Goreliann

Ok the parity sync is done. Now when I stop the array to put it into maintenance mode, Disk 4 is listed as disabled and contents emulated again. So that raises a new question. Do I continue in maintenance mode to check the filesystem on Disk 4 as suggested above or do I try replacing Disk 4 with the drive I just bought that I tried previously adding as Disk 1 and then rebuilding? Here's a new diagnostic. storage-diagnostics-20240129-1606.zip

Nvm. It looks like the instructions want it done in Maintenance Mode. That'll have to wait until the parity rebuild is done. Another 4 hours.

Can that be done while still running the parity sync?

Oops. Forgot diagnostics. storage-diagnostics-20240129-1133.zip

Ok so now something weird is happening. The parity sync is still ongoing, but in the meantime, I have a whole folder full of files that currently shows as empty when I access it from Windows. All other folders have files in them and I can still see the files if I go through the unraid file explorer. They're all media files, but as I said, other media on the array are showing up fine. It's not like I just lost a few files from the new configuration, the entire folder is empty even though the folder itself is still there. The media files I'm trying to access are spread across all drives in the array according to the unraid file explorer. I just can't see any contents of this one folder through Windows. I know the shares are fine because other media still shows up. Any thoughts?

Ok thanks. It's now doing a parity-sync. Now I just need to figure out what to do from this point forward. I can't tell if the drive is at fault for disconnecting or the cables or the controller. Will unraid complain if I swap out the RAID controller and breakout cables or do I have to fiddle with the unraid GUI to accommodate that?

Now we're getting a bit beyond me. I honestly can't say which controller it's on. I only have one RAID card and it has two breakout cables connected to it that run both cages. Offhand, I'd assume all disks run off the SATA controller, but I couldn't say for sure. Where can I find the steps for a new config and rebuilding parity. With all these connection issues, I'll probably have to replace the controller, the breakout cables, or both and in the meantime I'm nervous having no parity protection.

Is it possible, maybe to just delete the emulated contents, remove that drive and have the array return to normal operation?

Well I've checked the connections and reseated them. I don't have replacement breakout cables so I can't swap them out. Any suggestions at this point?

Once again, Disk 1 has read errors so it stops the rebuild. Here's the new diagnostics. storage-diagnostics-20240128-1143.zip

Well it still shows as contents emulated so it's started another rebuild onto itself. I've tried this a couple times today and the drive returns errors after a couple hours and stops the rebuild process. We'll see if it does it again now that I've reseated everything.

Sure thing. I've reseated all the breakout cables on the back panel of the drive cages. We'll see what happens when it starts up again.

OK. Thanks for your help. That may take awhile for me to check over. If I have further problems, I'll start a new Thread.

Ok here's a new diagnostic. Now when it tries rebuilding Disk 1, it keeps having errors and shuts down the rebuild. So now I have a completely different drive disabled with contents emulated. This is a brand new drive causing problems now, but it still doesn't show any SMART errors or even warnings. WTH? storage-diagnostics-20240127-2126.zip

Oh and FYI, I took those diagnostics before starting the rebuild for the second time.

I've followed instructions to initiate a rebuild onto itself. Let's hope that solves the issue. In the meantime, here's the latest diagnostics in case you want to have a look. storage-diagnostics-20240127-1101.zip

Well I still have no warnings, but now that the rebuild is completed, and successful it looks like, Disk 1 is showing disabled, contents emulated. This is a brand new drive and shouldn't be having any issues. I've stopped the array and rebooted, but it still shows disabled. How can I get it to start a rebuild onto itself? Do I need to reboot it with the disk not present? It seems that's what had to happen to the last one.

No warnings that I can see. I'll let you know if that changes. My rig is just a couple 4 drive cages running off a raid controller. I believe the cages are linked, if I remember correctly, but that would be the only splitting going on. No splitting cables other than the two fly away data cables connected to the raid card.

Beautiful. It now says Data Rebuild in progress. I'm still nervous as hell about this drive going bad again and also when I did a read check, a different drive (Disk 6) showed read errors. It's not showing any now, but with only single parity, this whole process makes me nervous. Should I look to replacing these drives soon?

Yes, that disk. They're all in hot swap bays so there's no messing around with cables. If it looks like I can just rebuild Disk 4, my understanding of how to do that is just stop the array, assign Disk 4 with the drive I just reinstalled and restart the array. From what I've read, that should start the rebuild process. Is that right?

OK. I've plugged the old Disk 4 back in, rebooted, and restarted the array. I did not assign Disk 4 so it still says contents emulated, but I can see the drive as a new device. I've attached the new diagnostics. storage-diagnostics-20240126-1728.zip

I still have the original Disk 4. What happened is that one day Disk 4 just showed up as disabled, contents emulated. I tried doing some research and it seemed the best thing to do was just replace it, so I did. Unfortunately, I seem to have buggered up the replacement process and created this situation we're now discussing. So you're saying just plug Disk 4 back in, start up the array and post new diagnostics? I can do that, but it may be a couple hours before I can post again.

So basically, it seems the best way to deal with this would be to add yet another disk to the array and assign it as Disk 4 and then restart the array to initiate the rebuild process? I was afraid you'd say that. Sigh.

Yes, you have that correct. Nothing was assigned as Disk 1, but that's where the new drive is. Disk 4 is the one that is currently emulated but has no physical disk installed and was approximately 76% full. So yes, I'd like to just rebuild Disk 4 to another disk, like maybe Disk 1. There hasn't been much written to the array since doing this swap, but yes, a fair bit has been written since Disk 4 became disabled. I guess the other disks just took up the slack. So that just leaves the question of how do I rebuild Disk 4 to another Disk? I don't mind losing the current data on Disk 1 as there isn't much of it anyway.