Hello!

 

Here's my setup:

Parity: 2TB WD20EARS

Data: 2 × 2TB WD20EARS (disk1 and disk2), 1 × 1TB WD10EARS (disk3), 1 × 2TB HD204UI (disk4)

Cache:  2,5" 160GB Samsung HM160HI

All of these drives are connected to the motherboard's SATA controller.

 

I need to upgrade my parity drive because it's the slowest drive in my array (it's an old, four-platter version). I already have a new Seagate ST2000DL300 (2TB Barracuda Green) precleared and connected to a Si3132-based 2 ports PCIe x1 SATA controller and a second ST2000DL300 still in a box.

I want to use the first ST2000DL300 and replace the old parity drive, then preclear former parity drive (WD20EARS) and use it to upgrade disk3 and then add the second ST2000DL300  to the array and fill the sixth slot form my Plus licence.

 

I'm planning to acomplish all of this with these steps:

1. Parity check

2. Stop the array

3. Power down the server

4. Disconnect the old parity from motherboard and connect the already preacleared ST2000DL300 to that SATA port

5. Disconnect the disk3 from motherboard and connect the old parity to that SATA port

6. Install the second ST2000DL300 and connect it to the Si3132 controller

7. Connect disk3 to the Si3132 controller

8. Power up the server

9. On the Devices tab assign new parity drive to the first ST2000DL300 and the rest of the drive exactly as they used to be (except the old parity, ofcourse - it will be unassigned)

10. Start the array so the parity data can be written to the new drive

11. Start the preclear of the second ST2000DL300

12. When the new parity drive is ready, start preclearing the old one (this time without a jumper)

13. When step 12 is done, stop the array

14. On the Devices tab assign disk3 slot to the old parity drive

15. Start the array so the rebuilding of the data from the old disk3 can begun on the new one

16. When the rebuilding is completed, stop the array for the last time

17. Assign the second ST2000DL300 to the disk5 slot

18. Start the array and wait untill the recalculating of the parity data is finished

19. Lean back and relax because the upgrade is finished

 

Is that OK? Did I miss something? Can I safely perform the upgrade using these steps? Please advise 

This plan will not work.

 

Parity must be correct in order to rebuild a drive. It is recommended to pre-clear all drives before use. It doesn't matter to unRAID which physical SATA port is used for any particular drive.

 

1. Parity check

2. Stop the array

3. Power down the server

4. Disconnect the old parity from motherboard and connect the already pre-cleared ST2000DL300

5. Start the array with the old parity missing. This will cause unRAID to forget about the old drive.

6. Stop the array.

7. Start the array, assign, and rebuild parity.

8. Parity check.

 

9. pre-clear the old parity drive and new disk5

10. unassign disk3

11. Start the array with disk3 missing. This will cause unRAID to forget about the old drive.

12. Stop the array.

13. assign new disk3.

14. Start the array and rebuild disk3.

15. Parity check.

 

16. Stop the array and add new disk5

17. Start the array and all is well.

 

 

Your plan was pretty good except it was missing the steps to make unRAID forget about the old drives.

Thanks dgaschk , but I think I messed up

 

After I disconnected the old parity drive from the motherboard I powered up the server and checked the http://tower where I saw ST2000DL300 already assigned to the parity slot (it had blue dot if I'm not mistaken). I thought at that moment unRAID is clever and already forgot about the old parity so I checked the box and pressed the Start button. Now it's finishing Parity-Sync (30 minutes left), so after the parity check i'm going to reconnect the old parity drive and add the second ST2000DL300.

 

But now I think because there was now "missing the parity drive" moment unRAID didn't forget about the old parity drive and may do some strange things when I connect it.

 

Should I be worried? Do I need to do something now, like "Trust my array" procedure?

Thanks dgaschk , but I think I messed up

 

After I disconnected the old parity drive from the motherboard I powered up the server and checked the http://tower where I saw ST2000DL300 already assigned to the parity slot (it had blue dot if I'm not mistaken). I thought at that moment unRAID is clever and already forgot about the old parity so I checked the box and pressed the Start button. Now it's finishing Parity-Sync (30 minutes left), so after the parity check i'm going to reconnect the old parity drive and add the second ST2000DL300.

 

But now I think because there was now "missing the parity drive" moment unRAID didn't forget about the old parity drive and may do some strange things when I connect it.

 

Should I be worried? Do I need to do something now, like "Trust my array" procedure?

You will be fine.  The only time you usually have to get unRAID to forget a drive is when you are going to reconstruct onto itself.

I have 3 comments.

 

1. Do a parity check after each drive change.

 

2. Don't change the jumper on the EARS drive. If it's already there, then make sure you do not use 4k Aligned on that drive.

 

3. At about step 17 when you add the new drive as disk5 there should be no requirement to rebuild parity. The array should go online without clearing the drive (since you precleared it) and then allow you to format the new disk, so just make sure it's the only one that shows as unformatted and press the format button.

 

Otherwise, you're looking good.

 

Peter

I stand corrected. Your plan is fine except there is no step 18.