start array with missing disk?

[djcartledge]

Hello, this may have been asked before, but I did search and wasn't able to find a clear answer.

 

I have an Unraid system with 9 drives in it.

2 x parity and 7 drives- different sizes

 

today 1 of the 7 drives a 5TB seage has dropped its bundle completely and is a bad disk.

The array won't start obviously.

I have removed the dead drive but can't start the array with missing disk. - invalid confiuration.

I do not have another 5TB drive to replace it at the moment.

 

Can I force start the array somehow to get it up so I can remove files onto another array elsewhere while this unit is waiting for another 5TB drive?

 

[Frank1940]

Please post up a diagnostics file so the Gurus have something to look to determine the best course of action.

[itimpi]

9 hours ago, djcartledge said:

Can I force start the array somehow to get it up so I can remove files onto another array elsewhere while this unit is waiting for another 5TB drive?

 

There should be a checkbox against the Start button that will allow you to start the array.    The missing disk will then be emulated using the combination of the other drives plus parity (assuming you have valid parity) so the array will function as though the drive was still present.    Whether you move files off the 'emulated' drive or simply wait for the replacement to arrive so you can rebuild its contents to the replacement is up to you.

 

Are you sure the drive has really failed rather than simply been disabled because a write to it failed?   Cabling and power issues are far more common than real drive failures.  We should be able to get a good idea from your diagnostics if one of these apply.

 

[djcartledge]

Hi. yes the drive is confirmed dead. put it on a test in another machine. complete failure

 

There is no check box next to the start button for some reason.

I have used that before. but there does not appear to be any way to do this.

I was sure I could strt the array with the disk missing and do exactly wht you suggested. but nope.

 

[JorgeB]

18 minutes ago, djcartledge said:

I was sure I could strt the array with the disk missing

You should, post a screenshot of main.

[djcartledge]

yes once I get back to the workshop tomorrow I will post a screenshot etc diagnostic file.

[itimpi]

36 minutes ago, djcartledge said:

Hi. yes the drive is confirmed dead. put it on a test in another machine. complete failure

 

There is no check box next to the start button for some reason.

I have used that before. but there does not appear to be any way to do this.

I was sure I could strt the array with the disk missing and do exactly wht you suggested. but nope.

 

That suggests to me that there might be something else going on.    Hopefully the suggested screenshot + diagnostics might show something.

 

[djcartledge]

Hi all. Attached diagnostics and screenshot. Shows no array start tick box..

asgard-diagnostics-20231014-1317.zip

[Kilrah]

That's because you have 3 missing disks, not 1. Dual parity can only tolerate the loss of 2.

What are disk 1 and disk 7? If these were intended to be permanently removed from the array previously then that was not done correctly and as a result you've been running without protection since. 

Edited October 14, 2023 by Kilrah

[djcartledge]

ok thats fair and not known to me. originally I had a controller failure and had to change the ports. This did not allow me to re attach the same drives to the same assignments, I had to add the drives to available slots.

that left 2 missing drives. and has run like that for months. not knowing that I really had no protection.

 

now a drive has actually failed, drive 9. I dont have a 5TB to replace it with. and you cant put anything else in its place.

 

I have now added 2 new drives to the missing drive slots, but there is still no option to start the array. and still says invalid or missing configuration. 

Unraid . Why can't I just start it up and retrieve the data.

[Kilrah]

8 hours ago, djcartledge said:

I have now added 2 new drives to the missing drive slots

That is useless at this point

 

But in any case all the data on drive 9 is now lost due to the fact you were running with 2 missing drives, there is no way to get it back (unless you can get that drive to work again).

 

To get the server running go to Tools->New Config, Preserve current assignments = All, go to the Main page, remove any drives not needed (1, 7, 9), that'll let you start and will rebuild parity.

Edited October 15, 2023 by Kilrah