Printingdude

I do have a valid license for the stick that is in the old UnRaid. (I have a 2-pack, so I have two licenses for more disks than I'll ever actually need.) So my new UnRaid is running on its own license. Follow-up question: Will the "super.dat" file work in any other version of UnRaid other than the 4.5.6 version it is in? I do not mind re-imaging my USB stick, because it hangs at boot anyway. I'd love to put a newer version of UnRaid on it if the old "super.dat" file will work with it, but it isn't clear to me if that would work or not.

I'm curious to know if there's a straightforward way to take an UnRaid 4.5.6 array of disks, and create a new UnRaid USB stick (of any version) that I can configure to work with the existing Parity and Data drives from that UnRAID 4.5.6 system (retaining the data on the disks being the key concept). I previously wrote about my UnRaid hanging at boot at bzroot, and I created an entirely new UnRAID system and was copying data to it one drive at a time using the unassigned devices extension. Then I had my new UnRaid get hit with a ransomware attack while one drive from the old UnRaid was still connected to the new UnRaid. My idea is if I can somehow get my old 4.5.6 UnRaid functioning with a new USB stick of any version of UnRaid, I could use it to reconstruct the one drive that got hit in the ransomware attack. Is this something that can be done?

Thanks. I've been keeping an eye on the target folder and the backup appears to be going nicely, long after breaking the SSH connection. It's working! :-) [EDIT] Copy task ran overnight and successfully copied all 2TB of data, even after closing the SSH connection from the Macintosh Terminal remote session that initiated the copy task, exiting, and shutting down the Mac. I did have to run New Permissions on the copied data when it was done.

My understanding was that bracketing the copy command in nohup . . . & would run the copy task as a background task, allowing the SSH connection to be broken. Is that incorrect?

Yep, New Permissions fixed both SMB and CIFS file access permissions and visibility. Thanks! Looking over https://wiki.lime-technology.com/Transferring_Files_Within_the_unRAID_Server#Midnight_Commander_-_Easy_to_Use_GUI_Tool now. It looks like this command line ought to do what I want: nohup cp -r -v -p /mnt/disks/OLDRAID1/* /mnt/disk1/BackedUpUnRAID &

In another thread I detailed how my old 6 x 2TB drive (10TB capacity) unRAID v.4.5.6 system won't boot up any more, and in the meantime, I built a new 3 x 8TB drive (16TB capacity unRAID v.6.3.5 system. I desire to back up the data from the 5 data disks from my old drive to the new unRAID box. My plan is to one-by-one remove a data drive from my old unRAID box and connect it in my new unRAID box and mount/share it using the Unassigned Devices plugin, then back-up data from the old drive to the new unRAID, and repeat for the remaining 4 data disks. When finished, the old data disks will go back into the old unRAID box, at which point I will attempt to upgrade to unRAID 6.x.x in the old box, all without disturbing the data on the old unRAID drives, which are reiserfs. At this time I have successfully installed Community Applications in the new unRAID, installed the Unassigned Devices plugin in the new unRAID, pulled Data Drive 1 from the old unRAID and connected it to the new unRAID, renamed the mount point "OLDRAID1". I created a new share on my new unRAID named "BackedUpUnRAID" where I intend to copy the data from my old unRAID's data drives. From the unRAiD main window, if I click on the share to "browse share" I can see the data files on the drive. I generally use Macintosh computers, but I have PC's that I can use as well. At this time, on a Mac, I can mount my unRAID shares on my Mac by either SMB or CIFS. If I mount the OLDRAID1 share by SMB, the directories on OLDRAID1 have a "wrong way" icon and any attempt to open or copy them is met with an alert that I don't have permission to see the contents. If I mount the share by CIFS, they have normal directory icons but the directories appear empty when I open them (showing "0 items" at the bottom of the open directory windows). I'm not sure what to do at this point. Copying the data via a third computer mounting two shares from my unRAID is surely inefficient. I use puTTY on Windows systems at work. Should I use puTTY to connect to my unRAID to copy files? Why don't I see the data in the directories with CIFS or why do I have permissions issues when I mount the directories as SMB to my Mac? I feel like I'm *SO CLOSE* to copying my data, but keep hitting road-bumps. HELP. [EDIT] From Terminal on my Mac, using "New Remote Connection" from the Shell menu in Terminal, I can log in and navigate to both: /mnt/disk1/BackedUpUnRAID and /mnt/disks/OLDRAID1/ where I can see my data files and directories on OLDRAID1. Ideally I would like to initiate file copying in the SSH terminal connection that can continue even if I close the SSH connection from my Mac. I've read that Midnight Commander is included in unRAID and will do this. Do I need to do anything special to invoke that? I have very basic Linux proficiency.

Brilliant! —To both recommendations. THANK YOU! Reading up on the unassigned devices plugin. Looks amazing!

I found a backup copy of my unRAID 4.5.6 download and copied bzroot over, but still got hanging anywhere in the boot sequence. I started digging further into my server, and discovered the last time I was into it, taking it apart, I apparently neglected to put all the screws into the motherboard, so the mobo could sort of flop around a bit. I think there was like one screw in it. I'm of the opinion that I borked my mobo in some important way. It's a Biostar A760 GM2+, and I happen to have a nearly identical TA760 GM2+ in another system. So I swapped that over. Even worse now, I think I borked up the USB lines and I think I fried my USB stick. It no longer mounts or lights up its internal LED when I plug it into otherwise working computers. [EDIT: I definitely had the USB header plugged in backwards, that my unRAID stick was in. I had the ground pin of the USB header plugged into the V+ jumper, and so forth. I'm pretty sure my Kingston unRAID USB stick is now dead. I have now completely removed the USB header that I was using inside the computer for the USB stick.] [ANOTHER EDIT: When I was replacing the bzroot file, I made a backup of my (version 4.5.6) unRAID USB stick. In theory if I transfer my Pro license to a different USB stick, I should be able to just copy over the backed-up files, and try that, yes?] [ONE MORE EDIT: Since I already built a new 16TB unRAID that is up and working fine, would it seem reasonable to just pull the drives from my old unRAID and use a SATA to USB gadget to one-by-one hook a drive up to a PC and use DiskInternals reader to copy data to my new unRAID? Then I could pursue getting my old unRAID working at a later date, or upgrade it with a Clean install to the latest version, etc.? This appeals to me, if this would work.] —And thus I'll hold off on the following until I try that, but otherwise, I believe I should be able to also try this: If my understandings of everything is right, my next steps should be: 1. Make sure the USB wiring to the TA760 GM2+ motherboard is correct. 2. Go for clean install of current version, using a new USB stick. Question: What is the process for moving my license to a new stick? -Given this info, does that seem like the correct path to getting my old unRAID alive again?

Background: My old 10TB unRAID 4.5.6 was hanging during use, and turned out to be a failing power supply, detailed here: https://forums.lime-technology.com/topic/57970-need-advice-for-dealing-with-hanging-problem-strategy/ I built a brand-new 3-drive 16TB unRAID with my spare license, and backed up some, but not nearly all of data from the old unRAID to the new unRAID. Then I got busy and just left the things alone for several weeks. When I checked on them, I noticed the old unRAID was offline. I rebooted it, but it wouldn't come back to idle. I made a note to check it out some time. I did that today. It's hanging during boot while loading bzroot. My questions: I've read that if this gets corrupted, you can replace the file with a fresh copy. But this is unRAID server version 4.5.6. I don't even see version 4 available any more. Is bzroot from the latest version compatible with my old v. 4.5.6 unRAID? I've also read over the process of doing a clean install, and that looks doable, but I was hoping to back-up more data from the old unRAID to the new unRAID before doing that, just for safety's sake, thus the desire to get the old 4.5.6 alive again. Alternatively, if v. 4.5.6 is still available for download somewhere, if anyone could point me to it, so I can grab the bzroot file, that should work.

Update: My hunch about the power supply appears to be correct. Replacement with a new Corsair CX650M appears to have solved the problem. Now backing up content to the new 16TB unRAID.

Awesome; thanks!

Got a new 16TB 3-drive unRAID up and running with the latest version. Tried to copy one directory of content and unRAID #1 dropped offline again. I'm suspecting this might be a power problem and may swap out the PSU before trying again.

Follow-up question: The motherboard I'm using in my new build is an MSI 760GMA-P34. It has six SATA 3Gb/s ports and two SATA 6Gb/s ports. Considering my new unRAID is 16TB in the form of two 8TB 5900 RPM archive data drives and one 8TB 7200 RPM parity drive, would it make the best sense to put the two data drives on the 6Gb/s ports and the parity drive on one of the 3Gb/s ports? (Presuming the data drives hold mostly movies and photos and music?) Or is it better to put the parity drive on a 6Gb/s port? Advice welcome.

That's kind of my dream build is to have hot-swap cages. This build is intended primarily to back up and take over for an existing v.4.5.6 unRaid with six 2TB drives for a 10TB unRaid system. Those are in CoolerMaster 4-in-3 cages in a Centurion case, and those things are a total pain to install that way. This new build will be just 3 drives for a 16TB unRaid system. With just three drives I'm fine just mounting them in the provided bays in the old Antec Solo (original, not the Solo II) case that I'm re-purposing from an obsolete PC that I've retired. The original Solo actually makes for a pretty good unRaid case with lots of drive bays up front.

I modified one of the trays by drilling a new set of holes 3 inches behind the forwardmost pair. The smaller hole that holds the grommet is 5/16" diameter, and the larger hole is 1/2" diameter. I used a punch to set a dimple, started with a small hole, and used a drill press to first drill the 5/16" hole, then the 1/2" hole. It works perfectly. When I drill the second tray I'll use a stepped bit for the half-inch hole as the half-inch Ti-nitride bit liked to jam into the roughed hole before it went through completely. As an aside, those grommets and shoulder-screws that Antec uses in these cases are ridiculously hard to find if you need more. I had the shoulder screws in my parts bin, but I'm shy one grommet. They're available on eBay in small quantities. The trays (with grommets) are on eBay as well.

Okay, for the sake of clarity, I've edited the image to flip the drive on the right so the connectors are all on the bottom. The salient point is that the distance between the holes on the bottom of the drive on the left are 3 inches apart, where the distance between the holes on the bottom of the drive on the right are 1.75 inches apart. When you have a case that uses drive sleds like the Antec P180, P182, and Solo series, which come with mounting holes that mount to the bottom of the drive, and they're spaced 1.75 inches apart, you're going to need to work out a different solution if you intend to mount drives whose mounting holes are 3 inches apart. Sample tray:

Yeah, it's actually the screw holes on the bottom of the drive that I'm referring to, although the middle side screw holes are also missing. I was referring to the ones with the distance dimension on the left marked 2X 3.000±.010. That's a 3" distance where most drives typically have the upper pair of screws (as viewed in the above diagram) a distance of 1.75" from the lower pair. Here's the difference, highlighted:

On June 11, 2017, I ordered two External USB 3 Seagate Expansion 8TB hard drives, model number STEB8000100 from Amazon.com for $179.99 each. They arrived same-day, and I shucked them for the internal 5900 RPM SATA white-sticker Archive hard drives, model number ST8000AS0002. (This model bare drive costs $213.98 at Amazon.) On July 14, 2017, I ordered one more, same model number STEB8000100 from Amazon.com for $174. It arrived today (July 16) and I shucked it to find an internal 7200 RPM SATA green-sticker Barracuda model number ST8000DM004 hard drive. (This model bare drive costs (279.99 at Amazon, and much more at several other retailers.) I'm putting together a 3-drive 16TB new unRAID with parity. Should I make the 7200 RPM drive the parity drive? It's interesting that Seagate apparently puts whatever drives they have on hand into these external drives, so you have no guarantee what's inside. (So just BE AWARE of that if you buy externals to shuck for their internal drives. While you can save money doing this, be aware that you've voided your warranty, but for under $175, I kind of view these things as nearly disposable.) One other thing to note: The archive drives have different screw mounting holes on the underside, separated by 3" front to back, while old drives and the Barracuda have the typical holes separated by only 1.75". The archive drive screw holes do not line up with the mounting holes in the drive sleds in the old Antec Solo case I'm using. I will have to find an alternative mounting system. (I could use the suspension mount, but I prefer using the screws and the silicone grommets.) Here's a Seagate dimensioned drawing showing the mounting hole spacing. This spacing allows them to use slightly larger diameter platters to maximize data storage.

I cleaned out the dustbunnies (and there was a considerable bit to clean out). I haven't done any other testing. I'll give those a shot and see what turns up. I likely do *not* have backups of the data. I'm worried that with the system hanging, it will do that if I attempted to copy data to a networked system, although I *have not tried* yet. I'd almost like to have another UnRAID system to back up the data to. Now that hard drives are even larger and cheaper, I may put together a second UnRAID just for that purpose.

My UnRAID is an old v. 4.5.6, with 6 two-Tbyte drives, for 10 TB + Parity. Lately it hangs and goes offline. I restart, it comes back online, and I wait several hours for parity to validate (it does), and my drives and data show up intact and without any errors or faults. But when start to save some data to it, it hangs and goes offline within a few minutes of copying data. I've repeated this process several times to convince me that it isn't a problem that is going to go away. I'm trying to work out my best strategy to overcome this problem. Back in 2010 when I bought my UnRAID license, I bought a Server-Pro registration 2-pack, of which I've only used one registration. Reading a bit about how to troubleshoot v.4 problems, one of the first pieces of advice is to upgrade to a current version. I see it is recommended to do a "clean install" that requires reassigning drives, settings, users, and passwords; but should retain my data. I run my UnRAID headless and keyboardless, but can attach a monitor and keyboard if needed for troubleshooting. I see I can set up a system log monitoring telnet session, as well, to help troubleshooting, since the thing is hanging and going offline. No PING response, no web login, it's out-to-lunch. My questions: Is it worth spending time capturing logs and seeing what it's reporting, if anything, when it fails? –or– Should I just go for upgrade to current version? –and if so– should I set aside my USB stick drive and start a new one with my other registration code, just so that I don't actually damage or change anything on my current 4.5.6 install, so that I can at the very least get back to exactly where I am right now if anything goes wrong with the clean install? (This strikes me as a wise option.) Any tips and advice welcome.

I have a perfectly working unRAID Pro version 4.5.6 that has been running for several years. I'm thinking about building a second unRAID to use the latest server version and use large 4TB hard drives. I originally bought a 2-pack unRAID Pro, and registered only one USB flash drive. The instructions to get a registration code for a second USB Flash drive are: "After you have received the email containing the first key, you may reply to that email in the future with your second Flash GUID and we will send you it’s key." Problem: Well I've long ago lost that email through various changes in email services, newer computers, and a couple hard drive crashes. I can't even be completely certain which of several email addresses I used to purchase my 2-pack Pro. Of course I still have my working unRAID server, with its Flash GUID and "Registered To" my name. Question: Will I be able to send in the new Flash GUID, maybe with the data I have from my working unRAID server, such that I'll be able to use my second unRAID Pro license that I purchased several years ago?

Update: I bought the SuperMicro AOC-SAS2LP-MV8. Before I take my unRAID offline and install it, I have some questions. -My Biostar-motherboard unRAID is running version 4.5.6. From the other threads I see that talk about the AOC-SAS2LP-MV8, it looks like I'll have to run a newer version of unRAID to use this card. Q1: Is that correct (that I'll need to upgrade to a newer version of unRAID), and what unRAID versions will this card work with? Q2: When using a compatible version of unRAID, does the AOC-SAS2LP-MV8 need a special firmware flash to work with unRAID? If so, what firmware is that? Q3: Is there a simple way to upgrade unRAID? I'd like to keep the Linux add-ons that are on my unRAID system (things for video conversion when streaming and that sort of thing.) I just figure it's smarter to ask before I take down an otherwise perfectly working unRAID setup.

Curious if anyone making a Mini-ITX build using the Rosewill RS-MI-01 case knows of any good [QUIET] CPU coolers that will fit into the limited space between the CPU and the underside of the PSU. The OEM cooler on my socket AM3 CPU fits fine, but is noisy. I'm wondering if anyone knows of any better CPU coolers that fit. Maybe a Scythe Shuriken possibly? Something else? My experience is that this case is not a good choice for a quiet build. There's not enough room for good airflow, and the limited space prevents using big heatsinks.

With the AOC-SASLP-MV8 am I facing a firmware downgrade or a BIOS config to disable RAID, or both, or anything? And it uses the breakout cables, correct? Also, I see there is also the AOC-SAS2LP-MV8 (note the "2" in there). It is listed as an x8 card where the SASLP is listed as an x4 card. Is there any advantage to using the SAS2LP card instead?