Assing existing Disk to Disk Array

[Baamfecker]

Hi there, I will be starting with Unraid soon, but there is one important question for me.

 

So for the last few months I spent a lot of time ripping nearly all my BluRays (about 250+) and storing them on a 8TB HDD which sits in a Ubuntu Server where only Jellyfin is installed on it. So now I wanted to start hosting other services on my machine and choosed the Unraid OS, but I need to get my existing disk connected with Unraid.

Like I install the OS and afterwards mount it to Unraid etc.? But I read that you can only assing a disk to Unraid if it is in his CLEAR state?

 

So there is no option for me to plug and play this disk, but I have to copy everything from one disk to another, just so that I dont lose any data and can use the disk?

 

** This 8TB HDD is only data disk, the current Ubuntu OS is installed on a NVME **

[MAM59]

As long as there is no parity disk, you can assign ANY full disk to an unraid array. It just will be used (unless the filesystem can be read by UNRAID, which is very likely) and shares will be created for all top level directories automatically.

 

Even IF there is a parity already, you can do this if you turn off parity first, add the disk then reassign parity (will be rebuild afterwards).

 

UNRAID runs from an USB stick, the NVME is not used then (you may assign it as a cache drive, but it will be formatted then).

 

But of course, it is always clever to have a backup of the data somewhere... And as long there is no parity drive in UNRAID, there is no data protection at all (even WITH parity this is no reason for NOT having a backup!)

[trurl]

What filesystem is the disk? 

[JorgeB]

Note that Unraid requires a specific partition layout, so the disk may not mount even if using a supported filesystem, but in that case it should always mount with the UD plugin though, and you could copy the data.

[Baamfecker]

4 hours ago, MAM59 said:

As long as there is no parity disk, you can assign ANY full disk to an unraid array. It just will be used (unless the filesystem can be read by UNRAID, which is very likely) and shares will be created for all top level directories automatically.

 

Even IF there is a parity already, you can do this if you turn off parity first, add the disk then reassign parity (will be rebuild afterwards).

 

UNRAID runs from an USB stick, the NVME is not used then (you may assign it as a cache drive, but it will be formatted then).

 

But of course, it is always clever to have a backup of the data somewhere... And as long there is no parity drive in UNRAID, there is no data protection at all (even WITH parity this is no reason for NOT having a backup!)

 

Thank you for the answer and clarification!

 

So when I have Unraid running, as best practice I just add the disk to the array and afterwards the parity drive?

 

Yes I know that Unraid is running on a USB-Stick. That was the plan to use the NVME as SSD Cache.

[Baamfecker]

4 hours ago, trurl said:

What filesystem is the disk? 

Filesystem is EXT4

[Baamfecker]

1 hour ago, JorgeB said:

Note that Unraid requires a specific partition layout, so the disk may not mount even if using a supported filesystem, but in that case it should always mount with the UD plugin though, and you could copy the data.

 

So will the EXT4 filesystem be mounted or is this partition layout not correct?

[Kilrah]

I would add only this disk to array, no parity or anything else and start the array. If it mounts all good, if it says unmountable then stop again and remove from the array, you will have to copy.  Oops, didn't notice EXT4

 

Assuming you'll want a parity disk if the sizes are OK I would take that drive intended for parity, add it to array, format, copy everything from the disk that has data to it, then add the old drive as parity.

Edited February 6 by Kilrah

[itimpi]

1 hour ago, Baamfecker said:

 

So will the EXT4 filesystem be mounted or is this partition layout not correct?

Ext4 is not a supported file system type for the main array.   It can, however, be mounted using the Unassigned Devices plugin to facilitate copying files off it.

[MAM59]

2 hours ago, Baamfecker said:

So when I have Unraid running, as best practice I just add the disk to the array and afterwards the parity drive?

So, just give it a try like @Kilrah says and be prepared that it does not work. So you have to take the longer way that @itimpi describes (which will need a 2nd free disk to be formatted and copied on later)

 

[trurl]

3 hours ago, Baamfecker said:

Filesystem is EXT4

Unraid can't use that filesystem for any of its assigned disks so no point in trying to assign it. Unassigned Devices plugin should be able to read it.

[Baamfecker]

Okay thank you all. In the next days I will order a new disk and will try your proposed solutions.