Revert to emulated missing volume (with parity OK) AFTER it considered it unassigned?

[NLS]

This is a continuation of what happened here:

...but a different issue that I suspect will need the assistance of LimeTech themselves.

So... a short version of what led to the CURRENT issue:

 

1- Two disks broke down (I broke them down... this is where the previous thread stops).

 

2- I managed to fix one of the two (hardware fix - actual data not touched), so I re-installed it and wanted system to start in non-redundant state and emulate the missing one.

(I have done it before more than once on other cases, I know how it works perfectly well)

 

3- BUT when I first started the system with the fixed disk, somehow (probably cable issue) another disk (a third one), reported many disk errors. NOTE: This is the only time I actually started the array (the third disk didn't report issues before starting the array).

4- I brought system down, checked cables, restarted system. The third disk reported ok this time, BUT ANOTHER DISK (fourth one!), reported missing.

5- That was again a cable re-seat issue. I restarted the system after cable check...

AND HERE IS THE ISSUE...

All disks (except the one actually broken down and missing) reported ok this time BUT for some reason after that boot the array started automatically (didn't boot stopped to allow me to handle any issues like the missing disk).

Somewhere between steps 3, 4, 5 above, the broken down missing disk (that was supposed to be emulated) SOMEHOW (I didn't do it by hand) showed as "unassigned"!!!

Which means that the system actually thinks the array is originally with one LESS disk, not emulating the missing one!

Again, I didn't do that by hand (remember I manually started the array ONLY on step 2, not on the next reboots), but somehow the system got confused between different missing disks.

 

So IS THERE A WAY to somehow tell the system that the "unassigned" position needs to be emulated again??? The parity should be untouched so the emulation of the missing disk should work
(and parity should actually be INVALID with the current supposed unassigned position and the system doesn't even know that yet).
I immediately stopped the array so that parity remains untouched. I don't think any write took place in the less-than-a-minute time that it was automatically brought online.

I have on record the full ID (I believe) and serial of the missing disk if I need to manually enter it somewhere.
I should be able to somehow edit the configuration manually???

 

Heeeelp?

 

EDIT: I have ordered replacement disk(s) already. If I make a new configuration, assign all old disks same order, put the new empty one in place of the missing (but now somehow "unassigned") one and tell it to trust parity as valid (which probably is), WILL it actually rebuild the missing disk?
Or something somewhere, even though the parity is calculated for 11 data disks + parity, now "believes" the system should have 10 data disks + parity???

 

EDIT #2: I *MAY* have resolved this. I found an older 3TB disk (as the missing one) in my drawer. I followed the process described bv @JorgeB in the other thread... and while disk is not shown in dashboard as emulated - IT IS emulated (shows as not installed but does allow me to browse the emulated contents of the disk)...
So, right now I am making a copy of the most vital data of that emulated disk to a USB disk.
After that, I will actually "assign" that old 3TB disk back to the array to be re-built from parity.
Then after parity syncs, I will replace the disks with the new ones I have on order (one by one to allow re-sync each time).

Seems UNRAID, although scary at times, is more resilient than meets the eye.

 

Edited September 28, 2022 by NLS

[JorgeB]

9 hours ago, NLS said:

I followed the process described bv @JorgeB in the other thread.

Yes, the procedure is exactly the same as I described before, and no real need to start a new thread since it's still the same issue. 

[NLS]

Yes didn't realize at the time that it was the same issue practically.

Thanks.