Hot-Swapping out a single Pool Device

[wacko37]

I have my Downloads Share setup as a single Pool Device - 1 x 8t hdd formatted in XFS

 

I Clone this device with an identical drive which is stored in an offline location.

 

I now have a situation where I need to swap over the drives so I have followed the official tutorial for such a process,

 

1 - shutdown the system

2 - swap over the drives and boot the system

3 - Open up the main tab an allocated the new disk to the pool

 

Step 3 is where I get stuck as I cannot allocate the new drive as its looking for the serial of the old drive.

 

To overcome this I shut down the system, removed the flash drive and updated the pool.cfg which in my case is Download.cfg file to suit the new device and booted the system.

This worked flawlessly, I have check my download client and rechecked a few torrent without issues everything seem totally fine.

 

And that's what worries me most - will this method come back to bite me in the arse? Was there something I missed?

 

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by wacko37

[itimpi]

What you did would work but is a bit error prone.

 

A better process is something like

• Use Tools->New Config and select the option to keep all assignments
• return to the Main tab and change the drive assigned to cache
• if you parity, check the Parity is Valid checkbox to avoid rebuilding parity.   You can then ignore the warning about overwriting parity as it does not take into account you checked this option.
• start the array and then format (if needed) the new cache drive.

[JorgeB]

You can also unassign the old cache, start array, stop array to reset the pool config, then assign new device and start array.

[wacko37]

thanks for the speedy replies gentlemen,

 

FYI, My pool device is not part of the array / parity nor is it in a cache pool.

 

Its just a single drive that all the downloads are pointed to and stored (99% torrent related). I seen no other way of adding such a device other than a pool device due to lack of knowledge.

 

Would your methods of replacement be the same as you mentioned above, as I intend to swap these over regularly.

 

@JorgeB - I did try that before editing the .cfg file, but when I selected no device and tried to start the array it would not let me, got and error to many disks missing from pool. 

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by wacko37

[wacko37]

The pool device in question is the sole drive for my Downloads Share

Edited August 3, 2023 by wacko37

[JorgeB]

32 minutes ago, wacko37 said:

I did try that before editing the .cfg file, but when I selected no device and tried to start the array it would not let me, got and error to many disks missing from pool. 

You need to check the "I want to do this" check box next to array start button.

[wacko37]

31 minutes ago, JorgeB said:

You can also unassign the old cache, start array, stop array to reset the pool config, then assign new device and start array.

I just tried your method again to test it out for future reference, When I stop the array and select "no device" I cannot start the array as start button is greyed out, when I change it to the desired drive its labelled as "wrong" and when i go to start the array i get "Wrong Pool State, downloads - too many missing devices"

 

43 minutes ago, itimpi said:

What you did would work but is a bit error prone.

 

A better process is something like

• Use Tools->New Config and select the option to keep all assignments
• return to the Main tab and change the drive assigned to cache
• if you parity, check the Parity is Valid checkbox to avoid rebuilding parity.   You can then ignore the warning about overwriting parity as it does not take into account you checked this option.
• start the array and then format (if needed) the new cache drive.

I then tried @itimpi method and given the warning thats detailed with "new config" and the fact I cannot single out my single pool device i am to afraid to try this metthod and risk messing up my good cache pool.

 

[itimpi]

3 minutes ago, wacko37 said:

then tried @itimpi method and given the warning thats detailed with "new config" and the fact I cannot single out my single pool device i am to afraid to try this metthod and risk messing up my good cache pool.

If you use the option to keep all current assignments, then when you return to the Main tab then they are all set as before running the tool so it should be obvious which is your pool devices, but you can now make changes before starting the array.

 

FYI:   Using the New Config tool is covered here in the online documentation accessible via the ‘Manual’ link at the bottom of the GUI or the DOCS link at the top of each forum page.

[wacko37]

6 minutes ago, JorgeB said:

You need to check the "I want to do this" check box next to array start button.

AAAHHH bloody hell how did i miss that option!!! TBH i thought it was the correct errors tick box but I clearly did not read it thoroughly.

 

 

[wacko37]

3 minutes ago, itimpi said:

If you use the option to keep all current assignments, then when you return to the Main tab then they are all set as before running the tool so it should be obvious which is your pool devices, but you can now make changes before starting the array.

Ok I will try this now also so Im not afraid......lol

 

But I guess as both of you are moderators and very well experienced, either way mention will work, Now I know for next time.

 

 

[wacko37]

@JorgeB @itimpi - Thankyou very much for your time.