"Accidentally" removed my cache pool. Any way to add them back without losing anything?

[basnappl]

Hello,

 

I recently migrated my Unraid setup to a new case. I moved all but my 2 SSDs (cache drives) over and tried to boot. I then started the array after checking the box to remove my cache pool because I'm an idiot who didn't realize this would clobber all of my Docker containers. I now have my SSDs hooked up. Is there any way to add them back and have things work like I never removed them?

 

Thanks a lot in advance!

[JorgeB]

If you have already started the array without them you can add them back and it will import any existing pool, just confirm that no "all data on this device will be deleted" warning shows after re-assigning them.

[denishay]

Hi,

 

Yes there is.

 

• First, stop your current array

• Go to settings > docker and disable

• Go to settings > VM Manager and disable

• Add your old cache drives to the array as they were

• start the array

 

IMPORTANT: do not enable dockers and VMs yet

 

• Go to the array with a decent file manager (I rather recommend Midnight Commander, aka mc from the command line, but it's up to you) and delete the newly-created appdata and other folders which will have been created on the array as there was no cache

 

• Once this is done, you can enable dockers and Vms, but make sure you select the advanced settings and point to the files which should now be back on your cache drive

 

I hope I made things clear enough. Let me know if not

[denishay]

4 minutes ago, JorgeB said:

If you have already started the array without them you can add them back and it will import any existing pool, just confirm that no "all data on this device will be deleted" warning shows after re-assigning them.

 

I'm pretty sure it was not just about the drive but retrieving the whole config as it was before, including docker configs, etc. Adding the drives only will not retrive that

[JorgeB]

1 minute ago, denishay said:

Adding the drives only will not retrive that

It will if the docker/VM paths were not changed.

[basnappl]

Wow, thank you all for these responses. I am going to try it now. I'll let you know how it goes.

[denishay]

5 minutes ago, JorgeB said:

It will if the docker/VM paths were not changed.

Agreed, but starting the array without the old cache will "force" unraid to create those folders where available, hence change the settings. I know, that's what happened to me on a test setup not long ago

[JorgeB]

2 minutes ago, denishay said:

Agreed, but starting the array without the old cache will "force" unraid to create those folders where available

Correct, but reinstalling the cache will make Unraid reuse the old folders, since pools take precedence over the array, though after all is back it would be good to delete those duplicate folders.

[basnappl]

Strange issue. I have tried starting the array with the cache drives added and... After a bit of "Array starting", I lose the ability to browse the web gui (unable to connect). I can still ssh in though... I've tried restarting nginx to no avail. Any ideas?

[JorgeB]

You can try booting in safe mode, also get the syslog after the problem.

cp /var/log/syslog /boot/syslog.txt

 

[basnappl]

All good now.  The DNS issue turned out to be unrelated (I had made a change upstream that broke DNS).  Thank you all for your help!