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Replacing Disk in BTRFS Pool

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I'd like to replace a disk in my pool but keep the existing one and use for something less critical as it starting to show signs of failure. The Unraid documentation states:

 

Quote

To replace a disk in the redundant pool, perform the following steps:

  1. Stop the array.
  2. Physically detach the disk from your system you wish to remove.
  3. Attach the replacement disk (must be equal to or larger than the disk being replaced).
  4. Refresh the Unraid webGui when under the Main tab.
  5. Select the pool slot that previously was set to the old disk and assign the new disk to the slot.
  6. Start the array.
  7. If presented with an option to Format the device, click the checkbox and button to do so.

 

Why do I need to do step (2)? Can I not just leave it attached and then repurpose it for something else? I don't really want to open my machine up at all because both the disks in question are already in there and it is not easily accessible.

Thanks!

Solved by JorgeB

4 hours ago, writablevulture said:

Why do I need to do step (2)? Can I not just leave it attached and then repurpose it for something else?

If you leave it attached I think it will still be detected as a pool member, whether it's in the logical slot or not. Wait for @JorgeB to confirm, but I think you should probably be able to substitute wiping the mbr / partition table instead of physically removing it, but I'm pretty sure you can't allow it to be found as a former pool member.

  • Solution
12 hours ago, writablevulture said:

Why do I need to do step (2)? Can I not just leave it attached and then repurpose it for something else?

You can leave it attached, it will be wiped automatically.

  • 1 year later...

Hi, I have a 15 2TB disk btrfs RAID6 pool and I would like to upgrade the disks with 8TB drives.  Unfortunately, I only have 8 of the newer drives.  Given there is ample space to migrate to the 8TB drives, will UnRaid require me to replace all 15 drives?  Or is it “smart“ enough to know that I don’t need to replace all 15.  I think the standard way to replace drives is one at a time.  If I do that, what happens when I’ve done all 8?  Is there a way to “retire” the remaining 7 2TB drives?

 

Thanl you!

12 hours ago, Hammer8 said:

will UnRaid require me to replace all 15 drives?

Btrfs doesn't require that all drives are of the same capacity, it will still be able to use the extra space.

 

12 hours ago, Hammer8 said:

 I think the standard way to replace drives is one at a time.

Yes, that's the only way.

 

12 hours ago, Hammer8 said:

Is there a way to “retire” the remaining 7 2TB drives?

You can remove one at the time also, and wait for the pool to rebalance before removing the next one:

https://forums.unraid.net/topic/46802-faq-for-unraid-v6/?do=findComment&comment=480418

 

Thank you!

  • 1 year later...

Can I (should I) remove a failed drive until the new drive arrives without it shrinking the pool automatically? I have a failed disk in a BTRFS RAID6 pool, and its spamming my log with errors. Should i just leave it till the new drive arrives? or can i pull it from the pool so it stops trying to access it? I don't want it to rebalance, with less drives, till i replace the failed one.

If the pool has space, it would be better to remove the device and shrink the pool to keep redundancy, but note that it would have to be done using the CLI, GUI only supports reducing mirrored pools.

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