Move array to other disks?

[Dacobi]

Hi 

 

I have an array with two 4TB data disks and a dead parity disk.

 

I have two 8TB disks that I'd like to use for a new array and move the data from the old data disks to this.

 

What is the best method?

 

Kind regards

Jacob

 

[ChatNoir]

Your plan is to add the two 8TB, 1 parity and 1 data I guess ?

[Dacobi]

8 minutes ago, ChatNoir said:

Your plan is to add the two 8TB, 1 parity and 1 data I guess ?

Yes

[Dacobi]

49 minutes ago, Dacobi said:

Yes

Well not add, I'd like an array with only the two 8TB drives and then move the data from the old 4TB drives to the new array

[trurl]

1 hour ago, Dacobi said:

two 4TB data disks and a dead parity disk

Do you have backups of anything important and irreplaceable?

[Dacobi]

14 minutes ago, trurl said:

Do you have backups of anything important and irreplaceable?

That's the problem, I don't have enough space for a backup of my backup.

[Dacobi]

Could I shutdown the current array, then create a new array with the two 8TB disks and attach the old data disks and copy that data one by one to the new array?

[trurl]

Just now, Dacobi said:

backup of my backup

Sorry, I usually phrase that question as

 

Do you have another copy of anything important and irreplaceable.

 

Do you mean your Unraid is a backup of files that already exist somewhere else?

[trurl]

Just now, Dacobi said:

Could I shutdown the current array, then create a new array with the two 8TB disks and attach the old data disks and copy that data one by one to the new array?

Unassigned Devices plugin will let you mount the old disks outside the array.

[Dacobi]

11 minutes ago, trurl said:

Sorry, I usually phrase that question as

 

Do you have another copy of anything important and irreplaceable.

 

Do you mean your Unraid is a backup of files that already exist somewhere else?

Ah yes I meant, I don't have a backup and not enough space to create one.

[Dacobi]

10 minutes ago, trurl said:

Unassigned Devices plugin will let you mount the old disks outside the array.

What about share and domain information?

[trurl]

Just now, Dacobi said:

Ah yes I meant, I don't have a backup and not enough space to create one.

Do you mean you DON'T have another copy of anything important and irreplaceable? If not that should be your first priority. Even if you had good parity, parity isn't a substitute for backup.

 

You don't have to backup everything. You get to decide what is important and irreplaceable.

[trurl]

1 minute ago, Dacobi said:

What about share and domain information?

What about it?

[trurl]

2 minutes ago, Dacobi said:

What about share and domain information?

All of your configuration is on your flash drive.

 

And user shares are simply the top level folders on array and pools. If those folders exist, the shares exist, and will use the corresponding .cfg from your flash.

[Dacobi]

2 minutes ago, trurl said:

All of your configuration is on your flash drive.

 

And user shares are simply the top level folders on array and pools. If those folders exist, the shares exist, and will use the corresponding .cfg from your flash.

Thanks, then I'll shutdown the old array, create a new one and copy the data from the old disks with unassigned device

[Dacobi]

8 minutes ago, trurl said:

Do you mean you DON'T have another copy of anything important and irreplaceable? If not that should be your first priority. Even if you had good parity, parity isn't a substitute for backup.

 

You don't have to backup everything. You get to decide what is important and irreplaceable.

It's not life or death data, I just only had the means to buy new disks to replace the old and failing once.

 

But I'll make a backup of my domains before I proceed.

[Dacobi]

To copy the data with unassigned device, do I just use a shell command?

[trurl]

2 minutes ago, Dacobi said:

use a shell command?

Do you know how? I always use Midnight Commander (mc from the command line) when working with files directly on the server.

[Dacobi]

3 minutes ago, trurl said:

Do you know how? I always use Midnight Commander (mc from the command line) when working with files directly on the server.

Well I was thinking something like cp -rf etc etc

What I meant was if there was a more "official" way to move data?

 

Last time I used a commander it was called Norton

[trurl]

Linux command are fine if you are good with that. Many people are not.

 

Do you know the paths to source and destination?

[Dacobi]

3 minutes ago, trurl said:

Linux command are fine if you are good with that. Many people are not.

 

Do you know the paths to source and destination?

Well the array would be /mnt/disk#

 

Don't know where unassigned device will mount?

[trurl]

2 minutes ago, Dacobi said:

Don't know where unassigned device will mount?

/mnt/disks/whatever

 

See the support thread for the plugin.

[Dacobi]

I've shutdown the array, removed the disks and booted with the new disks.

But the unRAID is still expecting to find the old disks.

 

Should I use the New Config tool to create a new array config?

 

Will this preserve share/domain information?

 

I've made a backup of important data.

[trurl]

53 minutes ago, Dacobi said:

Should I use the New Config tool to create a new array config?

yes

53 minutes ago, Dacobi said:

Will this preserve share/domain information?

 

On 11/3/2021 at 3:47 PM, trurl said:

All of your configuration is on your flash drive.

 

And user shares are simply the top level folders on array and pools. If those folders exist, the shares exist, and will use the corresponding .cfg from your flash.

 

[trurl]

56 minutes ago, Dacobi said:

New Config tool to create a new array config?

You will have to format the disks after they have been added to the array. If you copy the data before adding parity it will go faster.