibility: Before purchasing, double-check the compatibility list on Synology’s website to ensure that the drives are supported. Since you experienced issues with the previous Seagate model, it might be worth reviewing any known compatibility issues with specific revisions of these drives.
RAID Configuration: Since you’re using a 2-bay NAS, you can configure the drives in a RAID 1 configuration for redundancy. This way, if one drive fails, your data remains safe.
If you want to future-proof your system even further, consider using IronWolf Pro or WD Red Pro drives, which come with longer warranties and are generally designed for higher-end NAS setups.