[SOLVED]Yet ANOTHER...'Replacing Drives' Question


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What I'd like to do is New Config original disk9 back into the array since it is already xfs, and work on copying one of the reiser disks to the new larger disk. Then that reiser disk could be reformatted xfs and you could copy one of the other reiser disks to it. Repeat as necessary until all disks are xfs. Except converting that larger reiser disk is going to need some more space.

 

Maybe you don't do it all at once, but you need to get it done.

 

At some point you could shrink the array then add a new larger disk formatted xfs, then that would give more room to work in.

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^To be CRYSTAL clear: I started off, with 7 drives…plus 430RX and 55926.

 

I think I’ve REPLACED 430RX, and did a failed copy of 55926.

 

55926, is the XFS drive. Do you want 55926 ALONE (and then that would be with the new 8T drive. In the array that is); or do you want 55926 AND 430RX BOTH back in (and therefore the new 8T OUT)…and just kind of “start over”??
 

I’m on EST; so I’ll have a look, in my AM.

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Is it possible to put all original drives back plus the new 8TB? That would allow a new array with all the original disks and their data, plus a new larger disk that could be formatted xfs, ready to copy data from the others.

 

If not, you could still do something like that without one of the originals, then get that other disk in later after shrinking the array.

 

Before proceeding with anything, I have to ask. Do you have another copy of anything important and irreplaceable? Parity is not a substitute for backups. And parity will probably be invalid at some point while we work on this.

 

I'm EST also so may not get back till later in the morning.

 

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7 hours ago, trurl said:

Is it possible to put all original drives back plus the new 8TB?

 

Easiest option to do that...is if I could remove and use the SATA and power, off the Cache drive (temporarily, of course). Is that an option? If not, I'll poke around; see if I can find "room". And if not, it sounds like we can do it in stages...as you say (albeit, less convenient).

 

8 hours ago, trurl said:

Before proceeding with anything, I have to ask. Do you have another copy of anything important and irreplaceable?

 

I mean...I don't have the only directions, to the family fortune on there or anything; just dumb music, movies, and TV...lol.  That being said...yes; some of those files, probably couldn't be replaced.

 

So...proceed with caution, please; but I understand you're warning me about risk.

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46 minutes ago, CDLehner said:

remove and use the SATA and power, off the Cache drive (temporarily

 

What I have in mind is New Config with all original array disks plus the new 8TB disk, rebuild parity. You can rearrange disks as you want as long as you keep parity in the parity slot.

 

Then reformat that new 8TB disk to xfs and copy some of the reiser disks to it so they can be reformatted xfs, copy some of the remaining reiser disks to that reformatted xfs, etc.

 

It will take many days to get all this done. You don't have to do it all at once, but it would be good to get at least 2 disks copied, then you could shrink the array by one of those already copied disks and rebuild parity.

 

Then reformat the other already copied reiser disk to xfs so it can be a destination for data from another reiser disk. Repeat as necessary and convenient.

 

You could put cache back in after shrinking the array by that one disk and go back to using your server normally and do the other conversions when convenient. You have till 2025 to get them all converted.

 

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns about this. I will try to work with you until you get comfortable with the process.

 

For now, Disable Docker and VM Manager in Settings and leave them disabled until you are able to put cache back in. And don't write anything to your server till then.

 

Then remove cache, install all the HDDs, New Config to assign as you wish. Don't start the array. Post a screenshot of Main - Array Devices and new diagnostics and wait for further advice.

 

 

 

 

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7 hours ago, trurl said:

For now, Disable Docker and VM Manager in Settings and leave them disabled until you are able to put cache back in. And don't write anything to your server till then.

 

Then remove cache, install all the HDDs, New Config to assign as you wish. Don't start the array. Post a screenshot of Main - Array Devices and new diagnostics and wait for further advice.

 

unr9.jpg.8a718f342f1c24ad598ba7eb22c6b2cd.jpg

 

unr10.jpg.f36785465a6a369abb6f6912b5b0243f.jpg

unserver-diagnostics-20230128-1840.zip

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3 hours ago, fmeres said:

The original transfer went so fast probably because you had "dry-run" enabled.

 

I bet you're right.

 

I'm very unfamiliar with the app, but 'dry run' seemed like the cautious 1st step.

 

When I run it again, I'll pay attention...to see if it stays down (and therefore did before), on the 'copy'.

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9 hours ago, trurl said:

That looks good. Before we build parity, let's take a look at the data disks with the array started.

 

Unassign parity, start the array in normal (not maintenance) mode, then post new diagnostics

 

Good morning. At this point, I'm going to be damn sure safe than sorry.

 

Are you sure I still want 430RX in this array? I ask because I'm fairly confident, 430RX was replaced by 45HCW; it's just that 55926 wasn't copied to 45HCW.

 

unr11.jpg.3f66b970ef18bdce81af95ad3a0cdcbe.jpg

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Looks like you unassigned parity as I asked, now

10 hours ago, trurl said:

start the array in normal (not maintenance) mode, then post new diagnostics

 

45 minutes ago, CDLehner said:

Are you sure I still want 430RX in this array? I ask because I'm fairly confident, 430RX was replaced by 45HCW; it's just that 55926 wasn't copied to 45HCW.

Yes, because we are going to do that all over. That large new disk contains the files from the drive it was rebuilt from, but unfortunately, those files are all still reiser filesystem. We need that large new disk to be empty xfs so we can copy files from reiser disks to it, including that disk you had already replaced.

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OK. those 9 data disks mount and have plenty of contents. Looks like disk1 has the same amount of files as disk5, which it had replaced in the earlier configuration.

 

Stop the array, assign parity, and let parity build. Wait for that to complete and post new diagnostics.

 

Or if it seems to be having problems building parity, post new diagnostics. You don't seem to have the connection problems many do, probably because of backplane, so I expect parity build will go smoothly.

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That looks good.

 

Here is a wiki entry that summarizes your situation. This is just for information, you don't need to follow these steps.

 

https://wiki.unraid.net/Manual/Storage_Management#Converting_to_a_new_File_System_type

 

In your current configuration, instead of emptying a drive so we can reformat it, we are just going to start with a new empty disk1 (as mentioned in that wiki), formatted as xfs, since all your data is on the other disks.

 

Now, what we want to do is reformat that new 8TB disk1 as xfs.

 

https://wiki.unraid.net/Manual/Storage_Management#Changing_a_File_System_type

 

Only change the format of disk1, we can't reformat any others until we copy their data.

 

Pay very close attention to step 5. Don't format unless disk1 is the only one listed for formatting.

 

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  • CDLehner changed the title to [SOLVED]Yet ANOTHER...'Replacing Drives' Question

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